desert marigolds

I got him flowers on the 14th of February, as a token of my everlasting love for him.

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 November 3. I was in my room, lying on my bed when I heard the bell ring it's usual high pitched sound. Answering the door, there he was. Just your average 25 year old, in khaki shorts and a marshmello tshirt. 

'I'm sure I'm wrong, but are you Mr Douglas?'

There was something about his grey eyes that...pulled me towards him. It was like hypnosis, if I could just get close enough to look-

'Hello? Are you alright?' I heard from somewhere far away.

'Yes I'm sorry, you've got mesmerizing eyes. Mr Douglas lives just down the road. He doesn't have many guests over. Who are you?'. My voice sounded different in his presence.

'I'm here from the hospital to assist Mr Douglas with his medications. I guess I'll see you around then'

And just like that, he crossed the road to go to the house across the street.

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I saw him everyday, preparing breakfast, laying out medicines, reading magazines for the old man. He was strangely delicate with everything. The way he put the senile to bed, the way he folded the clothes so gently, it made me wonder. It made me wonder how he could be so immaculate. Would he be the same in every aspect of life? I wanted to know everything about him. He made something inside of me.. stir.

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It was 18th December. Light and breezy, no signs of a snowfall yet. It had been 5 weeks since Josh moved in with Mr Douglas. He'd said he'd see me around, but hadn't come over since then. I couldn't take anymore of this, so I went up to the house to talk to him. I'd always wanted to know what that house looked like. Mr Douglas was a grumpy old man and didn't really like visitors. I had gone over to give him some homemade cookies once and he just shouted at me and asked me to take the poisoned cookies away. The man was crazy.

The house gave me chills, just like the grey eyed boy did that day. As I was standing on the front porch waiting for someone to answer the door, I felt calm. I felt as if my whole life had been leading up to this moment. He opened the door, yes it was the boy in the khaki shorts.

'Good to see you here! I didn't quiet get your name last time...'

'I'm Ella, hi!'

'Hi Ella, I'm Josh'

Josh.. I thought he'd be a Justin. Huh. 

'So I just brought these homemade cookies-'

'Oh thankyou!'

And just like that, he shut the door in my face. How rude. As if he was hiding something.

Later that evening, I saw a white sedan pull over in front of 584B, the house across the street. A young lady walked out and was let in to the house.

A million questions flooded my mind. Was he seeing someone? Is that why he was so rude to me?

I decided to push these thoughts away and continued putting away my laundry.

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December 31. I was throwing a new year's party for everyone from the office. I was done with everything, and the guests were just about to arrive. I'd forgotten about Josh. His strong but gentle hands, his striking eyes....well not everything. But, personality trumps looks, so I didn't spend any more time thinking about him. Mr. Douglas was in his bed again. Whenever I looked over, I found him either in the chair, or in his bed. Word on the street was that he wasn't keeping well. 

The door opened and my best friend walked in. She'd been my best friend since high school and honestly, I don't know what I'd do without her. She helped me with some last minute decorations. We welcomed the guests with smiles on our faces. I had only one goal tonight : get real drunk, real fast. 

Marie, the receptionist heard something break upstairs and so, I went to check. It was probably someone's kid playing around with my vase. I sighed and checked my room. The window was broken. I was too drunk to react so I thought about getting it fixed the next day.

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6th January. 6 days into new year! This year had been wonderful so far. I spent my days with Netflix and my nights with wine. My only two addictions. Well, apart from Josh who I looked at everyday. He was truly the greatest view. He would go about his day as usual, except today, something was different. I was in my room getting dressed when I saw him getting out of his house and walk towards a house..mine!

Seconds later, I heard the doorbell ring. There he was, with his smirk and his handsome face with his scar on his forehead.. wait, had that always been there?

'hi, just wanted to apologise about that day. I had to see someone that day and I realised I came off as a very rude person. Believe me, I'm anything but rude. I like to think myself as the most gentle person on the planet.'

'You're CLEARLY very modest. It's perfectly fine, come on in!'

We talked for 2 hours and he made me feel things. He was the funniest, kindest, the most respectful man I'd ever met. He had trained to be a nurse, and he liked old people. So, here he was!

We decided to hang out again soon and he left to go take care of Mr Douglas again.

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February 9. The week before valentine's was the loneliest week to EVER exist. You see all these other people buying gifts for their boos and you just wonder, when will it be my turn? Every shop was filled with valentine's day gifts and chocolates and teddy bears and little hearts everywhere. Icing on top, it had SNOWED. So everything was 10× prettier than usual. 

Josh and I hung out almost every week, but he hadn't asked me out yet. I could see that he wanted to. I just had to give him a nudge in the right direction and he'd ask me to be his valentine. So, I decided to go over. The door was wide open, which was very odd. I walked in and WOAH. The house was even bigger than I'd imagined. Mr Douglas was LOADED. Josh was nowhere to be seen, so that was sad. I thought about checking in Mr Douglas' room, since that's where he spent most of the time. After 2-3 tries, I finally got to his room. Mr Douglas was fast asleep under covers. Oddly, the machine that helped him breathe was switched off. I decided to plug it back in, because DUH. And then it struck me. Mr Douglas was dead. 

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February 10. I've been avoiding Josh. He's tried calling several times but I just don't want to listen. A man is DEAD. I'd been thinking about it a lot but I couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. So, I decided to call 911. But before I could do that, there was a loud knock on my door. And then the door broke open. I didn't know what to do, so I decided to play it cool. 

'Ella?' 

'Hi Josh! How are you?'

'I've been trying to call you for GOD'S sake. I was so worried about you!'

'Yes I'm sorry, I have to be somewhere right now. I'll see you later?'

And with that, I walked out of the door. 

Later that evening, when I pulled up in front of my house, I went straight to Mr Douglas' house. I had to talk to Josh. About the dead body. 

'I know you killed him. It all comes together. You didn't let me into the house that day when I brought the cookies. Why? Because Mr Douglas was dead. You've trained to be a nurse. And you like old people. You know why? Because they DIE. You're a sociopath. And that young lady who came to see you, she's the hospital doctor. She came to review you. But ofcourse,she found out that Douglas was dead so you kept her inside the house for as long as you could but when she got out of hand and threw Douglas' old watch at my window asking for help on new year's Eve, you couldn't take it anymore. So you killed her. And got rid of her body. It all adds up. You murdered Mr Douglas. And you hid his body all this time so that you could continue living here for a long time, what with all the luxuries.'

He was shocked at the accusation. His face turned into a grimace. 

'yes! Yes I killed Janice. I had to. You got it right. But i didn't kill Mr Douglas! I've just been hiding his body because I know if he was found dead I'd be accused of killing him. And Mr Douglas wasn't dead when you brought the cookies! I swear! During the review by janice, we discovered that he was dead, he was blue and it looked like he was poisoned. I can't lose this job. I need it. I really didn't kill him Ella!'

'I don't believe you. I'm going to the police. You can do nothing to stop me.' 

And with that, I walked out of the house, knowing very well that he'd get in his car and follow me. 

I stopped my car when I reached the police station. Parking my car, I got out. 'Ella! Ella wait! Please don't do this. I'll lose everything!'

Turning around, I saw those eyes. I say those grey eyes filled with tears. 'You have two options. Either I turn you in. Or, you disappear. Pretend you're dead. Run. I don't care where you go. You killed Mr Douglas and Janice and God knows how many more people. Get as far as you can. I want you gone by tomorrow morning.'

Just like that, I got into my car and drove back home, knowing I'd done my job. 

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February 12. The newspaper today was rather interesting! 

'81 year old man found dead from poisoning, been dead since about 2 months, say officials' 

'26 year old caretaker commits suicide after murdering a man, suicide note found in the house, handwriting matches the caretaker's. Note says he's buried himself alive, and doesn't want his body to be found' 

Josh's family wanted to honour his request, and hence they were burying an empty coffin. It was sad, really. Looking at his younger sister, and his mother, being demonized because of josh. Well, shouldn't have murdered Mr Douglas then!

As I sipped my tea, I opened my phone to order some desert marigolds, to match his grey eyes. They'd invited me to speak at his funeral.

Sitting there, I thought of all the things I had to go through. 

First, making sure Mr Douglas hired a caretaker. That's why I got him the cookies, so that he'd get scared and hire someone. He was crazy, as I said!

Second, establishing myself as a girl mad about Josh. His grey eyes oh!

Third, going across the street with some ACTUAL poisoned cookies. I knew janice had to come that day, and I had observed josh enough to know that he'd not eat the cookies himself, rather he'd give them to Mr Douglas, being the caring person he was. Poor old Mr Douglas. He ate them all ! That's just how he was. Now I could finally buy the house I always wanted to! I'm extra lucky because no one would want it, considering a man had been murdered in it. I'd get it practically for free!

Fourth, throwing the new year's Eve party. Oh that was just for me! Such fun.

Fifth, looking at josh through the window everyday. I knew he'd break and come over and try to act like everything was normal.

Sixth, pretending to be very shocked on figuring out Mr Douglas was dead. I knew that Josh goes out at 4 every evening to get groceries, but what if he'd been around then? I couldn't afford any mistakes. Would've screwed up my ENTIRE plan. Also, I had to leave something behind, something that'd tell him I'd been there. The watch.

Seventh, confronting Josh. I knew he'd get very scared and things would turn out as I wanted them to. 

Eighth, going to the police station! Just scaring him more than he already was. It brought me immense joy.

Ninth, going back home and pretending to be heartbroken over the khaki shorts boy. With his gentle hands. How can I ever love after this?

Tenth, FLOWERS!

And there you have it, a ten-step plan. Did I do it just for the house? OFCOURSE NOT! who do you think I am? I did it because I didn't like Mr Douglas AND I wanted the house :))

Moral of the story : things have a way of working out!

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I got him flowers on the 14th of February, as a token of my everlasting love for him.