Jillian Chantal

It’s Tuesday again. Time for some tales from a group of authors writing to the same word prompt. The word of the week is corn and I was a bit challenged on how to work it in. 🙂 I am still working on my Christmas story.  Hank, the former high school sweetheart of the heroine has agreed to help her in her floral shop as she’s short-handed.

Be sure to check out the other tales here

While Hank busied himself on the task Candace gave him, she tried not to watch his every move. He had to still be playing soccer some since he was so fit. She bet he could still wear the same clothes he had in high school. She kept tossing glances in his direction as she prepared the matching vase she was using for the second arrangement.

In a few minutes, he returned to her side with some unopened roses, fern greenery and babies breath. “I think this will do it.” He placed them gently on the work table. “I also found these. I guess they’re left over from Halloween?” Hank waggled a small baggie of candy corn in front of her. “As I recall, these were Angela’s favorite. Did she hide them back there?”

Candace giggled. “They were her favorite even though I always teased her that they tasted like wax.”

“Is she all right? You say they were her favorite in the past tense.”

“Oh no, she’s fine. Just hasn’t eaten those in many years.” Candace shook her head. “She’s married now and has two little kids. Twins. She never lets them eat sweets. Drives my mother crazy.”

“I’m glad she’s better and has apparently found a good man. As I recall, she wasn’t well for a couple of years.”

“She wasn’t. I was glad when she and Todd started dating. At first, it was scary, but he seemed to really care for her and she told him all about her suicide attempt. The fact that she was able to be honest with him and he stayed was all important to my family. With her fragile psyche, we wanted her to be careful about becoming involved with another man.”

Candace couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. That year of hell after her sister’s high school love broke her heart after he left for college almost was the undoing of their family. Her pain culminated in the suicide attempt and hospitalization right after Hank moved south for school. Angela had been sure Candace would receive the same treatment. In order to calm her, Candace told her she’d broken off the relationship with Hank herself. It was a terrifying time.

“I’m glad to hear it. I haven’t spoken to or seen her since then and was curious about how she was doing.” He held up the bag again. “What about these then? Are they your new secret vice?”

Glad for the change of subject, Candace shook her head. “Nope. Never. Those were left over from the high school’s Halloween fundraiser for funds for their prom. The junior class sold orange and black carnations tied together with the candy bags. I made them for them. One of the bags must’ve fallen off.”

“I’m going to eat them, then.” He opened the bag, popped some in his mouth and had to bend down to pick up two that fell on the floor.

“Knock yourself out. They’re hideous.”