Petunias

Words by runi

It startles her the first time it happens, warmth and confusion filling her chest as she stares dumbly at his smile.

It’s just a simple hello and a smile, but she finds herself stumbling in her actions as she bows her head shyly, stepping back into her apartment and closing the glass door behind her. Her cat perks up at her return, tilting his head as if to ask what was up. She shakes her head, grabbing the spray bottle from the table and making a beeline towards the plants on the shelves.

Then it continues to happen, several more times across the month and she has reached the point where she can no longer deny the warm and comfortable feeling that settles within her when they do happen.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

“Hey! Good morning, Robyn!” Pat greets again the next time they are both out on their balconies, tending to their plants. She glances at him with a look of surprise, the same warmth settling in her chest again, before averting her gaze.

“Your plants all look so pretty and healthy.” He smiles. “You must take really good care of them.”

She nods her head, unsure on how to respond.

“I wish my plants were that healthy. I can never seem to let them flourish like they should.” He adds but she remains silent.

“Are you a witch?” Pat tries and her head whips to the side, staring at him with even more shock. He holds his hands up defensively, equally as startled with her reaction. “I just — you seem like a plant witch. I have a plant witch friend, they teach me a couple things about plants but — ”

She places down the scissors she was using to trim the plants and heads back inside without another word.

“You know you should probably say something back, right?” Her cat asks, swishing his tail languidly. Silence settles over them, her cat staring at her knowingly before she gives in with a sigh.

“Help me transfer the petunias into a pot, won’t you?”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

“Please tell me what petunias mean.”

His witch friend looks at him weirdly before humming. “Why?”

“Well, when I opened my door to go out and meet you today, I was met with a pot of petunias. At least, that’s what Google told me. Anyways, I’m pretty sure it’s from her and I just really want to know what it means — why are you looking at me like that?”

“Petunias mean anger. Dude, please tell me you didn’t piss her off.” She says, before laughing.

“I would never!” He cries, holding his head within his hands. “All I did was greet her every time we would see each other. I didn’t know that would make her mad.”

“Maybe ask her what you did that pissed her off? Apologize?”

He groans before looking at her with a frown. “What do plant witches even like?”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

He heads back to their apartment building, a bag of fertilizer in his hands as mumbles his apology under his breath. It takes him a minute to realize that he’s made it to his door, Robyn looking at him like he’s grown another head before looking away to unlock her door.

“Wait!” He says, wincing when she starts. He extends the bag towards her. “I — uh — for you. I didn’t mean to make you upset or anything, I’ll stop bothering you, I promise.”
She opens and closes her mouth indecisively before finally speaking. “What?”

“The petunias. You’re mad, aren’t you?”

She stares at him before letting out a giggle. “I’m — no, I gave those as a thank you. For, you know, talking to me. Your presence is comfortable to me, that is all. Not mad. At all.”

He stares dumbly before blinking and dropping his gaze. “Oh.”

“What…what made you think I was upset?” She asks timidly, a small smile on her face.

“It’s just…” Pat hesitates, feeling kind of idiotic despite it being a miscommunication. “My witch friend said the petunias meant anger.”

Robyn hums, nodding her head. “She’s not wrong. But I just really like petunias.” She adds, holding back a laugh when Pat looks dumbstruck. The same warm feeling settles in her chest, making her feel light and comfortable. Pat chuckles, his shoulders dropping in relief.

“So, not angry.”

“Not at all.”

Pat smiles. “Okay. Thank you then, Robyn.”