March 4th, 1893 – Wildflowers Florist & Gifts

@Daffodil Potts

London was as busy and crowded as ever, and the unseasonably warm March day made it doubly so. Ellie wove her way through the throngs of people with relative ease – though she hadn't had very much cause to visit the city in the past, that had changed when Daffodil opened her new shop last year. Having an establishment to call her own had seemed to lend new vigor to her friend, and Ellie was all too happy to support her however she could – even if a whisper of something that could be called envy sometimes prickled in her chest when she visited Wildflowers. What would it be like, to open her own shop someday, sell her own designs…?

A silly, pointless thought for the moment. Every spare knut that came her way was spent either helping to support the family, or squirreled away in hopes of making that dream real. Even with the enchantment on her lockbox that turned a potential thief's hand blood red when touched (a surprisingly effective deterrent for Papa – perhaps he had some shame after all), the funds were nowhere near enough to materialize such things. Not yet, at any rate. Daffy had been kind enough to offer her a few side jobs around the shop for extra cash, and Ellie was not too proud to accept the help.

A bell jauntily announced her presence as she opened the door to Wildflowers, and the stench of the streets outside was immediately banished in favor of the perfume of the many bouquets and arrangements that lined the shelves. It was like a little piece of Eden had materialized in the midst of the drudgery of London.

"Hullo, Daff," Ellie greeted, a warm smile spreading across her face as she spoke. "Business is booming, I hope?"

  

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pretties by mj!

Daffy's life had settled in a way that she hadn't ever imagined. Her shop was doing well enough, a couple of reliable staff, a good routine, returning customers. Professionally this was what she had always wanted and now she finally had it. She could also easily admit to herself that she was head over heels in love with Elias in a way she had never expected. This was another level of smitten entirely. She could sing his praises all day, but to put it simply he was just perfect.

It wasn't hard for her thoughts to drift to him during the day, even as she was sorting through deliveries for that afternoon. The last thing Daff wanted was for her visits to his workshop to become excessive, but it was hard to resist the temptation to pop over after work was done each night. Of course now he started returning the favor, coming by the greenhouse every now and then. Maybe she'd just send him some flowers, something else she should probably ease up on. Merlin who knew it was so difficult not to show affection! After having had to hide it for so long before this, perhaps she was just taking advantage of the fact that she didn't have to.

Fortunately the bell above the door chimed, signaling someone's arrival and Daff poked her head around the doorway from her office to the front of the shop to find Ellie strolling in. Ellie!" She greeted cheerfully as she pulled herself away from the books to meet her friend in the shopfront. "Business is going well enough," Daff had tried to temper her expectations, but so far she was pleasantly pleased. "It's a lot of work, but I am enjoying it." It wasn't all that different from running her mother's florist, except she was responsible for everything and not just some things. "What brings you by my way this afternoon?"

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Ellie grinned, truly happy that her friend was happy. It wasn't always easy for her to find time to cultivate her friendships as she felt they deserved, and for a while it almost felt as if she and Daff had drifted apart entirely – but she had been glad to be proven wrong in recent months. Daffodil was every bit as bright and sunny as her namesake, and exactly the sort of presence Ellie needed in her life.

"That's great," she replied warmly. No doubt getting her very own shop off the ground was an ordeal in itself, even if she had helped with her mother's. But it was her dream nonetheless, and it was no surprise to hear that Daffy had relished it.

"Oh, well, I had the day off from Gladrags for once and thought I'd drop by, see if you needed anything." It was that awkward time between all the holiday parties and the start of the summer season where there weren't quite as many big orders to take care of, and while Ellie could appreciate the break, she also didn't take well to idleness. "Any excuse to get out of the house, you know?" she added wryly. The state of the Woodcroft household would require no further explanation, certainly not for one of the only school friends Ellie had kept in touch with since she left.

  

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pretties by mj!

"Oh I know that very well." Daff, when she had lived at home, and though she loved her sisters, had always enjoyed getting out of the house to have some time to herself. Even if it meant having to go to the florist and get some work done. Now she had plenty to keep her busy and it was the other way around. Living by herself she had to make time to go visit with her family.

"I do have a couple of deliveries that need to be done, if you've the time." Daff had to admire Ellie's drive, taking time on her day off to try and make more money. Not one to be swayed by friendships with those of different classes, Daff had to sometimes make a conscious effort to remember not everybody had things easy and if Ellie needed to make some extra cash, Daff was more than happy to help when she could. Not to mention the help was greatly appreciated. Daff could only afford to hire so many shop assistants at the moment, so having Ellie on an as-needed basis was helpful!

Pulling the register of today's orders from below the till, Daff flipped it open to see what needed to be done. "I have to put them together quickly, if you want to help?" It would be nice to have some company in the greenhouse.

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