Orchids, Darling.
just to get away from here
Saturday, December 22nd, 1979
Twenty-Two Years Earlier.
Texas isn’t supposed to snow, Olivia Turner thought as she stood watching the white water fall from the dark night sky. She was Christmas shopping last minute for her family. It was times like this when she thanked the heavens that she lived in such a small town, in which her house was less than a mile away from the store.
Even if it was late at night.
No, she couldn’t think like that. Olivia had always considered herself to have been somewhat of an optimist. Though she usually found the dark side to all things, she was quick to drown them out with the good.
Her parents, the type of people who acted high-class -but really weren’t- had taught her everything that a respectful child should know. It was strange to family friends and such, though, that she had now developed Preacher’s Daughter Syndrome. She didn’t like to rebel against her family, and she had little regrets.
She sighed as she quickly finished up shopping and headed to the quickest check out she could find. She fiddled with the buttons of her coat as she grabbed her bags and made her way outside.
Unlike when she had walked into the store -no more than an hour earlier- there was now a boy standing outside the store. The traditional Santa hat sat on top of his head, and he wore a suit to match, though neither were in very good condition. He shot her a smile and stood up from his place on the ground, and it was then she noticed how loosely the suit hung off him. He was tall, lean. He looked cold, as well, but even she was, covered in coats and scarves.
He held a bell, which he began shaking lightly, creating a calming tinkling sound. A bucket was in his other hand, with a paper taped on that read “SALVATION ARMY” in big, red letters. There was a family heading their way. They were the type of people he worked on. They were put together, without a care in the world. They could afford to donate a few dollars to a good cause, right?
She watched as he spoke, “Hello, as you know, it's Christmas time, and we at the Salvation Army are combining forces to make sure everyone has a happy holiday. Every donation goes towards the kids whose parents can’t afford gifts, or the adults who can’t afford homes.” They both watched as the mother smiled and looked to her husband, who took out his wallet, and placed a ten dollar bill in the bucket. “Thank you, have a merry Christmas, and bless your souls.” He smiled at the children, who stayed latched onto their parents, before stepping back and into the shadows. He took the money out of the bucket and placed it into his pocket.
It all came together then.
“You’re a scam artist.” She hadn’t meant to speak.
He looked up, as if startled she was still there, then, he smirked, “My reasons are justified.”
She frowned at the nameless stranger, “You just stole from a family, how can that be justified?”
“I’m like Robin Hood, per se. I take from the rich, and give to the poor.”
“And you’re the poor?” She crossed her arms over her chest now.
“You could say that. I only take what I need. I promise,” He smiled. “I’m not a bad person; I do everything for a reason. I do have a family, much like them. Only difference is that they have more than they need, and I need it.”
“Mhm,” She wasn’t convinced.
He cocked his head, “You know what? I don’t need to prove anything to you. Who I am concerns neither you nor anybody else.”
“It does when you’re stealing from people I hold close. They’re the Robinsons, I babysit for them sometimes. I could easily tell them what you had done.”
“And then what? You don’t know my name, where I live, where I work, nothing. What do you have to report?”
She frowned again. He had her. She decided that walking away was probably the best thing to do in a situation like this. She didn’t trust this guy, and had no intention to try. Olivia had no respect for men like this. The ones who took, took, took, and never gave in return. Weren’t you supposed to receive what you gave? People like this needed a wake-up call, in her mind.
She shook her head, turning to walk away, but he called out to her.
“Hey, come on, you can’t be mad. We all gotta do what we have to in order to make it. So don’t walk around like you ain’t done shit.” His brown hair fell into his chocolate eyes.
“I’m not saying that, I’m just saying that what you’re doing is wrong. And you know what? I don’t need to explain myself to you. Goodnight.” She turned around, stomping off into the cold, snowy night.
“Goodnight, Princess.”
She ignored him, praying she would never find herself in the presence of that sinful man again.
Oh, how wrong she was.
Twenty-Two Years Earlier.
Texas isn’t supposed to snow, Olivia Turner thought as she stood watching the white water fall from the dark night sky. She was Christmas shopping last minute for her family. It was times like this when she thanked the heavens that she lived in such a small town, in which her house was less than a mile away from the store.
Even if it was late at night.
No, she couldn’t think like that. Olivia had always considered herself to have been somewhat of an optimist. Though she usually found the dark side to all things, she was quick to drown them out with the good.
Her parents, the type of people who acted high-class -but really weren’t- had taught her everything that a respectful child should know. It was strange to family friends and such, though, that she had now developed Preacher’s Daughter Syndrome. She didn’t like to rebel against her family, and she had little regrets.
She sighed as she quickly finished up shopping and headed to the quickest check out she could find. She fiddled with the buttons of her coat as she grabbed her bags and made her way outside.
Unlike when she had walked into the store -no more than an hour earlier- there was now a boy standing outside the store. The traditional Santa hat sat on top of his head, and he wore a suit to match, though neither were in very good condition. He shot her a smile and stood up from his place on the ground, and it was then she noticed how loosely the suit hung off him. He was tall, lean. He looked cold, as well, but even she was, covered in coats and scarves.
He held a bell, which he began shaking lightly, creating a calming tinkling sound. A bucket was in his other hand, with a paper taped on that read “SALVATION ARMY” in big, red letters. There was a family heading their way. They were the type of people he worked on. They were put together, without a care in the world. They could afford to donate a few dollars to a good cause, right?
She watched as he spoke, “Hello, as you know, it's Christmas time, and we at the Salvation Army are combining forces to make sure everyone has a happy holiday. Every donation goes towards the kids whose parents can’t afford gifts, or the adults who can’t afford homes.” They both watched as the mother smiled and looked to her husband, who took out his wallet, and placed a ten dollar bill in the bucket. “Thank you, have a merry Christmas, and bless your souls.” He smiled at the children, who stayed latched onto their parents, before stepping back and into the shadows. He took the money out of the bucket and placed it into his pocket.
It all came together then.
“You’re a scam artist.” She hadn’t meant to speak.
He looked up, as if startled she was still there, then, he smirked, “My reasons are justified.”
She frowned at the nameless stranger, “You just stole from a family, how can that be justified?”
“I’m like Robin Hood, per se. I take from the rich, and give to the poor.”
“And you’re the poor?” She crossed her arms over her chest now.
“You could say that. I only take what I need. I promise,” He smiled. “I’m not a bad person; I do everything for a reason. I do have a family, much like them. Only difference is that they have more than they need, and I need it.”
“Mhm,” She wasn’t convinced.
He cocked his head, “You know what? I don’t need to prove anything to you. Who I am concerns neither you nor anybody else.”
“It does when you’re stealing from people I hold close. They’re the Robinsons, I babysit for them sometimes. I could easily tell them what you had done.”
“And then what? You don’t know my name, where I live, where I work, nothing. What do you have to report?”
She frowned again. He had her. She decided that walking away was probably the best thing to do in a situation like this. She didn’t trust this guy, and had no intention to try. Olivia had no respect for men like this. The ones who took, took, took, and never gave in return. Weren’t you supposed to receive what you gave? People like this needed a wake-up call, in her mind.
She shook her head, turning to walk away, but he called out to her.
“Hey, come on, you can’t be mad. We all gotta do what we have to in order to make it. So don’t walk around like you ain’t done shit.” His brown hair fell into his chocolate eyes.
“I’m not saying that, I’m just saying that what you’re doing is wrong. And you know what? I don’t need to explain myself to you. Goodnight.” She turned around, stomping off into the cold, snowy night.
“Goodnight, Princess.”
She ignored him, praying she would never find herself in the presence of that sinful man again.
Oh, how wrong she was.
♠ ♠ ♠
I'm not sure I like this...edited