Page 82 of Moonlight Hearts

“Peace lilies do contain poison.Nothing that would kill you if you just chewed on it though,” the non-human head said.The human head cleared his throat.“Sorry.We overshare sometimes.We’re bio lab techs.But for real, don’t eat that peace lily.”

Lynn let out a hoot of laughter.“Oh, this is delicious.”

“The peace lily really wouldn’t be,” the non-human head said.

I looked at Duncan, who seemed in desperate need of some lunch.“I really like the lily.”

“Thanks.Can I get the fries with the dips?”

I nodded.“Sure thing.I hope wait times keep low.Lynn?”

“The rye sandwich with the beetroot hummus.”

“A really healthy option,” said the non-human head.“I’ll have that too.”The human head rolled his eyes.“Well, I want fries.Drowned in ketchup and mayo, please.”

Then they frowned at each other.At least that was how I read the expression on both faces.

I didn’t see the flowers at first, but the lady who was delivering them made straight for me and caught my eye through the glass of the cake display case.She waved at me, so I looked up.

“Yes?”

She pointed at the oversized bouquet in her arms.“I have a flower delivery.”

People were looking.Not everyone had eyes in the places you’d typically expect them, but they were all looking.My cheeks heated.

“They’re for the staff?”

She sighed and shifted the bouquet in her arms.“No, just for you.”

I nodded.“Hold on.”

I quickly plated the peach pie and brought it to the two-headed patron at the counter, one of the heads still in lively conversation with Lynn.I then wiped my hands and stepped around the counter where the woman met me.

“We have chrysanthemums and camellias.Lucky those were in bloom.The cherry branches are about ready to bloom once you put them in water.There’s also some winter jasmine in there.We tied it all up with red string.Please don’t remove the string when you put them in water.”

“O-okay.”She handed me the bouquet, which was so big that Ben had to lean to the side to avoid getting whacked over the head with flowers.“Um, thank you.”

“There’s a card.”She pointed.“We tied that to the cherry branch.”

“Right.Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She put her hand on her belly and moved it in a circular motion.She wasn’t wearing very tight clothing, but unless I was mistaken, she was pregnant.

“Ma’am, do you want to sit?”

She looked amused.“Ma’am?Already?Time flies.I’m fine.They’re all easy pregnancies.”She looked around.“I like the colors here.It’s a rare flower color.They all reach for the sky because they’re curious about the blue, but they never quite get there.”

Half my mind was busy trying to figure out what to put the flowers in.“Who’s not reaching the sky?”

The woman looked at me with the fondness you’d expect in a grandmother’s face.It didn’t quite fit her, but then again, it wasn’t entirely foreign to the lines of her face either.

“The flowers, Amory.They’re always reaching for what they cannot have.The more stubborn they are about it, the more certain you have to be when you cut them.You understand that?”

“Uh, I think so.But I won’t cut these.”

“Nor remove the string we bound them with.”