Say It With Flowers
Jennifer was having a bit of trouble with her lilies . . .
WHAT on earth are you doing?” Matt asked as he walked into Jennifer’s kitchen after work.
She was standing over a bucket of lilies, apparently drying them with a hairdryer.
There was a faint smell of bananas, and Matt glanced through the oven door to see what was baking.
“I’m making banana muffins,” Jennifer explained. “They’ll be ready soon. I had to do something with the bananas.”
She indicated the banana skins draped round the handle of the bucket.
“So . . . what on earth are you doing?” Matthew repeated.
Jennifer waved the hairdryer at him, ruffling his hair.
“I’m trying to get these blasted lilies to open. I bought them days ago and they’re still in bud!” “And the banana skins?” Jennifer sighed.
“It’s a two-pronged attack. Bananas emit something which makes things ripen faster.
“That’s why you shouldn’t keep them with other fruit.
“Anyway, it’s supposed to work on lilies to make them open faster, too.”
“Why don’t you just leave them next to a radiator and let them open when they’re ready?
“We haven’t got a class this week, have we?”
“These aren’t for a class; they’re for a wedding on Saturday.
“A wedding for which I’m doing the church flowers tomorrow evening. And I need these things to open.”
“Do you have to use the lilies?” he asked, looking around. There were containers full of flowers on every available surface.
“You’ve got plenty of other flowers, and they all look perfect.”
“Have we taught you nothing about focal points? Of course I need the lilies!” Jennifer exclaimed.
“Is Alison doing the flowers with you?”
“No. It’s half term, so her boys are all running riot at home.
“She did offer, but I know how busy she is. I’m sure I can cope on my own.”
“I could help you fetch and carry?” Matt offered, seeing Jennifer’s slightly apprehensive look. “Oh, Matt, would you?” “Of course. So tell me: what’s happening with the lilies?”
“Well, the pedestals will look very unbalanced with a lot of green buds in the middle.
“And I’m relying on them for the pew ends, too.
“It’s a real nuisance because they cost an arm and a leg,” Jennifer added with a frown.
“I’m visiting a site in Guildford tomorrow,” Matt said. “They have a market on Fridays. I could buy some more lilies there – open ones, I mean. How many do you need?”
On Friday evening, Matt arrived at the church just as Jennifer finished adding the roses, alstroemeria and gypsophila pedestals.
She just needed to add the lilies, and they would be done.
“Perfect!” Jennifer said as he showed her the open pink and white Asiatic lilies. “They’re just what I need.”
They both looked up as the heavy church door creaked and Alison walked in, carrying a laden trug.
“Alison, I wasn’t expecting you,” Jennifer began, then she caught sight of the deep pink lilies her friend was carrying. “Oh my goodness!”
“Ah, I see Matt and I had the same idea.
“Oh, well. Perhaps another arrangement on the font?”
“You’re going to need something by the front door, aren’t you?”
Edna’s voice echoed from just inside the church.
“Matthew said you were having difficulty getting your lilies to open, so I brought a few with me. Jean’s here to help, too.”
The four women set to work, raiding the vestry flower cupboard for containers and robbing the churchyard of extra foliage.
“But shouldn’t we be conditioning the leaves?” Jennifer asked Edna nervously. “You were very strict about it when you were teaching us.”
“Needs must,” Edna said airily. “They’ve only got to last till Sunday, haven’t they?”
“The bride will be thrilled,” Jennifer said later, looking around at the church. “I don’t know how to thank you all. Please have some lilies; when they eventually open they’ll be absolutely beautiful!” More next week.