The Orange Flower

Bella. Ms. Bella. A jewel, inside of a gem. She learned at an early age that her skin color would always betray her. It didn't matter what, she saw in the mirror. She knew she was beautiful. But, Bella just couldn't fathom when she stepped outside, why the world didn't accept her beauty. Her shade was the color of the sweetest chocolate known to man. Yet, to most her shade was the shade of ugly; Darkness. Despair. A con artist. A criminal. A menace.

As Bella walked down the street, she started to the notice that autumn was coming. It was late August and she could already feel a slight chill in the air. She was ready for this so called "Hot girl summer" crap to end. She was ready to drink cocoa, and wear sweatshirts. She longed to see the leaves whisk aimlessly off their branches. She wanted to make smores and dress up for Halloween. She was tired of showing her skin. No, Bella wasn't uncomfortable. Other people were. "Maybe if they didn't see my skin, they would actually treat me like a person, with thoughts and ideas." she thought.

At 17, she figured out that she would ALWAYS have to pay her way. Seemed like the only person she could depend on was her childhood friend, Tommy. Tommy stood about the same height as Bella. So they always were able to look each other in eye and laugh about stuff no one else could understand. When Bella decided she wanted to be taken seriously at the beginning of junior year, and decided to join the Debate team. Tommy followed her lead. When Bella joined the school newspaper, Tommy signed up too. Tommy hated English and anything having to do with writing and speaking, but he did it just to be near his Bella. "Does she not notice that I am in to her?" Tommy would always think when he looked at her. He never seemed to be able to get up enough nerve to ask her on a date; yet they were always, it seemed, "together."

Bella often looked at Tommy as a perfect catch, but she automatically counted herself out. "Why would he like me like that?" Bella pondered; They were in fact, and had always been "just friends" being in her "condition" she knew Tommy didn't look at her, in "that way." He always dated the "pretty girls" or what the world said was pretty. Pretentious, stuck up, witches in designer clothes.

She was looking for something. Bella had never been promiscuous. but for some reason, she began to search; hope for something. She was looking, for something! She shared her beautiful soul with several young men...hoping they would love her. Not more than she could count on one hand, but that had been more than enough. She never revealed this to Tommy, but he knew. It saddened him, because he knew she was worth, so much more. He loved her, as she was. He just didn't have the courage to speak up, at the time. He didn't want her to reject him.

After a brief stint of "high school lovers", Bella finally got that love did not come from her "cookie". No one was doing anything for her, for free. They couldn't even love her...for free, except for Tommy. So, instead of relying on others, she became like frozen ice----cold. She stopped smiling as much, and her friend noticed, but said nothing. It had been a heartbreaking summer. "If I were just a little lighter" she thought. "My life would be so much better."

It was sad really; sad, that she had to be openly ashamed of herself for others to feel comfortable. After a while she became numb. And after a while she just decided to be a step ahead. A boy, would have to wait because she had things to do. Only person she didn't make wait was Tommy.

Bella and Tommy were approaching their Senior year in high school. She kept her studies together, but Tommy could feel a disconnect between them. Bella had a lot of male admirers and suitors at school , but they thought she dressed weird. Too dark to wear the shades of red, blue, coral, white, yellow, and pink that she so loved. Every time Tommy looked at her, he was reminded of his mother, Ms. Esther. She had a child-like spirit; seen as a compassionate rebel by those her knew her. Esther was a flamboyant dresser, yet she exuded a warm hearted aura, just like Bella.

Fall was coming soon, and he wanted to secure things with Bella. He had a plan, and was determined to follow through with it. He was confused as to how to reveal this to Bella. He knew somehow, that it was time to tell Bella, how he felt. You see, Tommy and Bella were childhood friends. Mates. Partners. Compadres; for as long as he could remember. When ever he got confused he always had a heart to heart with his old "bird."

Esther, was absolutely gorgeous. A strong woman in every rite. She had long wavy hair and skin, the color of butter pecan ice cream. She was fully aware that people around town were always judging her disrespectfully.

When Esther looked in the mirror, she knew she was beautiful.....but, when she stepped out into the world, she couldn't fathom why, she saw the hate in the eyes of people just walking by; they imagined she THOUGHT----she was better than them. It saddened Esther, because she was not who they coined her to be. Tommy saw this in Bella. He loved his mother and had found a friend just like her; benevolent spirits that carried beautiful epitomes of what life, should be. These two were angels, and he declared at age 11 to protect them both. Bella loved visiting and she loved Esther as well. It very well seemed that Bella spent more time at Tommy's house than she did at her own!

One sweltering, summer day, right before classes were set to begin, Tommy went out to the garden in the backyard where his mother usually spent her time. Esther was in the middle of the garden, with a basket; gathering up some green tomatoes, for dinner that evening. It was scorching, and for that reason, Tommy believed his mother was a superhero. She never seemed to get sick; never got hot or cold. He thought she could adapt and do, just about anything. She would sit and work. and sit and work for hours.

Esther had a burnt orange scarf tied around her now braided hair. She had went back out to the garden, once more. Tommy thought if she could live outside 24/7, she would. Esther was sitting in dirt like it was a plush, leather couch---- At peace, staring into the next yard. Tommy sat down next to her. "What's on your mind son?" Esther said as Tommy smiled at her. "How do you know if you like someone?" he asked. Esther turned slowly with a raised eyebrow and grin. "Hmmm. well, does the mystifying person, give you butterflies?" Esther said. "Butterflies?" Tommy paused, and thought for a moment.

"Yes son. Butterflies..." Esther chuckled. "Mom, what does butterflies have to do with anything?" Tommy laughed. Tommy thought his mom was weird, but in a good way. They always had deep conversations, lightly. Last week, they talked about the "birds and the bees" Now this week, she is discussing butterflies. "Ok, do you get happy when you are around this person?" "Yup." he said. "Is this person nice to you." "Yup"..." "And you want to be nice to her?" "Yeah." Tommy beamed.

"Do you get nervous around this person?" Esther said, as she looked off into the distance again. Tommy thought for a moment, once more before speaking. "No. I'm not nervous. We have fun together and..." " Is this person Bella?" Esther questioned lovingly as she patted Tommy's head. And then simultaneously, both mother and son started laughing. "Well, when I was a girl, I adored flowers. Why don't you take a look in the back of the garden and pick a few for her out of and put them in water. Give them to her on her next visit here, which I predict will be this evening!" Esther exclaimed. She was happy. It was a peculiar and adoring feeling she had, watching her little boy grow up right in front of her eyes.

Esther knew he talked to girls and had big ideas about what he was doing, but he had never mentioned a girl to her.. EVER. He was now a young man, and it tickled her that he was falling ill with a case of "puppy love". She knew he was growing up fast. He was not, a little boy, anymore. It made her heart skip a beat, to see her son "in love" with his best friend. It tickled Esther so.

Tommy went out into the garden on a search for something extraordinary. Bella always ate dinner with Tommy and Ms. Esther. Bella parents weren't absent, but worked all the time. She rarely saw them, so she spent a considerable amount of time with "her other family".

The plan was to present Bella with the most alluring flower he could find, and ask her to the Homecoming dance. Although it was late summer and Homecoming wasn't until October, Tommy wanted to make things clear with Bella. He wanted her to know they belonged together. He wanted to treat her nice. He wanted her to see him as more than a friend.

Tommy searched and searched. None of these flowers were screaming, "Bella!" Then he saw it. It was a rare, phenomenal beauty. Tommy skipped backed feeling accomplished because this one flower reminded him of Bella. It stuck out to him the most, because of its color. It was alluring and bright. "Mom! What kind of flower is this? I want her to have this one." Esther smiled at her son and said, "Oh yes son. That one is one of my favorites. It's called a Marigold." Esther said. "They come is an array of colors, but I especially were always fond of the color orange. "Esther said proudly.

Bella, Tommy, and Ms. Esther had dinner in the garden. As the sun began to set, Tommy gave Ms. Esther a look, persuading her to leave them to be alone. Bella, being the little lady she was, stood up to help. "Sweetie you relax. You and Tommy." Esther said as she walked off slowly.

Tommy turned to Bella. He liked everything about her---bright clothes accenting her chocolate skin; A smile that brightened up the entire room, when she walked in it. He just didn't get why SHE didn't see it. "Bella, can I ask you something?" Tommy said quietly. Bella turned, hearing and seeing the seriousness in Tommy's voice. "Sure Tommy. Anything."

Tommy reached for a box, under the table. As he opened it, Bella could see the aura of the plant. It was orange. An orange flower. "Do you, like me?" Tommy said quietly. He didn't understand why he was so nervous. Everyone liked him. "Of course I like you. You are my friend!" Tommy looked down at the orange marigold and passed it to her. " I want you to have this. It reminded me of you."

The sky was setting in a hue of colors. Bella took the orange flower out of the box and slid the orange flower behind her ear. " Bella, I have always liked you. I was afraid if I told you how I felt, you would reject me." Tommy said.

This revelation stunned Bella, even though in the back of her mind, she always knew. "Tommy, I was just waiting on you to say something." Bella leaned in and and grabbed Tommy's face. "If you like me, you will kiss me, right now. " Bella laughed. Tommy closed his eyes, and suddenly felt the soft sensation of Bella's lips on his. It was a soft, sweet thing between them. Something developing behind the scenes neither could explain. "Would you go to the Homecoming dance with me Bella? I really want to take you on a date and just treat you like you are beautiful; beautiful, just like this orange flower."

Bella had never been asked on a real date. " I do." Bella said. " I do?" "Yes. I do!" Bella giggled. " What do you mean, I do?" " Oh, you say I do when someone asks you to marry them," Bella laughed. "So, does that mean you will go to the dance?" Tommy questioned curiously. Bella leaned in again and gently kissed Tommy once more." Yes, I would love to go to the dance with you." "I still don't get why you said I do." Tommy joked.

Bella grew quiet for a spell, thinking of the orange marigold, and then exclaimed, " I was just saying I do...took you long enough to ask me on a date. I figure, were going to be happy...so I said I do, so when you ask me to marry you, you'll already know the answer. Took you years to tell me you liked me..so don't take years to marry me!" Bella said.

A look of confusion came over Tommy's face, as he thought of the conversation he had with his mother. "I have to have a serious talk with my mom." Tommy laughed. "Why?" "Well she told me girls like flowers, but she didn't tell me they would make you want to marry me! You know, because I'm something like a playa out in these streets!" He said as he crossed his arms like Run DMC. Bella kissed him once more. She knew she was beautiful. And Tommy did too. After that, they remained.. forever, always thinking back, about that orange flower. The one, that brought them together.

It was at that moment they made a pact to always include a orange marigold in everything the celebrated. They even had a bouquet of them years later, at their wedding!