Sunshine and Magnolia flowers.

Marlee entered the garden holding her mother’s hand. This was Anna’s third attempt at helping her daughter overcome her newfound fear of the dark. Marlee had never feared much, the seven-year-old often boasted not being scared at the haunted houses on Halloween, she enjoyed playing scary games, and even slept without a nightlight most of her young life. Recently, though, Marlee had found herself fumbling through the dark in the middle of the night to crawl up into her parents' bed.

They walked together down the long path admiring the vibrant spring flowers in full bloom. Daffodils and Tulips lined the neatly swept walkway. And the seasons perennials splashed colorful beds of soil at every curve. To the left of the walkway, was a small screen enclosure, Marlee spotted some young monarchs and several cocoons decorating the various milkweeds inside. More butterflies fluttered lightly around plots of lavender and aster, drifting occasionally to the chocolate cosmos in the strips lining the enclosure.

While gazing at the lilacs planted in immaculate spirals by a nearby fountain, a lone dragonfly zipped past Anna’s face, reminding her of her dragonfly tattoo, and what had brought them to the garden in the first place. Anna guided her daughter towards the back of the garden, in the direction one of the gardeners had pointed her in at the entrance.

After hearing of her daughters first impressionable nightmare, which she had recounted the details of, her mother was determined to help Marlee through this pivotal moment in her life. Anna tried buying her a new nightlight, telling her bedtime stories, and even making her a new Teddy bear, equipped with a big heart and lots of love to help her through the fear. Each night though, Marlee, arms wrapped tightly around her mother’s body, would beg her mama not to leave each night.

It was a typical childhood nightmare, complete with a big brown monster who she referred to as the “boogeyman,” but Marlee was having a tough time letting it go. It had been three weeks and she was still very anxious at bedtime. No matter how many times her mother denied the existence of the “boogeyman,” Marlee would still ask every manner of question her creative mind could muster up.

“But how? How do you know he isn't real? What if he really is?” Marlee had asked the night before as her mother tucked her into bed.

“Well, I don’t have proof he isn't, I just know he’s not. But even if he were, mama would never let any silly old boogeyman get you! I promise to protect you.” Her mother replied.

“But, but mama, he’s really big and scary. What if he’s stronger than you?” Anna wasn’t sure how to reply to this, after all, she was only five feet tall and occasionally struggled to open the jelly jar. She considered, for a moment, what to say.

“Well, Marlee, that’s what your guardian angel is for.” Anna said matter-of-factly. “Your guardian angels name is Hana Sheridan Killough. You can call her Hanako.” Anna realized at that moment she knew exactly how to help her daughter overcome her fear. She promised to tell Mars about her and decided to bring her daughter to the garden the following day.

They walked the last few minutes appreciating the vivid colors of the spring blooms around them. As they approached a large white archway at the edge of the path, Marlee sucked in a breath, astonished by the breathtaking sight within. A sweet lemony scent filled the air around them, creating a gentle and feminine atmosphere.

A white gazebo sat in the center of nine fully grown magnolia trees. A bed of white petals peppered the ground, as petals like snow drifted softly from the tree, blending in with their siblings on the ground and weaving a blanket for the earth below. Marlee found a fully intact magnolia flower on the ground and placed it delicately behind her ear.

Marlee joined her mother on the gazebo after a few minutes of playing in the snow of petals. On the gazebo, were flowerpots overflowing with marigolds. The bright yellows and oranges created a stark contrast to the greens and soft whites of the Magnolia courtyard.

“They look like little, tiny Sunshines.” Marlee gestured toward the pot of marigolds, beaming as she sat on the bench beside her mother. With this, Anna saw the perfect opportunity to begin her story.

“Have you ever met a person who was like sunshine?” Mars looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head. He mama smiled thoughtfully at the memory of her friend and continued.

“Let me tell you a story.” Anna began, as Marlee moved closer, listening intently.

“Hanako was like sunshine reborn as a human. She was my best friend for many, many years when I was younger. Much like the sunshine though, she was too bright for this world. She passed away six years ago on your first birthday. She was only nineteen years old. The tattoo on my shoulder of the dragonfly with the letters HSK was done in her memory. The ‘S’ being in the shape of a dragonfly, the same dragonfly tattoo she had on her side.

“You actually remind me a lot of her Marlee. She was so free spirited. A wild child. She went everywhere barefoot. If she wasn’t in class, her shoes were tied to her backpack. If she wasn’t in a store, they were tied together and slung over her shoulders. When she did wear socks, they were always mismatched, she once told me ‘Life’s too short to bother matching your socks.’ That girl always had dirty feet, a big heart, and a contagious laugh.

“Actually, when I had first met her, I gave her the nickname ‘Hanako’. In Japanese ‘Hana’ means ‘flower’. And ‘Hanako’ means ‘flower girl’ or ‘flower child’. I thought the nickname was very fitting for her, and it sounded a lot like her first and last name shortened together. Pretty soon a lot of people were calling her that.

“After Hana had passed away, I’m sure you can imagine that your mama was heartbroken. I was in the military at the time, and far away so I couldn’t come to her celebration of life. So, I celebrated her life in my own way. I put on some mismatched socks that reminded me of her, ones that I had bought with the intention of giving her, grabbed a glass of wine, and remembered all the fun we had together, I spent a lot of time looking at old pictures and videos of her.

“That night I had a dream; I was sad and looking into the mirror in the bathroom at her house. And she said to me, ‘Don't be sad, you're beautiful.’ I looked to my right in the mirror and saw her standing next to me and I started crying. The dream felt so real, but somehow, I knew I was dreaming. I asked her if it was really her there. And she told me it was really her, but she had to go soon. She wanted me to know she loved me, and she was with me. I asked her if she could watch over you, and she promised me she always would. I woke up crying from that dream.

“She really loved you, Marlee. She was the only person really there for me when I was pregnant with you. She even helped me decide what to name you. She had been helping me brainstorm ideas for weeks. I wanted something to do with the stars or music, but I also wanted it to be pretty. Hanako had a big poster of Bob Marley on her wall, and she suggested Marley, Mars for short. And with a small spelling change, it was perfect for you.

“You know, a person’s name is a sacred thing. A name is strongly tied to who they will become in life. So, her helping name you gives you both a very strong connection. Giving someone a name or a nickname creates a bond between those two. You will always have that piece of her.

“Back at her home, at her celebration of life, her family and friends buried her ashes with a small magnolia tree. Which has grown so big and beautiful. Just like the ones here in this garden. Her soul is tied to flowers. It always has been. Just like the nickname I gave her all those years ago suggests. Maybe one day we can visit her tree together.

“I wish you could meet her now. Just remember though, anytime you see a magnolia flower, it means Hanako is nearby, and she is watching over you and protecting you. No boogey man will ever get close to you with Hanako around. And if you ever get scared, just think of magnolia flowers and she will be right there with you.”

Later that evening, Marlee pressed her magnolia flower between the pages of a book and climbed up in bed. That night, for the first time in weeks, Marlee slept peacefully through the night. As Anna tucked her into bed and kissed her cheek, Marlee seemed a lot less anxious than usual. Anna wished her daughter sweet dreams, and turned on her nightlight.

“It's okay mama, I don't need the nightlight tonight,” the young girl told her mother sleepily, “because I have a guardian angel made of sunshine and Magnolia flowers."

This story is dedicated in loving memory to my good friend, Hana Sheridan Killough. Thank you for always watching over my little girl.

Thankyou for reading! If you enjoyed my story, please consider dropping a heart, sharing to social media, or reading any of the other stories listed below.

The Cream Owl Butterfly- https://vocal.media/humans/the-cream-owl-butterfly

An Atypical Jack of All Trades- https://vocal.media/psyche/an-atypical-jack-of-all-trades