I was well-known locally. Delilah Watkins, age 38, a single mother running a simple floral shop in downtown Washington. People knew me, of course, so why did I get a shiver down my spine when I read that letter?
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBNXiA6gcL
It was Monday, and I had dropped off my two-year-old Heaven at daycare before heading to work. I entered my floral store to find a letter on the desk. 'Watkins,' it read. I opened the letter which said:.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45xChvzM0g
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5puqQoxAH
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXDmuGIzqP
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHkQRi5XRj
"Dear Ms. Watkins,
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtL7gomPiJP
I am a fan of your work and your beauty. I admire how you treat the flowers with such care and greet your customers with kindness.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo93aTn17fu
I am writing to express my appreciation for your business and all that you do for this town.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx0ipzos2R
P.S. Do you have roses?"
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTlXz8fUgP
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvAEfE1ivk
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwfVenFQfJ
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwf2sKHUmI3
It was unsigned. It wasn't odd that I was complimented. I had many friends and always helped where I could. I always got waves and "Hey Delilah!"'s wherever I went but that last part.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8MDIpQ5Md
"Do you have roses?" I said aloud. If this person had been in, they would know I always had roses stocked. ALWAYS.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2HZ2p97LG
I put the letter at the back of my mind before getting to work. I headed back to the stock to check what needed to be ordered for the upcoming week.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAHE6Pwg1G
And I saw it. All 50 roses I hand-marked with a name-brand bow were gone. It was odd, really odd. I shook my head, trying to get the thoughts out of my mind. It's fine. Perfectly normal, I mean, I just had a large sale yesterday., maybe my admirer had come in and saw we were out? Yes, that must be it. It's weird, though; I'm usually so attentive.
I
Ibrushedh it off after thinking through hundreds of scenarios. I look at the clock and see it's time to go and pick up Heaven. At the daycare, the caretaker informed me that Heaven had run behind a bush and cut her neck.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzVq5yIlAK
"Just wanted to let you know." I nodded and thanked her before leading Heaven into the car and driving away. Heaven loved to run around, so it wasn't abnormal that she decided to wander. When we arrived home, I saw her neck and looked at her cut. A tiny little scratch. I cooked dinner while Heaven babbled away.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRop6v6ckY
Later, as I tucked her in, I found a rose petal under her pillow. I thought nothing of it, assuming she had just taken one of the flowers while we were there together last week.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡski3Y67OwT
I climbed into my bed andlayd down to sleep. Then I heard a crash. I checked the Clock. 1:00 AM, it ticked. I went to the living room and looked around. My great-grandmother's urn lay shattered on the floor. I checked to see if Heaven was still asleep. She was. So, what knocked the urn over? I hear a noise and turn to see a dark figure in my glass sliding door. I race to the door and lock it quickly, my heart racing. It seemed like a man.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dkgqZzahC
Suddenly, why he disappeared.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlgryl1IHY
"Am I dreaming?" I wondered aloud. I walked back to my room after getting myself a glass of milk. When I walked in, I saw something new. On my bed lay three roses with name-brand bows on them and a note.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIYPh3GfVk
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZcgobx8sK
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JS1B6s3aP
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WmfS9w6kh
Dear Ms. Watkins,
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTMaDb611s
No, you're not.
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFrpPKXk5M
P.S. Do you like roses?
ns216.73.216.150da2
and then Add to home screen.