The Perfum

by R Vidovix

She has finally managed to wipe all traces of William’s ex wife from her garden. Gone is the awfully bright pink and yellow combination of unloved and uncared for plants, and the ghastly collection of garden gnomes.
The plants have all been replanted in different spots as she would not stand to kill a plant just because of her dislike of Donna. Some of them have been planted together with other plants in the terracotta pots that have also been added to the garden.
She has packed the garden with shrubbery and other evergreen vegetation. The ivy has almost covered the brown wooden fence. Now she knows that her garden will look like a garden even in the English winter months when all the trees are bare and there is not much life around.
The Clematis has grown even taller and wilder than last year. As she approaches it, she senses the faint smell of its flower. It is sweet and delicate like her first bottle of perfume. She closes her eyes and she remembers.
She remembers well. Her mother had given her some money for the shopping and some medication. As she stopped in the chemists, she saw the boy who she had loved for a long time. He was cleaning the shelves of the perfume cupboard and as he saw her he smiled at her. He was holding a bottle of Cecita, a very popular brand of perfume.
She couldn’t resist, she went to him and said ‘I would like to buy that bottle, please!’ Almost in a trance, she watched him as he packed the bottle in it is pink and gold box and wrapped it in some floral patterned wrapping paper, like it was a present. She didn’t care that she would have almost no money left. She would worry about the shopping and the medication later.
A sudden noise brings her back to reality. It is William. She is not expecting him home at this time. It is too early.
‘I have got a present for you’ He says as he waves a little gift bag in the air, teasing her.
‘What is it? Please can I open it now?’ She is very excited as she loves presents.
‘It arrived at my desk this morning, all the way from Brazil.’
She is excited. She doesn’t miss Brazil much but she does longs for a few things that you can only get in Brazil and William often brings them home.
After a little more teasing he finally hands the gift back to her. She opens it and inside the bag there is an object wrapped in pink tissue paper. She opens it and there it is…a bottle of Cecita, her favourite perfume.

Word count: 458