“He did not do this… He did not do this, my love…”

If love stories were real then Iris and Davis saga was one to remember over a deep amber of burning hearth, orange flames bursting from the charcoal logs like they too were enjoying the mirthful love story, if it could be called mirthful by romantics.

There were white wildflowers blooming all over the nursery gardens in Iris’ home in her backyard. She was reading a story book about a lady from a mansion falling in love with a daring Lord. Iris heard her papa come into the nursery and it seemed from the hush voices that her papa was with an audience. Iris turned around and her breath caught in her throat. Her violet eyes fell on a handsome young man, and suddenly their eyes collided. Davis felt his breath seize inside his lungs and his voice faltered and then he realized he had never felt this way before.

Iris’s felt her book slide away from her hands and drop onto a pot plant of chamomile, and Davis felt his hands slide by his sides, he was wearing a brown suit and a an elegant black hat. Davis took of his hat and he bowed slightly and murmured, “Maam!” If Iris’ papa got any hint of their mutual surrender and awe of laying eyes on each other then he was a masterful and evasive witness. Iris quickly picked up her book and laid it onto her heaving chest and muttered, “I’ll be out of your way, papa.” And Davis felt he was an embarrassed fool not to speak more to her but as it was custom, it was forbidden to pursue a maiden without a chaperon.

It was over a dinner, a few nights later that Iris got to meet Davis again and this time Iris’s papa had announced that Davis had asked Iris’ hand in marriage and since Davis was a meek gentlemen, Iris’ papa had no qualms in approving the match. Iris heaved a breath and she felt her cheeks blush deep crimson. It was all too soon and she was just finishing off her school with her governess madam that taught her six subjects including horticulture and history. The wedding had taken place in Iris’ backyard garden of pure white elegance of white flowers and chamomiles and it was a day that both Iris and Davis would never forget.

But things took a different turn when Iris became so loved in Davis household that even Iris didn’t know someone so close to them would break their dreams of love and pureness. It was on cold spring Sunday noon that Iris brought tea but then she saw that Davis already had a cup placed on his table. It was Davis stepmother who smirked and said, “Oh, no need to worry dear, I already brought tea for Mr. Hopkins, our estate lawyer. This new business venture of ours will succeed I believe!” Davis said, “Mother Lily dear has me signed and bequeathed and transfer all of our estate and fortune to this new venture and soon we will have profits like no other business. Sit down, Iris…” But before Iris could say anything or sit down, she saw Davis put his hand over his heart and he fell off his chair. Lily and the lawyer stood up and said, “What did you do, Iris? Someone call the police? This mad girl gave poison to her husband because my son gave all his estate and fortune to me and to me alone, oh, please, maids, please come in!”

Davis grabbed Iris's hand and he felt like he was dying of a cruel poison, he grieved, “Iris, my love, I didn’t mean to put you in this situation. Go to Miss. Pipa and she will help you. I had given an allowance to her for your looking after in case this business venture failed. I know you didn’t give me poison. It was Lily who did as she gave me the cup of tea. Please, I’m sorry, Iris. Forgive me.” Iris sobbed and muttered and closed Davis eyes in grieve, “My love…” as he took his last breaths. ?

Iris arranged for the funeral and it was on a quiet rainy day that the funeral took place. It was then Miss Pipa came to Iris’s aid and said, Iris dear, it’s better that you come to my house for a few days.” Iris nodded and then she took one last look at her husband’s grave and realized her fate was one of jealousy cast by the evil eyes of Davis stepmother, Lily. Funny she thought, how fake stepmothers can really take into their roles of deceit and hatred. ?

The fortune was small and did not last that long. Soon Iris was left selling flowers on the streets and she felt her womb was too left empty and she could not bear any children for her beloved Davis. It felt to her that it was like a reincarnation that she went from past life to present life, selling flowers daily and feeling swept by her unlucky fate. It felt as if her tarot cards were too feeling the urge to give up on her. But always, everyday Miss Pipa bought flowers from Iris and would give it to the old ladies in the old homage. Iris would always cry afterwards.

Soon Iris began selling flowers and knitting woolen hats. Some ladies would always pass by her stall and say bad things like, “She was an omen, and Lily says this girl killed her son. Let’s go, she’s such a shameful witch!” The grieve that those cruel words left Iris was one of utter horror and Iris felt she would bleed from those cursing words. It was by days and lots of days that it came to a time that Iris turned old and sixty six years old, Iris still sold flowers and knitted woolen hats. One day the same ill-mannered ladies scorned at Iris, “Oh, did you see, Lily’s son from past marriage had turned her business into a blooming success. It was this cursed lady that gave poison to poor Davis and hark he died.”

Suddenly Iris stopped knitting and she lashed out at the gathered ladies and soon all the crowd listened, “Stop punishing me, stop insulting me. It was Lily, the devil, who gave poison to my poor Davis. It is only Miss Pipa who believed me. Stop, please just stop punishing me, stop cursing me.”

Iris gathered her knitting needles and green woolens threads and fell to her knees, “Oh Davis you did not do this to me. You did not do this, my love. How cruel of Lily to tore us apart, you in the grave and me on the streets. Oh you did not do this Davis… my love, you did not do this…” Iris sobbed and a kind young teenage boy shunted the mocking ladies and chased them away, “Have you no shame? Stop mocking poor old Iris. What she says is true, I believe Iris…” And Jamie helped poor Iris onto her feet and let her have a seat on the wooden pallet. The ladies felt they had been deceived by Lily and the truth finally came out of Iris’s heart, straight from the horse’s mouth!

Iris looked up at the face of the teenage boy who sold candies at the nearby shop and Iris felt for the first time in her life that she was indeed an old miserable lady who had kept the truth hidden in the depth of her heart. It was just that Iris had been hurt by a mountain and it took a mountain to heal her. Iris stammered, “Thank you Jamie, my dear boy.” Iris got up and stammered, “Oh you did not do this my love…” “Oh you did not do this…”

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