First Dates and Flowers

"What's your favorite color?" Ellie looked up from her menu and across the table at her date, slightly caught off guard by the question. A small smile played at her lips as her eyes met the intense hazel eyes looking back at her. A grin slowly spread across her date's face at the eye contact causing a faint blush to color her cheeks. Realizing she hadn't answered yet, Ellie set her menu down and made a show of thinking about her answer. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to drag it out a little before answering, her favorite color hadn't changed since she was a little kid.

"My favorite color is yellow, always has been." Keeping her eyes trained on the woman sitting across from her, she continued "My turn… What's Lenny short for? Eleanor? Something like that?" She mindlessly fiddled with the top right corner of her plastic laminated menu. This was very obviously only their first date, but Ellie would be lying to herself if she tried to deny the electric current that ran between them anytime they made eye contact. The feeling was completely foreign to her, something she had never experienced with someone before now. Her mind wandered to how the electricity pulsing between them could react if they were to touch. The sound of Lenny's voice snapped her back into the moment, she hadn't even noticed how lost in her thoughts she had begun to get.

"It's short for Lennox, but no one ever wants to call me that on the regular." One side of her mouth tugged up in a tiny, sad smile. "The only person that ever called me by my full name all the time was my grandma, she passed away about two years ago now.” Lenny’s eyes dropped to the table between them momentarily before reconnecting with Ellie’s.

“I am so sorry Lenny, were you two close?” Ellie absently fiddled with the sleeve of her dress. She wanted to reach across the table and hold Lenny’s hands in hers for comfort and had to remind herself that this was their first date, literally their first time meeting. There was just something so familiar and comfortable being here with her. Add in that electric current running between them that almost seemed like it was tugging Ellie closer to Lenny at times and no wonder she had to remind herself that they didn’t know each other.

“Extremely, she practically raised me all by herself after my mom got pregnant at 14 and split when she turned 17.” Lenny shook her head slowly, breaking the eye contact between them again to look down at the table. If Ellie didn’t know any better, it almost seemed like Lenny was ashamed. “I miss her every single day,” Lenny raised her eyes to look at Ellie again, “I inherited her house when she passed though, and she’s everywhere around the property and house.” Ellie quirked one eyebrow in question, but before she could form the question it was already being answered. “I mean her energy, her tastes, her spirit… it’s all throughout, and honestly it makes it the tiniest bit easier to get through each day without her physically being here.” Lenny gave Ellie a small smile before lifting her menu back up. They both spent a few minutes surveying the menu options before either spoke again.

“Hey, I’m really sorry if talking about your grandma killed the whole first date vibe thing, leave it to me to ask such a loaded question without knowing.” Ellie half chuckled, half grimaced at the situation. Feeling like a complete mood killer, she forced her eyes back to her menu. Before she could focus back on trying to decide what she wanted to eat, long feminine fingers were curling around the top of the menu and gently pushing it back down. Ellie’s eyes met Lenny’s gaze, causing the smallest gasp to escape through her lips.

“This date is nowhere near being killed. I’m with a beautiful woman who so far doesn’t seem crazy and bonus, we have crazy chemistry building between us.” the corners of her mouth twitched with the hint of a sly smile. “I love and miss my grandma so damn much, but I’m beginning to think she’s intervening in my love life still even from the spirit world by sending you my way.” The sly smile had transformed into a grin by the time Lenny had finished her sentence. Ellie tilted her head to the side in question to what Lenny had said. “I know that probably seems confusing, but I have an idea to show you what I mean if you’re up for it?” Ellie was curious and surprisingly not apprehensive in the least bit. The strange feeling of not knowing someone and still feeling like you could trust them made its way through Ellie before she answered.

“What did you have in mind?” she didn’t want to agree to anything until she knew at least some of what Lenny’s idea involved.

“Well, for starters, are you opposed to relocating this date elsewhere?” Lenny searched Ellie’s face with a hopeful expression.

“I mean, as long as you’re not going to take me somewhere to murder me and as long as there is still food involved I’m in.” a playful smile adorned her face.

“There will definitely still be food, just a change in venue that I really think you’ll appreciate.” a huge grin appeared on Lenny’s face as she flagged down their waitress. They put their orders in and asked for them to be boxed to go instead of eating there. Once the waitress brought their food over to them and it was paid for, the two women stood up and made their way to the exit. That pull from Ellie to Lenny was only getting stronger, so Ellie reached out for Lenny’s hand without thinking it through. Without glancing back, Lenny threaded her fingers through Ellie’s and squeezed gently. Ellie allowed herself to be led to Lenny’s truck, taking in the sun that was starting to get lower in the sky and the colorful clouds accompanying it. Lenny fumbled with her key fob before unlocking the doors and opening the passenger door for Ellie. “I can drive you back later to grab your car, if that’s okay?” Lenny looked even more gorgeous in the sunlight, her hazel eyes shining and chestnut curls falling around her shoulders. Ellie found herself speechless, so she nodded her agreement and climbed into the truck. Lenny gently shut the passenger door, then jogged around the front of the truck to get to the drivers side. She settled into her seat, then turned to Ellie. “I know this is kind of weird, but as soon as you said your favorite color was yellow I knew this was the perfect move for our date… you just have to trust me, okay? I know that’s crazy because you don’t know me, but just try to have some trust in me when I ask you to close your eyes…” Lenny trailed off, still looking at Ellie.

“That’s a lot to ask of someone, but as long as you’re not going to murder me I’ll try my best.” Ellie winked at Lenny, then fastened her seat belt. Lenny put the truck into gear and drove toward the exit of the parking lot. They had only been driving a little more than ten minutes when the request for Ellie to close her eyes came, and she obliged without protest. She felt the truck slow and turn, feeling the ground become a little bumpier as they went. Another turn was made, then the truck stopped briefly before continuing in reverse for a minute.

“Okay, still keep them closed, but you’re going to have to put even more trust in me for a minute cause I’m going to help you out of the truck and around to the back.” Lenny was out of the truck and at her side before Ellie could even begin to ask what was going on, and honestly she was kind of loving the mystery element of the surprise. Allowing herself to be helped out of the truck and led around to the back, Ellie’s other senses were slightly heightened. She could hear birds chirping, smell fresh cut grass and some type of flowers with a hint of hay. Lenny came to an abrupt stop with Ellie almost bumping into her back. “Okay, give me one more minute and I’ll let you know when you can open your eyes. Ellie listened as the tailgate of the truck was lowered and Lenny rustled around in the back. She heard Lenny come up beside her before she felt her gentle hands on her waist, guiding Ellie a little to the right of where they were standing. “Okay, you can open them now!” The smile in Lenny’s voice was easily picked up on.

Ellie slowly opened her eyes, allowing them to readjust to the sunlight before gasping in happy disbelief. They were at the opening of a grass path between two fields of flowers that went as far as the eye could see. On the left were tall, beautiful sunshine yellow sunflowers that grew taller than her. On the right were luscious rows of golden marigolds that looked like a smattering of yellow and orange pom poms. Ellie was completely mesmerized at the beauty, she had never seen anything like this before up close. Turning slowly, she realized Lenny’s eyes were on her as she took in the fields of flowers. Lenny had also set up some blankets in the bed of her truck with the take out they had gotten.

“I thought you might enjoy a picnic in my grandma’s fields, her favorite color was yellow too.” Ellie had no words that seemed enough, so she gently took Lenny’s hand and tugged her closer.

“This is absolutely the most perfect first date I’ve ever been on, I don’t think I could have even dreamed of one this perfect.” Catching Lenny’s eye for a brief moment, Ellie allowed her eyes to drop to Lenny’s lips. Leaning in, she placed a tender kiss on the most perfect pair of warm, soft lips she had ever kissed. It was only the first date, but she knew right then she was already done for.