> Her eyes caught on a miniscule, colorful cart
> Sat in the middle of the pedestrian walkway it was practically overflowing with delightfully fragrant floral arrangements, perfect for the Flagg couple’s anniversary
> Marching her way down the path Franny waved to the kind old woman sat inside the booth
> ”Hello,” she waved, “hi, hi- can I get-”
> ”Hello, dear,” the woman smiled, adjusting her glasses. “My you’re thin haha! What can I do for you today young lady?”
> ”...Well, I was looking to buy some *red roses*, preferably a full bouquet?”
> ”Oooh right here dear- oop! A bit thorny heh…”
> Shimmying around inside the narrow little kiosk the lady fetched a thick bouquet of deep, crimson roses
> Each swirled and bowed to the others around it, luscious petals and prickly thorns shimmering with a spritz of water
> ”How much will these run me, ma’am?”
> ”Ohh, uh- fifteen dollars, please!”
> ”F-Fifteen?”
> Franny’s cheeks piped up, nervous- she only had so much change for the trolley and, with the Mister and Missus out for the night, she wanted to make something special for the kids
> It was a small Flagg tradition to buy the ingredients and make their own pizza when Mom and Dad were out but hat fifteen would take it all away
> And even the leftover change she had after the fact wouldn’t be enough to catch the trolley, with how the city department of transportation had been pushing people to buy their swipe cards over anything else
> ”Yes, ma’am fifteen. A *bargain* for roses like these.”
> The older lady practically wagged the bouquet in Franny’s face as a nervous hand drifted to her purse
> Shimmying past the two tickets and other pursely miscellania she held onto she removed the pair of folded bills from a small, internal pocket
> ”H-Here you go…”
> Cash handed over Franny took the bouquet into her hands, holding them tight to her chest before retreating back to the little paved avenue running through the park
> Taking a deep breath she set off sharply for home, the mile-or-two’s trip home now painfully extended without fare for the trolley