{X} is for Xenia, The Flower Girl

Xenia, the flower girl lives on a hillock, by the lush, bountiful Swiss countryside with her family; a hard-working husband, Zeus and two-year-old twins, Daisy and Daffodil. Her home is brimming with hospitality. Every weary traveller or passer-by is welcome, to stop by for a simple, warm meal, cooked with love by Xenia.

Xenia is known as the flower girl of the village, as she runs a flower stall. In today’s modern language she is a florist, but in the ancient times people used the term flower girl. Xenia has a way with flowers. She makes some of the most beautiful bouquets that are gifts from starry-eyed lovers, for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, or even funerals or as wreaths. Xenia perks up people in her village, by sending them flowers just like that. Sometimes to a jilted lover, an ailing old lady, or the neighbour next door who is having a bad day. Xenia’s flower power has healing properties and has touched so many lives in magical ways. Especially when they need that dose of cheer in their lives.

Xenia’s husband Zeus, is a farmer who grows all the stunning flowers in his little farm. As spring approaches his farm is transformed into a riot of colours, that merge with the bright azure sky. Xenia and Zeus work very hard and tend to their flowers with much care. They believe the flowers are fleeting visitors of few days, sometimes few hours, or moments. In that short span of time they spread so much joy and love with their heady fragrance and burst of colours, so it’s essential they be nurtured and tended to with delicate love and care. Daisy and Daffodil, their daughters, though still small, love to meticulously sort the flowers for Mommy before she takes them to her stall in the morning.

One day Xenia falls seriously ill. Her body aches like it has received a volley of blows. She can barely eat or speak. Zeus looks after her day and night, so much so the flowers in his farm start getting neglected. The twins miss Mommy’s bubbly laughter and the rituals of being fed, put to bed with an enchanting story and their peek-bo games. Zeus is too tied up looking after them and tending to Xenia that he has no energy left to engage in play with the girls. Xenia’s health keeps deteriorating. The herbal concoctions, the remedies suggested by the local doctor; nothing seems to help. From a salubrious, beautiful girl, Xenia is reduced to a bag of bones. The villagers flock at Xenia and Zeus’s place bringing food, sometimes flowers and comforting words. But all seems to fail in front of the unknown disease that ravages Xenia’s body, and the beautiful family.

One day a weary traveler asks for shelter and Zeus does not have the heart to refuse, despite the challenges at hand. The traveler is an old man, with a weather-beaten face almost buried under a salt and pepper, flowy beard. He says he has travelled from afar and has not had a proper meal in days. Zeus offers him bread and a warm bowl of chicken soup with some roasted vegetables. The man is so famished that he gobbles the food in a few minutes. Zeus feels sorry for him and offers his share of soup too, to which the old man grateful declines. He looks blissful and content.

The old man strikes a conversation with Zeus and upon finding out about Xenia’s long-standing illness, he volunteers to examine her pulse. Zeus looks at him incredulously and asks if he is a healer, to which the man laughs and says nothing. After the old man has checked Xenia’s pulse, he just puts his hands on her head for sometime, and chants something in Armaic. When he removes his hands, Zeus notices that Xenia has opened her eyes wide, and is smiling feebly. Zenia has barely opened her eyes for weeks now and not smiled for as long as they can remember. The girls gather around their mother excitedly and Zeus takes her weak hands in his, squeezes it gently and smiles back.

The next morning when they wake up the old man is nowhere to be seen. But, Xenia who was bed-ridden for so long is sitting upright, though still weak, but flashing her good, old, bright “good morning” smile. She also asks for breakfast in bed. She has barely eaten all these days. The home is filled with peals of laughter, as the twins run around playing catch-me-if-you-can. They are very happy to see their mother getting better. Zeus and Xenia are marvelling at the miracle that just touched their lives. They want to thank the old man, but he has left quietly without a word. As days progress Xenia becomes stronger, and slowly but surely returns to her flower power.

Life is back to normal for this beautiful family of four. Xenia, the flower girl lives a happy contented life, always in gratitude towards the mysterious old man and the miracle that gave her a fresh new lease of life.

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My theme for this year’s Blogging from A-Z Challenge is April Anecdotes. These are twenty-six compelling tales of some real people, and some not so real people. These tales will be surreal, peppered with a dose of non-fiction, but some might just be a figment of my over active imagination. You can read my theme here.

You can read my previous posts from #AtoZChallenge2018 here:

A is for Anachronism or Misplaced in Time?

B is for Burden or Unburden?

C is for Control

D is for Destiny’s Child

E is for Enchantment

F is for Far from the Maddening Crowd 

G is for Goblins, Gnomes and Gypsy Spirits

H is for Heart, Mind and Soul

K is for Kiss

L is for Love Conquers All

M is for Mystic’s Magic

N is for Never Say Never

O is for One With Nature

P is for Painted Not Tainted

Q is for Queer and Quirky

R is Reminiscing the Yesteryears

S is for Signs

T is for Thankful for Your Tender Love

U is for Uplifting Our Energy

V is for Vivacious Souls