The Flower in Space

The skyline of Rowel city was the best view in town, visible only from a few vip spots, one of which was Barron’s apartment window. The developed infrastructure was a fruit of the planet’s hard work, resulting in innovation and prosperity. Oddly shaped buildings that lined the horizon were Rowel’s pieces of art, much credited to the interplanetary award-winning architects and builders. Connected by a network of levitating walkways and bullet transport pods that moved with quiet efficiency, this planet was the most advanced in the nearby solar systems. Barron had everything one could ostensibly desire: a comfortable, luxurious apartment with panoramic views, a stable and well-compensated position as a neo-linguistics data analyst for the Planetary Archives, and enough money to indulge in most desires. Yet, whenever he stared out at the vibrant metropolis from his balcony, a familiar hollowness echoed within him. 

Purpose. It was a word that felt alien on his tongue, a concept as distant and unreachable as the next galaxy in the night sky. His days were a predictable, an unbreakable daily routine, a rhythm of data streams, linguistic algorithms, and polite interactions with colleagues. He was good at his job, meticulous even, but the satisfaction was fleeting, like the taste of nutrient paste, necessary, but utterly devoid of joy. 

His friend, Kaelen, a flamboyant astrophysicist with a penchant for the dramatic and an insatiable sweet tooth, was a spontaneous guy, much less like Barron. It was an evening after work, when Kaelen knocked on Barron’s door, his bright turquoise jacket catching the ambient light. 

“Barron, my dear fellow, you look as though you’ve been personally insulted by the gravitational pull of Rowel,” Kaelen announced. “Come, we need an adventure! Or at the very least, a culinary expedition.” 

Barron sighed, opening the door. “Adventure? Kaelen, I analyzed three newly discovered dialects from the Tama system today. That was my adventure.” 

Kaelen waved a dismissive hand. “Mere semantics! I’m talking about real adventure. Flavor-based adventure!” He clapped his hands together. “They say the third moon of Cygnus VII has a cafe that serves the most exquisite cheesecakes. Layers of cosmic berry and woco-swirl, yumm can’t stop thinking about this delight!” 

Barron raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Cheesecakes? You want to travel hyperspace for cheesecakes?” 

“But Barron, not just any cheesecakes! They are legendary! And frankly,” Kaelen’s usual cheer faltered slightly, “I’m tired of Rowel’s flavors, all synthetic and manufactured. My soul craves authenticity and organic ingredients.” 

Barron considered his friend. Kaelen’s bursts of impulsive enthusiasm were often a welcome distraction from his own internal monotony. Besides, his personal starship, the Wanderer, had been gathering dust in its docking bay. A trip, even for something as trivial as cheesecake, might be a change of scenery. 

“Alright,” Barron conceded, “Cheesecakes it is. But you’re paying for the fuel.” 

“Of course, my friend!” Kaelen beamed with excitement, “Prepare for culinary transcendence!” 

Soon after grabbing their essentials, both reached the private parking docking bay. Off they went, as the Wanderer sliced through the inky blackness of outer space. The journey to Cygnus VII was swift, with a beautiful star filled background, thanks to the ship’s advanced quantum drive. Finally, they approached the designated moon, a small, unassuming celestial body orbiting a giant planet, that they did not intend to visit that day. 

The moon’s surface was surprisingly well maintained for viability of life, although some alien stuff did surprise them, like the dotted strange bioluminescent flora that pulsed with soft light. The spaceport was small and somewhat chaotic, a melting pot of various alien species and their equally varied spaceships. 

The cafe, “The CCCafe,” was not too far in the marketplace, rather quite grand with its entrance marked by dancing holographic signs that gave the ambience a very welcoming energy. The air inside was cool with the aroma of exotic spices and something vaguely sweet and ethereal. 

They both took a table and Kaelen order all ten types of cheesecakes. Barron just ordered two and stared around the cafe. It was there, amidst the cacophony of alien chatter and the clinking of serving utensils, that Barron saw her. 

She stood behind the counter with a quiet grace in the busy environment. Her features were delicate, angelic, with skin the color of warm milk and hair like chocolate dripping down her shoulders. Her eyes were the shade of deep amethyst, so bright that Barron could notice them from his seat, as she held a seemingly intelligentinteraction with a group of hulking, reptilian aliens. 

The reptilian aliens were clearly agitated as their guttural clicks and hisses broke Barron’s focus off her beauty. Their conversation with her was laced with impatience and aggression that was one sided. “Lilly,” a fellow cafe worker called, “Do you need help?” She signaled a denial. “Lily hmm,” thought Barron, like he somehow knew that was her name. He didn’t take his eyes off her as she responded with a calm, trying to tone down the agitated customers. Her hands moved with fluid elegance as she employed sign language. She didn’t utter a single word. 

Kaelen, already impatient with his order noticed Barron noticing something and turned around to see Lily. Henudged Barron with his elbow, his eyes wide with curiosity. “Quite the manager. Seems… communicative, in her own way.” He lowered his voice. “Probably mute, poor thing.” Kaelen’s words hit Barron, until then he hadn’t realized that Lily might be mute. 

In a matter of seconds, the aliens’ agitation escalated even further. One of them slammed a thick, scaled fist on the counter, causing the several delicate table signs to rattle. Lilly flinched in a reflex, but her composure remained unbroken. Their harsh, alien sounds became more insistent, their postures threatening. 

Something snapped within Barron. The apathy that had clung to him for so long seemed to momentarily recede, replaced by a sudden surge of protective instinct that he hadn't felt in years. He couldn't explain it, this impulse, fierce need to intercede. He simply acted. 

Before any co-worker could reach Lily, Barron strode towards the counter in a swift stride. His tall frame easily caught the attention of the agitated aliens. He went and stood right beside Lily and started addressing the aliens in their native tongue, a language he had studied extensively but rarely used in casual conversation. His voice was calm but firm, his words carefully chosen to de-escalate the situation. 

The aliens were taken aback by the unexpected intervention and the use of their own language, turned their reptilian eyes towards him. Barron spoke of patience, of the intricacies of interspecies communication, of the respect due to those who offered hospitality. He spoke with a calm authority that worked how he had intended and diffused their anger with words like a soothing balm on their frayed nerves. 

Slowly, grudgingly, the aliens’ aggressive postures relaxed. They grumbled amongst themselves, then with a final, less threatening hiss, they gestured towards Lilly and then towards a menu item. 

Lilly watched Barron with her wide, luminous eyes. As the aliens finally placed their order and went away to take a seat, Lily turned to Barron. She moved her hands swiftly and gracefully to signal “Thank you.” Her hands conveyed gratitude, but her eyes expressed something more. “You were very kind,” she added, while not breaking eye contact with Barron. 

A strange warmth bloomed in Barron’s chest. He was smitten. Her sign language was elegant, almost like a dance. He found himself captivated by her movements, her eyes, the subtle nuances of her expression. 

“It was… nothing,” he replied, feeling an unfamiliar flush creep up his neck. “They seemed a little… impatient.” 

Her lips curved into a small, shy smile, a smile that somehow reached his core. “They often are,” her hands signed. “This job is usually like this.” 

Kaelen, who had been observing the entire exchange with a mixture of astonishment and amusement, finally joined Barron at the counter. “Well, well, Barron! I didn’t know you had such a talent for alien diplomacy! Your language skills finally gave you an interesting opputunity after all.” 

Barron barely heard him. His gaze was still fixed on Lily, on the way the cafe’s soft lighting caught her hair, her collarbones. 

“We should probably… get going,” Kaelen said, glancing at his watch. “The Wanderer isn’t going to fly itself back to Rowel.” 

A heavy weight settled in Barron’s chest as he realized. The thought of leaving this unassuming cafe, this quiet woman, filled him with a profound sense of loss, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years. He nodded curtly to Kaelen, his eyes still lingering on Lily for a moment longer, absorbing as much detail as he could. 

“Goodbye,” her hands signed, her amethyst eyes holding his for a fleeting, intense moment. 

“Goodbye,” he managed to sign back, the word feeling inadequate, insufficient to express the sudden sinkingin his heart. Barron was about to ask Lily for her number, when Kaelen called Barron to come out, and Barron turned his head toward his voice then back to Lily, but she was gone. “Where did she go?” Lily was nowhere to be seen, so, with a yearning in his heart, Barron left the cafe and joined Kaelen. 

As they walked back to the Wanderer, Barron felt an unfamiliar tightness in his throat. Rowel, his comfortable, predictable Rowel, suddenly seemed a million light-years away. He didn’t tell Kaelen about the strange, inexplicable pull he felt towards the cafe manager, the unsettling heaviness that made each step away from her a small act of physical exertion. He simply boarded his ship, the image of Lilly’s gentle smile and expressive hands imprinted on his mind. 

The return journey was blurry. Kaelen enthusiastically recounted the ten cheesecakes at the cafe, and that Barron missed out on many amazing flavors. Barron listened in silence, his thoughts consumed by Lilly. He replayed their brief exchange in his mind, he wanted to talk to her for hours, watch her sign words for hours, touch her soft skin, feel her hands in his. 

Back on Rowel, the familiar routines of his life felt even more lethal than before. The cityscape now seemed gray, the efficiency of his work became mechanical and meaningless. The memory of Lilly was a persistent yearning in the back of his mind. 

A few weeks later, Kaelen burst into Barron’s apartment again, this time holding a crumpled flier. “Barron, my friend! You will not believe this! Remember the cheesecakes?” 

Barron barely glanced at the flier. “Vaguely.” 

“Well, the cafe is hosting in an ‘Interplanetary Cuisine Expo’ on Planet Tama! Apparently, managers from various intergalactic eateries are showcasing their specialties. And guess who’s listed?” Kaelen tapped a finger excitedly on the flier. “The CCCafe! Your Miss manager might be there and my cheesecakes too!” 

Electricity shot through Barron. Planet Tama was a considerable distance away, a lush green planet known for hosting events all year long. “Yes, let’s go!” Barron spoke out loud, the logical part of his brain was long silenced, now all he wanted was to see her. Kaelen laughed out loud, “Alright!” 

Both excited for their own interests, didn’t bother about the long journey and soon reached Planet Tama. The Interplanetary Cuisine Expo was a sensory overload. Stalls adorned with exotic flora and signage from so many planets, that Barron started taking notes! “Who knew Miss manager would make you more interested in your job too, haha,” Kaelen teased Barron. Barron didn’t mind and rather enjoyed anything related to Lily. The atmosphere was alive with the chatter of countless species and the tantalizing aromas of a thousand different cuisines. 

Barron scanned the crowds, his heart pounding with a nervous energy he hadn’t felt in years. And then, he saw her. 

Lilly stood behind a small, elegantly decorated stall, a holographic display showcasing miniature cheesecakes of tens of flavours. She was interacting with a group of furry, four-eyed beings, her hands moving with the same graceful precision he remembered. 

Flowers and butterflies bloomed in his chest as he approached her. Her amethyst eyes lifted to see him, and a flicker of recognition crossed her face, followed by a soft, genuine smile that made his breath catch in his throat. 

“You!” her hands signed, her surprise evident. “What are you doing here?” 

“I… Kaelen and I were in the area,” he stammered, the lie feeling clumsy and inadequate. “And I saw the flier for the expo…” 

Her smile widened slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “So glad you came.. for the expo.” 

“Haha yes,” he laughed nervously, feeling a blush rise on his cheeks. “I.. I wanted to see you again.” The words were out before he could stop them, hanging in the air between them. 

A soft blush bloomed on her milky skin. She glanced down for a moment, then back up at him with a direct and unwavering gaze. 

“It’s… nice to see you too, Barron,” she signed, her movements a little slower, as if choosing her words carefully. Seeing her sign his name, Barron’s mind went wild, he wanted to grab her and wrap her up in his arms. 

Their conversation was a mix of spoken words from Barron and elegant sign language from Lilly. He learned that she traveled to various culinary events to promote her boss' cafe, that the muteness was since childhood. 

As they talked, a sudden downpour began, the large, iridescent hail of Tama splattering on the stalls and the crowds. Lilly’s stall offered little shelter. 

“Come,” Barron said, gesturing towards a nearby covered walkway. “Let’s get out of the rain.” 

They hurried towards the shelter, the crowd pushing them. In the sudden surge of people, Lilly stumbled, and Barron instinctively reached out, his hand finding her arm to steady her. For a moment, their bodies were pressed close together. Her warmth radiated through their touching torso as he took a breath and realized her scent, a delicate blend of cinnamon and vanilla filled his senses. 

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and for a heart-stopping second, he thought she might lean in. The air crackled with an unspoken tension, a silent question hanging between them. But then, a group of teen aliens brushed past them, breaking the fragile connection. 

They ran and reached the covered walkway, slightly breathless and undeniably flustered. The rain continued to pour, creating a blingy curtain around them. They stood in comfortable silence for a few moments, the sounds of the expo muted by the downpour. A jolt of unexpected awareness shot through Barron as he saw that her thin white dress had become translucent in the rain. Her figure was clearly visible, and he absorbed her curves with eyes filled with desire. Then he removed his shirt and wrapped it around her, covering her drenched self. Now he was just in a snug t-shirt that highlighted his muscles.  

“Thank you,” Lilly signed, her gaze soft. 

“It was nothing,” Barron replied, his voice a little rough. He desperately wanted to reach out again, to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, but he held back, unsure of the boundaries, of her feelings. They conversed for a few minutes and soon it stopped raining, and the expo continued as usual. They exchanged numbers. Barron really wanted to ask her for a date but was still unsure about the pace of their meeting.  

It was now time to leave. He held her hand and bid her farewell. To his surprise, she lifted herself up and gave him a kiss on his cheek, “Goodbye sweet Barron,” she spoke and was about to walk away, when Barron wrapped his arm around her waist pinning her to his body and leaned in to kiss her. She giggled and pushed him a little, separating out of the moment, looked him in the eyes with a smile and ran off. “Wait..” shouted Barron, but she was gone. He chuckled to himself, “Next time, I won’t let you go.” 

Two weeks passed, Barron would sleep every night with Lily in his mind. They would text but not so much. The days were busy. Barron and Kaelen found themselves working extra hard on their jobs. Barron had a new project in the neighboring solar system and Kaelen too had to visit a mining colony orbiting a red giant. They were out together again, on their adventures, but this time it was serious business. “I have heard rumors of a rare mineral there. Apparently, it’s great for harvesting solar energy. The colony also found some more minerals that are still being studied,” Kaelen told Barron, as they engaged in their technical jargon. 

First, they finished with Barron’s work, then went to the mining colony for Kaelen’s. They were exploring a network of abandoned tunnels when a tremor shook the ground, followed by the ominous groaning of collapsing rock. Dust and debris rained down, and before they could react, a large section of the tunnel entrance caved in, trapping them inside. 

“Blast it all!” Kaelen exclaimed, coughing in the thick dust. “Just my luck! Trapped like cosmic rats!” Kaelen and Barron were split off in the tunnel by the boulders.  

Barron tried to remain calm, assessing their situation. “I’m closer to the exit, I’ll find a way out,” shouted Kaelen. Barron affirmed. The tunnel on Barron’s side was narrow and the air was thick with dust and the smell of damp rock. His communication device was useless, blocked by the dense rock formation. 

Barron started to explore toward the other side of the tunnel. As he started to move forward, his hand brushing against something soft. 

He turned to see Lilly, her face pale and smudged with dust. A wave of disbelief washed over him. What was she doing here, on this mining colony? 

“Barron!” her hands signed frantically. “What are you doing here?” Barron spoke in a scolding tone. “The cafe… I needed a rare mineral for a dessert… this colony was the closest source…” Barron was visibly angry for her reckless adventure, “You should’ve told me or brought someone with you!” 

Before he could finish, another tremor shook the tunnel, even stronger than the first. They both stumbled, losing their footing on the uneven ground. In the confined space, there was nowhere to go. They fell together, a tangle of limbs in the dusty darkness. 

Barron instinctively shielded Lilly with his body as more debris rained down. They landed in an awkward heapof soft rock, his chest pressed against hers, his arms instinctively wrapping around her. He could feel her heart pounding against his ribs, her breath warm against his neck. 

The dust in the air settled quickly, when a sudden, intense awareness of each other struck them. Their bodies were intimately pressed together, every curve and contour felt and fitted the other’s. He was on top of her and could feel the softness of her breath against his cheek, the delicate curve of her spine beneath his hand. 

Time seemed to stretch and compress simultaneously. The fear of being trapped was still present, but it was overshadowed by the unexpected intimacy of the moment. He wanted to pull back, to create some distance, but the narrow confines of the tunnel made it impossible. Every slight movement brought them even closer, their bodies rubbing against each other in the suffocating darkness. 

A subtle tremor ran through his body when he felt the rise and fall of her chest against his. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on anything but the warmth of her body against his. 

Tremor after tremor, fear and body rubs was creating an environment of mixed emotions. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the tremors subsided. The groaning of the rocks ceased, replaced by an unsettling silence. They slowly tried to disentangle themselves, with their faces inches apart in the dim light filtering through a crack in the fallen rocks, when their eyes met, and a spark of something undeniable flickered between them. A shared vulnerability, a silent acknowledgment of the unexpected intimacy they had just experienced. Barron’s heart pounded in his chest, a chaotic rhythm that echoed the earlier tremors. He wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but the words caught in his throat. Lilly’s hands moved slowly, deliberately. “Barron?” Still pressed on top of Lily, Barron could no longer control himself and leaned in for a kiss. Just a brush of lips and electricity ran through both of their bodies. Barron kissed the left corner of her lips and "HEY BARRON!" the annoucement broke the moment. It was Kaelen and he had got the team that started the drilling in the boulder. Barron disappointed by Kaelen's timing, got up and helped Lily up to. "Come with me to my home,” Barron asked Lily. Lily signed, “I can’t, I have to go back, there's a lot of work pending, I’m sorry.”

Barron was a bit disappointed to see Lily’s response and pulled her gently in a hug, holding her body close in an embrace. The thought of being separated again was killing Barron. After the warm hug, Barron waited for Lily to board her space taxi and then left for home with Kaelen. The memory of their shared confinement, the unexpected intimacy in the dark, lingered between both of them like an unspoken promise. 

Their fourth encounter was on a luxurious space cruise orbiting a breathtaking nebula, a kaleidoscope of cosmic dust and light. Kaelen had won tickets in a planetary lottery and, ever the gracious friend, had invited Barron. Barron had accepted, hoping against hope that Lilly might somehow be there.