SWEET CHAINS

A new day and a new garden to explore. This time, a host of beads sprawled from vases stacked at various heights. Silver flower beads sat in a mass upon glass. Powder pink hydrangeas had a tinge of lime at the edges; she loved their delicacy. She'd spent a fair amount of time in enchanted gardens and knew that this for sure, was one to sample. A candyflossy taste came through as soon as a mini floret touched her tongue, with a zesty note hitting right at the end. She immediately felt lighter and looked forward to more to try. 

She remembered how the roses looked stunning in the height of summer. Autumn had come through and they had taken on a new lease of life. Some might think life wasn't involved anymore, yet she believed there was. They hung delicately; dry chrysalides of purple, cream and pink. The petals began to disintegrate into a flurry of small confetti pieces. It was the season where all would start to fall and she made her peace with that. It was time for change. She watched entranced as a tiny blizzard of crisp petals swirled on the table top. 

She noticed how a subtle cocoa scent wafted in the air. An array of chocolate beads sprawled out of the vases. There were milky orbs, dark chocolate discs and mocha morsels. She leant over and lifted a strand. Bringing it closer to her nose, the delicious aroma grew stronger; her sweet tooth kicked into action. It was time to take a bite of a sugary pyramidal stick. It was as decadent and rich as she had imagined. Well, she may as well sample them all. Chunky dunes tumbled on her tongue landscape. The white choc spheres were her favourite.

As if she hadn't indulged in the saccharine enough, she was guided from the chocs to the sweets section. She unwrapped foils of small silver beads. Inside were rose-syrup imbibed drops. The hard outer edge melted away to leave a light floral taste. She thought the glass tabs would continue the sugary theme. Oh, was she wrong. The hard-boiled shapes brought some unexpected sourness, as though cherries had decided to rebel against the sweet feast. A reminder that the balance will always be restored, in some shape or form.​

She ate one of the purple ones. It was like an amalgamation of various berries she'd had in her life; it had the fragrance of blueberries, the sweetness of strawberries and the sharpness of blackberries. She was about to have another, when the crisp lilac roses began shaking in their vase. They were trying to get her attention. As she brought her hand close, a buzzing petal fell and fused with the berry. The taste was off the chain. She imagined an ultraviolet ether seeping through her veins. A feeling of vitality coursed through her.

Standing starkly green and proud within the muted landscape was the jade plant. Stalks extended and curved over to touch creamy white roses. The leaves were resplendent with moisture and they transferred it into the dry petals. Pulsating anew, the roses were taken back to summers spent on strong stalks, drinking in the sunshine. That brief throwback was all they needed, as the life liquid coursed back into the crassula. Nostalgia is beautiful thing, yet the roses didn't want to forgot all the splendour that surrounded them right now. 

There was a luxurious draping of pearls over the table, where she lifted a long length. The rose inside the lidded vessel set off another frisson as the pearls drew themselves towards it. Almost in a magnetic fashion, they attached themselves to the outside of the glass. She opened the lid and placed the pearls inside. Almost instantaneously, the beads began to melt down and combine. A beautiful floral fragrance filled the air. She lifted her head and relished in the scent of the mixture. Who wouldn't want to bottle it and keep it with them? 

She put some purple berries, petals and pearls into her pocket for another time. They'd be there for her when she wanted evocative flowers to revive her. We all had those moments. Yet right now, she was optimistic. Swirling a floret between her fingers. she knew this was how she wanted to spend her time. She reflected on how her current life interlocked with the past. She knew she couldn't stay chained to certain moments any longer. Those links had to come apart and she was making peace with that. There were new bonds to form. 
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