I'm still holdin' on to everything that's dead and gone
I don't wanna say goodbye, 'cause this one means forever
Now you're in the stars, and six feet's never felt so far
Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers
(In the Stars by Benson Boone)
Clarissa Dovey-Lesso was happy today. She wanted to spend the rest of her day with her wife, with no interruption from others. She left the school in Emma's hands, so she had no worries about that either, she knew that Emma is going to take care of school while she was away.
Clarissa was on her way to Gavaldon, where she and Lesso lived, just they lived in the woods, away from the prying eyes and people who didn't wish them well, and on the way, she went to the store to buy Leonora's favorite flowers. Tulips. If she told anyone that Lesso loved tulips, no one would believe her and they would call her crazy. The Dean of Evil liking flowers? Impossible.
She arrived at the shop, where she saw a beautiful bouquet of tulips. There were various colors in it, which made it even more beautiful. She turned around to find a woman staring at her.
"Uh, hello," Clarissa said to her. Hoping that this one isn't a psycho or something?"
"Hi," The woman said, her eyes twinkling in the light."Do you need anything
"Sorry, do you work here?" Clarissa asked her politely.
"Yes, I do," She smiled at her."How can I help you?"
"Could you help me-" She cut her off quickly so that she could even finish the sentence.
"I can help you however you want and wish, darling."She winked at Clarissa, who just shook her head.
"No, no thank you. I am happily married to my wife whom I love so much," Clarissa said to her without skipping a beat."But I would appreciate it if you could help me find flowers for my wife."She pointed at the flowers around her.
"Oh... I'm sorry...I...Uh," The woman stuttered."She must be a very lucky girl to have you.
"I'd say that I am the one who's lucky."Clarissa smiled at the thought of her wife.
"Uh...Right, this way."The florist said as she lead Clarissa around, showing her all kinds of tulips, the bouquets, and the meaning of some flowers. She answered whatever Clarissa asked her until they found the perfect one.
The purple bouquet of tulips. The color of her beautiful violet eyes. The exact color that Leonora likes to wear. She smiled as she smelled the flowers, thinking about Leonora.
The woman apologized once again before as Clarissa paid and left the market, making her way to see the love of her life.
As she walked through the forest to their favorite place, she remembered all of it. Their first kiss, their first date, their place to hide from the world, and everyone who wanted to do them wrong. But it didn't matter as long as they had each other. No one else mattered, but them
It all somehow saddened her, how time flies faster than the blink of an eye. It felt like yesterday that she met Leonora, a new feisty Dean of the School for Evil, she fell in love with her personality and her compassion. She loved all the little details about her. She loved her more than life itself.
They did everything together. Everything. They helped raise new generations of both villains and heroes throughout the years. Some well known some were not as much famous, but still, people knew that they went to the School for Good and Evil and who their Deans were.
Running the school became more exciting when they were together. They spent lots and lots of time together after the school was united, which was perfect for them. They loved being together. They were the complete opposite of each other, yet were so similar. That's why their love story made it into a fairy tale.
And without even noticing, Clarissa had already arrived at their place.
"Hello, my love. I brought you your favorite flowers, tulips," She smiled sadly, as she placed the flowers on Leonora's tombstone."My Nora."She pressed her lips against the cold stone, wishing deep down that it was Leonora's lips instead. Wishing that it was Leonora standing in front of her, waiting for a kiss and a hug from her.
It's been six months since she lost the love of her life. The one thing that mattered to her after the years of loneliness and watching others get their happy ending while she just stands there waiting for her queue to help or be the sidekick as always.
Then Leonora Lesso happened to her and changed her world upside down. She made it better. She made everything better. She became the only person who could understand her and love her for all her flaws...Leonora Lesso was her savior, but she is gone now. Gone forever.
"How are you today, my love?"Clarissa smiled to herself, as the tears started coming to her eyes, even though she promised herself before coming here, that she won't cry. Because it was a happy day."I am just fine...Wishing that you were here, so we could celebrate together."
Today would be their tenth anniversary if it wasn't for the illness that took Leonora away from Clarissa. Leaving her heartbroken and alone.
Even though Leonora made Emma promise that she will take care of Clarissa and that she can't let her dwell on her death until she dies, she needed to live, she has so much to see. But Clarissa wasn't having it. All she wanted was Lady Leonora Lesso. And she wanted her back.
Clarissa would do anything just to hear Leonora's voice once more, just one more time. She would do whatever just to hear her beloved's calming voice, the soothing and gentle words that Lesso would tell her, to keep her calm, to make her feel loved.
But she knew that it was impossible. She knew that there was no coming back. And maybe one day, she will have peace with it, that her Leonora was not coming back.