A Spot of Bother

"No, I am telling you they checked with me and changed the red rose arrangements to orange and white lily arrangements. Yes, I know it's a 180 from the original colour scheme but at least I was able to talk them out of green and blue. Yes, I know. But this is what I pay you for, so please get it done. I will make it up to you. Yes, thank you. Goodbye, darling."
Evangelina closed her phone with a slight sigh, adjusting the position of her umbrella so her shoulder wouldn't get drenched. This particular couple was one that changed many little things that would then proceed to change larger things and larger things until the whole wedding would end up being opposite of what they had in mind. Evangelina had been able to talk them out of most things but for some reason the flowers were something the bride had not given up. Thankfully Evangelina was a professional, this wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last time she'd have to handle customers such as this. And the couple was very pleasant and lovely and Evangelina could feel how much they loved each other. Just remembering it made Evangelina smile. And get distracted, since she tripped at nothing and almost flew to her knees on the wet sidewalk. Thankfully Evangelina saved her stockings by placing one hand to the ground and balancing herself. She breathed out a sigh of relief, and felt thankful there wasn't anyone there to witness this scene. An adult woman with professional looking skirt and dress shirt outfit tripping over nothing.

Unfortunately her gratefulness was crushed when a voice called out to her, and Evangelina straightened quickly. She saw a man sitting on a bench some ways from her. And apparently he needed help picking up his cane. Evangelina forgot about her embarrassment and nodded.
"Oh, yes, of course. Just a second."
Evangelina touched a hand to her hair briefly, her bun had not come loose, and walked over to the cane, her simple pumps clacking against the pavement. Evangelina picked the cane up and turned to smile at the man, holding the cane.
"Here you g-"
Damn this curse of hers.
Just as Evangelina was stepping over to the man she tripped again, this time on a real bump on the road. She fell to her knees so her upper body landed next to the man on the bench and her umbrella pressed against the man's face. Thankfully, just because of occasions like this, Evangelina had made sure her umbrella didn't have anything sharp that could accidentally hurt anyone.

Just as soon as Evangelina had fallen she stood up. Her stockings were ruined but she couldn't care less about that right now. She quickly pulled her umbrella out of the man's face and had an apologetic, embarrassed look on her face.
"I'm so so sorry! Are you hurt? Did I hit you anywh-"
Evangelina suddenly stopped talking when she saw the man's face properly and the strangest feeling rose up inside of her. It was similar to the feeling of having butterflies in her stomach, but somehow subtler and...much more powerful. Evangelina frowned slightly, what was this?

It took Evangelina a while to snap out of her daze, and she realized she had been staring at the man's face. The strange feeling remained in her, and Evangelina's confusion only grew. Thankfully the man spoke to her and gave her a reason to concentrate on something else.
"Ah, yes, you're very welcome. Now, are you sure you're alright?"
Evangelina made note of how the man was gripping his cane tightly, his hand shaking. Evangelina felt a small pang of worry and she looked the man over, he didn't seem to have any obvious external injuries.
"Do you need any help?"

As the man asked if in turn Evangelina was okay she blinked, and had not even realized her knees were hurting. She looked down, and noticed that couple of small rose petals had fallen to the ground from her knees. That meant the skin was broken, pretty badly, and it indeed was. Evangelina didn't bleed, but sometimes her wounds turned into rose petals if the wound would bleed a lot on a normal person.
"Oh dear, looks like I received a couple of bumps. No worries, I'm used to it."
Evangelina, though it ached quite badly, chuckled a little and smiled at the man reassuringly. Her stockings were marvelously ripped, but Evangelina always carried multiple spares with her. She had not lived with this curse for 51 years for nothing.

Evangelina did not exactly believe the man when he claimed to be fine, but at least his hands seemed to stop shaking. Barely. Evangelina noted that the man had since a while ago had a frown on his face, was he in pain?
"Oh, it's just that...you must use a cane for a reason. Of course you do, why would you have it otherwise. In any case, if you need support until your destination I can help, or call you a taxi. It's the least I could do after shoving my umbrella to your face."
Evangelina smiled slightly and spun said umbrella, slightly less pink than her hair. Somehow she wanted the man to accept her help, to let her assist him, remain with him just a bit longer.

The man seemed just as unconvinced with Evangelina's words as she was with his, and Evangelina could see his frown only deepen when he saw her knees. Evangelina waved her hand a bit dismissively.
"Oh, I will be just fine. I really am used to it, happens to me all the time."
Evangelina hopped on one foot a bit to show she really was okay, it hurt like the devil but Evangelina had an unwaivering smile on her face.
"I am Evangelina. Evangelina Carina Selena Felipa Muerte Amor."
Evangelina chuckled slightly, she enjoyed saying her full name, it was amusing and a good conversation starter.

Evangelina had a small concerned frown on her face as well when the man explained why he had a cane, and she briefly pressed a hand on top of her heart when the feeling she was experiencing swelled.
"Oh dear, those kinds of injuries can be very uncomfortable. I don't personally have them but I had this client who- Oh, I'm sorry, I'm babbling."
Evangelina chuckled a bit nervously and when the man smiled at her she could feel how her heart elated. And that was what made Evangelina feel a sudden but strong wave of fear, so strong she took a small step back. Evangelina briefly had an expression of fear on her face but she wiped it very fast and returned to smiling. Only now her smile was a small, professional one. Very different from the genuine one from before.
"If the pain is too much to handle I really insist you let me call a taxi. Injuries like yours shouldn't be pushed too far."
Evangelina tried to sound professional and polite but she couldn't help the concern, that creeped into her voice.

Evangelina chuckled a bit at the man's reaction to her name before she caught herself and returned to the professional, somehow distant demeanor. But Evangelina wasn't able to stop her heart from singing when she heard the man's name. Arthur. His name was Arthur. Evangelina smiled a small genuine smile.
"Oh, I'm just aware that my name is long and silly and enjoy confusing people with it. It's a wonderful ice breaker."
Evangelina chuckled and dug out her shiny business card from her tiny purse. It had the words "Evangelina Muerte Amor, Destiny's Touch wedding planners" and was decorated with red roses. She handed it to Arthur, and when their hands briefly touched it felt like static electricity between them. Or Evangelina just imagined it.

Evangelina really did not want to let the issue of Arthur's leg go, but she realized that getting fussed over by a stranger like this must've been strange and maybe even annoying. Even Evangelina, who tended to be bit too nosy, knew it. But the churning worry in her stomach didn't subside, and this strange feeling felt like a rock in her heart when Evangelina nodded slowly and smiled a bit.
"Very well, please take care of yourself. Although I'm one to talk, with my clumsiness and all."
Evangelina chuckled, covering her mouth briefly, and swiped an escaped strand of hair behind her ear.

Evangelina's fear nestled itself right next to the strange pull she was feeling, pull that Evangelina was starting to recognize. She paled slightly, but kept a small professional smile on her face as she listened Arthur comment on Evangelina being a wedding planner.
"Ah, yes, it can be frustrating, but it's fullfilling as well, especially when you can see all your effort turn into its own kind of perfection on the wedding day. I must say, the moment when the pair looks at each other and says 'I do' with so much affection in their eyes makes up for all the sleepless nights."
Evangelina chuckled a little, imagining said moment with a little distant look in her eyes.
"It's an appropriate career for me indeed, Cupid isn't my father for nothing."

Evangelina almost took a small step forward to go and help Arthur, who was fumbling with his briefcase, but her fear kept her back and Arthur was able to dig out his own business card. Evangelina took it with a nod and looked it over. A lawyer. Somehow that wasn't surprising for Evangelina, and she felt strangely happy to know something new about this person.
"Oh no, I just tend to have a flare for the dramatic, I simply couldn't help myself when it was time to produce the business cards. I adore roses. Rather, this business card does what it's supposed to, just like the people who you help expect you to be able to do what you do to your best capabilities. It's admirable."
Evangelina smiled a little, and this smile shed the professionalism and was another genuine smile.