28 January 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2265: epicalyx

Image by Mariya from Pixabay

“I don't know if I really want to study botany, but there are some things about learning about plants that I really like, and this thing here is one of them,” eleven-year-old Eleanor said to her eight-year-old sister Edwina.

“E-P-I-C-A-L-Y-X,” Edwina said. “That's a lot.”

“Epicalyx – yeah, it has those letters that usually get ignored in the alphabet,” Eleanor said.

“But that's good because Y and X need love too,” their seven-year-old sister Amanda said.

“It is,” Eleanor said, and snuggled them both. “This is a big snuggle word, too, because you know how a flower has that green part at the bottom that holds it? That's called the calyx, but some flowers have a part that holds even the calyx, and that's called the epicalyx. A lot of roses have those.”

Edwina and Amanda considered this.

“It's like God knows some flowers need extra snuggling to make it,” Amanda said. “I'm one of those!”

“And the thing is, He has those flowers' back!” Edwina said.

“He does,” Eleanor said. “It's amazing. Like I said, I don't know if I want to be a botanist, but this stuff is interesting.”

“See, I needed this because Cousin Maggie is getting me on this Building Good thing instead of breaking bad,” Edwina said, “but I just need to know stuff is going to be protected right, so I needed this.”

“You know what I think about that?” Eleanor said. “Like Papa, when you get ready to build something, it's gonna get built, Edwina, so I think that's great!”

“Me too!” Amanda said, and hugged Edwina. “I'm here to epicalyx you when you need it!”

“That is, we have your back, twice over,” Eleanor said, and joined the hug. “You do have two sisters, so I guess I'm the calyx, and Amanda has already said what she's covering.”

“We can all feel safe now!” Amanda said.

“Yeah, I actually kinda do,” Edwina said, and relaxed into the love of her sisters.