Louis Hates Valentine's Day

Originally published in It's Raining Men anthology February 2013

Louis hates Valentine's Day. He hates it with a passion he reserves for Marmite and footballers' wives. Louis is also a florist and Valentine's Day is his nemesis, turning his fingers into pin-cushions to make bouquets for men who give red roses to their wives and then ignore them for the rest of year.

Louis hates Valentine's Day. No one gives him flowers. The only customer he likes is Arnie who buys a new bouquet every week. Arnie gives Louis a chance to explore his love of floriography; the language of flowers. It never occurs to Louis that maybe he isn't listening to what Arnie is trying to say.