My awesome author friend @d.allysonhowlett (author of Kisses & Stones -check it out here) hosts fantastic writing challenges on Instagram every few months. Her Work-In-Progress (WIP) Soundtrack challenge is my favorite. For two weeks, she provides a daily prompt and participants choose a snippet from their current WIPs and a song to go with it. Here are my entries for the  #WIPSoundtrack2022 Challenge. You can find my full playlist here or on Spotify under ‘Welcome To Blooms.”

DAY 1: THE SPARK

🎧:  Someone to You by the Banners

When your name is Daisy Bluhm, you get used to flower jokes.

When your name is Daisy Bluhm and your family runs a flower shop, your life becomes the joke. 

DAY 2: THE REACTION

🎧: Wheel in the Sky by Journey

I thought back, allowing the previous night’s events to source: The art museum account, celebratory drinks, Mom’s voicemails, Bud’s phone call…

I sat up as I recalled my brother’s words: “Dad collapsed,” “We need you,” “Come home.” 

DAY 3: THE PLAN

🎧:  Piano Concerto No. 1, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 

I grasped Bud’s hand. “I am going to help you. We can do it, Bud. Together, we can save Bluhm’s.” I could practically hear the dramatic swell of the orchestra as I made my proclamation.

”Um, Daisy?” Bud leaned away. “Can I have my hand back? I kinda need it to drive.”

The music in my head petered out, an anticlimactic kazoo wheezing: “Eeeee…”

DAY 4: THE SUPPORT

🎧: Someday, Somewhere by Marshall Crenshaw

Chantal was right; my “sorries “ weren’t solving anything. Summoning my courage, I squashed the urge to apologize again. 

“I can’t change what happened, but I promise going forward that I’ll do everything I can to help.” I met Chantal’s eyes, accepting the challenge I saw in them. 

“Deal,” she said. “Let’s get to work.”

We weren’t friends yet, but from that moment on, we were allies. 

DAY 5: THE KNOWLEDGE

🎧: Memory by Windser

Have you ever gotten the sense you were born into the wrong family?

When I was little, I once overheard the following conversation: “You Bluhms are a family of flowers,” a customer remarked.My mother had laughed and replied. “Well, three of us are. Daisy, she’s our little cactus.”

That was me. A cactus mistakenly planted in a flower bed.

DAY 6: THE PATH

🎧: These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs

This is actually my original pitch/prologue for Blooms. Imagine it as the opening of a movie, superimposed over a brilliant blue sky dotted with clouds, panning down to a garden full of blooming hydrangeas, roses, peonies, and landing on one… lone… cactus (see Day 5: The Knowledge). 

Hi. I’m Daisy. And this is the story of how I came to embrace my name, my family, and find my true path. Oh, and did I mention love? Yep, I found that too. And a whole lot more.

This is my story.

I call it: Welcome To Blooms. 

DAY 7: THE DISTRACTION

🎧: Blinding Lights by The Weeknd

“Need some help?”

Crouched on the ground, arms elbow-deep in a box of promotional items, I looked up into the warmest, most beautiful brown eyes I’d ever seen. Although her nose and mouth were covered by a gold-sequined face mask, I could tell from the way her eyes crinkled (adorably), that she was smiling at me. 

My heart did a little flip. I lost my balance, falling backward onto my butt, splay-legged, kicking over the box as I went. A hundred green stress balls printed with “Bluhm’s: Your Family’s Florist” went flying. One struck the owner of the beautiful eyes in the forehead.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, mortified. I struggled to my feet and stuck out my hand. “I’m Daisy.”

She took it and gave a quick squeeze.. I had just enough time to register that her hand was smooth and cool, her fingernails long enough to lightly scrape my palm. A shiver traveled up my arm. “Veda. Wedding Planner. Exhibit booth 305.” she pointed to her right. “We’re neighbors.” 

DAY 8: THE THREAT

🎧: This Town by Kygo

I’d only thought I was giving up everything before. Now I was in a position to help my family, but it would take everything I had. 

DAY 9: THE FOCUS

🎧: First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes

Why had (spoiler) kissed me? Why had I (briefly) let her? It had something to do with being home, I thought. And reconnecting with people and places from my past. It had something to do with seeing Bud and Chantal, how happy they looked together. It even had to do with seeing Mom and Dad, and how committed they still were to one another. I hadn’t thought I’d ever wanted that. Had made my work my sole focus, my commitment to myself. I wasn’t wrong, I thought, but maybe when I said I wanted more for myself, I had to consider that “more” might also include another person. Someone who saw me for me, and didn’t want to change me, but encouraged and supported me. 

DAY 10: THE KEY

🎧: Stupid Love by Lady Gaga

“Doggo,” Kylie whispered. “Doggo, there’s someone here to meet you.”

A snort and a woof, and the sound of nails scrabbling, then out came Doggo. The first thing I saw was a big slobbery grin, drool hanging from each side of his mouth. The second thing I noticed was the way he moved, a cross between a walk and a hop.

Kylie noticed me noticing. “Doggo’s what we call a tripawd,” she explained. “He was born without his left leg.” She scratched behind his ears and he hop-walked over to her before falling to the ground and offering up his belly for more. She laughed. “You can see it doesn’t slow him down any. He’s Mr. Personality.” She rubbed his belly while he snorted and chuffed in pleasure. She looked up at me. “He’s all alone and doesn’t deserve to be. He needs a home, a friend.”

Oh no. I was in sales. I knew what she was building up to.

I also knew what Veda would say. What Bud would say. What Agnes and LilyRose would say.

I thought of John and his dig about how I didn’t even have a pet fish or a house plant to take care of. I thought of Mrs. Rudnicki and Precious, and how big and empty my apartment felt after two weeks of living with my family.

I looked down at Doggo, who was smiling at me.

“Let’s go look at the doggos,” Veda had said. Like it was some kind of sign...

I’m not.

I’m not, I’m not…

Oh no. 

DAY 11: THE FEELING

🎧: Scarlet Begonias by Grateful Dead

I was being offered more than everything I ever thought I wanted. So why did it feel all wrong? 

I wanted to create my own dream, not take over someone else’s. 

DAY 12: THE FINAL STEP

🎧: About Damn Time by Lizzo

John looked incredulous. “Are you kidding? Don’t make this about me. This is up to you. That’s what you’ve been fighting for, isn’t it? The chance to do what Daisy Bluhm wants to do?” 

I was stunned. He was right. This was what I’d waited for. I had four opportunities in front of me, all with their own risks and rewards. 

Finally, the choice was up to me. 

And I knew. In a flash of clarity, I knew exactly what I wanted. 

DAY 13: THE AFTERMATH

🎧: Thank You by Led Zeppelin

I stared out the taxi window at the foothills silhouetted against the dusky peach sky; a few brave stars twinkled welcomingly above.

There were opportunities all around me, and this was the one I wanted to take the chance on. Not only to be part of something new, but to be part of something with people I loved. 

It wasn’t only about me now. 

The “more” I wanted was about “us.”

DAY 14: THE FUTURE 

🎧: I Love Being Here With You by Peggy Lee

I unlocked the front door, overwhelmed by the number of people waiting outside. Familiar faces, shining with love, dotted the crowd.

“Hello, everyone,” I said, opening the door wide. “Welcome to Blooms.”