Chapter Text
“ Live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.”
Jean Luc Picard
Rey was sitting in her unairconditioned freshman homeroom, weeks from summer break, when yet another career speaker came in. Twice a week, her class was expected to listen to someone inspire them about what they could do with their life.
Inspiration was rare. Rey was a foster kid, an orphan from the age of six, and her life consisted of being shifted from one sh*tty household to the next. If Rey could be inspired to get out of bed and show up at school, that was enough. And on the anniversary of her parents’ death, it was all she could manage.
When purple-haired Amilyn Holdo came in to talk about being a florist, Rey’s eyes immediately went to the white carnations she had brought.
White carnations meant remembrance and were exactly the flowers Rey needed to put on her parents’ graves. It was the one thing she could do for them.
It was silly and perhaps meaningless, but as Rey placed the flowers on the grave she felt a sense of connection to her parents and Rey was starved for any thread that could tie them to her.
Rey’s life was lonely and had been for a long time. Recently her soulmark had appeared and Rey wondered if when she was older she would be fortunate enough to find it’s match. In health class she’d listened to a presentation about how soulmarks developed in the early teens and as soon as you developed one you might meet your Soulmate. As you touched your soulmate for the first time, you would spark in a pleasant but strong sensation. Then and only then could you reveal to the world your soulmark. It was considered bad luck to reveal your soulmark before sparking as if it was taking fate into your own hands. Well fate had screwed Rey over with her parent’s death so she didn’t have the greatest trust that things would work out. The likelihood of her finding someone who was her match was sure to be slim at best.
Rey’s classmates were obsessed with finding their soulmates and she couldn’t blame them. Society revolved so much around romantic soulmates that the rare cases of twin soulmates were often forgotten. No one wanted to hear about platonic soulmates. People read books about finding your soulmate and how to better your chances. Some people even paid for detectives to locate them, so intent on not being alone. Her current classmates watched shows that made Rey cringe as teenagers met their soulmates before life even began.
These same classmates were bored by the presentation that lacked fame, fortune, or even flashy technology. They were more interested in the senior gym class practicing on the track outside in their short shorts and clingy tops.
Rey carefully watched her classmates shuffle out at the end and Mr. Kin escorted Amilyn out.
Sure enough, the flowers were left.
Rey ran to them and wrapped paper towels around the stems. This was far better than dumpster diving.
“What on earth are you doing with my flowers?” A sharp voice said from behind her.
Rey looked into Amilyn Holdo’s eyes and bluntly answered, “I was taking the flowers to put on my parents’ grave,” her voice was rough, and as much as she hated it, she felt tears pricking at her eyes.
“Miss Johnson, give the flowers back,” Mr. Kin snapped.
Rey wasn’t surprised. Life was never kind.
Amilyn Holdo’s astute eyes traveled over Rey from head to foot, noting the girl’s shabby, too-small clothing, and shoes that had seen far better days. When she spoke, her tone was kinder. “Miss Johnson can keep the flowers, but I want her to do something in return for me.” She turned to Rey, continuing, “I need help after school in my shop, do you think you could do it?”
Rey, who would do anything not to go home, nodded profusely.
**********
Amilyn’s kindness changed her life.
For the first time since her parents died, Rey found someone who saw her. Cared for her. Far more than the various foster parents she’d had.
Amilyn always sent home snacks with Rey and found excuses to buy her things like school supplies and clothing. Rey wanted to refuse but Amilyn always would say something like, “I need you to do me a favor and eat these leftovers,” or “this skirt is too tight for me, do you think you could help me out and wear it so it doesn't go to waste?”
It wasn’t long before Rey became friends with Amilyn’s neighbors, Maz and Chewie, a lovely couple who owned a cafe. Maz was determined to feed Rey too and was always giving her fresh baked cookies and slices of pies. Chewie was gruff, but he always had a kind word for her and probably made the world’s best hamburger.
One evening during Rey’s sophom*ore year, it started to snow, and Chewie insisted that he would drive her home, “Get in the car kid, it’s gonna be a blizzard,”
Rey was so embarrassed for him to see her trailer park in all its glory, but Chewie just turned the engine off and said, “I’m giving you a ride home from now on.”
“You can’t,” Rey gawked, “It’s a twenty minute drive.”
“And it’s an hour walk,” Chewie frowned.
Rey got into the car and when they arrived at the dumpy trailer park Chewie turned to her and said. This…this is where I come from, so don’t be too proud to let me see this.”
Rey looked at the tall man in surprise, “But you and Maz are business owners–you came from this?”
Chewie smiled, “Sure did! Same kind of life as you Rey. So did my best friend, but we made it out of this and so will you.”
For the first time in her life, Rey thought that maybe she would.
Chewie’s rides home meant the world to her. From then on he would talk to her about life, his best friend Han and his unruly son Ben, her schooling, just everything. If Amilyn and Maz mothered her, then Chewie fathered Rey.
She loved the three of them fiercely. At last, after all these years, she had a family.
*********
When senior year came, there was no way Amilyn, Maz and Chewie were going to let Rey not go to college. They pestered her to fill out countless applications for scholarships and schools, and Rey decided that if she was going to do this well then she would be like Amilyn, she would learn about running a business and do whatever she could to help her along.
Chewie taught Rey to drive despite her nervousness; she was rather skittish due to the fact it was a car accident that took her parent’s life.
“You can do this little one,” Chewie encouraged her, “Don’t let your fear overcome you.”
Rey sighed, “I just think of my parents every time I get behind the wheel.”
“I get it, I truly do,” Chewie choked, “Lost my soulmateand the little girl we were gonna have. If it wasn’t for Maz and really Han too I don't know where I’d be. Still the scariest thing in the world was just to keep living. Somedays I just wanted to hide.”
Rey knew that feeling all too well. She also hadn’t known that Chewie had suffered such a grave loss. It was rare to find someone who survived the loss of a soulmate.
If he could keep living well Rey knew she could find courage too. After weeks of practice she finally managed to get her license. Her graduation present from Maz and Chewie was a new car.
“Don’t want you driving a clunker so you gotta take this,” Chewie insisted.
Rey cried all over the old man’s shoulder despite her cap and gown.
Life continued to move quickly as Rey spent her college years studying business and marketing. She worked at both Amilyn’s shop and the cafe to keep loans down. She didn’t have much time for friends but slowly she developed a few friendships with her classmates like Rose. Rose taught Rey how to laugh and that was a gift indeed.
In the years following Rey’s graduation, Amilyn started handing more and more responsibility over to her in the flower shop.
She'd do anything for her, work long hours, take over in the shop when Amilyn was sick or hadn't slept well, etc. Amilyn was such a beacon of light for her, that Rey wanted to give back. She thought it was unfair, however, that Amilyn had no soulmate.
Amilyn deserved to be loved with all the love she gave of herself for others. It simply wasn’t fair.
At twenty five, Rey was no closer to finding her soulmate than she had been at fifteen. The soulmark on her shoulder seemed that it would remain unmatched, simply existing on the surface of her skin with no twin.
But Rey would be there for Amilyn just as she had been there for her.
She was entirely certain of this until Ben Solo crashed into her life. Quite literally.
***********
It was December and Rey was supervising hundreds of dollars worth of amaryllis decorations being loaded into a truck that would deliver them to New York City for a holiday event at the Met. It was the type of high profile event that Rey’s marketing skills had won for the florist shop, and Rey was filled with pride as Ara and Tem carefully carried the floral centerpieces.
This was everything Rey wanted to give to Amilyn’s shop.
Suddenly, Rey heard the sound of a motor and realized a motorcycle was rounding the corner at a breakneck speed, unaware that it was about to crash into the two teenage employees. Terror filled her heart at thought of the beautiful centerpieces in it’s path.
Ara and Tem jumped out of the way, dropping two crates.
Rey watched in horror as several carefully crafted centerpieces fell to the ground, the flowers smashing against the street.
The driver hopped over the merchandise and screeched to a halt. He parked his bike on the side
Rey was filled with anger at this destruction and was ready to give the rider a piece of her mind. She and her assistant Rose had spent hours on these.
“What exactly do you think you are doing, driving down the street like that?” Rey yelled at the man before he even had his helmet off. “You just cost me hundreds of dollars in materials and labor!” Her hazel eyes were full of anger.
The man took his helmet off and put his hand out in surrender.
“Oh sh*t,” Rey muttered. The man was by far the most attractive man she’d seen in a long time.
He was fit, and his muscular arms and legs couldn’t hide beneath his tight jeans and leather jacket. He was possibly the widest and tallest man Rey had seen, and she had a vague image of him scooping her up in his arms.
Tattoos poked out of his sleeves and Rey could see symbols on his wrists and hands.
His dark eyes scanned Rey’s form with penetrating interest. His hair was black and luscious and his five o’clock shadow added to the rugged look.
Rey felt a pull of attraction, as if this was a man worth knowing.
“So sorry, I really didn’t mean to cause this chaos,” the man smiled apologetically.
The smile made Rey’s heart beat faster and her hands feel clammy.
Rey reflected later that if the man had only kept his mouth shut after that statement, things might have gone smoother.
“Maybe I could even buy you a drink to make it up to you?” He offered and then winked.
Rey narrowed her eyes. She’d seen countless people walk into the shop and try to purchase forgiveness with flowers thinking they could make up for affairs, missed birthdays, and anniversaries. A few of her foster parents had been the same, and it left a sour taste in her mouth. Rey was beyond disappointed that this guy was that type.
“I think it might take more than just a drink to make this up,” Rey snapped.
The guy clearly didn’t know when to stop, “Dinner? I could buy you dinner.” His smile was full of charm.
It was tempting in one sense, the magnetism this guy held on Rey was incredible. But the fact was he had also just cost Amilyn hundreds of dollars, and Rey owed it to Amilyn to get her money back.
“Dinner will hardly make up for the amount of materials and labor this cost. No amount of flirtation can fix this,” Rey’s tone was firm. “You should have been far more careful with your driving instead of acting like a teenage show off.”
“I said I was sorry,” the man defended himself, “I mean I wasn’t buying you off, but actually asking you out. You may be hot, but sweetheart, you need to chill out.”
“I need to chill out?” Rey couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy, “I need to chill out when some idiot motorcycle maniac recklessly drives down the street and damages my property and flirts with me in order to get out of the responsibility of paying for it.”
Chewie at this point came out of the cafe, and Rey felt a sense of relief. Of course Chewie would take care of this guy.
“Ben?” Chewie co*cked his head.
Rey felt her heart drop. Chewie knew him? Wait. That name seemed familiar… Was this Chewie’s nephew? She had never met him, but Chewie had mentioned that when he was in high school Ben had crashed with them for a summer after a bad run at his uncle’s prestigious arts boarding school. He’d visited a few times in the intervening years, but Rey had always missed him.
Rey had never imagined the unruly nephew to look like sex on a stick.
Ben broke out into a grin and hugged Chewie.
“It’s about time you came to see me,” Chewie embraced Ben wholeheartedly.
“Bought the shop next to yours, gonna do some ink,” Ben replied. “Mom mentioned that you might be needing some extra help, and I thought I would stick around.”
Rey groaned inwardly. That was not news she needed. Not when she had thousands of dollars of amaryllis carcasses scattered across the pavement. Now she was going to have to deal with him on a regular basis. There was also a small part of her that didn’t like the interruption of a stranger to her very happy family.
“Good to have you here,” Chewie’s voice held an edge of huskiness. He turned to Rey with a smile, “Two of my favorites finally get to meet.”
Just great.
Ben looked at Rey with a snort, “It’s been a meeting,”
Chewie finally seemed to notice the mess and shook his head, “Oh Ben, you’re going to have to clean this up. I promise you, Rey, he’s not always like this.”
Rey didn’t even know how to feel at the moment, she was torn between the desire to kiss and strangle Ben Solo.
Her heart was beating dangerously and she didn’t like it.
Rey picked up a crushed amaryllis and tossed it to Ben, “Welcome to the neighborhood. I have a mess to clean up.”
“Let Ben help you,” Chewie urged.
“Tem, get the broom,” Rey ordered. She smiled sweetly at Chewie, “Oh Ben’s helping me by getting the bill.”
The look of frustration on Ben’s face was priceless.
