Elly In Bloom (9 page)

After weeks of crying, Elly started waking up earlier, moving around more, and looking towards what happened next. One afternoon, Sean finally had asked if she would mind if he stole his wife for the afternoon, and Elly found herself with hours to kill. She walked down the leaf-covered paths that led to Wydown Street, where she knew she could find solace in a piece of lemon cake covered with delicate frosting swirls.

It was early fall, but the air had still felt like summer, and the sun barreled down on her bare neck. It felt good to be out of the house. Elly, for the first time, realized that perhaps, just maybe, she would live through this experience and be better for it. She turned the corner to the coffee shop where she had first met Kim and smelled warm bread. Where was that coming from? Two or three doors down from the coffee shop sat a small deli. She walked up to the building and peeked her head in the door. She could see a short man talking with customers and putting large chunks of roast beef onto a sandwich. Steam rose from the kitchen, and the place vibrated with excitement and taste.

Her stomach growled. One thing that had not suffered through this whole ordeal was her appetite. It was a shame she had only grabbed enough money for coffee and lemon cake. She would have to tell Kim about this place, this – she glanced at the sign – Keith’s Deli. Next door to the warm bread heaven was a vacant building. It was tan stone, two levels, with white trim and what looked like new windows. Above the store was a cobweb covered sign that said “Dog-topia.” It blew in the wind next to a “For Lease/Storefront and Apartment” sign.
Yikes
, thought Elly,
with a name like Dog-topia, no wonder it failed
…

She rubbed a small hole in the dusty window and peered inside. There was a long silver counter that ran through the back of the store, with a silver sink at the end. Probably for washing dogs, Elly thought. The rest of the place was trashed. Piles of plastic littered the floor, which was covered with clumps of dog hair. There was a fluorescent light hanging down from the ceiling, and Elly thought she spotted a mouse, unaware that he was being watched, scamper across the doorway. There was something about the back counter that kept drawing her eye. It would be perfect for crafting. Perfect for cake-making, or sewing – both of which Elly did not know a thing about – or flower designing.

Elly lingered on the thought. She knew flowers. She had spent her whole life gathering flowers from her mother’s overflowing gardens and arranging them in pitchers, terra cotta pots, bowls…she had always loved it. Why couldn’t she open a florist? She had her inheritance from her mother. And at the moment she had no job, no direction and no home…and no sandwich! Elly sat down on the dirt covered stoop in front of her and stared at the shop for what seemed like hours. This was it, wasn’t it? This was the moment where everything turned. Like the moment she came up the stairs. A writhing golden back, sheets on the floor, red hair tangled in Aaron’s ink-stained hands….she shook her head.
No. No more of that. This was her moment.
She had felt so far from God lately, but yet when she looked at this building, every inch of her skin tingled with a spiritual awakening. She walked up and touched the side of the building, feeling the cool stone under her hand. Yes, yes, she could feel the connection immediately. This was her place. Right here on Wydown Street. This was where she was meant to be. This was the reason that she had pulled over here to get coffee. This was why she had met Kim. This shop, this place. It was hers.

“….and that is when I just knew. It was right. So, I decided to open the shop, and it’s been pretty great ever since.”

Isaac shook his head. “Wow. That is amazing. Just to follow your passion like that. I mean, you just knew. I totally get it. I feel that assurance, every time I pick up my guitar, or start putting notes to page. It is that confidence, that aura of being. Everything a jumble,” he traced his fingers in a circle around Elly’s heart, “gets put back into place.”

Elly had no idea what he was talking about, because all she could think about was how close he was to her, how his fingers were inches from her chest. He was still talking.

“The universe clicks the puzzle into clarification. The moment that makes everything easy.”

Elly didn’t bother telling him that “the moment,” while being great, had also led to many headaches and was anything but easy. Real estate agents screaming at each other, disputes with the bank, property laws, drained saving accounts, business licenses, wholesaler searches and many, many days of sweat and tears had followed her “moment.” The moment that
she knew
was also a moment that brought complication and responsibility. She remained lost in that thought until Isaac lightly touched her arm.

“You are a very interesting person, Elly Jordan,” he said, his eyes bearing down into hers with incredible force.

“Er, thanks,” said Elly. He stared at her as a car drove past them. Elly could see where this night would end up if she kept staring into his deep eyes…she saw herself tackling him, mainly….

She stood up quickly, knocking her wine glass off her lap and onto the stone floor, where it shattered. “Oh crap!” she yelped. “I am so sorry. Ohhhh, your glass. I’ll totally buy you a new one. I know this great shop up the street. Or you could have one of mine. I have some blue ones like this.” She was mortified, grabbing the glass shards with her hands, muttering to herself.

“Elly” he said softly, “It’s okay.”

“Thank you so much for inviting me” she said, “I had a great time – minus the vomit. Not that it bothered me. I mean, it’s vomit, it bothers everyone, but it’s not like it’s not normal to throw up sometimes.”
Elly, STOP TALKING
, she mentally screamed at herself. “Thanks again!”

She dumped the glass into the nearest trash can and practically threw herself out the front door. She could hear people talking inside.

“Is that lady’s mom okay?”

Then she heard Isaac laughing. A line of sweat dripped down her forehead. She was out. Free. Elly ran down the back of the fire escape and circled around to the front of her store, leaning against her window display, breathing in what had just happened. This man, he liked her. Her, in her mom pants and bad hair. Her, with her ample breasts and generous bottom. Isaac. His name sent teenage flutters through her body. She leaned against the building. Joy overpowered her.
“THANK YOU, JESUS!”
she yelled and then she did a little dance. As soon as it escaped her mouth, she was seized by a sudden panic. With great trepidation, she looked towards his apartment. And there he was watching her on the balcony, a silent sexy shadow with a burning cigarette flame.

CHAPTER

SIX

The next morning, Elly sat at her desk, doodling with a green pen as she watched the girl she was interviewing take a swift nose dive into flames.

“I was a language student for awhile, but I felt like that just wasn’t me. You know? I still do interpretive dance, which is kind of like a language in itself. So then I was into the traveling thing for awhile. I toured Europe, stayed at hostels, totally met this amazing Spanish guy….”

Elly mentally checked out and started thinking about the chocolate mousse that she would be getting from Keith’s deli later today. Unfortunately, she knew the minute she opened the door that this would not be her new hire. The girl came for her interview wearing purple leggings with a long band t-shirt over them. She was Elly’s third interview of the morning. The first woman was nice and polite, but barely spoke English; the second was a large, sweaty man who had misunderstood the ad – floral designers, he thought, had meant that he would be lifting things in a greenhouse. At least he had been interesting to talk to. This girl was making Elly want to bang her head against a wall. She forced herself to tune back in.

“…and I was like, ‘If you can’t respect my decision to not use deodorant – my lifestyle choice- than you don’t respect me.’ And Brazil isn’t just a dream. Paying for a flat isn’t as easy as it seems, but I have to have space for my dancing.”

“Thank you very much,” said Elly suddenly. “We’ll be in touch.”

She stood up and shook the girl’s hand. The girl looked bewildered. She walked her to the door, and breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally gone. Then she grabbed a stem of freesia and waved it around the girl’s now empty chair, filling the room with freesia scented mist.

Kim leaned around the corner, pale pink Anna roses in hand. Elly could tell she had been laughing.

“So…” She looked at Elly flinging the flower around. “How’s it going?”

“Oh, FINE. You know, I just interviewed a girl who asked if it would be okay if she brought her Kabbalah bracelet into work to
enhance
the environment.”

Kim grinned. “Well, could she?”

Elly looked at her, annoyed. “Also, she smelled bad. Like patchouli.” She paused, thinking. “You know, you could just stay.”

Kim’s smile faded. “Don’t make me feel bad. You promised. It’s not my fault your ad was misleading.”

Elly launched herself into her chair and put her feet onto the desk. Owning your own business had its perks.

“Sorry. It’s just…I’m trying to replace YOU. You are perfect. You know everything. I would have died a million times without you here. I’m afraid the shop will fall down the minute you walk out the door.”

Kim walked over and kissed Elly’s forehead. “You are pathetic. You built this place, not me. Have some pride.”

Snarky Teenager stomped out of the back. “Um, Kim? This bucket has a leak in it. What should I do?”

Kim rolled her eyes at Elly and headed to the back. Elly didn’t know what Snarky Teenager would do without Kim. She worshipped the ground Kim walked on. She regarded Elly more like that bossy aunt she had to like because they were related.

Elly looked down at her day timer. Two more interviews today and a consultation with a mother of the bride.
Fun times
. Still, Elly felt buoyancy in her step today. She couldn’t stop replaying Isaac running his fingers along the edge of her chair on the balcony. His smile, his laugh, his dark curly hair.
It was nothing,
she told herself
. He was just nice to you because you are his neighbor. There is nothing there.
She told herself this, but she knew that he felt it too, this heat between them. Elly was wondering if she remembered how to kiss when the door clanged open for her next interview.

The woman who walked in resembled an angry little bird. She had long brown hair, a pointed nose and piercing grey eyes. She was smartly dressed in long white pants and a light, pretty red shirt with a green and blue scarf around her neck.

“Hi, I’m Elly,” she greeted the woman, extending her hand. The woman pulled her hand up to her lips and kissed it. Elly pretended that she wasn’t shocked and smiled.

“I am Ardelle Buche. Eet eez a pleasure to meet you.” A thick French accent was unmistakable. “I love your shoppe. Eet eez so darling, right next to this sandwich shop though, so unfortunate.”

Elly smiled politely. “Oh. They make great sandwiches. They have this meatball one…”

Ardelle waved her hand. “I don’t eat meat. It clouds ze mind as a designer, and you have to keep ze creative juices flowing.”

Okkayyyy
…thought Elly. Ardelle looked appalled as Cadbury walked up to sniff her. She tried to shove him away, which resulted in Cadbury growling and she shrieked.

“Your dog szeems to have a problem. Will he bite me?”

I wish,
thought Elly. She sat down at the desk, determined to gain the control back from this woman.

“So Ardelle, do you have any design experience?”

Ardelle snickered. “Oh my darling. Of course. I was schooled first at L’ecole de Fleur in Paris where I studied under Madame Lorelai. Zen I traveled to New York, and became ze head flower designer for Divine Blooms for 20 years. Designing is what I do best. Eet eez truly an art form, pure and intellectual. I revere ze design properties of balance. I have studied color wavelength and theory. I am accredited in Ikebana and Advanced Composition. I have brought my portfolio.”

“Oh, thanks.” Elly heaved the huge black book onto her desk. As she flipped through the pictures of wildly impressive arrangements, Elly tried to make conversation. She couldn’t deny that the woman had talent, but her insane radar was spiking off the charts.

“What made you want to get into floral designing?”