“Eleanor.” Elly opened one eye cautiously. “Look at me, darling.”
She opened her eyes. Sunny was slowly removing tan leather gloves. She was immaculate as always in a matching pink suede jacket with a pale sage scarf tied around her neck. Her eyes, however, played sadly over Elly’s face. “Dear, go get yourself a glass of water. You look like you are about to faint, and we don’t want that to happen again.” Elly nodded, grabbed a bottle of water out of the cooler and sat back down gingerly, as not to set off Sunny.
Sunny took a deep breath. “I want to start by telling you that I hope that you will forgive an old woman for her best laid plans. Sometimes I can be a little too…well, let’s just say too reaching for my own good.”
Elly frowned. “I don’t follow. Why are you apologizing to me? I should be apologizing to you. Sunny…”
Sunny raised up her hand. “I know what you’re about to say, but let me go first. I know about you and Aaron, Elly. I’ve known for awhile.”
The silence in the store was deafening. Elly’s mouth hung open, and then it seemed there were too many words to fit inside of it.
“How did you – wait, you knew? You knew that and you still hired me?” Elly’s voice was rising steadily.
“No darling, you have the details mixed up. There was no deception at the beginning. I had no idea that you were Aaron’s ex-wife when I hired you. It was exactly like I told you: I had received some arrangements from you and loved them. There was nothing more than that.” Sunny wiped her forehead and it occurred to Elly that she was also nervous. “You should know that I love my daughter. I love Lucia. She is my last born, my baby, my only girl. She was always a wild child, precocious and demanding, but I love her more than I love anything else in the world. I would do anything for her, even look the other way when I sensed that something wasn’t quite right with her fiancé.
“From the very beginning, it seemed that there was a large piece missing in their relationship. Oh sure, they were infatuated with each other, all lusty-eyed and brilliant, and yet there was a heart of sadness about the whole affair. I tried talking to Lucia about it, but she defended it so passionately that I immediately picked up on an underlying panic. It all seemed…off. Lucia had mentioned that Aaron had an ex-wife in passing, but never delved into the subject. I had decided to ignore it until the day you fainted, right here in this shop. I knew that the painting had upset you, and I needed to figure out why. I casually dropped your name in front of Aaron – and well, it was like his heart stopped. He’s very bad at hiding his feelings, that one, and I could tell that the mention of you shook him to his core. He never mentioned it to my daughter, which further convinced me that he – and she – had something to hide. Why did he care so much about YOU, a florist he had never met? So, I did what any old woman with too much money does…and I hired a private investigator.”
Elly leaned back in her chair, feeling awash in paranoia. Did he know everything about her? Her bank accounts? Her history? She clenched her fists tightly. Her weight?
“He told me everything I needed to know. That Aaron had an affair with Lucia while you were still married. That you left everything behind, came here and started a new life. That you were dating an attractive, albeit poor, musician. I figured, with everything that you had been through, it could be my gift to you, this wedding. I’m sure you could use the…” she paused, then continued delicately, “the business, if you will, and I didn’t want to punish you for what Aaron did. I knew that you could reject it at anytime, and you didn’t, which showed your true character.”
Elly bit her lip. “I wanted to, Sunny. I wanted to every single day. But I had good people who steadied my hand, and my will. I also had a lot of wine, and that helped.”
Sunny gave a weak smile. “Oh Elly, you really are a delight. I had thought that everything was going smoothly, and that’s why I brought Lucia to you. I thought it would help bring you closure, bring you peace, to face her. Lucia needs discipline. She gives no thought to her actions, never has. I thought seeing you would show her what she had done to you, to Aaron, to everyone involved. I should have known better. Lucia has always been ridiculously arrogant, and aggressive. The hell she put you through that day will be on my conscience forever. I felt it was too late to step in, and she was like a wolverine, tearing into you again and again…although your co-worker did put up a good fight. Brave girl.”
Elly smiled. Sunny paused, and Elly saw her eyes brimming with tears. “I know what it’s like, you know, to have your husband be unfaithful. I would have given anything to look his many lovers in the face, to have that sense of finality. I wanted to give you that…even if that woman was my daughter.” She wiped her eyes with a withered hand. “If you can someday forgive me for what I have done to you….then, please…just know that I’m aware that I should never have meddled in your life, in your past. I tried to give you resolutions that I never had, living vicariously through your chance at closure. Elly, dear, I’m so sorry.” At this, Sunny bent her dignified head over the table and wept.
Elly jumped up and gave the tiny woman a fierce hug. “Sunny, look at me.” Sunny looked up, her mascara running down her cheeks. “I’m going to say this, and I need you to believe that I am not saying this for your benefit.” Elly took a labored breath and let the next words pour out of her mouth gloriously. “You hiring me for your daughter’s wedding was the best thing that ever happened to me. I won’t go into it because frankly, I’m tired of talking about it, but Aaron took my life away. I have spent the last two years trying to get over the moment that I found him in my bed with Lucia.”
Sunny covered her mouth and widened her eyes. Elly guessed she hadn’t found out about that part. “Aaron took away every ounce of confidence that I would ever be truly loved again. I never got over him, and even when a wonderful guy” – she couldn’t bring herself to call Isaac a man, not quite – “took an interest in me, I wasn’t able to fully be with him, because Aaron was still there. He was always there, lurking at the back of my heart.” Sunny nodded empathetically. “But yesterday, I saw Aaron at the wedding. I talked to him, and he begged me to come back to him.” Sunny’s mouth twitched, but Elly bravely continued. “At first, I fell into him, and had that moment that I’d been waiting all these years for. He said and did all the things that I had built up in my mind that I wanted, and I was so ready to throw this all away, just for his kiss, just to be with him again.”
“And then…”
“And then I realized…he wasn’t the man of my dreams - he was the man who took them away.” She stood up, short but proud. “I am better without him.”
Sunny let out a happy sob.
“I woke up today, and I’m free of him. Forever. I can move forward with my life, and it’s all because of you. Because you hired me to do this wedding, because you trusted me with it. And yes, because you meddled where you really shouldn’t have.” She sat down beside Sunny and took her hand. “Thank you for giving me the closure that I wasn’t strong enough to seek out myself.”
Sunny smiled, the relief etched on her face. “Oh, thank God.”
Elly frowned. “On that note, I do feel the need to tell you that Aaron is going to be a horrible husband to Lucia. He tried to get me to run away with him yesterday, on their honeymoon! Honestly, I feel nothing but pity for your daughter at this moment.”
Sunny grimaced. “I’m aware. I tried to talk Lucia out of marrying him, but she does what she wants. She always has. She is a grown woman, who makes many conscious mistakes. Perhaps it’s time for her to live with the consequences of the pain she has caused.” She paused. “I sound like an awful mother.”
“No,” Elly paused, trying to find the right words. “You’re an honest mother.”
Sunny took a deep breath. “I’m so relieved. I fully expected to be screamed at today.”
Elly nodded, adding, “I thought maybe you would slap me.”
“Oh dear, I would never slap anyone.”
“I know.
” Sunny turned and looked at Elly. “You really are the most extraordinary woman I think I’ve ever met. From the moment I met you, I knew you were something special. There is no one else in the world that I would have hired.”
Elly stood, helping Sunny to her feet. “I’m glad you came clean. I really should be thanking you, though.”
Sunny turned, the picture of grace and elegance in the early afternoon light. “Please don’t. It would be more than I could bear. I hope that we can still stay in touch, Elly. Would it be alright if I stopped by every once in awhile and took you for lunch?”
Elly nodded with sincerity. “I would like that.”
Sunny opened the shop door, the bells clanking softly. “It really was the most beautiful wedding. Even if the marriage isn’t, at least I have that.”
Elly closed the door softly behind her and picked up the plant that Sunny had brought in, a small pink azalea bush with a card tied to it. Elly opened the envelope. Written in perfect calligraphy, it simply said Thank you. A check fell out onto the table. Elly picked it up with trembling fingers. Her response was so loud the neighbors heard.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE
Sunlight swam through the bare trees, marking the end of fall, shadowing the ground with twisted lines. Elly hummed happily to herself as she walked Cadbury, who tore at the end of the leash like a dog out of hell.
“Cadbury, STOP!” she yanked back hard, but to no avail. Sunny’s confession had made the rest of her day sail along smoothly. Elly finished cleaning up the shop and caught up on emails which had seemed to triple after the wedding, all starting with the same wonderful phrase: Hello, I saw your amazing flowers at a wedding this weekend… Elly had whooped with delight. Business was going to be very good this year. She had called Lizette and told her where to shove it, but only after she gave her Ardelle’s phone number. Elly imagined they would either become best friends or end up dead in a river somewhere – either way, she was glad to be rid of both of them. Lizette had been disappointed that they wouldn’t be working together, but seemed as equally exhausted as Elly had been by the wedding and hadn’t put up much of a fight.
“Alrighty, missy, but this won’t be the last you hear of me,” Lizette warned.
Elly had laughed. “I certainly hope not, but if you ever try to blackmail me again, you will never work in the wedding business. My size makes me a formidable enemy.”
Lizette chuckled loudly and hung up the phone, but not before Elly heard her scream, “ASHLEEE!!”
Elly locked Sunny’s check securely in the small, fireproof safe she kept in her apartment - sixty thousand dollars didn’t exactly feel comfortable sitting in her pocket. There was also the concern that she would go to the airport, buy a ticket to some warm foreign country serving umbrella drinks and stay there until Isaac had moved on. The check safely stored until she could take it to the bank on Monday, Elly decided she would enjoy nothing more than a long overdue walk with Cadbury.
It was a perfect St. Louis day; cool without being cold, the sun warming her skin in between sporadic breezes. Elly smiled happily. She loved this city with its nooks and crannies, the large parks and urban downtown and each tiny neighborhood, offering its distinct flavor of ethnicity. As Cadbury enthusiastically peed on someone’s flower bed, Elly made the decision that she would live and die in this city - there was no other place for her. For the first time, her heart was at rest, content and full of bliss. She hummed through downtown Clayton, for the first time noticing the changing red and yellows of the leaves.
After they had walked for about an hour, Elly realized that she had taken a wrong turn. Instead of heading back east, she had been heading north, distracted by the beauty around her. She ground her teeth and tried to understand her surroundings.
She was on the edge of downtown Clayton, facing the parking garages to numerous skyscrapers and was two blocks from the main street. She walked past a tiny Brazilian café with salsa music pumping out of its windows and paused to catch her breath. Cadbury whined and flopped onto the warm pavement, evidently exhausted. Elly found a small bench in front of a tiny brick church and waited for him to recuperate. She heard a door slam behind her and dozens of elaborately dressed African Americans poured into the street. That’s right, it’s Sunday. Elly ducked her head, suddenly aware of her jeans and trench coat juxtaposed against their bright hats and dresses.
She yanked on Cadbury’s leash, “C’mon, let’s go, I look like a heathen!”
“Well, hello there,” she heard. She turned, plastering a smile on her face.
A portly dark-skinned man smiled down at her. He walked slowly down the steps, and Elly saw a white collar poking out of his suit jacket. The pastor. Nice job, Elly.
“What are you doing, sitting here outside my church?”
Elly grinned. She liked the man instantly.
“Just walking my dog. I’m not sure how, but I kind of just…ended up here, I guess. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking.”
He grinned back. “Maybe the Lord has led you here.”
“Maybe I have a bad sense of direction,” she countered.
He laughed. “You got a church home?” Ah, the rare tact of a pastor…
Elly shook her head. “No. I used to go to church every Sunday with my Mom, but then she died and…” She willed the tears out of her eyes. “Well, that was a long time ago. I haven’t really gone since. I should have.”
The man sat down next to her. “Mind if I smoke?”
Elly shook her head, amazed. “I didn’t know pastors could smoke,” she teased.
“They shouldn’t, but the Lord knows I have my vices. I figure if it’s between this and drinking too much and gambling, He’ll take smoking.” He took a few long laborious puffs, savoring each one, then promptly put the cigarette out. “I’m trying to quit. What’s your name?”
“Elly. Elly Jordan.”
He extended his hand. “I’m Reverend Mack Harris, nice to meet you. So tell me Elly, you think it’s time for you to come back to church?”
Elly wasn’t surprised at his frankness. This was how her pastor in Georgia had been – brutally honest and raw. It was nice.
“I think so. Yes. I never really lost my faith, but I just didn’t….” Rev. Harris leaned over and gave her a quizzical look. “Work on it. Or think about it. I let it get overgrown, in garden-speak.” He smiled and Elly found herself tangled in unexpected emotion. “I know it’s been awhile, but I feel like this is coming home. My soul is recently…” Her eyes clouded with tears. “Free.” He stood up and brushed off his pants. “Well Elly Jordan, that’s good to hear.” He looked around. “Here we go, another beautiful day in the Lord’s Kingdom. Got a service to lead God’s people, even though I really would like some lunch.” He paused and studied her face. “It was nice to meet you Elly.”
Elly nodded. “It was nice to meet you too.”
“I better see you here next week Elly Jordan. Our morning services start at 9 am. You better put your money where your mouth is. Jesus misses you, child.”
Elly smiled in spite of herself. “I’ll be there.” My gosh, she thought, I will be. I actually mean that.
“Good. By the looks of it, you like a good meal. We have a potluck after each service. Bring something to share.”
Elly nodded. She knew exactly what she was going to bring: her mother’s pancakes. Cadbury huffed to his feet and wagged his tail. He was ready to head home.
“I’m glad you stopped by my little church, Elly Jordan.”
Elly grinned. “I think I was supposed to.” She headed down the block and gave a quick backwards squint at the sign out front. Grace Baptist Church of Clayton. Grace…how perfect. She heard the beginning poundings of the organ inside, along with the raising of dozens of thick gospel voices. Joy coursed through her veins at the sound – it was a song that she had heard her Mother sing, many times.
“Mama, I’m coming home”, she whispered.
Elly took a short
-cut home, cutting through several neighborhoods to bypass the main streets. Coming over a hill, she could see a tiny pathway twisting off to the right. She didn’t take it, but she knew where it led: the hidden garden where Keith had taken her that day, the day he tried to convince her to do the wedding. Elly ran her hands through her hair and raised her face to the sun. He had been right. He had been right about everything. Elly gave a sigh of resignation. She knew what she had to do.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
It was 6 pm on Monday, and Elly couldn’t sit still. She drummed her fingers anxiously on her kitchen table, glancing at the clock every five minutes. Dinner was laid out on the table: elaborate and hearty. It was guilt food. Elly had spent the evening cooking up a fury, rushing around the kitchen covered in sweat and throwing one thing after another on the table. Homemade spinach lasagna, honey wheat bread, a Greek salad and coconut malted cookies lay steaming on the table. The spread was beautiful and Elly was a wreck. Cadbury lay in the corner, totally uninterested in the proceedings. When the doorbell rang, he simply turned over and licked his lips.
“You are a horrible guard dog,” Elly mumbled as she opened the door. Isaac’s face smiled down at her, brilliantly tan. He was wearing the tight jeans that Elly loved and a black t-shirt. His hair fell messily over his eyes. Elly couldn’t pull her own eyes away, he was so delicious. She suddenly found it hard to breathe.
“Come in, come in.”
Isaac pulled his hands out from behind his back and handed her a small bunch of flowers. “I bought these for you.”
Elly looked down into the paper, trying her best to hold back a gag. Half dead dyed purple carnations peeked out from behind dry caspia. It was horrendous. Why in the world would you buy a florist flowers? Especially BAD flowers?
“Thank you.” Elly set them on the table and reminded herself to be thankful for the sweet gesture. Still, there was no way they would make it into a vase.
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