by Susan Vance
Jody though, wanted to be Emma’s height since their father would sing the, ‘Five foot two, eyes of blue,’ song to Emma. Jody had hair like her dad’s and the most beautiful bluish/green eyes like her mom. Her hair was usually in a pony tail or plopped up on her head with a clip. Ryan loved it down and slightly curled, but now with Louie reaching out and grabbing a handful, Jody kept it well out of his reach. As Emma looked into the mirror it was hard to remember life before coming to live with the Jenkins. As if her life simply began at the age of four and a half.
Howard took her in his arms and hugged her.
“I’ve not told you near enough how much I love you. Or for that matter how very proud of you I—we are of you. When you first came to live with us I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. You were such a beautiful child and so sweet, but after what had happened and everything that you had gone through I worried you wouldn’t adjust or come around. I was wrong and I’m so happy I listened to Mom. She knew you were special and she told me that you needed us, but she was wrong, Sweetie, because we needed you. You brought sunshine to our lives with your sweet little smile. The girls took to you right away and you made our family complete. We’re so proud of you,” he said, as the tears continued running down his face.
“Emma? Come on, the people are starting to arrive,” Marilyn called out excitedly.
“Help me put it on, Dad. I love it and I love you.”
Howard reached for the necklace, opened the clasp and put it around Emma’s neck. She put her hand up to touch it, then hugged him tightly. After drying her eyes and fixing her makeup, they rejoined the others where Emma began to greet her guests. The flower shop was packed and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. People came in and out for hours and Howard had to run to the bakery for more cake. Marilyn was in charge of the coffee and Teri handled the punch. Jody and Ryan were busy with the baby, but managed to help eat some cake. It was after five o’ clock when the last guest left and Emma went to lock the front door. As she reached for the lock she noticed a man standing across the street. He was looking in at them and for a moment Emma thought he was coming in for cake and coffee, but he didn’t move from where he was standing. Emma turned to her family then looked back out across the street, but the man was gone.
“Where did he go?” she muttered under her breath. Deciding it didn’t matter, Emma turned back towards her family and smiled. “Okay, now who’s going to help me clean up this mess?”
After everything was finished and the tables were put in the back they all went out for pizza. Well, all except Jody and Ryan. Louie was fussy and they wanted to get him home. Marilyn kissed her only grandson and gave him one last hug before they packed him up and off they went.
They decided to take two cars, so Teri jumped in with Emma.
“I’m so happy for you, Emma. It is like a dream come true for you, isn’t it? I remember when you first started working. I was so jealous that you and Jody had jobs after school. I wanted one, but of course you and Jody had two years on me. Did I ever tell you that I had applied for a job at Baker’s Market?”
“No, this is the first I heard of it,” Emma said wondering where Teri was going with this.
“It’s funny, looking back at it now, but I got in so much trouble with Mom. I lied about my age and they must have figured it out somehow and Mr. Baker called Mom. I was only fourteen, but I said I was sixteen. I wanted so badly to work like my sisters that I was willing to lie about it. Now we have to work to get by in life. What was I thinking?” She giggled and ran her fingers through her short auburn hair. Her green eyes twinkled as she told the story.
Emma laughed. “I didn’t hear about any of that.”
“Don’t feel bad, Jody didn’t know either. The folks said it was my business and if I wanted you to know what I did then I could tell you. I felt stupid, so I never mentioned it.”
Emma adored her sister. She was bright and witty and cheerful most of the time. Emma looked to her as an icebreaker whenever there was an awkward moment. When everyone else was lost for words, Teri would come up with something. In a way, Emma was sorry she didn’t ask Teri to be her roommate. They would have had a great time together, but it worked out for the best. Teri continued living with the parents and she was able to continue school for as long as she needed.
Chapter Four
Emma could hardly get to sleep that night. She couldn’t stop thinking about waking up in the morning and going to her very own flower shop. Her dream had come true. The hours passed and Emma slept well.
Early in the morning Emma pulled up in front of the flower shop and parked her car. She started to get out then thought. What am I doing? I can’t park out in front like I own the place. Where will all my customers park? She giggled. This really amused her and she laughed out loud as she drove around to the back and came in the service door. She turned on the lights and walked to the front. She looked around and felt her chest tighten up a little. It was so quiet. She put her purse away and waited for the delivery truck to arrive with her first order. Startling her, she heard a knock at the front door. She was surprised to see a man standing there. He kind of reminded her of the man she saw the evening before.
“I’m sorry,” she hollered, “but I don’t open until nine o’clock.”
The man pointed to the help wanted sign in the window.
“Oh,” she said, walking closer to the door.
Suddenly, oddly, she felt concerned. She didn’t know this man and it was only seven-thirty in the morning. There wasn’t anyone else around and she worried about letting him in while she was the only one in the flower shop. Later there would be customers or at least the possibility of someone else being there. Carol, the former owner had cautioned her about this very thing. She made Emma promise to get an employee right away and to be careful when she was alone in the shop.
“Emma,” she had said. “Times are hard for so many right now. Even the most harmless looking people could mean you harm. I always tried to have someone here with me at all times. Mrs. Thompson at the gift shop around the corner was robbed twice last year. They didn’t hurt her, but she was alone and they took advantage of that. Her son took over the gift shop after that and they did catch the guy, but who knows? Just remember, if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.”
Emma hesitated for a second then she spoke to the man through the locked door. “I’m sorry, but it’s too early. Please come back after I’m open. I can’t do the interview until after nine-thirty. I’m sorry.” She smiled at the man, but held her ground.
“Ah, come on lady, I know it’s early, but I really need a job. It’s not that early. It will be alright, I promise.”
Emma didn’t budge. She smiled again and walked away from the door. She heard him say something, but she didn’t want to make eye contact with him again. She tried to glance over her shoulder to see if he had left, but didn’t want him to see her looking. When she got behind the counter she looked in the mirror and could tell he was gone. She wondered if he would come back. There was something about him that gave her the creeps. She hoped he wouldn’t return. She wanted to hire someone younger, preferably a woman. Someone she could talk with and leave in charge if she needed to be gone. This guy didn’t look like he could be trusted to be left in charge. There was something about him that didn’t feel right. She decided that even if he did come back she would tell him the position had been filled.
She heard the delivery truck pulled up in back and she ran to open the big door.
“Hi, Sam, how are you?” she said waving her arm.
“Hi, Emma, I’m good. How are you?”
Sam had been the flower delivery person since Emma started working for Carol. Emma liked him very much. He wore coveralls over his round body and always, without exception, had a ball cap on his balding head. He was somewhere around forty she thought, but wasn’t quite sure. In the summertime he would let his oldest daughter, Jenny, ride with him. Carol would always seem to have a cookie or
two for Jenny.
Emma felt as if she would burst with her news. She watched his face intently. “Well, ask me what’s new?”
Looking amused, Sam asked, “Okay, what’s new?”
Emma was bursting with joy. She tried to look very serious, but when she saw the look on Sam’s face the corners of her mouth began to quiver. “Welcome to Emma’s,” she said with a smile that went from ear to ear.
“What?” he said sounding puzzled.
“I bought this place last week. What do you think of that?” she asked still smiling. “Didn’t you notice the new sign in the front?”
“No, I always come in from the other way so I can back the truck up into the alley. Sorry I missed the sign. Congratulations, Emma.”
“Thanks, I’m very happy. It’s been my dream since high school.”
Sam brought in the order and had a cup of coffee with Emma. He wasn’t in a hurry and Emma was happy to entertain him. Emma was anxious to open her doors right on time and she hoped the customers would be coming and going just as before when Carol had it. It had been a busy flower shop in the past and she had no reason to think that would change just because there was a change in owners. After all, most of the regular customers knew Emma anyway.
Eight-thirty came and went and there was no sign of the man from earlier, but an older woman came in around nine o’ clock and asked if the job was still available.
“Yes, actually I just opened today and I could really use someone right away. Do you know anything about flowers?” Emma asked.
“Well,” the woman replied with a huge smile. “I like them and I think I’ll enjoy working in this shop. I have some customer service experience and I’m really great with people,” she chuckled sounding experienced in life at least.
“This position involves working mostly in the back to start. You’ll be sweeping the floors and putting the clippings out back in the trash hopper. Making a few deliveries with the bike and running errands. You’ll help me up front when we get busy and basically that’s it. Oh, and my name is Emma. Would you like to fill out an application?”
The woman hesitated for a moment.
“I think this might be a job for a younger person. I could handle the sweeping and helping in the front, but honey, I might be a little too old to be out making deliveries on a bicycle.”
Emma didn’t know what to say. She liked this woman, but she really did need someone to do it all. “Why don’t you fill out the application anyway and if I feel I can afford to hire two people then this might just work out. I’m sorry, what was your name?”
“My name is Marie Wilson. I’ve lived in Clayton County all my life. My children were born and raised here. My son Eric lives in Chicago and my daughter Nancy lives in Columbus, Ohio. She’s a teacher, Eric has a tire and auto care center. He isn’t married. Well he used to be, but he’s divorced. No kids, but my daughter has three boys and her husband is a teacher, too. Oh, you don’t want to hear my life story now, do you?”
Emma thought Marie was perfect. She liked her right away. Marie was somewhere in her mid sixties and about as wide as she was tall. Her hair was fire engine red and her eyes were hazel. She had rosy cheeks and a smile that would melt anyone’s heart. She looked like the typical grandmother, except Emma thought the hair might be a bit too much. It made her giggle under her breath. Marie was going on and on about her family and her work experience which wasn’t much. She had been a stay at home mom and even after the kids were out of the house she continued to be at home until the death of her husband of forty some years. She went to work for a newspaper office as a receptionist, but she wasn’t quick enough with the computer and was moved into the back. She wanted to work with the public so she decided to find another job.
Emma was enjoying Marie’s story, but she had work to do. She handed her the application. While Marie was filling out the paperwork Emma busied herself straightening up the counter and re-arranging a few plants. She glanced out the window and was surprised to see the man from earlier that morning standing on the corner across the street. He seemed to be looking over at the store.
Emma felt a cold chill go down her spine. The man bothered her, but she couldn’t discern why. She wondered why he didn’t just come in and she hoped he would while Marie was still there. Marie cleared her throat and Emma turned to ask her if she was finished. Checking back out the window just to see if he was still there she thought to tell Marie if he came in to let him know the position had been filled. He was gone and Emma felt relieved. She was glad he didn’t come back to interview for the job. Marie handed her the application and told Emma to call her if she decided she could use her. Marie left and Emma called Marilyn. She hoped Marilyn might come and help out at the shop until she hired someone. As she picked up the phone she heard a voice behind her.
“Excuse me, Miss, do you have any fresh carnations?”
Emma turned to see a man about her age standing in the center of her shop. “Yes, of course we do. All our flowers are fresh. If you have any problems with them not lasting we’ll replace them at no charge. We stand behind all our flowers.” She was smiling, but in a way she resented the implication that perhaps her flowers weren’t fresh. She wondered why she kept repeating we instead of I. She realized at that moment how she needed to hire someone right away not only for the help, but for her piece of mind as well. She would also make sure the bell over the front door was replaced right away.
“How many would you like and what color?” she asked relaxing a bit. She wasn’t usually on the defensive. She had never felt that way when she worked for Carol. The man from earlier had unnerved her a little. She tried not to think about him. Instead, she studied this man’s face as he made his choice of colors. Emma felt a little giggle climbing its way up her throat and out her mouth. She felt a slight blush, thinking he was kind of cute.
Her first customer of the day walked over to the refrigerated case and pointed to the red carnations sitting in the vase of water. He motioned for Emma to come and see.
“Could I have a dozen of the red ones, please?” He smiled at her with his deep brown eyes and gave her a look that made her feel a little giddy.
She looked at him as she tried to compose herself. She was attracted to him right away. She liked his smile. She liked the way his eyebrow would arch a little in a teasing sort of way.
“Yes, would you like a vase or do you want them in water?”
“I’ll have both. They’re for my mom. She’s in the hospital and she loves red carnations. By the way, I think you meant in a vase with a little water or wrapped up, right?”
He was really grinning now and Emma was embarrassed.
She tried to focus a little. She wasn’t sure why she was stumbling over her words. Did she hear him say it was for his sick mother? Taking a chance she heard him correctly she conjured up the words and hoped they would make sense this time.
“I’m sorry. I hope it isn’t anything too serious? With your mom I mean.”
“She’ll be okay. Actually she broke her leg and they want to keep her a few days. I thought the flowers would cheer her up,” he said with a smile that sent sparks through Emma. She looked at him and started to blush. He must have noticed because he asked her if she was okay.
“I’m fine, but thanks for asking. Would that be cash, check or charge?”
“Are you Emma, or is there really an Emma?”
“Yes, I’m Emma, Emma Taylor. Actually I just bought this shop and I opened this morning. I’ve worked here since I was in high school. I can hardly believe it’s really mine. It used to be called, The Flower Box, but I wanted it to be more personal. I know some owners use fictitious names, but honest, I’m Emma.” She blushed and studied his face once again, noticing his eyebrow arching up again. It made her giggle a little.
He handed her his credit card. “My name is Jason Scott. It’s nice to meet you, Emma.”
She finished with his card and handed it back to him. “Thank you, Jason. You’re my
very first customer.”
Emma reached out to shake his hand then slowly drew it back, but he was much too quick for her. He took her hand and gave it a tender shake, releasing it slowly.
She handed him his carnations.
“I like your shop, Emma. I’ll be back.” He turned and left.
Emma was delighted. She hoped he would come back. She wondered what he did for a living. She wondered if he was married or seeing someone or maybe he was in a serious relationship. She caught herself thinking about him off and on that day. Emma had dated during her senior year in high school and had a few very short-term relationships in college, but nothing ever really got too serious for her. When her sister Jody fell in love with Ryan, Emma felt a twinge of jealousy within her. She was much too happy for Jody to let those feelings linger, but it hurt for her to think she had no one in her life. She knew that someday she would meet her soul mate and live happily ever after. Or so she had hoped. She didn’t actually believe in that kind of stuff, but she hoped there was a special person out there for her to love. She wanted someone who would love her for herself and not get excited about an occasional nightmare. Emma often wondered where she would meet this person since most all of her social activity was with the family. Jody and Ryan had a few single male friends, but Emma thought that wasn’t such a good idea—explaining that if it didn’t work out it would be awkward afterwards since they would all be friends. Maybe that was just an excuse not to get involved. Emma had no idea why she did what she did when it came to relationships.
