Today’s luncheon flowers, a dozen centerpieces Samantha delivered this morning, are a sign of that. I still donate arrangements here and there, but more often, my services are contracted for the galas and events, and I donate money to the fundraiser in support instead of my talents.
That’s what Dad taught me. Do what you love, do it well, and pay it forward.
“Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate that,” I say with a flush of pride. The tinkling bell up front sounds , and though Samantha will take care of the customer, I tell Mom, “Oh, I have to go. I’ve got a bride coming in soon.”
“Of course, dear. Just wanted to say how proud I am of you. You and Lorenzo are still coming over to dinner this weekend, right?”
I nod, though she can’t see me. “Yes, Mom. Love you.”
“I love you too. ’Bye!”
The click gives me permission to laugh. For all the craziness of the one dinner we had with my parents, they seem particularly excited to have Lorenzo come back over.
At least they gave us a solid week of solitude to ‘honeymoon’ at home after our vows.
“Abi, your two o’clock is here,” Samantha says, fighting a smile.
I glance to the clock in surprise. No, I’m not wrong. It’s barely after one thirty. “She excited?” I ask Samantha quietly.
Samantha widens her eyes and holds up her finger and thumb a good inch apart, whispering, “Little bit.”
I smile and wash my hands to go greet our eager bride.
In the front, I hold out my hand to the blonde who’s sitting at our consultation table. She’s dressed impeccably, her hair and makeup flawless, but her heeled foot is bouncing like she needs to pee.
“Abi Andrews. Welcome to SweetPea Boutique,” I tell her.
She smiles and shakes my hand. “Sadie Mason, soon to be Sadie Yi.” I can see how happy it makes her just to say her future name, and her joy is infectious.
I sit down at the table. “Tell me about you and your fiancé, Miss Mason.”
She waves a hand at me. “Oh, you can call me Sadie. You probably don’t remember me, but we went to school together. I was in Courtney’s class.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize,” I apologize, looking at her more closely. She doesn’t look the least bit familiar, though. Our school wasn’t humongous, but there were definitely kids in my own grade I didn’t know, so there’s bound to be a bunch from Ross and Court’s grade that I’ve never seen or heard of. “Such a small world.”
She doesn’t seem offended in the slightest, thank goodness. “No big deal. I wasn’t really friends with Courtney either. Different crowds, you know. I was on the math decathlon team.”
Something niggles in the back of my mind. “Didn’t we win state or something around then?”
Sadie beams. “Yep, we did.” She bows dramatically, laughing the whole time. “That’s actually how I met my fiancé too. Math decathlon in college.”
She disappears into her memories for a moment, and I can see on her face that they’re all happy ones. Lucky woman.
Not as lucky as me, but good for her for finding her own perfect man.
Coming back to the moment, she leans forward. “Not to go too high school, but I did hear about what Emily Jones-I-mean-Daniels did at the club.” She says the name like that’s Emily’s actual name now and then shakes her head disapprovingly. “I never did like her.”
I’m not a gossiper, not any more than average human nature leads us all to be. But Emily has always been able to get under my skin. I test my heart and my mind, expecting to find some scab Sadie’s words disrupt. But there’s nothing. I just can’t care about all that long-ago drama anymore.
“I’ll admit, the stuff with Emily won’t make my ‘finest moments’ list, either. But I’m moving on, trying to be better and do better.”
I look down at the small, delicate tattoo on my left hand. Lorenzo’s family said we would need to come to Italy to get his grandmother’s ring, and I’m excited about that adventure and to meet his family.
Sadie holds up her own hand, showing me her large, square-cut diamond with a smile.
“I’m happy, Emily’s happy, you’re happy, and those are the things that matter,” I conclude.
“Wise words,” Sadie agrees, touching her ring. “I’m so glad to have you do my flowers. I feel like if every little detail is done with love, the whole day will be perfect.”
“I will do my best. But the only thing that needs to be perfect is for you and your husband to be standing together. Everything else is window dressing for the really important stuff.”
It might be a weird thing for a wedding-focused person to say, but it’s the truth. My flowers bring detail and beauty to an event, but if the bride and groom don’t truly love each other, there is no number of roses that can save the day.