The Big Boss

What the fuck was that?

That was…nothing like I expected. At all. The door to the elevator closes behind me—thankfully I’m alone this time—and I open the envelope. Inside is a fifty-dollar bill and a note in flowing handwriting.

A tip for a memorable delivery experience. Thank Lila for me. Her business is proving to be a good investment in many ways.

-K.S.

Definitely not what I was expecting.

2

Justine

“It’s so ridiculous,” I say under my breath as I pour water into a pan.

“It’s really not,” Lila counters again from the couch, coughing.

I roll my eyes while I’m still facing away and she can’t see me. “As a tip that’s like…beyond extravagant. Even for someone as rich as he is. I don’t know if it’s supposed to be a compliment or an insult. Is it a power move? To show me that he can afford anything? To intimidate me for crushing the damn flower? Still really sorry about that by the way. Is it like…a jab? Like ‘I’m going to be generous and magnanimous to you even though you mouthed off to me’?”

I stop, and Lila coughs again. “You are seriously overthinking this, J. Maybe he just genuinely wanted to give you a tip. He wants new flowers every day, so he obviously values new experiences. I’ve been delivering to him for months.”

“Exactly!” I yell, “And he’s never given you a tip like this.”

It’s her turn to roll her eyes. “He always tips me, J. Not fifty, but he tips.”

“I just don’t get it.” I keep my eyes on the pot and actually try to make it boil, unlike the saying. “And it’s incredibly not okay that you didn’t tell me how fucking hot he was.”

“I mentioned it.”

“Not like that. Not GQ model, please strip down for me now so I can worship your body hot.”

I can tell by the look on Lila’s face that she’s holding back laughter. “What?”

She bursts out with it, holding her stomach and dissolving into coughs. “Oh my god, laughing hurts. Make it stop.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make you laugh.”

“I know you weren’t, but that doesn’t mean it’s not funny,” she manages.

One by one, I start adding the ingredients to the homemade soup I’m preparing for her. It’s one of my specialties. “Glad I can entertain you with my pain.”

She coughs one more laugh. “Thank you for delivering the flowers. I really owe you one. Did he say what he wanted for tomorrow?”

“No,” I shake my head.

“That’s fine. He’ll just email it to me.”

I don’t tell her about the whole cactus thing. Now I think that if I do, she might laugh at me. But all I feel when I look back on the whole encounter is…unsettled. I’ve never met a man that has so thoroughly managed to knock me off balance in such a short a time. And I can’t even say why he was able to do it.

“He really got under your skin, didn’t he?” Lila asks.

“Yeah.”

She sits up higher on the couch and I can see her better from my place in the kitchen. “I expected part of it, but not this much.”

“What do you mean?”

She smiles. “I mean, you don’t exactly hide your disdain for the upper class. I mean that you’re a woman who literally earns her living by helping elderly people. I don’t think you even own a fancy dress. You were never going to be comfortable walking into a glossy high rise with people in suits milling around. But I didn’t realize he would twist you up so much.”

“It’s fine…” I say. “I’m just—I’m not used to people doing that to me.”

“Me either. You’re Ms. Unshakeable.”

I stick out my tongue at her. It’s one of her older nicknames for me. Because she always tells me that nothing rattles me. I wish that were true. She doesn’t realize that she’s the rock that keeps me stable. Which is why I would do anything for her. Including delivering flowers to way-too-sexy suit-wearing businessmen.

“How’s normal work?” Lila asks.

“Pretty good. Normal. No new clients lately.”

She smiles. “And your favorite?”

“She’s great. I get to see her tomorrow.” Rose is my favorite person in the world except for Lila. She’s in her eighties and still has more energy than I do. But she has trouble walking, and that’s why we help her. Rose has an uncanny ability to see through every situation and give advice that you didn’t even know that you needed. I joke with her all the time and tell her that she’s a seer.

And I’ve noticed that she doesn’t disagree. I don’t believe in all that, but Rose would be the person to change my mind if anyone could. I think it’s more that she’s been around the block and nothing can phase her now. She’s the true Ms. Unshakable.

The soup starts to simmer, so I clean up the kitchen a little bit.