The Flower Shop

Chapter Six

"Jalil, pass the peas please." Mrs. Samuels instructed as she watched the man who her only daughter was seeing do as instructed. Once he did, he watched as he resumed his conversation with Nadia.
Mrs. Samuels arched her eyebrow and smirked at their interaction. She could tell the Nadia was truly into him. While she kept her cool each time she saw them together, inwardly, she jumped for joy to see her baby girl be with a man who truly respected her.
"Ma!" She heard someone call her name, snapping her from her thoughts. Mrs. Samuels looked to see that it was her daughter.
"Nadia, stop hollering my name. I'm right here." Mrs. Samuels scolded her daughter.
Nadia smiled at her mother's seriousness. "I'm sorry. But I had called your name like three times."
"It's true." Nelson chimed in. "I didn't know what was going on. I was just hoping you were fine."
"Now you know Mama was day dreaming about Daddy." Nehemiah joked causing the whole table to erupt with laughter.
Mrs. Samuels couldn't help the smile that graced her face. "Whatever. While I wasn't daydreaming about your father he does do some things for me to daydream about."
Her children pretended to gag and she watched as Jalil laughed at them. She'd forgotten he was there and hoped he didn't feel offended.
"Ma, Jalil is here!" Nadia said giving her mother a wide eyed stare.
"Baby it's fine. I grew up with Rosa Thompson- that lady had no filter." Jalil assured Nadia.
"Anywho- what did you call me for?" Mrs. Samuels asked Nadia as she took a spoonful of mashed potatoes and put them in her mouth.
"Well, Michelle is back in town and she asked me to ask you something about yall's sorority. She said they're having some event and she asked if you could help."
"Michelle who?"
"Michelle. My roommate from undergrad."
"Ohhh, that Michelle." Mrs. Samuels took a sip of her water, a memory of Michelle appearing in her mind. "She wants me to help her?"
Nadia smiled at her mother's reaction- knowing full well that this would happen. Nadia knew her mother wasn't too keen on Michelle.
"Mama you sound surprised?" Nadia said as she drank her lemonade.
Mrs. Samuels scoffed lightly. "Surprised? Oh darling Nadia, I'm in shock. You know she doesn't care for me."
Nadia couldn't help the laugh that came from her mouth. Her mom and Michelle had a relationship that didn't go pass the how-are-you's and its'-nice-to-see-you-again's.
"Nadia it's not funny. I'm being serious." Her mother said as she looked at her daughter. "She doesn't care for me. And if it was up to me- I'd kick her out of the sorority and call it a day."
Nelson looked at his mom. "Ma, come on now. Lighten up."
"I'm fine." Mrs. Samuels spoke. "I'm just not gonna pretend about any matter." She wagged her finger at Nelson. Turning to face Nadia she looked at her. "I'll send you our president's contact. You pass it along and tell her to talk with her."
Nadia nodded and refocused on the food in front of her. Her mother had cooked snap peas, cornbread, and a roast. And while Nadia loved living alone, she loved her mamas cooking..
When dinner was completed, Nadia and her mother washed the dishes as her father, brothers, and Jalil sat in the den.
"Babygirl," Her mom called out as Nadia scrubbed a plate.
She looked at her mother. "Yes?"
"I can tell you're happy."
Nadia couldn't control the smile that came across her face as she listened to her mother speak. She nodded before answering.
"I am. I'm so happy, Mama. Jalil makes me smile."
Mrs. Samuels smiled. "That he should. Your father did the same thing to me in our first couple of months of dating. I knew that God had made him especially for me very early on. And I was determined to trust our relationship."
Nadia stopped washing the dishes and looked at her mom. "Mama- I've never heard you speak about Daddy like this. In this way."
Mrs. Samuels smiled, taking the dish from her daughter's hands and drying them with the dish rag.
"That's because you never understood before. While you haven't told me, I know that you feel the same way." Mrs. Samuels spoke. She wanted her daughter to know that she approved of Jalil.
Nadia hugged her mother, who hugged her back. When they released her mother kissed her cheek.
"I love you. Now please let me go. I'm wearing silk- and you know how wrinkly it can be"
Nadia laughed and Mrs. Samuels smiled at the sound of her daughter's carefree laughter.