DAY ONE [declan rice]

TWENTY-THREE

Anna's POV
15th October 2021

We pull up to the shop and Theo gets himself out unbuckled and goes to open the door but it doesn't open.

"Hey!" He whines and I burst out laughing.

"You can't open you door from the inside buddy." Dec chuckles before getting out the car and gets Theo out.

I open my door and slowly get out the car.

I pass Dec that keys and he lets Theo into the shop and comes back to help me but I'm half way out the car.

"No, I want to do it myself for once." I push his hand away and he looks at me shocked. "Please." He nods his head and steps back.

It takes me awhile but I finally stand up and I hold onto Decs arms as he helps me into the shop.

"I'm tired and my feet are aching." I say and laugh.

"I know love, come on." He takes me inside and sits my on my chair.

My back relaxes as Theo runs over to me.

"Mummy look at what I drew you!" He hands me a picture out of his bag.

It's a picture of 3 stick people in, what looks like, a park.

"This is daddy," he points to the tallest stickman with brown hair.

"This is me in the middle," he then points to the middle stick man who is much shorted than the others.

"And this one is you with the baby is your belly." He points to the stick person on the left who has a bigger belly to represent my pregnant belly.

"Well thank you baby, I will put it up in my office." I put it on the side and make a mental reminder to frame it.

———————

We had someone coming round to put up the sign but they are late so me and Dec decided to open some of the other boxes and place them wherever they belong.

"Where do these go mummy?" He picks up some buckets which are for the flowers.

"Leave them in here because," I was going to tell him what they are for but I want him to guess, "well what do you think they are for?"

"Ummm..." he takes awhile to think about it then he has a light bulb moment. "The flowers!"

"Yeah! High five!" He runs over to me and jumps in the air to give me a high five.

I laugh as he goes back and plays with his toys.

"Do you want to me to build your desk?" Dec asks and I give him a look that says 'seriously?'.

"Yeah!" I laugh and shake my head whilst he disappears into my office.

Dec literally doesn't let me go anywhere by feet in the office, I have wheel my way there on my chair.

"Mummy!" Theo shouts and grabs my attention so I make my way to him.

"Please can I play on your chair?" He asks when I get there and I stand up and gesture for him to come over.

I stand up slowly and lean again a wall so I don't lose my balance.

A few minutes later, 2 builders knock on the door, since I locked it, so I walk over to them and unlock the door.

"Hey." I smile and wait for them to tell me why they are here.

"Hi, we're here to put your sign up." He points to the empty sign above there heads.

"Right! Of course, sorry! Come in." I stand to the side to let them in. "Theo, can you go and get daddy?"

He runs to my office to get Dec as he knows what to do with it.

It's an awkward and silent wait whilst Theo gets his Dec. I walk over to my chair as my feet start to ache.

Dec sees me and look confused so I gesture to the where the men are standing.

"Hey, its here." He gesture to the box that was delivered before whilst I play with Theo.

About an hour later, Dec waves the men off and he gestures for me to come outside and see it.

I slowly get up and walk outside to meet Dec and see the sign.

He meets me at the door and I hold his arm and place my other hand under my belly.

He places his hand over my eyes and walks my to where I will be able to see it clearly.

"Keep your eyes closed love." He whispers in my ears qwhilst I feel his hands move from my eyes and snake around my waist. "Open them." I open them and he kisses me cheek.

There it is, the sign that makes my dream coming true.

"It looks amazing." I stare at it and fall in love with the name even more now it's up on the sign.

Emma's Elegant Florist

My mum's favourite things were flowers so I was always in florists and now I have my own florist in memory of her.

"This is for you mum." I whisper and look up to the sky.