Just Get Me Flowers (A Pedro Pascal story)

Chapter 1//The story began

After dad died mom threw herself into her work and practically left me in the care of uncle Nick and uncle Jona at the flower shop or Nona and Baba at their business The Surf Shack known for being a live music spot at night and a great cafe in the morning. The older I got the more I started helping out and the less mom seemed to be around. By 13 I was practically living alone at the house. 

It wasn't even that mom didn't love me but in her grief, she seemed to forget anything that had to do with my dad. By 23 I practically owned the house and mom was only home when she needed to be at the home office. When she was home she tried to at least spend a little bit of time acting like she was my mother by taking me to lunch or dinner. 

On the day this story began Mom had just come home after a business trip to Japan that lasted about a year and a half. I had woken up to the sound of light rain hitting my window and the smell of fresh clean air in my room. 

I remember just sitting there in my bed for a moment watching and listening to the rain as it created lines and webs on the glass. Only getting up after my cat Fifer came to sit next to me on my bed as her way of telling me to get up and feed her. "Hello, my love" I smiled as she nudged my hand. I pat her head as I tell her I'd feed her once I was done with my shower. 

I get up stretching for a moment as I stand. Trying to kick the sleep from my bones. Walking into my bathroom I crack my window open peering out at the street below. I turned on the water as I begin to hum a song I made up when I was younger. It was a song I made for when I danced in the rain. 

Once the water had warmed up enough I took off my Pajamas and step in. The water feels good as it roams over my back. I wash up using my Argon Oil shampoo and body wash. My skin feels refreshed as I step out onto a soft rug. I wrapped my body and hair in towels before walking back into my room to get changed for the day.

I choose to wear some midrise jeans and an old black band T-shirt. It was simple and comfortable perfect for my plans for the day.  I didn't have to work until around five when The Surf Shack opened for the night although I tend to go early to help out. 

The Surf Shack has two shifts. A day shift from six am to noon where they sell breakfast baked goods that Baba makes along with morning drinks including a hangover recipe drink that is always quite popular and the night shift was from five pm to midnight where those on shift help the band clean and serve alcohol. Baba runs the morning shift because he prefers the morning and enjoys baking the goods fresh in the morning. Nona runs the night shift as she was always a night owl according to Baba and she used to work at a bar/ Club in her 20s so understands how things work along with the fact that she loves music. 

Nona and Baba have owned the shop since the late 90s. They bought it from Baba's parents before they moved out to Arizona. 

Nona is the one that helped me get my bartending license when I turned 18 so I could start working the night shift where I could make more money for such things as groceries although Baba was sad thinking he wouldn't see me as much. But I stop by many days on my days off and sometimes before I worked the night shift. Just as I sometimes help at the flower shop when I'm off.

Today I decided to gather my adventure back. Which consisted of my dad's old leather letter bag, my notebook, my sketchbook, my erasable pen, my portable charger, and my cord. I planned to get some sketch work done at The Surf Shack before my shift. Checking the time I see it's only nine so I grab my back and pull on my shoes before leaving the house avoiding my mom and letting her rest. I pull on my headphones scrolling through my Spotify playlist.

Picking my Sunshine Playlist I place my phone in my pocket. The Surf Shack isn't that far from the house so it only takes a few minutes.

When I get there I make sure to say hello to Baba before taking a seat at a table close to the open doors leading to the beach stage. I sat facing the window. Just so I can watch people as they come and go. I'm there for about an hour when suddenly someone randomly sits across from me. I watch him for a moment as he adjusts his cap and glances over his shoulder right as a group of girls walks past speaking clear but fast Spanish. They seemed to be looking for someone and by the way, he's acting it seemed to be him.

I couldn't help but laugh which made his attention snap to me. I can tell that he didn't quite realize someone was sitting here in his hast to hide. 

"Whatcha doing?" I ask in a slightly joking tone as I take a drink from my glass of pomegranate tea.

"Hiding obviously," He said also in a joking tone making me laugh as he matched my energy.

"Touche... although may I say you have such a terrible disguise I'm surprised they didn't catch you" He smiles as I speak clearly amused by my sense of humor.

"Well, it wasn't exactly planned if I must say I'd probably have gone with a wig" I laugh as he does a hair flick, and on we carried with humor-filled banter.

I learned his name was Pedro and that he had never been to The Surf Shack before today. I mentioned my godparents owned it and that I worked here most nights. When it reached twelve Baba asked everyone to leave including Pedro. When Pedro asked when it would be open again I told him the times before he walked out the door. I was stuck there with a stupid smile on my face and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.