The Flower Shop

Chapter Eleven

            NADIA SAT DOWN AT HER DESK AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THE MAGAZINES THAT SAT IN FRONT OF HER.
           Her mother sat before her, sipping a cup of coffee that held the name Mooch's, a local coffee shop that was just across the street from Nadia's own shop.
           "... and so you must go to Josephine's for your wedding dress. She's one of a kind and that's where I got mine all those years ago. Have you thought about a nail color? I think a ruby red would look great on you darling." She said in one breath and Nadia called her mom's name.
           "Barbara. Girl- slow down." Nadia said as she sat up and wiped her hands on her apron.
           "Bar- I know you did not just call me by my first name. Just because you are engaged doesn't mean you get to acting brand new." Her mother said as she watched Nadia crack a smile. Seeing her baby girl's face light up, she couldn't help but to smile back.
           Mrs. Samuels looked at the content smile on her daughter's face and silently thanked God for it. She had prayed for her daughter to find a good man and God had come through.
           Nadia looked at her watch. "Mama, while I would love to sit here with you and chat, I do have a business to run. And according to my schedule, my trucks are coming in with the winter flowers. But, can we reschedule?"
           Mrs. Samuels stood; her pastel pink Kate Spade clutch securely tucked under her arm. "Yes, we can baby. Saturday at 3 pm. I'll have the tea waiting. In the meantime- circle the dresses you like. Circle 15 please."
           Mrs. Samuels kissed Nadia's cheek before winking at her. Both ladies turned towards the door as it swung open. Jalil walked in with a tray of drinks and food, surprised to see his future mother-in-law.
           "Hi, Mrs. Samuels. It's so good to see you." Jalil said as he sat down he items in his hand.
           Mrs. Samuels hugged him. "It's nice to see you as well, my future son-in-law." She said as she winked at him. "I'll let you and Nadia take care of your flowers. I want first dips on the snowdrop."
           "Yes Mama, I'll send you photos of them once they arrive," Nadia said as she stood. "Let me walk you out." She said as she and her mother left and Jalil arranged the items from his tray. He had just sat down the drink when he heard Nadia walk in.
           "Babe, I love my mama but if I get one more wedding magazine I'm gonna scream." Nadia said as she put her hands on her hips and looked at all the magazines on her desk.
           She felt Jalil wrap his arms around her waist. "She's excited. Don't spoil this for her."
           Nadia took in his words and knew that he was right. She was her mom's only daughter so she knew her mother was going to go all out. She just prayed it didn't go too far.
           "I know baby. She's so excited and I just haven't even thought about anything yet."
           Jalil turned her so that she was facing him. "Really?"
           Nadia nodded. "Yes. I've been so busy with preparing the sop for winter that I haven't even thought about preparations for our wedding. The only thing I know is that I'm doing my own flowers."
           Jalil laughed and Nadia followed suit, laying her head on his chest.
           "Baby- it's only been three weeks. I know you want to figure things out but we have all the time in the world. I'm not rushing this. My heart is with you. I'm not going anywhere."
           Nadia looked up at him and kissed his lips slowly. He returned it and they got lost in the feel of one another. It wasn't until the knock at the back door caused them both to look toward it that they stopped.
           "I guess the flowers are here," Nadia said as she wiped her lip gloss from Jalil's lips. "Come on, let's go and get them."
           Jalil kissed her forehead as they walked out to get busy.

**

           Jalil was shifting through his bookcase a few days later. Ever since he'd been released from parole he and Nadia had gone to Charlotte to this bookstore he'd heard about. He had gotten so many books that he had to rearrange his collection.
           Hearing the pitter-patter of feed made him look at his nephew coming towards him. Jaheim smiled widely seeing his uncle and babbled an incoherent set of words.
           "Jah, I don't know what you're saying but- I love you too," Jalil said as he kissed the baby's forehead. He refocused on his task and began to arrange the books by their last name.
            "Angelou....Baldwin.....Haley.." He said to himself as his fingers pushed the books into the shelf, neatly, one at a time. Beside him, Jaheim had found a piece of paper that had fallen from one of the books and used his chubby hands to pick it up. Allowing his growing sense of taste to guide him, he grabbed the paper and opened his mouth.
           Jalil glanced at Jaheim and his eyes widened as he realized what his nephew was about to do. Jalil snatched the paper from the baby's hands and looked at it- realizing that it was a rough draft of his vows to Nadia.
           "Oh you can't eat that," Jalil said as he looked at the words he'd already drafted to her. A smile came to his face as he read over them. There were days that he couldn't believe that he was getting married to Nadia. She was everything- and more. The fact that God was blessing him with a beautiful future wife. That alone made him bow his head in thankfulness and praise daily.
           Jalil folded the piece of paper and stuffed it into his worn copy of Their Eyes Were Watching God.
           Hearing his nephew start screaming, Jalil looked and saw that Jaheim had found another piece of paper and was waving it in the air.
           "Where do you keep finding these papers?" Jalil asked as he scooped his nephew up with ease and took the paper from him. He looked at it and saw that it was a letter from his grandmother.
           His eyes widened once he realized that he never called her. Quickly dialing the number that she had written down, he sat Jaheim down on the floor and watched as he slowly trodded in circles around the coffee table.
           "Hello?" An elderly voice said that made Jalil smile. He knew her strong voice like the back of his hand and was proud that she was still kicking.
           "Hey, Grandma. It's me- Jalil." He said and paused, waiting for him to answer.
           "I've been waiting for you to call." His grandmother said, her roughness immediately coming out. "What took you so long?"
           "Well grandma, I've been busy working and stuff."
           "And stuff. What stuff?"
           Jalil chuckled and soon heard his grandmother laughing along with him. Hearing her voice again warmed his soul and he felt as if he was a little boy again, listening to one of her tales.
           "Grandma, I've met someone really special to me. And now that I am off parole, I would love it if she came to see you. I need the ladies I love to know one another." Jalil said.
           "Love? Oh my, my grandson has fallen in love. She bet not be one of them hoochies you had running up through my house when you were young now." His grandmother fussed.
           Jalil laughed, remembering that time his grandmother caught him with his pants down and with a girl in his bed.
           "Grandma, no- she's not like that. She's so much more and I respect her."
           "Mmmhmm. I hear you. Well, I would love to meet her. When are you coming?"
           "I'd have to check with her, but I would love to come for Thanksgiving."
           "Sounds fine to me. I'll have the guest bedrooms ready for you both. How long will you stay?"
           "For that week."
           "Good. That sounds real good." His grandmother paused and all Jalil could hear was her soft breathing. "Baby, I must say that it's good to hear from you. I've missed you."
           Jalil smiled, watching as Jaheim sat on the floor and began to play with his rattler toy.
           "I've missed you too, Grandma. And I'm sorry- for back in the day. I know I hurt you bad."
           "Oh yes, you did. And yes- I was upset. But baby, all is well. Just come on up for Thanksgiving- let Grandma love on you- and I'll call it even. How about that?"
           Jalil smiled. "Sounds good to me. I love you, Grandma."
           "I love you too, son. Take care now."
           "Yes ma'am," Jalil said before he hang up the phone.
           As soon as he did, he heard the locks turning and Jacquie coming in the doorway. She sat down on the couch beside him and exhaled. Jalil could tell that his sister had worked hard today.
           "Sheesh, I am tired." Jacquie said as she looked at Jalil. "You seem content today."
           Jalil nodded and leaned his body back on the couch. He watched as Jaheim crawled to his mother and she picked him up.
           "I spoke to Grandma Rosa today." Jalil said and watched as his sister looked at him with a twinkle in his eye.
           "Grandma Rosa? I just called her the other day. How is she?"
           "She's good. I'm thinking about going to see her for Thanksgiving. I wanna take Nadia, but I also want to know if you'd like to go."
           "Jalil, I'd love to but I don't think I can. You know Reggie, Jah's father? Well, he's been trying to come back in our lives and we made arrangements for Jah to spend Thanksgiving weekend with him. I wanna stay close because that's my baby and I need to be near just in case."
           Jalil nodded in understanding. "Sis, it's ok. I know you and Reggie are trying to work it out. How is that coming along?"
           Jacquie exhaled and tucked her lips to the side. "It's a process. I mean, I really did love him. And for him to just abandon me and his son like that hurt. I would love for him to be in Jah's life, but I can't get down with it if he's gonna be in and out. My son is not a play toy." Jacquie explained.
           Jalil nodded. "Right. Have you talked to God about it?"
           Jacquie nodded. "I have. And God has been telling me to rest in this situation but it's hard. I wanna trust Reggie, but I'm scared to."
           "I get that. And you know I'm here. But God got you and Jah. Maybe Reggie is being sincere? And then again, maybe he's not. But God will give you discernment. Trust that."
           Jacquie nodded and took in her baby brother's words.
           "Thanks, baby brother. I thought I'd never see the day that you would be the one giving me advice."
           Jalil laughed. "Me either. Shoot, remember when you'd come over to Grandma's house and we'd argue? Your mom would always have to shut you up when she came to pick you up. You bullied me though."
           Jacquie laughed. "Jalil you were the one who was bullying me. It was always something with you. You were always in my face. Remember we have a four-year difference and I wasn't used to you."
           Jalil nodded his head as he thought about all the times he and Jacquie had fussed as children. They only saw one another every other weekend, as they shared different moms.
          "How is Ms. Sharon?"
           "Mama is good. I told her you were getting married and she said to make sure you send her an invite. Speaking of marriage- how are you and my future sister-in-law?"
           Jalil smiled at the mention of Nadia. "We're good. I haven't talked to her much today though, but she said she'd be running errands."
           Jacquie nodded her head in understanding, watching as Jaheim played with her necklace. She looked up at her brother.
          "You ready to get married?"
           Jalil sat up and put his hands on his knees. "Yes and no. Yes because Nadia is my baby. No because I'm scared that I won't do it right."
           "Do what right?"
           "The whole husband thing. I come from the hoods of New York, I don't know how to do all that stuff."
           "Yeah, you're right, You do come from the hoods of New York. But that's not who you are anymore. Jalil, you are educated, you're an awesome writer, and you are a good man. The hoods raised you but God kept you. And now you're here."
           Jalil nodded and took in his sister's words. "Thanks, Jacquie. You're my number one dawg forest. You know that Nadia and I will probably be looking for a place to stay, right?"
           Jacquie nodded, her locs moving in her face slightly. She moved them back. "I know. I'm going to miss you, Jalil. But I'm excited for you."
           "I'm gonna miss you too. But I'll still be around. And you know I'll watch Jah anytime."
           "I know. Listen, one of my buddies at the law firm I work for has a wife who is a real estate agent. She's not one of those super upscale people, but she really seeks to help out people. Would you be cool if I talked to him to see if you guys could  get in touch?"
           "Yeah, fasho. Thanks, sis. Since I'm gonna be leaving, how about I treat you and Jah to dinner? How about we order some takeout?"
           "Sounds good to me. Don't forget my lemon pepper wings!"
           Jalil rolled his eyes and stale faced his older sister. She saw the action and threw a pillow at him, which caused Jaheim to laugh and them to follow suit.

***

It's been a minute since I've written anything. I missed y'all and hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Nadia and Jalil's story is winding down, but good things are coming.

See you soon!

Love,

Malaysia