Neverchance & Happenstance

Proposals and Portfolios

“Aralynn! Get up already!” Rusty called up the stairs while shoving fabric swatches into a bag. He heard her steps coming down the stairs, closely followed by a loud thud. “Tripped again?”

“Seems like it.” She yelled back, opening and closing the kitchen cabinets. He chuckled to himself before joining his daughter in the kitchen, grabbing the glass of juice she just poured.

“Fine, take it. I licked the glass.”

“You’re my daughter and you haven’t been kissing any boys, so I think I’m safe.” He shot back, looking out the kitchen window, smiling to himself when he heard the opening the fridge again.

“Fathers.” She muttered under her breathe trying to glare at his back but she ended up grinning.

“After we close up tonight, let’s go get tulips. We do need them,” he was cut off by Aralynn hugging him. He pulled back and pulled his stern father look, “But it is up to you to take care of them.”

“Okay, okay. Thank you!” She squealed hugging him tighter before running back to her room.

“What did I just do?” He muttered into his mug before taking a long sip. When they finally gather all they need for the day, they head back to the shop, just like yesterday. Except today, Aralynn stopped to admire gardens, chattering about flowers all the way to the shop and then inside it too. Instead of Rusty becoming annoyed he only laughed, encouraging his daughter now and then.

“Roses! Dad, we need roses too! Oh, and daisies, and violets, and sunflowers!”

“Okay, I think your eyes are getting bigger than your capabilities. Can you take care of all these flowers?”

“Well, I don’t know.” She tosses a pile of fabric into the scrap bucket before looking at her dad, brows furrowed, thinking about the work the flowers could take. “I’ll never know unless I try.”

“Ah, so true. How about this, you can have up to three flower types to experiment with.” He bargained carrying some completed dresses to the front of the store, and disappeared into the back again while he waited for Aralynn to respond.

“Thank you!” She called, already planning out where everything will go. They fell into an easy quiet until the doorbell chimed both looking at the man standing in the doorway.

“Aralynn, I have some business matters to discuss, do you think you can manage the store front until I get back?”

            “Sure.” She said, eyeing the man carefully. She knew him from somewhere and she knew she didn’t like him all too much. She watched as her father and the strange man disappeared into the back of the shop and turned back to her work, deep in thought.

            Rusty closed the door and turned towards Todd Grayson, an old associate of his.

“Todd, what can I do for you?”

“Well, Rusty, I have a proposition for you.”

“Oh?”

“You see, I need a wife and your daughter needs a husband. You know me, Rusty, I can provide for her.”

“Todd, you are fifteen years older than she is.”

“So? Do you want her with a young man who can’t provide for her?”

“She will hate me forever, I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“Look, Rusty, you don’t need to choose today, but rumor has it you are behind on some payments and I am prepared to pay for your daughter’s hand. Just consider my offer.” With that, Todd left and he could hear him say goodbye to Aralynn. What would Celeste say?