Props & Mayhem - Frerard

2: in which Gerard plays with flowers

Gerard stumbled, tripping on their own shoes as they shuffled along the sidewalk irritably.

If Joe had just been responsible for one freaking second and been to work to open shop when he was supposed to, Gerard wouldn't be out here at 6 a.m. - I mean c'mon, it's spring break, for crying out loud, and Ray promised them spring break off of work.

But nooo, Joe was hungover from some stupid college "spring break party" - not that he needed an excuse to get wasted, but apparently he had one.

So, Gee was stuck opening the shop, since Andy was on vacation visiting his girlfriend in Pennsylvania, and Gerard didn't much feel like asking Ray to do it. The guy was already going through enough with this semester's work load, plus managing the shop, and Gerard didn't have the heart to put more pressure on him at the moment.

When they got to the shop, Gerard shuffled around some of the financing paperwork Ray had been working on recently, and started setting stuff up for the day.

They were the one who did most of the flower arrangements; Joe was the delivery boy, and Ray generally managed finances and customers. The customers always seemed to like him best, not that that was really a surprise to anybody.

Besides, Gee liked their position....arranging the flowers was actually a lot harder than they'd first thought, and they welcomed the challenge and the creativity it took to create completely new baskets to set out each morning. (The flowers also made better company than Joe, so there's always that.)

Usually they would work in the back room throughout the day, making special arrangements which would sit in the back refrigerator overnight, until shop was opened the next morning and the flowers could be displayed out in the main room. Then, they'd retreat to the back office again and work quietly with the sweet-scented plants until closing time.

Ray usually came in to check on Gee now and then, and Joe sometimes brought back pizza or sandwiches from one of his flower-delivery runs.

Of course, Joe often got detoured by other things as well and didn't come back to the shop until much later than he was supposed to... It annoyed Gerard, but Joe was a good friend of Ray's; and besides, he always got his stuff done, even if it was a little...sporadic.

But this morning, it was just Gerard - they filed away the paperwork that had been left out, receipts and such, and then went to the back to bring out the day's arrangements. Once done, they set up their little cove behind the counter, prepared to be alone with their books and perhaps a few customers for the remainder of the day. Well, at least until 2 p.m.; that's when Joe would supposedly be heading over...if he'd recovered from his hangover by then.

Just as Gerard stuck their nose in a good science fiction novel and was kicking their feet up, prepared to wait it out (as they usually didn't have many customers till later in the afternoon), the bell which signaled the shop door opening rang.

They glanced up curiously, and Gee's eyes fell on a rather rugged 20-something, dressed in ripped blue jeans and a worn leather jacket. The stranger's hair was black and messy, but his clear green eyes swept over the shop quickly, as though taking inventory.

Gerard had never seen the guy here before, and as they were wondering what the newcomer was here for, the punk kid stepped up to the counter. He shifted his eyes a bit, offering a nervous, uncomfortable smile. "You guys have uh...lilies, do you sell lilies?"

"Yeah!" Gerard smiled back, and it wasn't entirely fake; the kid was sort of endearing, in a way. "Right back here, they're kind of old and wilted, though...we're getting a new shipment on Monday, if you want to come back then....unless you need them sooner...?" They trailed off, waiting for the other to reply.

The punk kid shook his head. "No, uh, no Monday's good, um... Do you have a card or something, so I can have my friend come pick it up, in case I'm working, or uh, y'know...?" He cleared his throat.

"Sure," replied Gerard, returning to the counter to grab one of their business cards. "And your name is...? Y'know, so in case you call, I know it's you." He smiled again and handed the card to the stranger.

"Oh, yeah it's Frank." The guy tucked the card away into his pocket, and then half-waved to Gerard as he hurried out.

Gerard returned to their book, slightly distracted.