Black Love Short Stories

The Flower Shop (I)

Hey y'all! Man it's been a minute since I've written anything, huh? My bad y'all. But tbh, I kinda lost my writing passion for a minute. But by God's grace- it's back. Anywho, enjoy this one!

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        Jalil sighed as he walked outside from the interview. He knew deep down that he didn't get it. He could feel it. The way the older man looked as he read that he had a criminal record told him all he needed to know.
        Smacking his teeth, he hastily unloosened his tie and frowned as his circumstances. In the six months since he'd been released, he had yet to find a job. And he knew his parole officer would be down his throat if he told him he couldn't find one.
       As if he wasn't already irritated enough, the mid July heat made him sweat, causing him to frown his face. Walking down the semi crowded streets of the city he grew up in, he mentally wished he could turn back the hands of time. He wished that he could go back to before he landed himself in federal prison.
       Turning the corner, he looked around at the familiar stores: Richard's, Sophia's Dress shop, Nadia's Flowers.
        He stopped and looked at Nadia's Flowers. It wasn't familiar- but new. Unable to control his curiosity, he walked over to the shop and began to look at the different arrangement of flowers.
        "Hey, my name is Nadia. I'm the owner, how may I help you?" A soft voice said, causing him to stop messing with the purple flowers and turn around.
      His 5'8 frame seemed to tower the 5'3 frame of Nadia. He looked at her petite frame and folded his arm across his chest. She was pretty- gorgeous even. As she smiled at him he could see her dimples.
        "I'm not gonna buy anything. I was just lookin'." Jalil spoke. "Your shop new?"
        Nadia smiled at the strange man before her. "Yes, we are new. I grew up around here though. But I wanted to bring my business back to the home I adore. So here we are. Feel free to look around...ask me anything."
        "Y'all hiring?" Jalil found himself saying. Nadia smiled widely at him and moved her waist length box braids from her face.
        "Actually I am. I need someone who can help me set up in the morning. Someone who can help me cut the flowers." Nadia said.
        "How much you paying?"
        "Minimum wage is all I can afford right now."
        He nodded his head listening to her. He honestly didn't care about it being minimum wage- he just needed a job.
        "Any paperwork I need to sign?" Jaleel asked.
        "Yes." Nadia said as she walked over to the counter and gave him the application. "Here. Fill this out. When you're done give it to me. I'll be over in the left corner setting up some flowers."
        He nodded his head and proceed to do his paperwork. Once he was done, he handed her the paperwork and she looked it over.
       "Well...since no one else has offered to help me- you're hired." Nadia said. She'd been looking for someone for weeks, and he was the first person who'd even asked for an application.
         Jalil couldn't contain his smile and Nadia mimicked him.
        "When do I start?" Jalil asked.
        "I'm pretty much set for the rest of the week, but Sunday is when my new shipment of flowers comes in. Is that ok?"
        Jalil nodded his head.
        "Great. Don't come until two though. On Sunday's I open late. I have church in the mornings."
        Nodding his head again, Jalil exited the shop. He was happy that he'd gotten the job.

                                ******
        A couple of months had passed, and Jalil was enjoying his job. But, he also enjoyed Nadia's company.
        They worked together well- her greeting customers, and him just helping her out and sticking to himself. He liked the fact that she didn't pester him or try and make him talk.
        He wasn't much of a people person. Being in prison had made him keep to himself, and he needed his space.
       Nadia enjoyed having Jalil with her. He kept to himself and didn't make trouble. They made small talk, but that was it. He seemed to respect her space.
         One day as she was working the front, Nadia began cutting her flowers. As she did, the scissors accidentally cut her hand, causing her to yell out in pain.
        Holding her hand and biting her lip, she turned around and was soon met with the confused look of Jalil. He had heard her yell out and when he came to where she was, he saw her hurt filled eyes and her hand bleeding.
        Instantly knowing what to do, Jalil walked over to the cabinet where she kept her first aid kit.
        He took out the alcohol and looked at her before speaking. "This is gonna hurt." He said. Nadia nodded her head listening to him.
         Pouring the alcohol on her bleeding hand,  Nadia squeezed her eyes shut. "Ow." She hissed.
         Jalil looked at her after inspecting her hand. "Listen, it's kinda deep. You're gonna have to stitch it up."
        Nadia's eyes widened. "I can't do that. I have to run the shop." She said. She didn't want to leave her shop unattended. She was just now getting a regular and steady clientele, and she didn't want to mess it up."
        Jalil licked his lips before speaking. "Let me run it. I know how you like things done. And I've watched how you like to do things."
        Nadia twisted her lips and thought for a few minutes before speaking. "Are you sure?"
        Jalil nodded his head. "Yeah. I know that you like to have the front situated before you work in the back. And I know that you like to wait until exactly eight o'clock before turning the sign from open to close."
        Nadia smiled at his words. She had no idea that he paid that much attention to her, but she was glad at this moment he did.
       After he wrapped a bandage on her hand, Nadia left for the emergency room. Coming back from the emergency room an hour later, she went to the back and saw Jalil counting the money that she'd made that day.
        Glancing up at her, Jalil put the money down. "What did they say about your hand?"
        Nadia looked at her hand before looking back at him. "You were right. I cut myself deep. They stitched me up. But advised me not to put too much pressure on my hands. So I may be out of commission for a while."
        Jalil nodded his head at her and she continued to speak. "You may have to run the front sometimes. I hope that's ok."
       "Yeah. That's cool." He said as he watched her hold her hand.
       Nadia smiled. "Jalil thank you. I'll pay you extra for doing both jobs."
       He nodded his head at her and focused back on the money. Nadia sat down and watched him count it.
        "They also said that you did a good job of wrapping my hand. How did you learn?"
       Jalil put the money in the safe before looking at her. "I had to learn when I was incarcerated."
        Nadia nodded her head in understanding and didn't question him further. She knew that he had been in jail, and she could tell he didn't like talking about it.
        "We made good today, $300 extra." Jalil said.
        Nadia smiled. "That's good. Real good."
        Jalil smirked at her and admired her dimples. He licked his lips before grabbing his jacket and turning to face her.
        "I'm gonna head out. Do you need me to do anything else?" Jalil spoke.
        Nadia shook her head no and proceeded to lock up her shop. As she closed up, her mind went to Jalil. After today, she could tell that he was a good guy and she was glad that he had helped her when she did. And she wanted to do something special to tell him thank you.
       
        A few days had passed and Jalil had just finished giving a customer her order of flowers. She smiled at him widely and he internally smirked. The girl had been flirting with him for what seemed like forever, but he wouldn't budge. He didn't like her.
        Nadia saw the game the girl was trying to run with Jalil and smiled to herself. Ever since she'd hired him, women always seemed to flock to him. Yet he always acted as if he wasn't interested.
        When the girl left, Nadia made her way over to him.
        "Jalil." She called out. He looked at her and watched as she leaned her body on the counter. "That girl liked you."
        "I know." Jalil said as he mimicked her actions.
        "Why didn't you flirt back?" Nadia asked him with her eyebrow arched. "She was really pretty."
         "She was." Jalil agreed. "But just because a woman is pretty doesn't mean I want her."
       Nadia looked at him with an astonished look on her face. "Really? And why is that."
        Jalil shrugged. "Because a woman that is only 'pretty'," He used air quotes. "is only seen for that. Yes, we as men do look at appearance first. But what stands out to me is not just the beauty of her face, but the beauty of her mind."
       Nadia smiled at his response and watched as he looked at her with a smile. Jalil Before she could say anything back, she heard the ding of the door opening, meaning that a customer had come in.
        Turning around to see who it was, Nadia saw that it was a man who had been coming in once a week for the last month. He always bought the same flowers and he always eyed Nadia as he spent time in the store.
         Knowing that Jalil could handle the customer, she politely smiled at him and went back to cutting and preparing her flowers in the back of the shop. As she snipped away at the thorns on the pink azaleas, she was pleased with her newest arrangement.
       After putting them in a vase, she bought them out from the back she sat them in the front of the store in a window. As she straightened the bow on the vase, she saw a little girl pass by and her eyes widened as she looked at the arrangement. She spotted Nadia and gave her a toothless grin and wave. Nadia smiled back and waved.
        "The arrangement is beautiful." Nadia heard a voice say causing her to jump. Looking to where the voice came from, she noticed that it was the man who came in and was always watching her.
        She gave him a friendly smile. "Aw thank you."
         "I'm Charles." He held his hand out.
        Nadia took his hand and shook it. "I'm Nadia."
        "I've figured." He said as his dark orbs held a fixed gaze on Nadia.
        Nadia noticed him staring and removed her hand from his. She felt her cheeks flush and she stuffed her hand in her apron she wore.
        She watched as he backed out of the store, holding the flowers he'd purchased. He smiled at her before turning and walking down the semi crowded city street.
        "You good?" Jalil asked knocking her out of her thoughts.
        Nadia looked at him and nodded her head yes. "Yeah. He was just.."
        "Wierd?" Jalil said.
        "Yeah....real wierd." Nadia said as she flipped the sign on the door to closed.

        Hours later, had finished her inventory for the day and was pleased with the totals. She thanked God that she was able to sustain a shop.
        After locking up her safe, she grabbed her purse and jacket. It was late September and the air was just beginning to get cool.
         As she walked to the front of her store, she flipped off the lights to her office. She walked to the front of her store and jingled the door knob to make sure she had locked the door. Pleased that it was, she was about to turn around but was stopped abruptly when she felt someone out their hand around her mouth.
        "Don't scream, or I will hurt you." The voice threatened Nadia and her eyes widened in fear.
        Lord, please keep me safe and allow no danger to befall your servant, Nadia prayed as the tears streamed down her face.

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Nadia, I'm praying for you my own self.

Just know that part two is on the way

With love,
Malaysia