fℓσωєяѕ fσя уσυ 💐 | Ongoing 🟣

Bouvardias

This pretty flower is named after Charles Bouvard, a physician to Louis XIII, and is native to Mexico. This star-like flower grows in clusters on a thin stem and comes in colors like pink, white, salmon, and red. Bouvardias symbolize enthusiasm and a sense of appreciation.

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"I don't understand why you decided to get that ridiculous job," Charlie declared with a stern expression on his face as he drank his coffee and read the newspaper. "I already work a job, so why would you need to go work for another man? Is working at home for me not enough for you?" His wife, Elle, subtly rolled her eyes at his misogynistic comment.
'How typical of Charlie...' she thought. "It's not ridiculous. I'm bringing in income too by working as a girl Friday now."
"Girl Friday," he scoffed. "Why is it called that if you're working every other day? Ridiculous, like I said. You should focus on cleaning the house, cooking our food, and taking Gina to school. Can you even handle the work they're giving you there?" He closed the newspaper and started eating his scrambled eggs.
     Elle wiped her hands dry on her cooking apron then set their daughter's breakfast on the table as Gina exited the bathroom. "Quickly now, or you'll be late for school." She sat down at the table and stared at her food. "What's wrong?" Her mom asked, chewing her sausage.
"Is this all for breakfast?" Gina questioned, biting her lip.
"See? Even Gina doesn't like this new job of yours!" Charlie grumbled.
"I never said that..." she mumbled with a frown, and Elle fisted her skirt fabric in her hand underneath the table.
"Sorry, darling, I don't have time to make a better breakfast for you today," Elle apologized with a small smile then gave her one of her sausages. "You should eat more since you're growing."
"Then maybe you should've woken up earlier to make us a filling breakfast or better yet, quit your job!" Charlie yelled, and Gina flinched a little before quietly eating her breakfast.
"I was just a bit tired from finishing up my work last night, and you know I'm not quitting the job as much as you're showing your dislike for it. A lot of other women are starting jobs too so please respect my choice. Times are changing, Charlie."
"Well, the other women are ambitious and without husbands. You already have someone to bring in money. Can't you just be happy sitting at home knitting a scarf for winter?" He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, and she pressed her lips together into a thin line.
"Um, mom, I need to go to school now," Gina spoke up, breaking the thick tension. Elle looked at her with furrowed brows, and her daughter watched her with pleading eyes; she wanted to escape the situation as much as she.
"You heard Gina, take her to school. We'll continue this conversation later," he got up and grabbed his coat, "if you decide to come home at the right time." He glared at her. "I'm going to work now, goodbye."
     He put on his fedora as he exited the apartment, and Elle let out a deep sigh. "Your dad is just unhappy I'm earning a bit more money than him," she declared with a slight smirk, trying to lighten the mood, and their daughter giggled a little. "Come on, let's get you to school before we're both late." She got up and took off her cooking apron as Gina grabbed her school briefcase. They rounded the corner of the street to her high school only to be stuck in traffic.
"Mom, I can get off here. It'll take time to reach the front of the school, and you'll be late to work."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, very sure. I'll see you back at home." Gina gave a small smile before exiting the automobile.
"Be safe!" she exclaimed through the window then backed out of traffic to go to work. When she arrived at the office, her desk had a transparent vase with a few red and pink anthuriums and light pink lisianthuses sitting inside the water. 'Who sent this?' She looked around to find a card addressed to her but couldn't. 'I'll figure this out later. I need to hurry over to Mr. Bowe's office.' She gathered her stuff and sped-walk to her boss's office down the corridor then knocked twice on the wooden door.
"Come in," a deep voice responded.
     She pushed down the door handle and stepped in quietly. "Good morning, Mr. Bowe. My apologies if I'm a tad bit late. I had a small family issue during breakfast, and traffic was poor around my daughter's school," she informed him.
He looked up from his desk and said, "Mrs. Roland, I do not wish to know your excuses as long as you make it to work, so next time unless asked to, don't speak a word of it to me."
     She gnawed on her lip anxiously and nodded, and his eyes quickly resumed to his work desk. "My apologies, sir."
"It's quite alright..." he remarked. Mister Bowe was around eight years older than Elle, and the few strands of grey hair making appearances on the sides of his head proved it. Although his age was catching up to his hair, it didn't quite show yet on his face. There were minimal wrinkles and only light eye bags below his intense, blue eyes from the possible all-nighters he had pulled.
"I will now tell you your schedule for today, sir. You have a meeting with Mr. Labell from The Labell and Co. at 10 A.M. to discuss further plans on collaboration, a luncheon with Mrs. Taylor from Lux LTD. at Le Bordeaux at 12 P.M., and a board meeting at 1 P.M., then your weekly check down at the glass factory at 2:30 P.M. Your mother also made plans to have high tea with you at 4 P.M."
"Mother? Again? I thought I told her I'd be too busy," he responded with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, sir. Should I cancel it and let her know?" Elle questioned.
"No, it's fine. If I cancel it, she'll nag me again."
"Understood, I—"
     Before she could continue, someone burst into the room vociferously. "Matthew Bowe, the first businessman from Adelaide, Australia to establish a successful, million-dollar, glass manufacturing company across several countries!" a tall and skinny man in a striped suit exclaimed as he strode in with a grandiose air around him and a newspaper in his hands. "Intelligent, ambitious, successful, wealthy, and handsome," he continued then lightly slammed his hand with the newspaper onto Matthew's desk. "However, still a bachelor without so much as a scandal nor ever seen alone with a beauty. Could he be hiding something?" Matthew inhaled and sighed while running a hand through his light brown hair.
'I really do wonder why Mr. Bowe hasn't married yet...' thought Elle. "Good morning, Mr. Gordon."
"Oh, morning, didn't see you there, Elle."
"It's Mrs. Roland, not Elle, Peter," Matthew remarked.
"What do you mean? Elle and I are friends. Of course, I'd call her Elle. Right, Elle?" Peter asked as he pulled her to his side in a friendly manner, patting her shoulder, while she blinked her hazel eyes in shock.
"Let her go, can't you see she's uncomfortable?" Matthew stood up and removed his arm from her. "What else are you here for other than harassing my secretary?" He looked at her in an asking manner, and she nodded to reassure him that she was okay then mouthed, 'Thank you'.
"Why do you make it sound like I was doing something wrong?" Peter questioned in disbelief. "I'm here to remind you that Mrs. Cara is still bugging me to set up a dinner with you and her daughter. Why don't you personally tell her you aren't interested? I'm tired of making up excuses for you."
"You know I can't do that when she's a sponsor."
"Why is it you won't date? You're forty-three already, and you're not getting any younger. I really am curious about your reason. There are a bunch of beautiful ladies out there who are willing to be your doting wife, but how is it I've never seen you with a young woman? You're always surrounded by older women from your mother's friend groups," he declared then looked at Elle and continued, "but I guess Elle here is quite pretty too. Although I've never seen her in flapper dresses, she ought to look amazing in them." He made a square with his fingers, putting them in front of him, and eyeing her. Elle kept her gaze down, feeling uncomfortable, and Matthew noticed. "She is probably the only reason your employees don't think other weird things and start rumors about you."
'Should I still be in here listening to this conversation?' thought Elle. 'I'll go make a cup of coffee for Mr. Bowe.' She quietly headed over to the small built-in kitchen beside the main office area.
Peter noticed and said, "A cup for me too, Elle."
"Peter, if you're done spouting nonsense, I suggest you leave now before I escort you myself." Matthew walked closer to him, and his friend backed away cautiously.
"Matt, I'm telling you, go reject Mrs. Cara's offer yourself. I'll be off now!" he said quickly and jogged out of the office, making Matthew shake his head with a sigh.
     "I wish I can fire him from my life," he stated in exasperation, and Elle held back a chuckle.
     "Your coffee, Mr. Bowe." She handed him a small cup of light brown coffee; he liked his with lots of milk and sugar. He had a sweet tooth, and she found it interesting since his appearance didn't match that fact.
     "Thank you, Mrs. Roland." He took the cup from her and sipped it a few times. "You know just the right amount to put each time..." he commented, and she gave a small smile. "Ah, did you see the flowers on your desk?"
     Elle's eyes widened, and she asked, "They're from you, sir?" He nodded firmly then set the cup down and leaned against his table with his hands in his pant pockets. "Whatever for?"
     "Today's Mother's Day, Elle," he answered softly, and she blinked.
     "Oh, I forgot..." she remarked. "Thank you, sir. That's too kind of you."
     "Do you...like them?" he questioned, and she looked into his ocean-like eyes.
     "Yes, sir, they're quite lovely." She looked down and brushed some hair behind her ear.
     "That's good. I was afraid they wouldn't appeal to you," Matthew declared with a smile as he took his hands out of his pockets and returned to his seat behind the desk. "If there's nothing else you need to report to me, you may exit my office." She bowed low and left him to his work. When she returned home, she changed the water inside the vase and set it near the window.
     "Mom, you're home?" Gina called out from her room.
     "Yes, darling. Is something the matter?"
     She exited the kitchen to see her daughter in front of her with a small bouquet of pink bouvardias. "Happy Mother's Day, mom!" she exclaimed with a wide grin.
     Elle gasped a little then hugged her. "Oh, thank you, darling!"
     "No, thank you. Mom, you're working to earn money for us and still taking care of our home while bearing dad's frequent harsh attitude. I know it's hard sometimes, and I want you to know I appreciate you. You're the best mom I could ever ask for, and the only mom I would accept. Thank you for giving me life."
     Elle watched her sweet daughter, completely moved. "It's the same with me, darling. I wouldn't trade you for the world. Thank you for being my daughter." She kissed her forehead and stroke her ginger hair. "I didn't think I would get so many pink flowers today..."
     "Did someone else give you flowers, mom?"
     "Yeah, my boss, Mr. Bowe." She looked toward the vase of athuriums and lisianthuses.
     "He seems like a very nice man," Gina remarked with a cheeky grin, and her mom raised a brow with a crooked smile.
     "Yes, he is...I should quickly make dinner now before your dad comes home and gets irritated again."
     "Okay, mom." Gina smiled and embraced her tightly. "You're not alone in this."
     Her mom chuckled and patted her head. "Sure, go back to your room and study now."

Happy belated Mother's Day! 💐 I'm a bit late cause I was busy, but I still tried my best to get this out before it was TOO late.