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Ronda Stevenson's eyes stay with Christian, my son. Christian giggles – as if he finds the smell of the flowers calming. But I hate the place as it reminds me of my past. My husband used to woo me with beautiful bouquets, and he turned out to be a monster. He ruined everything for me – even my love for flower arranging. But here I am. In a flower shop. Hired to be the new flower arranger.
“Why the hell did you bring the kid?” Ronda, my cousin, asks me.
“I’m sorry. Debbie’s drunk. I ain’t going to leave the baby with her,” I place the baby carrier on the table.
Ronda grabs me. "Look. You can't work here with the baby!" She blows a loud sigh and adds, "I put my name at risk for you, and you bring me this?"
“It’s just a baby. I’m sure Mrs. Smith will understand.”
"She won't. That woman spent 10 years trying to conceive a child and lost three on the way. So, she hates being in ..."
“What is this?” A melodic voice, sounding like an angel, asks.
Ronda turns pale. She glares at me as a sign to leave, but I'm desperate for a job. I have a baby to feed and someone to hide from. They cost a lot. I turn around and find a gorgeous, curvy woman – blonde hair, pale but rosy skin, freckles on the cheeks, thick lashes, bright blue eyes, and thick, pouty lips. She's like a Barbie brought to life.
“I’m Allyson Henry, the temp,” I greet with a hopeful smile. Mrs. Smith – Kelly – if I remember it right – looks at the baby carrier on the table. “That’s Christian, my son.”
Kelly looks at Ronda. The latter shakes her head.
“Babies aren’t allowed in the shop, along with pets,” Kelly tells me. “If you want to work here, take the baby out.”
“It’s just for a day, Mrs. Smith. Please,” I begged.
Kelly looks at me with eyes darkened with jealousy. She looks at my baby and says, "The baby is out, or both of you will be."
I look at Ronda with begging eyes. I got fired from my other job because of the baby, too. I need this temp work until I have enough to hire an actual babysitter. Ronda rolls her eyes and walks after Kelly. I sit at the table and wait.
“They say babies have a connection to angels,” I tell my son. “How about you tell them to give Mommy a chance, huh?”
My four-month-old blows bubbles with his mouth, and I laugh. But I stop when his shiny gray eyes stare at me – like the monster in my dream. I close my eyes and remind myself that whoever his father was, Christian is my son. Of all the things that happened to me in the past year, he makes all things right.
I look at the door of the boss's office and smile. Ronda must be doing a great job convincing Kelly. If I am the boss, I won't waste five minutes reconsidering my application. I might not cope with the demands of the job because of my baby, but I need to feed him.
The flower shop is one of the most in-demand flower shops in Houston. Ronda told me that Kelly is the wife of a cargo mogul, so she can easily ship imported and unique flowers for her shop. Hence, it's easy for her to bag high-end deals with hotels and other events. Her business is only a hobby for her, but it earns a lot! Kelly Smith is living my dream.
There goes your dream. It's been ten minutes, and Ronda hasn't come out yet. I grab the diaper bag and prepare the baby for leaving. "You can stay," Ronda walks out of Kelly's office. She looks a little flushed and sweaty. She raises an eyebrow at me and says, "Just for today. Tomorrow, you better find a babysitter for the kid."
My heart almost jumps out of me. I rush to hug Ronda, but she stops me. She grabs a book and hands it to me. It shows all the flower arrangement designs the shop can make. I look at Ronda with worry. The skills the shop needs are more than I can offer.
“You have a month to learn. If you want to keep the job, you better learn fast,” Ronda points at the baby carrier on the table. I force a smile and take my baby.
I’ll do anything. I look at my baby. My son needs to find his father for his safety. I also need that man to pay for what he did to me.
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