“I hate surprises,” declared Elly as she plopped a thick bundle of milva roses into a terra cotta urn. “I don’t know why he can’t just tell me.” She added orange blossoms around the outside. “I don’t even know what to pack.”
Anthony smiled at her from behind his rosy glasses. “Well, he said you were driving, right? Then you know it’s somewhere in the Midwest still. Pack for warm, humid weather.”
Elly groaned. Her hair had enough problems without added humidity, and early June had proven to be sizzling hot. There were times when she still could not believe that Isaac wanted her. It was beyond explanation.
“What are you going to do with Cadbury?” asked Anthony.
“Oh, Kim and Sean are taking him. He loves being at their house. They have a huge yard and feed him bacon. He probably won’t even notice that I’m gone.” She sighed. “Which is kind of depressing.”
Anthony picked up clippers and began trimming an ivy topiary which was getting prepped for pale pink blown garden roses. “Are you guys staying in a hotel?”
“I’m not sure.” Elly paused at the thought. “Huh,” she said out loud and headed to the front. She placed the potted arrangement next to a small bucket of Star of Bethlehem blooms and sat down next to Snarky Teenager, who was mailing invoices.
“We’re friends, right?”
Snarky Teenager looked at her bewildered. “Um, you are my boss. You aren’t like my best friend or anything. Romy is probably my best friend. Or Michelle. Except that Michelle dated this guy that I dated like two months ago. I know because Kelly saw them together at Olive Garden… well, maybe Kelly is my best friend, she’s kinda -”
Elly cut her off right there. “That’s fine. We’re not best friends. But, can I ask you something?”
Snarky Teenager sighed obnoxiously. “I guess.”
“Okay.” Elly shifted in her seat. “Isaac is taking me away this weekend. To a hotel. Probably.” Please God, don’t let it be camping, she prayed. “Anyway, it’s been awhile since I’ve dated.”
“Yeah,” agreed Snarky Teenager as she licked an envelope. “Like 20 years ago.”
Elly imagined her getting a paper cut on her tongue and smiled. “Yes. It’s been awhile. If a guy takes you to a hotel for the weekend, does he expect, er, you know – intimacy?”
Snarky Teenager widened her eyes. “You are NOT talking to me about sex. Weren’t you married?”
The words still stung.
“Yes, I was married. I know about sex. Hopefully more than you do,” said Elly, though she doubted it. “But I’m not sure if that’s what is expected now. What do I say to let him know that I’m not that person? I’m definitely not ready for that. I’m an old-fashion type of girl.”
Snarky Teenager snickered. “Haven’t you guys been dating for awhile? Like, a month?”
“Three months…ish,” said Elly. “But it’s not like we see each other every day.” She paused. “Okay, more like every other day, but still, I’m not ready.”
Snarky Teenager’s smirk fell away when she saw that Elly was actually quite nervous. “Just tell him. He’s not going to jump you. Do you need some lingerie?”
Elly pushed herself haughtily up from the table. “I’m walking away now. Thank you for your help,” she snapped.
Grumbling to herself, she headed over to her desk. One glance at the clock told her that it was 10 am. Isaac was picking her up at 11. She had barely enough time to get cleaned up. Elly shut down her computer and stood over Snarky Teenager.
“Okay. You and Anthony are done at noon. Please remember to clean up completely, flip the sign and write down the deliveries for Monday. And don’t call me unless there’s an emergency.”
Snarky Teenager lifted an eyebrow. “A SEX emergency?”
Elly ignored her. “I’ll see you Monday. Be good.”
Snarky Teenager bit her fingernail naughtily. “You DON’T be good, okay?”
One hour later, Elly sat nervously in her apartment overlooking the street. Her suitcase was packed beside her. She felt lovely in her outfit, a light cotton sundress in pale yellow gingham, with black flip flops, and a big floppy straw hat. Isaac’s black Honda pulled up in front of the store. He honked. Elly awkwardly knocked her suitcase down the stairs and was closing her apartment door when Snarky Teenager walked past her on the way out of Posies. Without blinking an eye, she grabbed Elly’s straw hat off her head, quipped, “You are not 70,” and kept walking. Elly, dragging her suitcase behind her, walked up to Isaac’s car.
“Hey, beautiful!”
He popped the trunk of the car for her. Elly awkwardly lifted her heavy bag into the car and flopped into the passenger seat.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” she replied shyly. “I would love to know what ‘this’ is.”