by Megan Noelle
The second day in a row, sitting on top of the reception desk was another magnificent bouquet. This morning there were at least two dozen soft baby pink roses mixed in with two dozen more stunning white lilies. If I thought the beautiful display from yesterday took my breath away, I was damn near hyperventilating just staring at these.
“Well, well, looks like someone is in desperate need of his baby girl back.” Tyler once again was posted next to our receptionist Eloise, admiring the impressive floral display.
My face reddened immediately at the mere idea that they knew the true sender of the flowers.
“What do you mean??” The words stumbled from my mouth.
“Girl, this is the second day in a row your man had flowers delivered to you. You must be really holding out on that gorgeous Silver Fox.”
“Oh, ha, yeah…” A strangle forced noise that resembled a chuckle fell from my lips.
“They are beautiful flowers, Grey. You’re very lucky to have someone who loves you so much.” Eloise added, staring sweetly at the bouquet.
“They are stunning.” I agreed, finally spotting the little white card resting among the flowers.
My heart suddenly began racing as my fingers snatched out and grabbed the card. It was almost impossible to tame my curiosity in front of inquiring eyes.
“What does this one say?” Tyler didn’t even bother hiding his rather nosy tendencies.
I pressed the card against my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. “Hey now, snoopy, shouldn’t you be at your station or something?”
His tongue clicked against his teeth as he pressed his hands into his hips, ready to lay on a thick attitude. “You’re not going to share with your best friends, Greyson? Oh I see how it is. Well fine, next time I get a secret love letter, I won’t share it with you either.”
I bit back a giggle. I couldn’t deny how much I loved when Tyler turned into something of a diva. It made me smile every time.
“I think I’ll get over it,” I assured him. He let out a huff, turned on his heel and sashayed back to his chair
“Would you like me to move the flowers anywhere, Grey?” Eloise asked, reminding me that I wasn’t alone.
I glanced around the salon and even considered slipping them into the break room with the others. I just couldn’t though, these were far too beautiful to sit in the shadows of an almost always empty room.
“I think they can stay here for now. Let the clients admire their beauty as well.” With a smile and a wink, I retreated to my station. This was one of the few times I was thankful the Brooks’ sisters were off today. Most Tuesdays they were off work and I would feel nothing but loneliness throughout the busy day.
Right now though, the silence was welcomed. Neither could peek over my shoulder and pester me to death about what was going on. Even more than that, I could read the note in peace without sharing the contents with anyone else. My eyes glanced warily from side-to-side, I felt ridiculously paranoid, but I couldn’t stop my actions. Once I assured myself no one was watching I let myself read the words I was dying to look over.
I told you once and I’ll tell you again—I’m not going anywhere, GR.
Xox
My heart literally sighed at the words and despite the nagging voice at the back of my head, warning me away from him—it didn’t change a thing. I managed to read over the words so many times that soon, I was hearing Stefan’s voice in my head. Softly with steady determination brushing against the ridge of my ear; setting my skin on fire with the cool vibrations and the heat from his breath. It was unbelievable the way one simple card could reawaken so much—especially the fact that letting go wasn’t going to be as easy as I planned.
By the time late afternoon arrived, I was finally beginning to feel my oversensitive body calm down from Stefan’s note. The words still rang out in my mind, but I was able to function properly once again. That all changed as I looked to the sound of the greeting bell on the front door and saw bright yellow sunflowers fill the space. The sturdy looking man seemed to struggle a bit with the weight of the flowers and stunning navy blue vase.
“Delivery for a Miss Greyson Rose.” The man called out. Eloise pointed toward me and after noting my stunned silence, directed the flowers be placed on an empty window sill.
Pulling a work order from his pocket he looked toward me to sign the receipt of delivery but thought better of it. Clearly, I still looked as dazed as I felt. Eloise stepped up to sign as I called out a single thanks. She smiled, nodded and returned to her duties.
Luck was on my side, I didn’t have a client in my chair, allowing me a chance to immediately scope out the flowers. The very nosy Tyler was wide-eyed curious but in the middle of a coloring, and knew better than to be anything less than professional in front of clients. My feet somehow managed to move toward the flowers, despite the sudden paralysis my body was experiencing. The dazzling yellow brightened the room with the most beautiful sunflowers I had ever seen. Only Stefan would be able to find the most impeccable flowers each and every time he sent them.
As soon as I saw the note I made a hasty grab for it. Opening it the second the paper touched my fingers.
You look beautiful today. And no, I don’t need to see you to know just how stunning you are, GR.
Xox
If I had wanted to hold back my smile, I would have failed. The note, the flowers, everything made my heart absolutely sing, as I absolutely cherished every word written. Pressing the card to my heart I returned to my station as a sense of euphoria filled the rest of my day.
Wednesday Morning
Two equally stunning clear vases greeted me as I entered the salon. Both were filled with two dozen kaleidoscope roses that framed the reception area. My jaw dropped as I stared at another enchanting flower delivery.
“What in the world did Richard do to screw up this badly?” Kari blurted out as she noted my arrival.
Tyler piped up before I had a chance to answer. “Whatever it is, I hope he keeps it up. That man is making this salon look even more beautiful!”
We both laughed and relief spread through me. There was nothing I could think to say since the flower deliveries were certainly not from my fiancé. It didn’t matter that I had been working very hard to let others into my life, this secret was one I wanted to keep to myself. Things were still off with Richard at home, and I found myself waking up jittery with the anticipation of receiving another note. It was by far the highlight of my day and even though I could admit it to myself—I wasn’t exactly ready to share that little fact with anyone else.
“Good point,” Kari agreed. “But in the future if Devin really screws up, I know to go to Grey for tips on how to keep the man on his toes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do I seriously have to explain?”
“Oh.” An awkward strangled laugh broke free from my chest but I quickly tried to cover it up with clearing my throat. Some of the employees, like Eloise, would never think twice about questioning the happenings within my personal life. However, working with your best friends didn’t always allow for the privacy one might want. If I continued to come across as uncomfortable and clueless, I knew suspicions would grow and then I’d be done for.
“Well, I suppose it’s only because I’m sticking to my guns on this issue. I’m not going to cave the way I usually have and maybe that is just sinking in. He’s realizing the way things really did hurt me and that no matter our history, I can’t just give in again. For the first time he sees that he might be losing even the mere promise of a happy ending.”
It wasn’t until after the words of truth slipped from my mind that my answer was far more detailed than I wanted to reveal. Kari’s eyes gave away her mutual shock, while a wad of gum almost fell from her open mouth. And that was my cue to walk away. I snatched the card from the bouquets and retreated to my station.
Kacie was styling a woman’s long head of hair and from the smile she cast my way I sensed she had been too engrossed in t
heir conversation to catch the one between me and Kari.
“Morning Grey!”
“Hey Kacie, how are you this morning?”
“Doing great, even though I didn’t show up to work with hundreds of flowers to brighten my day.” The playful attitude made me smile. So maybe she took a mental inventory of all that arrived this week, but at least she didn’t seem to suspect anything was off besides what I told them.
“Those roses up front were for you??” The young woman in Kacie’s chair asked with a bewildered expression.
I nodded, busying myself with the morning station prep. “Yeah they are.”
“You are one lucky woman.”
Smiling at her I shrugged my shoulders. “I am, my fiancé really knows how to make me smile.”
Kacie and the client seemed to accept that answer at face value, but Kari wasn’t convinced. “That’s not the way you just made it sound.”
Without caving under the pressure of her heated stare I produced the most convincing response I could provide. “We have some things that we are trying to work through together because we love each other. These,” I motioned to the vases filling the salon, “are simply a way for him to prove he is hearing me and trying to truly make an effort.”
A deep-hearted sigh came from Kacie’s client and I smiled at her reaction. “That is what real love is.”
“Yeah, exactly…” The words were as forced as my sudden uneasy smile. It struck me all at once, the lies may have been flowing easily, but the price they were paying on my heart was enough to make me sick. I was doing all of this to keep Stefan’s actions a secret and in return was making Richard look like fiancé of the century. The act felt harmless in the beginning, but slowly I understood that it was anything but.
I turned to Kari, “I’m running to the restroom quick, if my client shows up can you please let them know I’ll be just a minute?”
The tightening within my throat was impossible to ignore and if I didn’t get away from my station immediately, everyone was going to see the weight the secret was forcing on me.
“For sure.”
Half a heartbeat later I was zooming toward our ladies room at the back of the salon. Not only was this luckily a one person bathroom, but as the light automatically turned on, so did the fan that had a way of drowning out everything. A strangled sob slipped from me as I tried to regain my composure. At least I was able to let it out without the fear of my very protective friends overhearing.
Knowing I could only stay in here for a minute or two without raising red flags, I wasted no time flipping open the cards.
GR, I know the lack of response should be hint enough that you meant what you said. But I’m not letting go.
Xox
My hand flew to my mouth, silencing the cry that had been trying to escape all along. I wanted time to process every word and let them sink in before looking at the next, but I couldn’t. My time in here was limited and I needed to feel all the hurt in one single breath. Clutching the first to my heart I opened the second I braced myself for whatever was next.
There isn’t a single moment of my day that isn’t filled with thoughts of you. Don’t do this, GR.
Xox
Guilt, sorrow, remorse—my pain was covered through all spectrums and I hated the way things were. Not only did this space hurt me, but I could no longer play dumb and pretend as if Stefan was doing well. We both hurt immensely, but what made this worse was the simple fact that this was the way it had to be. I just wish that made me feel better.
Friday Morning
Even though every single Friday I had a day off, I couldn’t resist calling the salon the second my eyes flew open. Eloise told me no flowers had been delivered that morning. I teetered between feeling relief that no one could get their hands on the very personal cards, and the disappointment that everything had stopped. It would undoubtedly be for the best. He wouldn’t be hurting because of me and I could move forward—officially.
Richard was scanning over the business section of the morning paper, sipping on a cup of coffee when I entered the kitchen. He looked away from the paper and offered me a morning smile.
“Good morning, darling. Sleep well?”
I nodded, pulling open the fridge, aimlessly searching for something to eat. “I did, how about you?”
“Oh just fine.” He folded up the paper and placed it on the counter. My head was still buried in the fridge when I felt his arms wrap around my waist. “I need to get to work, I have a 30-hour shift today so I won’t be home until tomorrow afternoon.”
Turning in his arms I smoothed my hands along the front of his ironed blue dress shirt. “Okay, well call me when you can.”
That beautiful, teeth revealing smile warmed my aching heart. “Of course I will, love.” His lips tenderly graced across mine in a soft, swift kiss. “And I think Saturday evening when you get home from work we should go out and have a date night.”
“Yeah?” I asked, feeling my spirits instantly perk up. It had been so long since Richard had asked to actually do something together. Maybe a night out was just what we needed to get us back on track.
“Of course, I think it’s long overdue, don’t you?”
“Absolutely,” my arms locked around his neck as I pressed a much more heated kiss against his mouth. “I should be home by nine at the latest.”
“Perfect, we’ll do a late dinner and then maybe catch a movie or something?”
“That sounds wonderful!”
Richard released me with a peck on my cheek. “Perfect, well I’ll see you then my beautiful fiancée.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Just like that my sickeningly guilty demeanor lightened and I was looking forward to what the next day had in store and not because of Stefan. The remainder of the morning I browsed the entertainment section for movie times, dinner ideas, and anything else that may be fun on a Saturday night. I finished getting ready to meet Amy for our weekly appointment. I felt myself standing taller, feeling more confident, and that was a rarity when I met with her.
Climbing into my yellow Bug I rolled down the windows, and turned up the radio. A smile lay naturally across my lips the entire drive and the closer I got, the more excited I was to see Amy. Every meeting was either sad, uncomfortable, or just plain awkward. Our overly platonic conversations were doing nothing to work through my pain, but that was all I had been able to do. This time I would be able to speak about my life without fear that a single word would create a meltdown.
The receptionist Mila, smiled and waved as I walked through the door. Her face brightened and I waved back happily as I approached the counter.
“Grey, it’s good to see you! We were worried last week when you never showed up.”
A question mark flashed in my mind—I missed an appointment? I have never missed an appointment. The only time I didn’t show up on a Friday was if Amy was sick or had something come up. Those times were few and far between, but never once had I blatantly not come in.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I can’t even recall what was going on last Friday.”
“Amy tried to call you once or twice but said she wasn’t able to get through.”
The obvious concern on Mila’s face made me understand for the first time that despite my less than thrilling conversations, these people honestly did care for me.
“I am so sorry, I can’t believe I did that. I promise you that everything is alright.” Her smile washed away her nervous expression.
“Good! Well, you’re good to go! Amy was paged so it should just be a couple minutes now.” With an assertive nod I selected a seat in the fairly empty waiting room, but before I could fully sit down Amy was already there.
“Holy speedy!” I situated my purse back on my shoulder and joined a laughing Amy.
“My last appointment ended a little early and I was anxious to see if you were going to miss today too.”
We entered Amy’s office and instantly I rested against the couch,
continuing our conversation as if we were just a couple of girlfriends hanging out.
“I honestly have no idea what happened, or how I managed to miss last week.”
Amy’s generally stoic face was unable to hide the bewilderment from my direct response.
“Hm,” she adjusted herself in her black chair, and I could see the wheels in her curious mind were already churning.
“Did anything big happen last week that may have created an unexpected chaos in your world?”
I understood the question perfectly fine but still found myself needing clarification. “What do you mean?”
“Just curious if something came up that may have caused you to forget it was Friday.”
“No, no, I mean, what do you mean?”
Fractionally her head tilted to the side, incredibly unsure of what I was getting at. “I’m not understanding your question.”
“Just, the way you phrased your question, kind of makes it sound like nothing really unexpected comes up.”
“Ah,” she nodded slowly, looking for a way to respond cautiously. “In a way that is true. You have routines, habits, and daily happenings that are normal within your life. If there was something that appeared outside of the norm, I could see that throwing your world through a bit of a whirlwind.”
“Are you asking about Stefan?” Everything Amy said was accurate; my day and life had been very orderly on a day-to-day basis. This appointment though I knew I would be unable to play dumb the way I have for some of her questions in the past. That unexpected twist Amy referred to was undoubtedly Stefan, and since I burst in here spilling my guts about him—there was no way to pretend he was still a phantom of my memory.
A polite smile surfaced, as a single nod confirmed my question. “It is, the last time you came here you had just seen and spoken to him for the first time. Has anything happened further with that?”
A sigh of resignation puffed out, there really was no avoiding this topic since it had been the center of my focus since I saw him in the street. It really made my heart sour though, to accept that my expectation of a fun little chat was long out the window.