A Lowcountry Bride

by Preslaysa Williams

  Derek’s eyes widened. When Marjorie had made an offer before, it was already pretty generous. But doubling the offer? She must be serious. “That’s nice.”

  “Nice? That’s amazing. I mean, you’d be a wealthy man if you sold the place to her. You’d be set for life.”

  Wealthy and alone. Without Maya in my life. Jamila would probably disown me too. He pushed the idea out of his mind. “Like I said, it’s a nice offer.”

  “Selling the boutique would be great for you. I know how much time it sucks out of your life. You’d get to focus on other things, like your daughter.”

  When did Marlon start caring about Derek’s personal life? When it would give him a financial advantage, that was when. Still, Marlon had a point. Did he want to work at the boutique for the rest of his life? Always a Bride was his mother’s dream, not his. Besides, Jamila was turning thirteen, and before he knew it, she’d be a high school senior on her way to college. Derek wanted to make the most of the at-home years with Jamila, especially since things were getting better for the two of them. “I don’t know. I need some time to think about it before I commit to selling the boutique.”

  “You said that the last time. You should really think about striking while the buzz is still happening for you and your business. You don’t know if someone will make this big of an offer again.”

  That was another good point. He could use that money to pay for Jamila’s college, pay off the house mortgage, and still have plenty left over. “Maybe we could discuss the possibility of selling. I’ll think about it.”

  “Okay, man. But make a decision soon. Marjorie may change her mind in an instant.”

  “I’ll let you know.” Derek hung up and sighed. Selling was a major decision. He didn’t want to rush it.

  “You’re selling Always a Bride, Dad?”

  He froze. Oh Lord. Derek turned. “No. I was just . . . Were you eavesdropping?”

  “Of course,” she said flatly. “Are you selling the boutique?”

  Derek rubbed his temples. “No, I was just thinking about it. Considering it. That’s all.”

  Jamila squinted her eyes at him. “You said that you would discuss the possibility of selling the boutique. That’s more than considering it.”

  “I know, I—”

  “The boutique is the only thing I have of Grandma. It’s bad enough that we won’t be seeing Maya any time soon.”

  The weight of Maya’s absence returned. “I know, honey. It’s hard for us both.”

  Jamila paused, her eyes distant and cold. “All that stuff you said the other day was a lie. You don’t care. You won’t be there. You’re just like everyone else.”

  “Not true, Jamila. I am here for you. I will always be here for you. I’ve been playing around with the idea of selling. It will free up my time to focus on you. The potential buyer is making a very generous offer.”

  Jamila glanced away, her face shrouded in bitterness. “I was right. Everyone leaves.”

  “Leaves? What are you talking about, honey? I am right here. I am not leaving you.”

  “You’re considering selling the boutique. That’s the closest thing to leaving. If my own father doesn’t keep his word, then who can I trust?”

  Regret pricked at him for a split second, but Derek quickly pushed it away. There was nothing to regret.

  “Jamila, I understand how you feel about Always a Bride. But we shouldn’t scratch out the possibility. Like I said, it would enable us to focus on each other. We could travel more. We could even go to Disneyland like you always wanted. I don’t know. I never envisioned spending the rest of my life working at a boutique.”

  Jamila crossed her arms. She did an about-face and stomped out the door.

  Great. Derek slumped into the hard-backed chair and his shoulders tensed. He couldn’t get anything right. Now his own daughter didn’t want to talk to him.

  A part of Derek wanted to go after her and try to win her favor, but that would alienate her even more. The gains he’d made in their relationship were now unraveling. Was selling the boutique worth getting Jamila upset?

  She was young, so she couldn’t understand all of these adult decisions and pressures. Maybe one day, Jamila would see his side of the story.

  He wouldn’t make a full commitment to selling the place without meeting Marjorie for himself. Yes, that was what he’d do. Derek would set up a time to meet with Marjorie to discuss the possibility. One could hope.

  Derek typed a message to Marlon on his cell phone, requesting an appointment with Marjorie. Then he pressed Send.

  Derek’s heart crimped. Apprehension and doubt swirled within him—but talking with Marjorie was reasonable.

  Reasonable—since Maya was no longer here.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Where am I?” Maya’s eyes fluttered open. The sound of a steady beep caught her attention, and she tilted her head to the right. A heart rate machine. She was in the hospital.

  Someone must’ve seen her fall in the middle of the street and called the ambulance. Maya didn’t remember any of it. Man, she must’ve been out cold. She couldn’t stay in this hospital for long, though. Maya had an important work conference call tonight. She couldn’t be laid up in bed.

  Maya shifted her body and sat upright. A throbbing pain sizzled down the right side of her neck. She groaned but ignored the feeling. Maya needed to figure out when she’d be discharged. Hopefully it was today.

  A creak at the door alerted her attention. A man in a white hospital coat with a stethoscope at his neck stood at the door and checked his clipboard. “Maya Jackson?”

  “That’s me.”

  “I’m Dr. Nguyen. Pleased to meet you, but in unfortunate circumstances. You had quite a fall. How are you feeling?”

  Horrible. “I’m fine. I really am feeling better.”

  He looked at Maya, a clinical curiosity etched into his features. “I’m glad to hear that, Ms. Jackson. We ran some X-rays and did some minor blood work. You have sickle cell, correct?”

  “That’s correct.”

  The doctor scribbled something on his clipboard. “Have you had a transfusion recently?”

  “Yes. I have one every month.”

  “Good to hear, Ms. Jackson. To play it on the safe side, we’ll have you stay in the hospital overnight. Make sure you don’t have anything more serious that can arise later on.”

  Maya’s heart rate revved. She didn’t need another hiccup in an already complicated work relationship. “Overnight? I can’t stay here overnight. I just fell. Not a big deal. What time is it anyway? I have to be on a call soon.”

  “It’s seven fifteen in the morning,” Dr. Nguyen said.

  A whole day had passed, and she’d missed that conference call. That wasn’t good. As head designer, she needed to be on top of everything. Laura would side-eye her for days. “Morning?” Maya groaned. “I missed an important call for work.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Never mind that. I’ll figure it out somehow.” She glanced around the sterile hospital room. “My purse. I had my purse with me, and it had an important form in it. Where’s my purse?”

  “I’m pretty sure that the staff put it in a locker for safekeeping.”

  “Pretty sure but not certain,” Maya said. “Can you check?”

  He paused and then nodded once. “Will do.”

  “Thank you.” She twirled a lock of hair around and around, thinking about that paper she needed to sign to confirm her position at Laura Whitcomb Inc. Since Maya missed that conference call, would Laura rescind her offer? It was possible. Very possible. Maya needed to sign that form and return it quickly, just in case Laura changed her mind.

  Maya had stuck the HR paper in her purse, folded it very carefully so that it wouldn’t crinkle. Now she had to take the word of this doctor that it was still there.

  And she missed the conference call. Did she mention that?

  “Now that you’re conscious, I want to ask you a few questions a
bout your health history.” He flipped through the paper on his clipboard. “Besides sickle cell anemia, do you have any significant chronic issues?”

  She hated this part. “No. I take care of myself. I’m mindful of how to manage my sickle cell. This fall doesn’t make any sense.”

  The doc scribbled something else in his notes. “I believe you. Are there any other stressors in your life that could’ve caused the fainting?”

  Too many. Like her boss who wanted to take all of her creative work right out from under her, but Dr. Nguyen was a medical doctor, not a therapist. What would he care? “Oh, you know. The typical work stressors.” She gave a half-smile, not wanting to get into it.

  “Work stressors can be tough.”

  Maya blinked a lot, because if she said anything now, she’d probably burst into tears.

  “Let me ask you one question. Have you done anything for fun?”

  “Yes. I’ve worked. Work is very . . . fun . . .” Maya shook her head. “Work hasn’t been fun at all. I didn’t know my new position at my job would cost me my designs.”

  “And your health,” Dr. Nguyen added.

  “What do you mean my health? I’ve always had issues with my health. I have sickle cell.”

  “Having sickle cell means that you need to be extra gentle with yourself. Especially emotionally. You should focus on work that gives you joy. Your body is saying the same thing. Any extra stressors could shorten your life even more than the sickle cell does. Try to slow down. Your life depends on it.”

  Her life depended on it. Those words hit hard. Those words hit home.

  “I’m going to make my rounds. The nurse will be here in an hour or so, but I want you to take care of yourself. Listen to your gut. If you’re feeling pressured in any way, step back and slow down. Self-care should be your priority above anything else.”

  After he left, Maya rested her head on the pillow. Self-care, huh? Whenever anyone mentioned “self-care,” Maya envisioned spending money she didn’t have on fancy spa retreats, massages, and facials. Was it really as simple as listening to her instincts, stepping back, and slowing down?

  Perhaps it was that simple, but it definitely wouldn’t be easy. If Maya made her personal sense of peace a priority above all else, then that would mean removing the biggest source of stress in her life: Laura Whitcomb and her stupid ultimatums.

  All this time Maya figured that becoming head designer would somehow make her better in every way. Yet here she was, lying in the hospital and hurting.

  This sucked. Working with Laura under the conditions she’d placed on Maya would only make things worse. Yet walking away from this position would mean she was letting herself and her mother down.

  Maya closed her eyes and exhaled. Her mother wouldn’t want to see her in the hospital, though. Pops was right when he’d said she’d want to see Maya happy, not stressed out and suffering.

  Maya bit her lower lip, and sadness shrouded her. She’d have to let this head designer position go. Maya would have to believe in herself, in the value of her work, in her ability to make good on her work. Could she do it? Was she strong enough? Was she brave enough to walk away from this One Big Dream?

  She recalled Derek’s encouragement and his unwavering belief in her designs, his unwavering belief in her. A sense of excitement welled up inside of Maya. She had never given herself permission to branch out on her own, but now she had. Maya could be an independent bridal gown designer. It would be scary, but also deeply fulfilling. Building a business would take time, but this would be time well spent.

  Low chatter outside of her hospital room interplayed with her thoughts. Her life was more important than being head designer. Her creative gifts were more important than having them taken by the Laura Whitcomb brand.

  Maya would have to do this.

  Excitement bounced around in her spirit, awaiting her decision. Just then, a nurse’s aide walked in and held out her purse. “The doc said you were looking for this.”

  Maya’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Oh yes, I was.”

  The nurse’s aide set the purse on her bedside table and left. Maya reached over and grabbed her cell phone to scroll for any new messages. There were missed calls from Laura and Derek. She made a mental note to contact them and her father after she recuperated a bit more. She still felt a little dizzy, and she needed to figure out this job thing.

  Maya riffled through the contents of her purse. Everything was there, including the HR paperwork that showed her new salary and stuff. The paper she was supposed to sign. The one she risked her relationship with Derek and risked her health over. Seemed like this fancy promotion wasn’t even worth it now.

  Maya put the paper away. She wasn’t going to sign it.

  Instead, Maya would take this little window of time she had left on the planet and live for herself. She’d stand up for her creative worth.

  And she’d stand up for love.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  After making the appointment to meet with the potential buyer, Derek had grown even more accustomed to the idea of relinquishing the boutique.

  Derek needed to focus on Jamila anyway. Derek had already lost time with her earlier when he was on deployments. He wanted the rest of her time at home to be spent having good memories of her father. Selling the boutique would give Derek the space to make that happen.

  At least that’s what he kept telling himself over and over and over. Was all his convincing just a way of second-guessing himself?

  No. He wasn’t second-guessing himself. He wasn’t doubting. This was the best thing to do.

  He clasped his hands, and then he walked to the front entrance and flipped the window sign from closed to open. That’s when Derek’s heart skipped. Just outside the door, the realtor he’d spoken to was walking down the street with a well-dressed woman alongside him. That must be Marjorie Wilkinson.

  He was going to do this. Period.

  “Morning.” Derek opened the front door for the folks and welcomed them inside.

  “I want to introduce you to Marjorie Wilkinson,” the realtor said. “She’s been eyeing this place for a while.”

  “I know.” Derek shook her hand.

  “Always a Bride has gotten a lot of buzz of late.” Marjorie smiled, taking off her sunglasses and tucking them into her eyeglass case. “I was looking into this store way before then, but the extra publicity didn’t hurt my decision. Especially for a little boutique like this one.”

  “Little boutique”? That was a sideways comment. Always a Bride wasn’t little to Derek. This place was his legacy. Derek ignored the comment and chose to focus on the sale instead.

  Marjorie walked around the store and inspected it closely. “Hmm . . . this blue color. It’s so blah.”

  Blah? Maya had picked out that blue color herself, and after some back and forth with Jamila, she’d eventually approved of it too. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice defensive.

  “Blue is depressing. We want something lighter and fresher for the customers.”

  Funny. Maya had exactly the opposite to say about the color, and her theory proved out perfectly. The store had a steady increase in sales, and he was able to get caught up on the boutique’s mortgage. He was even able to purchase more costly stock. Maya helped him do all of that.

  Why was he thinking of Maya of all people? She hadn’t contacted him since she landed in LaGuardia Airport. Whenever he tried calling her, the phone just went to voice mail. Her job must’ve been keeping her busy—too busy for him. He pushed thoughts of Maya out of his head and crossed his arms. Derek bit back a retort, concerned that if he said something, he’d ruin the potential deal.

  Marjorie walked around the store, still inspecting, and Derek followed, ready to answer her questions.

  “This place is in a prime location,” Derek said. “A lot of tourists come here daily.”

  Marjorie gave a half-smile. “I’m sure.”

  They kept walking the periphery of the st
ore.

  “So very dusty.”

  Dusty? He just had the place professionally cleaned last week. “I hire a commercial cleaning service to maintain the place.”

  “Oh,” she said without a second glance. “How nice.”

  Derek stopped following Marjorie around the store. She could make her own decision about whether to buy the place. He wasn’t going to try to appease her, especially since she was being so picky and rude.

  Marjorie stopped in front of the plaque that said always a bride. est. 1984. It was placed right underneath the letter from his grandmother. “What’s this?”

  He smiled. “The plaque that my mother had placed here when she opened the store.”

  “Oh. That’s quaint.” She bit her bottom lip, and then she glanced up at the letter, reading it carefully. “A nice memory to have. This place carries a lot of personal importance.”

  Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all. “It does.”

  “I’m interested in buying the property,” she continued. “Of course, if I do, I will change things up.” She gestured to the plaque and the letter. “Your plaque and that letter would have to be taken with you after the deal is done. I’m converting it to a bookstore.”

  Discomfort edged through him. “Oh really?”

  “Yes.”

  Derek expected change if the store sold, but now that he was actually being confronted with this change . . . it didn’t feel right. “My mother was very pivotal to this area.”

  “Oh yes, I’m sure,” she said, but her focus was on the floor. “This carpet will most definitely have to go.”

  Thinking about selling Always a Bride and actually selling it were two different things. Could he really stand to see it all gone? In his heart of hearts, he couldn’t. He’d already put too much into this. Perhaps there was a way for him to continue with the success of the boutique on his own. Sacrificing his mother’s memory wasn’t an option. Maya had already helped him bring the boutique up to speed. He finally knew what he was doing with the business. All he needed to do was trust his business instincts from here on out. “I changed my mind. I don’t think selling will be a good option.”