Flower Girl Ch. 05

"Charlie is six months. We get to go see him next weekend, right Nana?"

"That's right. But Tracy I would like to take the train back Saturday night so I can attend Mass Sunday morning."

"Sure Nana, that works for me too. Hey - I bought a little sailor suit for Charlie!" and she took out her phone to show a photo while William insisted on paying the bill, relieved to be off the hook.

* * * * *

Tracy unlocked the door to her shop, walked over to the computer and turned it on, then looked around to see how the girls had left the shop. Obviously, Antonio had already been in, and there were notes from the girls and fourteen messages in her inbox. Tracy felt overwhelmed with work, but also ecstatic, for her weekend with William made her feel giddy. She tried to focus on work, but she kept breaking out into a silly grin and fought a constant obsession to check her phone.

She scrolled through her emails and saw William's name and immediately opened it first.

Kitten,

What an amazing weekend. This morning I really wanted to see your face and realized I don't have a photo of you. Will you send me one? Of course I long to see you in person. When do you think we can make that happen?

Thank you for sending me other samples of your writing. I really enjoyed reading your short stories; you know they don't have to be erotic to hold my attention. Admittedly, I would probably find your grocery list interesting at this point. I particularly enjoyed the nonfiction piece about growing up as a twin and I loved learning about the young Tracy Wilcox. I am hungry for you, so anything you send will be devoured. I am attaching the short story with some notes, but really...I would love to talk to you in person.

Have I mentioned how I long to see you again?

W.

Tracy smiled so hard her cheeks were hurting. Not to mention her butt cheeks, her legs, even her breasts were sore from the previous day. The best kind of sore. How am I going to concentrate on work today? She wondered. And then Beth called; a video call.

"Well, how did it go?" she asked with trepidation.

Tracy didn't know where to start, so she inhaled and then whispered slowly, "Oh my god. William Travis is the hottest, sweetest, sexiest, smartest man on the planet!"

"So you kinda like him then?" Beth asked dryly, and then laughed. "Okay, tell me everything!"

Tracy backed up and told Beth about the flower arrangement that was actually for her, the date to the museum, and about William's coworker following them around and the overheard conversation in the bathroom.

"Whoa, that is extremely creepy. Was she an ex?"

"No, just a coworker that has a thing for him. Very dowdy. Anyway, then he says he has dinner plans and he takes me to his house to cook for me."

"You mean to get you in bed!"

"What? No, Beth. Well, maybe? Well shoot. He didn't seduce me Beth. I mean not intentionally. He just..."

"What?"

"Well...I am sure I wanted it at least as much as he did. We really hit it off, we have amazing chemistry."

"And so you did it?"

Tracy gave a cautious smile and a nod, then immediately her feminist side realized she did not have to defend her decision, "Why do women always have to justify sleeping with someone? I am sure William is not defending his actions to anyone. Oh, except Nana."

"He met Nana!?!? And she knows? Oh my god, Tracy, You had a busy weekend!"

"I know. It sounds crazy, but Beth - I am not going to let my head fuck up a free lunch. I am so happy right now, even if he does turn out to be ..." Tracy trailed off not really knowing how to finish that sentence. Turns out to be what? She wondered. Then she spoke, "Even if he turns out to be too good to be true."

Beth was smiling at her. Tracy was smiling back. Twins with matching smiles. The computer screen was a mirror, except for their hair and Tracy's glasses.

"Well?" Beth asked slowly, her grin turning coy, "How was it?"

Tracy swallowed, looked to both sides as if to check if anyone were listening even though she was alone, then looked back to the screen and whispered, "Unbelievably fantastically amazing."

"Wow," Beth said, but she was smiling big too. "Wow. I am really happy for you Tracy. So he went to lunch with you and Nana?"

"He did. And came back to my place afterwards, and we just hung out until pretty late last night. The whole date started on Saturday at 10:00 a.m, and ended at Sunday 10:00 p.m."

"A thirty six hour first date?"

"Well, I hadn't calculated, but yes."

"And have you heard from him today?"

"Yes. He texted me when he woke up, and then sent me an email when he got to work."

"Oh my god, Tracy, he is so into you! This is awesome."

"It is. But I am so behind at work. I feel manic."

"Well, hey, get some work done. Are you still coming up on Friday?"

"Yes of course. Is Charlie sleeping?"

"Yes, want to see him?"

"Please!"

"Okay, but be quiet. No squealing!"

Beth carried her laptop into the nursery and let Tracy see Charlie who was sleeping with his mouth open. Beth pointed and silently laughed, then when she left the room whispered, "Like his daddy!"

"He kills me. I can't wait to hold him in a few days." Tracy said.

"Okay, get to work. And keep me updated on this William thing. Sheeze, the rate you two are going you are likely to be married by Thursday."

"Ha-ha Beth," Tracy said sarcastically. "Okay, I better go."

"Bye!"

And Tracy forced herself to answer all her work emails before answering William and sending him a selfie with the caption, "Here is the smile you gave me."

* * * * *

"Hey William, what are you up to?"

"Melissa, you startled me." William was looking at his phone at the photo Tracy sent him. It was just a face shot, but he found her mouth so erotic he was getting nasty thoughts just looking at her and hoped Melissa did not notice the bulge of his semi-hardness.

"Oh sorry, I didn't realize you were doing anything...private."

"Well, did you find those books?" William asked, eager to change the subject.

"Yes, all except one. That Thomas Savage book was not on the shelf. I looked for a long time."

"Really? Well, I do appreciate that Melissa. Thank you." William had the book in his drawer and had sent her on an unachievable mission just to get some space from her. The woman was like a gnat, buzzing around him constantly.

"So," Melissa began, "That woman that you were at the museum with, are you two seeing each other?"

"Yes. Wasn't that obvious?"

"Um, yes, I guess so. But I mean... exclusively?"

"Yes. Yes we are exclusive." William answered and realized how odd that sounded. They just had their first date, but it was true.

"Well, you didn't have a girlfriend last week!"

"How do you know that?" William asked, not sure how Melissa gathered this information.

"Oh, I don't know. I mean, I just thought you didn't. I never heard you talk about her before."

"Well Melissa, I like to keep my personal life private at work."

"Oh."

William's phone vibrated and he knew it was Tracy answering him. He stared at Melissa. She was inspecting a stack of books on the counter, a transparent attempt to hover about. Experience told him not to be too kind to her or she would misread the gesture, so he excused himself to the restroom.

The text read, "Yes, tomorrow night."

William smiled and put his phone back in his pocket and returned to work.

* * * * *

Vera was worried about Victor. He had not even been a pain in the ass lately, just very listless. The new caregiver helped get him in the van and she thanked him and let him go for the day. There would be people at the hospital to help once she got there. "Ready Victor?" She asked after strapping in the wheel chair and before turning the ignition. She hoped for a thumb-up, but got nothing, just a blank stare. She started the van and began the twenty minute drive to the doctor's office. She even put heavy-metal on the stereo, Victor's taste, but he did not respond.

The doctor said he had a kidney infection again and put him on another round of antibiotics. He checked Victor's backside for bed sores and said, "He is really lucky to have you Vera. How are you holding up?"

"Oh, you know me Dr. Wu. No complaints."

"You sure?" He asked. He noticed bruises on Vera's arms.

"Yes, I mean what could I complain about? I am not the one who is half-paralyzed or brain damaged."

"Yes, well, true. But you have taken on a big burden taking care of your brother."

"Victor is not a burden! Besides, I have help."

"Yes, well...let me know if you need anything. My offer for a prescription is still good, if you need something to take the edge off."

"I happen to like my edge, Dr. Wu." Vera assured him.

"Okay Vera. Well, think about a vacation. Maybe you can have one of the caregivers stay at your place."

"That's not a bad idea," Vera answered. She was making more money now and could actually afford a weekend away. But traveling alone? That didn't sound like fun at all.

William was glad to have the distraction of a game that evening to occupy his mind. He worried about his mental state and had not felt completely in control of his thoughts all day. Certainly it was enjoyable to think about Tracy and quite understandable after the amazing weekend they had just experienced, but he felt obsessive and did not enjoy the feeling. Baseball, then a drink with John would get him centered again.

He met John at Ardesia, one of their favorite bars and of course John was a few minutes late. When he arrived, William was sitting with a drink in front of him, obviously distracted.

"Well William, I won't apologize for being late. Instead I would like to hear about your date."

William smiled and said, "It was far beyond my expectations. And it lasted all weekend."

John laughed and said, "Very good news. Was she surprised by the flowers?"

"She was. Thank you again for your assistance."

"My pleasure. I was very curious to meet this woman, and once I did, I knew your hiatus of celibacy was coming to an end. Can I reiterate how attractive she is?"

"Absolutely. Tracy is my favorite topic of conversation. However, I am very concerned about my thinking."

John's demeanor changed to concern as he asked, "What's going on William?"

"I feel obsessive. I've looked at her photo fourteen times today. And while waiting for you to arrive, I checked my phone four more times."

John knew not to laugh at his friend, but he couldn't help smiling, "That, my friend, is not your OCD. That sounds like something else."

William looked at John waiting for him to go on. He trusted John and valued his opinion on such matters.

"It is too soon to assume love, but please allow me to say you are, at the very least, infatuated."

"Oh, I definitely agree, but don't you think I am being rather extreme? It is very unnerving not to feel in control of my thought patterns."

"I know you have reason to be concerned, William, but I assure you, this is ...well, while it is not exactly normal, it is extremely fortunate. I suggest you enjoy it, as it is not likely to last at this intensity. I admit I have felt this way myself, but it has been years since I have had a woman get under my skin that way. I envy you right now, my friend."

"So your date did not go well?"

"No. All style and no substance."

"Ah, I am sorry to hear that John. I wish you would take my suggestion on this matter."

"I did take your advice William. I wore my Tagheur instead of my Rolex."

William chuckled, "That is not exactly what I said, John. I said leave the Rolex at home," William laughed shaking his head. "Maybe you should buy a Timex since you can't seem to go without a timepiece. How else will you ever stop attracting gold-diggers?"

"A Timex?" John shuddered. "I guess I can skip the watch."

"And shoes, John. Honestly, how much did you pay for those shoes?"

"These?" John looked down and admired his own shoes, "These are Italian leather? Salvatore Ferragomo. I don't recall what I paid for them, I don't consider price, I just look for quality. Very important in my line of work."

"Of course," William agreed, "But a detriment to attracting the right type of woman."

"I agree," John conceded, "But remember what happened last time? You had me dress like a pauper and go to that dive bar. And the women were-"

"I know, I'm sorry. That was a bad idea."

"Yes, well, I am disheartened but not giving up. What about Tracy? Did she ask how you are able to afford your place on a librarian's salary?"

"No, she did not," William answered. "The only number she was interested in was my two-to-one ratio."

John laughed and toasted William's glass. "Please inquire if she has any friends as captivating as she is," then he added, "You lucky bastard."

* * * * *

Tracy rolled over and turned off her alarm clock, picked up her glasses off the nightstand and checked her phone. It was the second day of waking up to a text message from William and this one said, "Good morning Kitten. I wish I were waking up next to you."

Tracy was glowing with affection. She could barely comprehend that just a few days ago she wasn't even sure if William liked her, and now she was getting sweet good-morning messages. After a thirty minute yoga video, she showered, drank coffee, ate oatmeal, then put on makeup. She felt pretty in her dress and decided to take a selfie and send it to William as she answered his text, "Good morning to you, Mr. More." The dress had a very Mondrian-looking print, and they had talked about the artist on their date to the museum.

A text came back immediately, "Stunning. Your legs will be sizzling on my retinas all day long."

Tracy laughed because he was so complimentary of a mediocre photo and decided to turn it up a notch. She turned with her back to the mirror and, with her feet together, lifted her dress up to expose the entire length of her legs, and just a little crescent of butt cheek covered in a sheer black lace pantie. She snapped a photo over her shoulder and sent it to William.

She walked the half block to Petals, unlocked the door and laid her stuff down before checking her phone again. "That pretty little butt cheek is begging for my hand."

Tracy giggled and turned on her computer and tried to concentrate on work. They had a date planned for that evening and she wanted to make sure she could close the shop on time. The online orders were light, which was typical for a Tuesday. She would start working on the church flowers today, since they were due every Thursday. Her phone rang, Pierre calling. "Tracy my dear, can you spare any white roses? I am in a predicament!"

"Let me check," Tracy said, and walked over to the flower wall. "I have twenty, Pierre. Do you need me to send them over?"

"Oh Tracy, you are an angel!"

"Oh hey, Pierre, guess what? Remember that amazing arrangement I made last week? It was for me! This man I met ordered the flowers for me and then brought them when he picked me up for a date on Saturday."

"What? Oh, Tracy! This is the most romantic thing I have ever heard. Tell me, tell me everything! Who is this man, where did you meet him?"

"He's a librarian at the Mid-Manhattan and I met him through a mutual friend."

"Is he handsome? Where did you go on your date?"

"He is very handsome and he took me to the Met. You would like him Pierre, he is a complete gentleman." With just a touch of pervert, Tracy smiled to herself.

"Oh Tracy, you are breaking my heart! I want to hear more, I want details, first kiss - everything! But I'm afraid I have a large order to fill right away. Can we chat later?"

"Of course Pierre! Tend to your business. I'll have Antonio run those roses over."

"Oh Tracy, you are such a doll. I am so pleased you met a man brave enough to give you flowers. You know, no man has ever given me flowers!"

"Yeah, a detriment of our trade, Pierre," Tracy said, then hung up and texted Antonio to come get the roses.

"Please deliver roses to Pierre," then she added, "No man ever gives him flowers." Antonio texted back "Twenty minutes," missing her joke.

Tracy started working on the church flowers. They had a budget, but the good thing was they were not picky so Tracy was able to use her overstock to make their arrangements. Today she was using calla lilies and yellow daises.

"Good morning Tracy!" Beverly beamed as she opened the door.

"Nana! Look at you, I love your hat!"

"Why thank you dear. And I just adore your dress. It is reminiscent of a Mondrian painting!"

"I know, right?" Tracy laughed, "So Nana! What did you think of William?"

"Oh, utterly charming! What a dashing young man." Beverly paused.

"But?"

"But what, my dear?"

"Come on Nana, I caught your hesitation at the end. What are you thinking?"

"Well," Beverly began cautiously, "He seemed evasive about his family, particularly his mother."

"Okay," Tracy nodded. "Fair enough. I will see if I can explore that topic further."

"And..."

"Yes Nana, say it!"

"Well Tracy, I just worry that a man is going to see you as someone with money. And he is a librarian, a noble profession to be sure, but not a very lucrative career choice."

"Okay. Well...Nana...you know I'm no money bags."

"Of course dear, but you do own a business, and live in a nice rent controlled apartment. One might assume..."

"And you forgot my awesome wardrobe!" Tracy stepped out from behind the counter and did a twirl in her dress. She did not want to argue with her grandmother but did not want to seem defensive.

"Yes Tracy, you have a wonderful fashion sense. No one would believe that you buy most of your clothes second hand."

"Smart, frugal, and stylish." Tracy winked at her.

"And modest!" Beverly laughed.

"Well Nana, I'll run a good soil test on him tonight. We have a date and I'll try to get a financial statement and a thorough background check. Maybe even a DNA sample. Ooops, too much information!" Tracy laughed thinking about how easily she could get a sperm sample from him.

"Oh Tracy, I don't mean to sound like a killjoy. Just remember to keep your eyes open."

"Not while we are kissing Nana. That's just gross."

"Oh Tracy," Beverly laughed, "You are incorrigible. Well, I will admit he is unlike anyone you've dated. He is a very intelligent and insightful young man."

Just then Ray came through the door of Petals and Tracy used a mock-serious serious tone to say, "Speaking of intelligent and insightful young men, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Ray Kelly. Ray, this is my grandmother, Beverly."

Beverly turned to Ray and said, "Oh, hello Ray. So good to see you again!" She turned to Tracy and explained, "From church."

Ray stood in shock with his mouth opened, looking from Beverly to Tracy, then back to Beverly. "Tracy is your granddaughter? "

Beverly nodded and Tracy was slightly amused, but not surprised. Her Nana seemed to know everyone.

Just then Antonio came in and Tracy excused herself to talk to him while her Nana spoke to Ray. Tracy kept a bicycle in the back of the shop and it was the quickest way to get flowers to Pierre, since his shop was directly on the other side of Central Park. She sent Antonio on his way with twenty white roses and returned her attention to Ray and Nana. Nana was saying goodbye and told Tracy to enjoy her dinner date.

"William?" Ray asked, smiling.

"Yes," Tracy smiled back.

"Wow, that's cool. I didn't see you two together, but now it's starting to make sense."

"I feel the same way," Tracy said. "How's Alicia?"