Charity's Shadow Part V

With this final chapter, we bring the story of Ben and Charity to a close. Thank you for your patience. I miscalculated when I first divided the story for posting, which caused me to drag it out a little longer than necessary. I hope no one was injured!

Enjoy.

Charity's Shadow--The Finale

On Monday morning, Ben arrived at work early as was expected of him. Edna was busy sweeping and failed to notice when he walked in. When she saw him, she screeched and clutched her chest. “Sweet Moses in the river, you gave me a start.”

Ben was standing taller than before. “Sorry, Edna. Are you okay?”

She pressed imaginary wrinkles from her apron. “That’s a question everyone seems to be asking me these last few days. So, how was your date?” On cue, he turned and let her see his right cheek and the shiner he sported. “Merciful Heaven. What happened?”

Ben gave a Reader’s Digest version of what happened to him, politely eliminating any references to their osculatory behavior. He explained how Rocky attacked him and then proceeded to pummel him until Chasity could get between them.

Edna frowned. “Ben, I’m old fashioned, and I don’t understand why you didn’t try to defend yourself.”

It was Ben’s turn to frown. “It’s because I drank that iced tea. They must have put something in it that affected me. I was feeling pretty good, but I had almost no control over what I was doing.” He sat on a stool near the refrigerator that housed the roses. “I was in way over my head. I didn’t belong to such a fast crowd. I feel as though I’m lucky to be standing here.” His lips curled in distress. “It was exciting, and I almost got swept away with the excitement, but I didn’t belong there. My mother raised me better than to go drinking and carousing.”

“And fighting,” Edna pointed out with a mischievous smile.

“And fighting.” Ben stood and stretched. “Man, Rocky could hit like a pro. I must have looked like a fool laying there getting beaten.”

Edna was discontent. “I just can’t imagine Charity behaving like that. She seems like such a sweet girl. I’d never have guessed she was so racy.”

“Well, I’m done with women. They are just too painful.”

The grandmother in her reached out to him. “Now, now. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. We just misjudged the qualities of that woman. We’ll find you another.” She turned to her clipboard. “I have a delivery over at the hospital. Could you run this one over to room 549? It’s for a friend of mine who has cancer.”

He reached for the potted plant in her hand. “I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, Charity stepped through the door and lingered over the daffodils on the counter. “These are so pretty,” she mused.

Edna looked up when she heard her voice. “Had a good time this weekend, did you?”

Charity smiled and didn’t seem to notice the icy tone in her voice. “I did!” She quizzically glanced at her. “How did you know?”

Edna frowned. “Ben told me.”

Charity tilted her head. “Ben? I didn’t know you knew Ben.”

“Of course I do.” Edna moved to the counter and picked at some yellow leaves on an ivy. “Don’t you feel bad about what happened?”

“With Ben?” She was almost sarcastic. “He deserved to get beaten like that.”

Edna was stirred to anger, but held her tongue. “Deserved?”

“Why, he was strutting around, telling everyone that he was the king of the hill. I had to put him back in his place.” She laughed at the memory. “You should have seen him a few minutes later. That boy never saw it coming.”

“That’s the truth. But did he deserve to be humiliated?”

Again, a silly smile brightened her face. “You should have heard him bragging about how good he was. Why, when I delivered that first ringer, he was shocked. He knew then it was over.”

Edna faced her with hands on her hips. “What? It was you who beat him?”

“Of course it was me. That’s what’s funny about the whole thing.”

“But,” she stopped to think. “But he said it was your boyfriend.”

“Edna, you know I don’t have a boyfriend.” She lifted her eyebrow. “What made you think it was my boyfriend?”

Edna stopped to consider that. “Well, it’s what he said. Ben told me it was…” She lifted her hand to her mouth. “I can imagine how embarrassing that must have been. He was beaten by a girl.”

Charity playfully flexed a muscle. “And severely beaten, I might add.” She glanced at her watch. “Oops, look at the time. I better get to work.” She stepped onto the sidewalk and yelled over her shoulder. “I’ll see you in the morning!”

Edna turned to her stool and leaned into her knees in deep thought. “Why would Ben lie to me about what happened? Was he ashamed that he was beaten up by a girl? Or, was he simply being a gentleman and refused to strike a woman?” She heard his shoes shuffle on the sidewalk as he returned from his delivery. She saw him glance over his shoulder and linger by the door for a moment. He seemed lost in thought a moment, unaware that he was being observed. “Are you okay, Ben?”

Her question brought him back to himself. “Yes. Your friend said to say hello to you.”

“Mr. Jameson and I grew up together. I’m sorry to see him suffer so.”

“He had a good attitude about his condition. I sat with him a few minutes.” He smiled to Edna. “I hope it was okay to do that.”

“Of course.” She waved him off as if his concerns were unfounded. “I’m sorry about Charity. I heard the truth about what happened.”

He was silent a moment. “So, she came by again?”

“Just as she does each morning. Why didn’t you tell me that she was the one who hurt you?”

He considered her words. Was it Rocky who hurt him, or the fact that Chasity and Rocky reunited while he lay on the ground with a bloody nose? Perhaps it was the humiliation of being left lying in the sand while his date affectionately greeting his tormentor. Either way, he couldn’t think about Chasity without recalling some level of pain. “Well, women are mean,” he said dismissively. “Either way, I’m through with women.” He smiled weakly. “My museum job will offer better company, so long as it’s full of mummies.”

The phone rang and Edna took another delivery order, which she handed to Ben. “This is going to the hospital to a young lady admitted over the weekend. Before you go, I have to make a confession. Would you sit down for a moment?” She waited until he was settled in and she had his attention. “When I hired you, it was just so you could meet my friend. I’m sorry that didn’t work out. I had a good feeling about you two, but I have learned my lesson. Unfortunately, I can’t afford to keep you on at 12 dollars an hour. My profits are already small and I simply can’t afford you. I’m sorry to do this while you’re down, but I have to let you go.” She reached for his hand and affectionately patted it. “You can finish the week and then that will be the end.”

He nodded. “Well, it was understood that this was a temp job when I agreed to work for you. I understand.” He squeezed her hand in return. “I appreciate you trying to fix us up. I know you meant well.”

She had a tear in her eye. “I did. And, I’m sorry.”

He stood to his feet. “Well, if it’s okay with you, I’m going to make this delivery and then I’ll clock out. I just don’t have the heart to be here any longer.”

“I know.” She watched him make his way out the door and onto the sidewalk. “Yes, I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never interfere with matters of love again. I’m just not good at it.” She picked up a package of baby’s breath. “Some things weren’t meant to be.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ben made his way into the hospital and stopped by the information desk to ask for directions. “Pardon me? Could you tell me which room a C. Wilson is in?”

The gray haired lady paused a moment and glanced through a chart. “I have a man and a woman named Wilson. Both have an initial of C. Do you know which one it is?”

His forehead wrinkled as he tried to remember what Edna said about the delivery. “I think it was for a young lady who just arrived a day or two ago.”

The woman nodded and said, “I have one who was admitted Sunday afternoon.”
“That has to be her.” He examined the sticky note with the room number written on it. “That will be the elevator in the west tower?”

“Yes.” She pointed across the lobby. “The west tower.”

When he found the second floor, he noticed that he was just down from the intensive care unit. He walked to the end of the hall and double checked the sticky note. “232. This must be it.” He knocked on the door and no one answered, so he cautiously pressed against the large frame until the door slightly opened. The room was empty except for the lifeless form lying on the bed. He tiptoed around the bed and placed the vase on the windowsill and turned to leave. He stole a glance at the young lady in the bed and stopped cold in his tracks. It was Chasity.

He was forced to do a double take as he considered the girl lying before him. It was definitely his former date. She appeared to be sleeping, so he tiptoed out of the room and almost tripped over the nurse carrying a tray of bandages. The nurse asked him, “Are you a family member of Miss Wilson?”

He shook his head. “No. But I did know her. What happened?”

“It’s so sad. She was brought into the ER yesterday from an overdose of crystal meth. She and a friend of hers.”

“A man or a woman?”

“A woman. There were three of them and they were doing drugs early Sunday morning and one of them noticed that the other girl was not moving. They checked on her and she didn’t respond. They called 911. By the time the ambulance arrived, all three of them were unconscious. The girl who was unresponsive died last night. The other two were very sick, but they will probably recover.”

“Are they going to be okay?”

“Who knows? They will likely have some brain damage.”

“Thanks. Have a nice day.” He nodded to the nurse and began to make his way down the hall. When he saw the waiting room on the right, he faltered a moment, and then collapsed into a chair. His hands were quivering and his breathing was labored. The enormity of what happened to Chasity was overwhelming him. The longer he considered that he could have been in that hospital bed near her, the more distress he felt. Would he have done the drugs with them? Who knows? He was certainly playing along with them. By the time they got the drugs out, he might have been so drunk that he would have tried anything.

After a moment, he collected himself and stood to his feet. Apparently, he was unsteady, for the next thing he knew, a pleasant and friendly voice was directing him to sit back down. From his chair, he looked up and gasped. It was the girl from the street, the one he watched walk past his house every morning.

She observed his reaction and thought it odd. “Are you okay? You look as though you saw a ghost.”

“More like a shadow.” He smiled. “My name is Ben.”

She returned his smile. “Pleased to meet you, Ben. My name is Charity. I like the name Ben; it’s my brother’s name.”

He hesitated a moment. “Listen, I don’t want to seem like a weirdo, but I’ve seen you before.”

“Where?” Her eyes were friendly and inviting.

“I live just down the street, kind of across from a little flower shop on the corner.”

Her face brightened. “Do you mean Edna’s flower shop? I stop in there every morning a smell the flowers.”

He blinked rapidly a moment. “Every day?”

“Practically.” She laughed to herself. “That sounds a little strange, doesn’t it?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time, but I never had an opportunity to say hi.”

“Well,” she blushed shyly. “Hi.”

“Charity?”

“Yes?”

“Would you join me for a cup of coffee?”

“I’d love to.”

Charity's Shadow Part IV

There will be one more part following this installment. Hold on to your hat, Nellie. This is where we take a twist...

Charity's Shadow Part IV

When Saturday afternoon arrived, punctuated by beautiful fall weather, Ben found himself standing on the peer overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, searching for his date. He found her on the beach a few yards away playing volleyball with a handful of girls. When Chasity saw him, she yelled out, “Hey, Ben!”

He waved awkwardly at her, and then blushed when all the girls turned and smiled at him. He’d never seen such a collection of women. They were definitely beach bunnies, and all could have passed for models. But what concerned him even more, was the fact that they weren’t making fun of him. He found a place near a sand castle and watched them as they bounced and jumped on the sand. For the first time in his life, he was able to watch the girls without feeling like a pervert. When their game was finished, Chasity approached him. “You found us! You have perfect timing. We were about to go to the Cove and hang out. You wanna come?”

Having no intention of leaving early, he readily agreed. As the group walked to the Cove, the girls took turns introducing themselves to Ben. Portia flirted with him a moment and asked, “Where do you go to college?”

He was overwhelmed. Never before had he had so much attention—and certainly it had never come from such high caliber women. “I graduated last semester.”

She nodded. “From where?”

“Northcorn University.” His face flushed red.

She was excited. “Northcorn?” She pushed him playfully. “No way! My best friend in high school went to Northcorn.” She nodded her head in appreciation. “So, whaddya study?”

“Museum administration.” Again he blushed. He was expecting them to start laughing at any minute. But quite the opposite occurred. Marla turned. “Museology? There’s good money in that.”

He smiled. “Yeah. I’ll do pretty well.”

“I’ll say,” she responded. “You could be making close the three figures.”

Chasity leaned on him as they walked. “Easy, girls. He’s with me.” She grabbed his hand and interlaced their fingers. “Ben is all mine.”

Portia huffed. “And what about Rocky?”

Chasity rolled her eyes. “What about Rocky?”

She flipped her hair. “He’s only your boyfriend.”

Chasity shrugged. “We broke up.”

“No you didn’t,” Portia corrected. “You had a fight. There’s a difference.”

“I caught him with someone else. We’re finished.”

“Whatever.”

Chasity stopped walking and turned to face her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Like you were faithful to him. You were the first one to cheat.”

She leaned into her face. “He was asking for it. I saw him checking out the other girls.”

“Like that matters! Every guy checks out the girls. That’s what they do, right, Ben?”

Ben, caught completely off guard, had no response. “I don’t know.”

“Ben is different.” Chasity placed her arms around his shoulder. “He’s smart, not tough.”

Marla butted in. “But once you have tough, it’s hard to go back to average.” She glanced at Ben. “No offense.”

“Uh, none taken.” Ben was wondering how to get out of this conversation, but was conflicted with being surrounded by beautiful women. Maybe he could just enjoy the moment and forget what they were saying.

“Don’t be mean to Ben. He’s the kind of guy you marry.”

Portia jumped in again. “Really?” she said with venom. “You are going to marry?”

Chasity rolled her eyes again. “Yeah, right! I’ll never be a slave to some piece of paper.”

“Whatever.” Portia turned and continued walking. The rest of the group followed her lead. The fight seemed to be over for the moment. “What are you going to tell Rocky?”

“Nothing. It’s not his business.”

“He’ll notice that Ben is here. He’s not blind you know.”

“Let me worry about Rocky.” Her grip never faltered on Ben’s hand. He was along for the ride, and he was holding hands with a pretty hot girl. What did he care?

When they arrived at the Cove, Ben discovered it was a hang out he would never have picked out on his own. Couples were scattered along the boardwalk surrounding it, and many were making out and getting familiar with each other—more than should be allowed in public. Despite his surroundings, Ben held fast to Chasity’s hand and they entered the club together.

He immediately hated it. The music was louder than he liked, and he certainly smelt marijuana smoke as they moved to the bar. All of the girls ordered a Cosmopolitan and turned to Ben, who was expected to order also. “I’ll have a Coke.”

Portia smirked. “Definitely the marrying type. Come on, Ben. This is a bar. Live a little.”

Ben was embarrassed. “I don’t drink, and I don’t know what to order.”

Portia placed a hand on his chest. “Well, then. Let me take care of you. I know what you need.” She turned to the man behind the counter. “Long Island Iced Tea for Ben.” She smiled. “You do like tea, right?”

“Yeah.” He did like tea.

“Well, you will love this. It’s just like tea, only it has a little bite.” When she said bite, she snapped her teeth together.

He shrugged. “Okay, thanks.”

While they waited on their drinks, Chasity began to dance to the music and started moving in a circle around Ben, who had no sense of rhythm. She began to move close to him and whispered, “Let’s hit the floor.”

For the hundredth time that afternoon, he was embarrassed. “I don’t know how to dance.”

“Come on, that won’t stop us.  I have all the moves you need!” She pulled him to the dance floor and began to circle him and dance around him, as if he were a mannequin. To his relief, the bartender motioned that their drinks were ready, so they returned to the bar. Uncertain what his drink was, he tasted it. “This is iced tea?” he asked Portia.

She tasted her Cosmopolitan. “What does it taste like?”

“Iced tea.”

“Then it’s iced tea.”

He liked the flavor and began to sip on his straw. In a few minutes, the drink was disappearing. Chasity was grinning at him as she finished her first drink and motioned for another. Suddenly, he felt flushed and comfortable. He even found enough rhythm to join Chasity on the dance floor for a moment, until the room started to spin. They made their way back to the bar. “Do you want another Long Island?” The bartender asked.

He looked at Chasity, who replied. “I think he does. It’s going to be a fun night, and it starts right here.”

He was uncertain if he should have a second, simply because he wasn’t sure if the first was sitting correctly with him. After a few minutes at the bar, Chasity grabbed his arm. “Come on. Let’s find a private place out back.” She pulled on his arm until he wobbled behind her. On the boardwalk, they found a corner near the beach and she wrapped her arms around him and began to kiss him furiously. He was loosing his ability to think rationally, and her attention was flattering to him, so he began to return her affections. That’s when he felt a hand grab his hair and he was furiously flung backwards.

Suddenly, a large, burly man was pointing his finger at him. “What are you doing with my girlfriend?”

Rocky had found them.

To Be Continued

Charity's Shadow III

Sorry, but I miscalculated how many installments there are in this story. There will be a few more. I'll try to post them a little faster. Thanks for your patience.

Charity's Shadow III

The next morning, Edna was unlocking the doors before seven o'clock when he crossed the street. “Good morning, Ben.”

“Good morning, Edna. Are you having a good morning?”

“Absolutely lovely. I work with flowers. How can anything go wrong for me? Oh, I’m glad you’re here a few minutes early. I need to run to the corner market and make some change for the register. Will you accept the morning delivery for me?”

“Of course.”

Edna stirred through the store a moment, and then stepped into the street and around the corner. After a moment, the bell rang, and Ben discovered the delivery girl. She was tall and slender, with shoulder length brown hair, and a tempting smile. Her eyes sparkled when she laughed, and she laughed often. She was every bit as lovely as Edna described.

“Hi, my name is Ben.”

She looked him over and said, “Howya Ben? My name is Chasity. Are you new here?”

Ben smiled warmly. “It’s my second day.” He was motivated by her smile and shapely figure, so he dug deep for courage and commented, “Edna said she hired me so I could meet the pretty girl who came by every morning. That has to be you, right?”

Chasity returned his smile. “How sweet of Edna. She’s the greatest. So, she wanted us to meet? Wow. I wonder how she knew I wasn’t dating anyone?”

Ben followed up on that topic. “So, you are currently single?”

“Single? If you mean not married, then absolutely. If you mean not dating, then unfortunately, I mean absolutely. But a week or so ago I lost my boyfriend.”

“Oh, it’s only been a week?”

“Yes. He was such a bore. Always talking about himself. He was a know-it-all, too.”

“I hate that type.”

“I wonder how Edna knew I lost my boyfriend?”

“I donno. But somehow she did.”

“So, what about you? Are you dating anyone?”

Ben flashed red again. “Me? Not a chance. I haven’t had any dates in several years.”

“Oh?”

Her interest caused him to explain. “Well, I only just graduated from college a few months ago. I was so busy with my studies that I had little time for other things.” His face flushed again. “I even still live with my mother.”

She began to twist a curl of her long hair in her fingers. “Well, that’s okay. Especially if you were going to school. It’s not as if you are some metal head bleeding his parents dry. Right? So, what were you studying?”

“Museology.”

“Come again?”

“Museum Curation.”

She slightly cocked her head sideways. “I’m sorry. Try again.”

Ben smiled softly. “Museum administration.”

Chasity eyed him warily. “I see. I didn’t realize that such a degree existed.”

“Well, it’s the nerd option that most people don’t take.”

She watched him dully. “Well, at least you have a plan, right?”

“That’s right. How about you?”

“Me? I don’t have a plan. I just live for the weekend.”

That peaked Ben’s interest. “Ah, a weekender? That doesn’t get you into trouble?”

“As often as possible!” She looked him over. “You and I aren’t a perfect match, but do you want to go out this weekend?” She reached for his hand and wrote her phone number on his palm. “Call me this afternoon.”

“Uh, sure. Why not? I don’t have any plans. Besides, it’ll make Edna happy.”

She winked at him and collected her empty delivery cartons. “Making Edna happy is what it’s all about.” She turned and began to walk away from him. “Until it’s time to make me happy.” His eyes followed her as she made her way out the door. She gave him a show for his efforts.

Charity's Shadow -- Part II

I'm sorry for the delay in posting part two. I have too many irons in the fire this week.

Charity's Shadow Part II

The next morning, Edna and Ben busied themselves cutting stems and trimming leaves from their early morning deliveries. While Ben filled balloons with helium, Edna prepared several vases for their mid-morning deliveries to the hospital down the street. Soon, their first hour of work was complete, and Ben gathered the cuttings and stuffed them into a trash bag. He glanced at his watch—if he hurried, he could still watch her walk down the street.

Edna, sensing that eight o'clock was drawing nigh, announced to Ben that she was going to sweep the walk. She didn’t realize that Ben had already dashed through the back door and was making his way to the dumpster in the alley, trying to get to the corner before Charity made the turn.

When Charity approached the flower shop, she started to greet Edna as usual, but she was quickly ushered into the shop with a warning, “You need to hurry, or you’ll run out of time. Quickly, child. Now, take your time and smell the rose--and hurry up!”

Somewhat disoriented, Charity found herself shoved through the door and standing in the small shop, which was empty of people, save her. Uncertain of what was happening, she stood for a moment, glanced through the store, and then exited the building with a shrug. Edna, alarmed at her sudden re-emergence, quickly scolded her. “What are you doing out here? I sent you inside the store to smell the flowers.”

Charity stared at her blankly. “Edna? Are you alright?”

“Heavens to Betsy, I’m okay. Why are you here?”

Concerned, she replied, “Edna? It’s me, Charity. Are you well?”

“Never mind that, child. Why aren’t you in the store? It’s costing me twelve dollars an hour, and I want you to smell the roses.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, dear. Didn’t you like him?”

“Who?”

“That boy.”

“What boy?”

“Ben, that’s who. What’s wrong with him?”

“Ben, who?”

“No, not Ben Hur. Ben, the boy.”

Charity’s concern for Edna was increasing each second. “No, Edna. I’ve never been a boy. What’s wrong? You look flushed.”

“Charity! I want you to go into the store and meet Ben.”

“But I was in the store. There’s no one else in there.” She gazed into Edna’s eyes. “Are you certain you’re okay? Have you been sleeping well?”

“Balderdash! I’m fine. What do you mean that no one’s in the store?”

“Just that, Edna. No one’s in there. It’s just the two of us. Maybe you should let me walk you to the hospital.”

“Never mind the hospital.” She grabbed her by the shoulders. “Come with me, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Okay.” She surrendered to Edna’s pulling arms and followed her into the store, where she was wandering through the room calling, “Ben? Ben?”

Charity was getting scared. “Edna? Who is Ben?”

“The boy who works here. I want you to meet him.”

“There’s no boy here. It’s just you and me.” She caught Edna’s frantic eyes. “Let me walk you to the hospital. It’s only just down the street.”

“I need no doctors. I need to find Ben.”

Charity glanced at her watch. “Oh, look at the time. I have to run. Are you certain you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Perhaps I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I promise to check on you in the morning. I must hurry.” With that, she turned and trotted from the store and down the street. Ben, standing on the corner as Charity rushed past, disappointingly realizes that she’s gone. Dejected, he returns to the store, only to find Edna distraught.

“Where have you been?”

“I took the clippings to the dumpster.”

“Why on Earth would you do that?”

He glanced at the open door and the street beyond. “Are you asking me why would I take out the trash?”

Crestfallen, Edna collapses into a chair and hangs her head in her hands. “The best laid plans of mice and men…”

“I beg your pardon?”

She looked at him and smiled. “And you have such good manners, too. But it won’t mean anything if I can’t get you to meet, will it?”

“I don’t follow you, Edna.”

She sighed deeply. “I wanted to introduce you to a young lady I know. She’s so sweet, and she comes by here every morning. She’s very pretty, and has a lovely smile. But, for some reason, she hasn’t found love.” She smiled to herself. “I wanted her to meet you. You seem like a perfect match.”

Ben was red around his ears. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Tell me that you’ll meet her tomorrow.”

“Well, to be honest, there’s a girl that I want to meet, but…”

Edna’s face grew soft. “But what?”

“But, she’s just too pretty to meet a guy like me. So, I just watch her walk by, not even knowing her name.”

She smiled. “Ah. Well, now I think we can solve this problem. I want you to be here bright and early in the morning. Try to be here as close to seven as you can be. This young lady comes by every morning, but only stays a moment. She’s the sweetest thing, and I know you’ll just love her. Won’t you try to be here on time?”

“I’ll be here. I promise,” he said, shyly.

To be continued....

Singer-Scribe

I'll continue Charity's Shadow shortly, but first I wanted to tell everyone about one of the best observations I've ever read about interacting with people. I want to recommend that everyone visit Gwen Stewart's blog, Singer-Scribe. Her story about "Real People" interacting within the bubble of an elementary school is hilarious and fun. In general, she has a magnificent blog site, but specifically, she nailed Thursday's post, and I want everyone to see what a great job she did:
http://singer-scribe.blogspot.com/2008/10/business.html

Charity's Shadow -- Part I

Hello! I have a new story for you to enjoy. This one is a little longer than most, so I have to break it up into small pieces. I originally intended for this to be a play, and I might yet convert it, but once I started developing the story, it took an unexpected turn and is no longer a practical play. Mostly because I wrote into the story a scene at the beach--and I would not be comfortable sitting in a play with a beach scene, for obvious reasons. I originally intended for this story to be set entirely in a flower shop, but I got distracted and my story got out of hand! Well, if I convert it, it will be returned to the flower shop in it's entirety. I now present to you the first part of Charity's Shadow:

Charity’s Shadow

A young lady glided among the plants and balloons lining the walls of the flower shop. Her fingers tenderly brushed along the petals of a rose and paused while she leaned forward and sniffed gently,savoring the fragrance. Though she looked at the flowers in the case, she saw romance and love. She smiled warmly and almost seemed to curtsy as she regretfully made her way to the door and into the street.

The elderly woman sweeping the sidewalk glanced at her and frowned. “Charity, you’ll be late for work again if you don’t mind the time.”

“Oh, Edna, you’re so sweet to worry about me.”

“Nonsense, child. Now run along. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, Charity turned and made her way down the sidewalk and around the corner. Edna, long familiar with this ritual, now turned to witness the final act of the play. A young man, unaware of Edna’s gaze, was staring wistfully after Charity’s shadow as she walked into the sunrise around the corner. For months, the young man watched Charity, but never developed the courage to chance meeting her. So he watched from the safety of his window, secure in knowing that he would never have to face this unnamed beauty.

While the boy watched the girl, Edna watched the boy with an understanding in her heart. She herself had once walked through fields of flowers in search of the very thing that surrounded her. But, Edna decided, this time it will be different.

The young man straightened himself from the window and grabbed his jacket. “I’m going to leave now, Mom.”

A tight faced, narrow eyed woman leaned through the bathroom door and spoke over her cigarette. “Benny, don’t you leave without kissing your mother.”

Ben sighed and walked across the room. “It’s Ben, Mom. My name is Ben.”
“But you’ll always be Little Benny to me.”

Ben resigned, pecked his mother’s cheek, and disappeared through the door. “Don’t be late, Benny!” She shouted after him. “Dinner is at six."  She blew smoke into the air.  "Sharp.”

“Bye Mom,” he shouted over his shoulder as the door shut behind him.

Once out in the street, Ben stopped and breathed deeply, as if the air outside was more meaningful than the air in his apartment. He crossed the street and stepped over the broom lying in front of the flower shop. Thinking it odd that Edna would leave her broom on the sidewalk, he retrieved it and leaned it against the window. He glanced through the large glass window and saw that Edna lay on the floor just inside the door. He hesitated, unsure of what to do, and then cautiously opened the door. “Ma’am?” he called. “Miss Edna? Are you okay?”

Edna stirred on the floor and glanced at Ben as he reached a hand toward her. She grasped his hand firmly and sat up. “Oh my. I must have fallen.”

He was fighting to restrain panic. “Well? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, really. Could you help me to my feet?”

He nodded kindly and lifted her by her hands. “My, you’re a strong one,” she said.

“Well, I, uh…” Ben had no idea how to respond. “Thank you. Are you okay?” he repeated and let go of her firm grip. Edna seemed to wobble for a moment and then started to lean forward.

Ben steadied her. “Why don’t you sit down for a moment?”

“You’re nice,” she observed. “And caring, also.”

“I’d better call an ambulance,” Ben offered.

“That won’t be necessary, I only tripped.” Then her face squirmed in pain. “I think I twisted my ankle.”

“It’s a good thing you’re sitting down. Does it hurt?”

“And compassionate,” she noted.

“I beg your pardon?”

“And polite.”

Ben looked confused.

Edna smiled warmly. “Don’t mind me. I’m only an old woman who talks to herself. What is your name?”

“Ben Greene.”

“Oh, yes. I knew Beulah Greene, who lived just a block down the street.”

“That’s my mother, Ma'am.”

“Please call me Edna.”

“Okay.” He hesitated. “Hi, Edna.” He glanced out the window. “If you’re okay, then I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh? Where are you off to?”

“I have to go to the pharmacy. Then I need to go by the Workforce Commission.”

She put her hand on his arm. “Dear boy, did you get fired?”

His face turned red. “No, nothing like that. But, I did get laid off from my last job. I have a job coming in a few weeks at the museum, but it won’t start and I need something to tide me over for a few days.”

Her eyes brightened. “So, you’re looking for work?”

He glanced at the floor. “Yes, ma’am. Sort of. Well, temporary work.”

“What a stroke of luck. I need to hire some help. How about it?”

His eyes narrowed in thought. “In a flower shop?”

“Is there something wrong with a flower shop?”

His face flushed crimson. “No!” He responded, too quickly. “It’s just that I don’t know anything about plants or flowers or…” he glanced around. “Balloons.”

“Well, I’ll teach you.”

He hesitated. “About flowers?”

She nodded. “Of course about flowers. But what I really need, is someone to make deliveries for me.” She looked at her legs. “I’m getting too old to run all over the block and make my deliveries. My old feet swell and I shouldn’t get too far from the shop.”

“Oh.” He didn’t know what to say. Finally, he settled on, “So, how much does the job pay?”

Now Edna frowned. “I haven’t thought of that.” She shook her head as if disagreeing with herself. “Never mind. How much should I pay?”

“Well, my last job was for twelve dollars an hour.”

Her eyes grew large. “Twelve dollars?” Again she shook her head. “And there are some things that are worth more than money. It’s a deal. You’ll just have to get it done quickly.”

“Get what done?”

“What you have to do.” She pressed imaginary wrinkles from her apron. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

He was startled. “Does it matter?”

“Of course not.” A silly laugh escaped her while she watched his quizzical expression. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Don’t be coy with me. Do you have a girlfriend?”

He gazed out the window as if he could still see Charity’s shadow. “No, I’m afraid not.”

“Good! Now, can you start in the morning?”

He shrugged. “I suppose I can.”

“Great. I’ll see you at seven o’clock.”

He frowned. “But I can’t be here until eight.”

“Eight?” Now Edna was frowning. “That won’t do at all. You must be here before eight for it to work.”

His eyes narrowed and his forehead wrinkled. “For what to work?”

She smirked. “For work to work. What else could I mean?”

“I’m not certain.”

“Then you must be here earlier than eight.”

He hesitated. “Well, it’s just that I—can’t leave my mother before eight. She needs me to help with the house.”

“Oh! You also wash windows?”

His lips pursed together. “I can, if you need me to.”

“What? These windows?” She pointed. “Don’t worry about these windows. I’ll take care of them. What about dishes?”

“Dishes?”

“You said you helped your mother with the house. Do you wash dishes?”

“Uh…” He glanced at his watch. “I have an appointment with the Workforce Commission for my scheduled job search. I need to be going.”

“You don’t need to go there. You have a job, right here with me.”

Ben frowned. “Well, I… I don’t know much about washing dishes at a flower shop.”

“Whatever are you talking about, Ben? We don’t wash dishes here.”

“But you said…”

“I said nothing about such things. You’re the one who said you washed dishes.”

“But I didn’t say that. I said I helped my mom with the house.”

“Of course that’s what you said."  She smiled and placed a gentle hand on his cheek.  "You will work out just fine.”

He was concerned. “Miss Edna, are you certain you’re feeling well? Did you hit your head when you fell?”

“Now don’t worry about me. You just be here before eight o’clock in the morning.”

He gazed wantonly toward the long gone shadow. “It’s just that… I can’t leave before eight. I have to meet a friend.”

“Oh, I know!”

“You do?”

“Never mind that. You just show up before eight and I promise that everything will work out.” When he hesitated she responded. “Trust an old lady. I know what I’m doing.”

“Well, I don’t know…”

“Listen to me, Ben. I need you to be here at seven o'clock. For things to work out, you must be here early.”

“What needs to work out?”

“Dear me. You worry about the details, don’t you?”

“I’m confused. I thought you said something about…”

Edna stopped him short. “Ben, I need you here early. We have stems to cut and leaves to pull, and it all must be done before eight. If we get it done early, then you can take a break around eight and go tend to your mother.”

“Tend to my mother?”

“I’m beginning to think you’re a scatter brained boy. You said your mother needs your help in the morning.”

“I did? I did, didn’t I? Well, if you need me here at seven, then I’ll be here at seven. Good bye, now.”

Tune in later for the next installment!

Happy Birthday Caitie!

I want to take a minute and wish my daughter, Caitlin, a very happy birthday. She was born 10 years ago today....and what a day that was. I suppose I'm a little self-serving here, but you have to know her story. She was the girl who wasn't supposed to live--but thanks to God's mercy, we have a miracle baby who survived!

Please take a few minutes and review what is a remarkable story:
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-i.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-ii.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-iii.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-iv.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-v.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-vi.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-vii.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/little-recap-on-last-weekend-of-january.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-iv_23.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-x.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/after-we-prayed-army-doctors-turned-us.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-part-xii.html
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com/2007/09/caitlins-story-finale.html