EPISODE.3
1113 Words
Eliza’s POV
Flowers by Elodie, my mother's flower shop, hasn't been doing well.
I've been staring at sales reports for hours, trying to uncover a hint of where it all went wrong. The numbers eventually blur as they march across the spreadsheet, a silent parade of red that's been haunting my dreams almost every night.
"¿Eliza? ¿Tienes un segundo?"
I look up to see my mother standing in the doorway. "I always have time for you, I say, offering a tired smile. "Is everything okay? Need my help with something?"
"Not exactly." She steps inside our shared office and takes a seat. Her deep brown eyes-the same eyes I see in the mirror every day are filled with concern. "I've just been thinking about this for a while now, and I've finally come to a decision."
I straighten in my seat. "About?"
"I don't have the energy to keep running the shop." She reaches across the desk, taking one of my hands in hers. "I'm so tired, son. The stress, the long hours..it's wearing me and your father down. I think it's time to close”
"Ma, no!" I grip her hand tighter, my mind racing. No way I'm letting this happen.
"We can still turn things around. Confia en mí. It's not too late.'
"Eliza." Her eyes soften, and she squeezes my hand before releasing it. "I love your optimism, but you and I both know we've been struggling for more than just a year. The sales aren't there anymore. Tenemos que dejar ir el negocio."
I swallow hard, my thoughts drifting back to the new job I recently accepted through Rent a Partner, a fake dating service. It's not exactly the most conventional way to make money, but if it means keeping the shop's lights on, I'll do whatever it takes. And if I can rub shoulders with men like Noah Blac in the process, well, that's just a bonus. If he doesn't turn me down, of course.
"I'm handling things, Ma. I've got a plan that will keep us going for a few more months at least. Just give me a chance to make it work."
My stomach lets out an embarrassingly loud growl, breaking the emotional tension.
"Go eat. The reports can wait." She laughs, nodding toward the door. "We can discuss this later."
"Okay, but I'm meeting up with Michael, so I might get back late." I kiss her on the cheek and exit
the office with my phone in hand, texting Kahlan to see if he still wants to meet up for lunch.
Eliza: Still meeting at that new coffee shop?
Michael: Yep! I got here early & already ordered for you.
Eliza: Omw! BFF Award is def going to you this year lmao
Purple Hearts Coffee Shop is right around the corner, so I walk there instead of driving.
I spot Micheal sitting at a table outside munching on a muffin, his dark brown skin glowing underneath the sunshine. I sneak up on him from behind, tugging on one of his short locs before taking my seat.
"What'd you get me?" I ask.
“sandwich and a sweet iced tea”. "Don't sneak up on me again.”
"Love you too," I laugh, not wasting time stuffing my face. But eventually, the silence gets to me. "Okay, what's wrong? You're never this quiet. Like, ever."
"I didn't want to be a downer, but..." He sighs, placing his phone face down on the table. "You know that big grant Remy and I were counting on? The one that was supposed to cover our operating costs for the next two years?" I nod. "Well, it fell through-" He snaps his fingers. "Just like that. s**t is so f****d up right now."
"Damn, man. Sorry to hear it."
"Thanks."
"What are you guys going to do?"
"We just launched a fundraiser. It's our last hope." He takes a sip of his coffee, shaking his head. "If we can't raise enough money within the next eight months, we'll have to scale back our programs, maybe even close for good."
"Well, I don't have much, but I'm happy to help however I can."
"That means a lot, liza" He smiles, then clears his throat. "Thank you. For real."
I can count on one hand how many times I've seen this dude cry, and I've known him since we were babies. If anything can tug at his heartstrings, his Unchained Hearts It's a nonprofit for at-risk l***q+ youth and is Kahlan and Remy's baby. They've poured their money, hearts, and souls into creating resources and safe spaces explicitly for people in our community. I volunteer whenever I have free time. It'll be devastating to see the nonprofit shut down.
"So, how's Mama doing?" he asks, changing the subject. "I feel bad that I haven't been to the shop in a while. Y'all still thinking about opening another one?"
"With the way our money is set up..." I give him the quick rundown of our financial troubles. "I have a plan, though-Rent a Partner. I just landed a date with a f*****g billionaire yesterday."
"Hold on. How the hell did you find that company again?"
"You'll be surprised what results come up when you Google search Legal Ways to Make Money Fast-" Our laughter is interrupted by a ping from my phone. I pick it up to see a notification from the Rent a Partner app.
Noah: Are we still on for the meeting tonight?
The butterflies in my stomach kick into high gear as I read Noah's message.
I've been thinking about our upcoming date all day, hoping and praying things go well and that he likes me off paper. He has to. With the shop's finances looming over me like a dark cloud, it hits me harder at how much is riding on me not fumbling this job.
Eliza: Yeah! I got the address you sent earlier. See you soon :)
I apologize to Michael for having to leave early. "Speaking of my billionaire, we have an introductory meeting tonight. I need to go get ready. Pray I don't blow it, please?"
"You're not going to blow it, girl. Just be yourself. I'm sure you'll charm the pants right off his rich ass."
I Laugh. "Hey, it's not that kind of meeting."
Walking off, I call my mother and tell her I'm needed for an interview about a second job. It's not entirely a lie, but I still feel shitty for telling it.
I spend the next few hours trying to clean myself up and look good for a man who is light-years out of my league.
- Writer
