The Ladybug Jinx (10 page)

She clapped her hands in front of her greeting a few customers while walking out the banker. Her heart settled a little bit knowing these flower sales will help pay the huge debt she owes. She had no idea how she was going to make up the large sum of money. She would come up with something even if she had to beg, plead and steal.

“Hi folks. How can I help you today?” Celia watched the banker’s car leave out of the corner of her eye.

*

Sam sighed when he saw the funeral home. He can still remember the smell of all the flowers and death combined from his mother’s funeral. He made Bianca promise him she wouldn’t have a funeral for him. She made him promise he would celebrate her life and move on with his. It was a promise he couldn’t keep.

Her funeral was at their house. The house she brought to life from the remodel up. She loved the view, but hated the original house. They tore it down and built it from scratch. She watched the sun set every night from their bedroom up until the last breath.

Sam watched people come in and out of the funeral home. He was supposed to deliver the flowers and get out.
You can do this
, he thought. “You can do this,” he said aloud coaxing himself on.

He pulled up to the door, and got a couple different sprays out of the truck.

“The Ladybug delivery,” Sam announced before he stopped dead in his tracks coming face to face with the corpse.

“Never seen a dead person?” The funeral director patted Sam on the back. “You can just put them down and bring in the rest. We’ll arrange them for you.”

Sam swallowed.

“I’m sorry, I …” He stopped, turning to go get the rest.

The old man taking pleasure in how uncomfortable Sam was. He couldn’t start the old Chevy fast enough.

You are such a wimp,
Sam repeated over and over in his head. He didn’t want Celia to see him like this. He pulled over on the side of the country road on the way back to the shop.

He flung himself out of the truck and slammed the door. He continued to kick the gravel up with his boots.

“Why Bianca? Why?” Sam screamed into the air falling to his knees. He hid his face in his hands and sobbed.

He crouched by his truck, he turned his head to the sound of a car pulling up behind him.

“You okay, son?” Marty got out of his truck and walked over to help Sam up.

“I’m fine.” Sam was ashamed he wasn’t able to keep it together. He brushed the gravel dust off his jeans. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine to me.” Marty pointed out to Sam who was well aware of how it looked.

“I have to get back to the shop.” Sam walked to his truck. “I need to get the second load of flowers to the funeral home.”

The thought of going back there made him sick to his stomach.

“Why don’t I help you and we go grab a cup of coffee from The Trembling Cup after we deliver the rest?” Marty opened Sam’s door.

Sam could tell Marty was hovering over him like a parent. He never knew his father, but he suddenly wished Marty was his dad. “Sounds good. Thanks, Marty.”

Marty pulled out behind him and followed him to the shop. They loaded the flowers, in silence, next to the carnations he forgot to deliver. Celia didn’t even pay any attention to them. Sam could tell she was off in her own little world and he didn’t mind. The more she didn’t pay attention to him, the better off he was. He was already having a hard time hiding his feelings today.

“Shall we?” Marty didn’t ask any questions. Sam was grateful for the kindness Marty was showing him.

Sam didn’t question Marty. He didn’t protest when Marty suggested they go. Sam needed the guy time. He needed to get lost in his made up world, only it wasn’t made up to Marty or Celia.

A couple winding roads and a few curves, they were passing through town and headed into the country, toward the funeral home.

“Marty Briggs.” The tall grey scary man scared Sam even more than the first time. “I wondered who you were sending in here earlier today. He looked like he’d seen a ghost with old Johnny lying in there.”

Sam looked away. This guy looked worse than “old Johnny.”

Marty shook his head and began introductions, “Ed Simms, this is Sam Reynolds The Ladybug’s new delivery boy…er…man.”

“Where you from?” Ed asked taking Sam’s hand. Sam tried to pull away from the vice grip.

“California.” Sam’s blood had been completely shut off from the rest of his arm.

“Long way from home.” Ed took out some of the flowers and put them right in front of old Johnny.

Sam shivered.

They couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

*

“Where’s everyone?” Sam and Marty sat down at one of the café tables near the waterfall. On cue, Kerri Ann began to fill their cups.

“Funeral. I’m filling in.” Kerri Ann didn’t say much. She continued to clean around them.

“Kerri Ann was Celia’s mother’s best friend. She’s a widow, like me, and she fills in for people here and The Fatted Pig when people are out.” Marty took a sip of coffee.

The steam from their cups circles around Marty’s head, “Everyone in town usually shows up in some way during funerals. When my wife died, Celia’s mom, everyone was great. The entire town came out to say goodbye.”

Kerri Ann patted Marty’s hand in a way that Sam took notice. It wasn’t an empathy pat, it was a linger, you know I’m there for you rub. Sam gave Marty a strange look.

“I didn’t ask about Celia coming by your place, don’t ask about Kerri Ann.” Marty put Sam in his place and Sam knew it. There was obviously something going on between them.

“You want to tell me about your past?”

“I never had a dad.” Sam continued to look forward with both hands around his mug. “I had two special women in my life. My mom and my fiancé.”

“What do you mean had?”

“Both died. I wanted to make a new start for myself and ended up here.” Sam wasn’t going to give any more information about his life. He knew Marty didn’t watch those crazy tabloid shows or pick up magazines, so he didn’t mind sharing a small part of his life. It made him seem more real and help with his disguise.

“Is that what happened at the funeral home?” Marty knew exactly what Sam was going through.

“Yeah. I haven’t been to a funeral since Bianca.” Crap, Sam thought. Of all the imbecile things. He didn’t want to say her name.

“It does get better.” Marty didn’t even act as though he heard the name. “It takes time. Give yourself time.” Marty turned to face Sam. “How much time has it been? I only ask because Celia doesn’t take food to just anyone, and I do have to look out for my girl.”

Sam smiled remembering Celia standing on those steel steps made his heart flutter. “It was a shock to me. But I think she was just reaching out welcoming me into the community.”

Sam didn’t want to reveal the attraction he was feeling towards Celia. She didn’t give him the same vibes and he didn’t want to look like some babbling idiot.

“Don’t worry. If anything was going on there, I would discuss it with you first.” Sam made sure to keep his manners in check.

Sam was stunned by his words. He had never asked a father to date his daughter. This Southern charm sure was rubbing off on him.

“What you say we get those carnations over to the courthouse.” Marty pointed at the tallest building in town.

“Sure.” Sam felt a little better about his breakdown.

He couldn’t reveal his true identity, but he could share a few personal details with someone, especially if that someone was Marty. He trusted Marty. He was like the father Sam never had.

The sidewalk was crowded with people setting up booths, chairs, tables, and a band stage. The courthouse lawn had been turned into food booths for the community to enjoy.

“I’ll take those.” The dark haired woman spoke softly, gently taking the first load of carnations out of Marty’s arms. She looked at Sam. “You can follow me with those.”

“I’m going to get more.” Marty gestured back to the truck.

“Thank God, you are the new one in town.” She laughed. “I’m Liz Day. I was new before you. And boy am I glad you’ve taken all eyes off me and on you.”

“I bet you are.” Sam grinned.

Normally he wouldn’t mind if all the attention was on him, but not now. The more he was here, the more he liked the cozy town.

“What do you do, Liz?” Sam lined the carnations on the card tables running along the courthouse walls.

“I’m an interior decorator, and opened up the new store, Mole Hole Interiors.” She wrapped her long dark hair behind her ear. “You know, trying to come up with a store name to fit in was difficult.” Her green eyes danced.

Sam laughed. He did wonder how the town came up with the crazy animal names.

“Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul.”

                               The Koran

10

Celia was relieved the funeral was over yesterday. It was a big order and any profit would go toward the payment she owed to the bank. That would keep them at bay for a while. Until then she’d have more sales and chip away a little at a time.

Her feelings for Sam were concerning her more than the loan. He was dangerous and mysterious. The secret he was hiding only made him more appealing.

Carefully, Celia glued the last of the ladybugs in the morning deliveries. Hopefully Sam won’t mind driving to Lexington to do the hospital deliveries. All the past times the flowers going to Fayette Memorial had to wait until Celia got off work, because her father could not bring himself to go back in once her mother died.

Celia keeps a close eye out for Sam arrival. She continued to be amused at his attire. It was definitely not his style, but she found it endearing how he tried so hard to fit in the small community.

Charlie whined to signal his arrival. “Okay boy, back off. He’s mine this morning.” Celia laughed at the thought of fighting with her dog for attention. Sam didn’t seem to notice her beauty the way other men did or at least he didn’t led on to it.

She rustled her curls and added a swipe of lip gloss before he came in. “Good morning.”

Celia felt her smile widened and tried to contain it, but it seemed she had no control. Her mouth was taking on a mind of its own. She had a steaming cup of coffee waiting for him.

“I hope you don’t mind delivering to the hospital today.” She was glad she didn’t have to take them after work.

“That’s the reason for the coffee and bright smile,” Sam said, taking the cup from her.

If he only knew, she thought as her fingers brushed up against his. This time she didn’t jerk away as before.

“No. I am actually enjoying your company in the morning.”

She turned, hoped he was watching. Celia never had to flirt a day in her life and she found it uncomfortable doing so.

“Someone’s here.” Sam was peeking around the closed sign.

Celia walked back over to the door with a sinking heart. She would die if it was the bank again. Sam would definitely know something was up. She didn’t recognize the woman.

“Hi, I wanted to talk with your delivery man Sam.” The woman stated before she got to the door. “I know you don’t open for another half hour, but a friend of a friend came in here and got some flowers. She said Sam helped him and was talking about meaning of flowers.”