Second Chance

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The rain began, earlier than when Micah believed. He sat in the car and waited for it to abate, as did Ewa.

“How you feeling kid?” she asked, trying to make conversation.

“I’m doing okay. Why are you asking?”

“You seem a little out of shape, out of sorts.” She looked at her younger brother and looked carefully. He turned to face her, allowing her to look into his eyes. For a brief second, she thought there were two sets of dark brown eyes staring back at her. She blinked and the second, almost ethereal pair was gone. She shook her head and ignored what just happened.

“Did something happen on your run?”

“No Sis, nothing happened,” he lied. He wanted to confide in her, wanted to tell her what was happening to him. Micah wanted to tell her he felt someone or something within him, occupying his mind or soul. He wanted to ask for her council, because he didn’t know what to do. Micah felt that what he was doing, which was nothing, wasn’t going to work.

He decided to keep quiet.

“Are you sure? I mean, you’ll not your bubbly self.” She laughed honestly. She knew the comment, originally made to show her concern for him, to show that she noticed a change, ended up being light. She wanted to apologize.

He signed and looked out the window. “I guess I’m just nervous about tonight.” He turned but looked at his hands. “I guess I’m just afraid of disappointing Toni, that’s all.”

“Really, little brother, you’d never do that. Why would you think that?”

Before he answered, the rain stopped. Ewa hopped out and walked quickly to the flower shop’s door. Micah sat and looked at her. He shook his head and reached for the door.

“She’s right,” the voice whispered. “You’ll not disappoint Antoinette.”

Who are you? How do you know? Micah was upset. He wanted, needed, answers. He received none.

“You better go join your sister,” was all he heard.

Micah knew anger at this moment was a wasted emotion. He took a cleansing breath and exited. “Wait up,” he called out.

“Hurry up before it rains again,” Ewa joked. The siblings laughed as Micah jugged through the opened door.

“Good afternoon, may I help you?” A young woman, about Ewa’s age, met them. She wore a dark green apron emblazoned with the store’s black and red logo. Her black hair was up in a bun. Her nametag read “Michelle.” She wore an honest and warm, welcoming smile. She held out her hands, one of which Ewa readily accepted and smiled as warm as the woman’s smile.

“We’re here to pick up flowers for Micah Vaughn,” Ewa said.

“I’ll get them,” Michelle said. She walked towards the back, towards the large walk-in refrigerator.

“Will you relax?” Ewa whispered to her brother. “You’re going to be fine.”

“I’m not worried about tonight.” He didn’t lie: there was something else on his mind. He didn’t order the flowers, leaving that up to his sisters. He trusted them to make the correct choice. When it came to things like this, anticipate what Antoinette or any female for that matter would like in flowers or corsages, Micah was clueless. Usually, he hated having three sisters, but this was an instance where he was grateful.

“What did you end up getting?” he whispered. Ewa didn’t tell him what they ordered, never gave him a clue. He wasn’t sure if they ordered a single flower corsage or a bouquet or something in between. He didn’t know what flower or flowers they chose.

“You’ll see,” she answered. She knew that it was killing him, making him nervous, though since he was already worrying she thought about telling him. She decided against it: teasing him like this was fun.

“You’re mean.”

“Yes I am. It’s my job to make your life uneasy.”

He was ready to retort when Michelle interrupt their conservation. “Here you go.” She was holding a bouquet; a long peach-colored ribbon attached. He smiled, knowing that they made the correct choice.

“What are the flowers?” he asked sincerely. He didn’t know.

Michelle walked to the front, the Vaughn siblings tagging along. “Well, the peach and white flowers, the little ones, are mini-carnations.” She held the flowers in one hand while reaching for something under the counter. “The tiny white ones are baby’s breath. The two dark peach colored flowers are boat orchids.”

“We didn’t order them,” Ewa spoke up.

“I know, but we had a couple left over from a wedding and didn’t want them to go to waste.” She gently put the flowers on the counter to assemble the box. “There’s no extra charge.”

Michelle turned to Micah and smiled. “So who’s the lucky lady?”

He was caught off-guard, not expecting her to ask such a question. “A girl I met a couple of years ago,” he teased.

“A couple of years ago?” she repeated. She stopped making the box and put her hands on the counter. “If you met her couple of years ago and buying her these flower, she must be very special.”

He blushed. Michelle was correct: she was special. He always knew Antoinette was special, but until that moment, he didn’t realize to what scope. He inhaled deeply at this realization. Two years in a relationship, a special friendship, and this is the first time he recognized its distinctiveness. He saw many at school, couples, holding hands as they walked to and from classes, sitting together at lunch and having cute talks between themselves. He didn’t have that with Antoinette. They had long phone conversations once or twice a week. They had lunches on Saturdays at the mall, before she went to work, or a mid-week movie.

He blushed deeper. Micah never admitted to himself that he might be falling in love with her, not until that moment. He thought of her, thought of her smile. His mind went to the shape of her face, the feel of her hand in his. His stomach filled with butterflies, but not the nervous kind. He felt like he did that first time they kissed. It was a feeling he never wanted to lose.

“Yes she is,” was all he could say. For the first time in a very long time, he was at a loss for words, couldn’t properly answer. There were better words to tell Michelle, but at that moment, he couldn’t think of them.

“They are special together,” Ewa added. “You should see them together.”

“I bet they are,” Michelle added, resuming the box assembly. She stopped before putting the bouquet inside. “How special is she to you?” she asked him.

He never expected that question. Micah jumped slightly in his surprise, his eyes widened. He never thought someone would ask him it either. “Why do you ask?”

“Yes, how special is she to you?” Ewa repeated. The tone in her voice made him believe that she truly wanted to know the answer.

“I never thought of it before,” he honestly answered. “I know I love spending time with her, any time with her. I admit that I do think of her a lot, especially when I’ve not talked with her in a while.” He smiled when an image of her popped into his mind. It was from the time they were together.

A week ago, Antoinette called up and told him she had the day off. She traded days with a co-worker and wanted to know if he wanted to see her. He remembered his answer was quick: Of course. She told him that she’ll be at the mall in an hour, needing to purchase some clothing, and if he wanted to join her, he was free to do so.

Micah recalled the look on her face when she saw him come into view, the big smile on her face, the wide eyes. He remembered the feeling that it gave him - the butterflies - the same one he was feeling now.

“How special is she?” Michelle repeated.

“She’s very special to me,” he answered without hesitation. “I like spending time with her, and I do miss not being around her. There are times when I constantly think of her.”

“That seems to be very special then.” Michelle had placed the flowers in the box, had tied ribbon around it, and placed a box on top.

“How much is it?” Ewa asked, reaching into her purse.

Michelle punched numbers into the cash register. “Looks like it’ll be $18.77.”

“Wow, that’s less than you quoted.” Ewa removed a $20 bill from her wallet, half of what they budgeted.

“My boss gave you a discount. You’re the first ones to order a bouquet, not a corsage, for a prom.” She looked around, making sure the other workers didn’t hear her. She leaned in two the siblings. “She made it herself and told me she thinks it’s her best work ever.”

“That’s cool,” he said.

“That’s so sweet,” his sister added.

Michelle gave the older Vaughn change and wished him luck with the prom. He thanked her.



“Looks like we have money for lunch,” Ewa said. “Where do you want to go?”

Micah thought. He had a craving for a meatball sub, one from Mancini’s, an Italian bar/restaurant near their home. He knew that it would be a mistake, though. His allergy to tomatoes always manifested itself when he ate there: the fever, the sweats, the rash, the hives all appeared. He didn’t want to have a zit or a swath of red bumps on his face, not tonight. He thought of other places to go.

“Patisseries et Sourires,” she said quickly. “I’m craving a ham and cheese sandwich on a croissant.”

He smiled: it was the perfect spot. The café had pastries, croissants and such, but they also offered sandwiches, thick with meat, cheese, and vegetables, served on an assortment of freshly baked breads. “That sounds good to me,” he said.

“Downtown it is,” she said.