mind, I drove around, listening to Christmas music on the radio, and thinking about Andy. I ended up downtown, which was surprisingly empty for Christmas Eve. I guess most of the shoppers were in the malls. I stopped in front of a small flower shop with really pretty floral arrangements in the window.
Mom would like this place,
I thought, so I turned off the car and headed inside.
I opened the door to the rich smell of blooms and leaves and soil. Standing behind the desk, snipping the petals of a poinsettia plant, was Leon Hawkins. When he glanced up and saw me, he inhaled in surprise. Itâs the first time I remember that he didnât even have anything funny to say.
âHi, Keisha,â he said, looking like my cocker spaniel does when I get home from school. âMerry Christmas!â
âWell, hey, Leon. I sure didnât expect to see anyone Iknew!â Leon looked surprisingly good standing thereâwith short, black hair and taut muscles under his snowman tee-shirt. I was amazed that I hadnât noticed before. He looked comfortable and relaxed in the flower shop.
âWhat brings you here?â he asked, smiling shyly.
âIâm not sure, Leon. I was just driving around, thinking about . . . you know, stuff thatâs happened. I couldnât deal with mall madness today, and I wanted to get my mom a nice plant. And somehow I just found myself here. I had no idea you worked here.â
âI know the ghosts of Christmas past can be hard to live with,â Leon said gently. âI know all that happened last year is really hard for you to deal with.â
âYou sound like youâve been there,â I said quietly. âYouâre always in such a good moodâlaughing and joking around.â
âSometimes I laugh to cover up other stuff,â Leon said shyly.
âIâm sorry, Leon,â I said, a little embarrassed. âI should know better.â
âHey, donât sweat it!â he said. âI think youâre really cool, Keisha, the way youâve handled yourself through all this.â Leon snipped that poinsettia like a barber working on a man with an afro.
âAll I did was survive! There was no great plan. I just live one day at a time.â I started to chuckle to myselfâthe poinsettia had no leaves left.
âWell, you make it look easy. Lots of kids at school admire you.â
âReally?â I was genuinely surprised. I decided to change the subject. âHow long you been working here?â
âFor pay off and on for about six years. I work during summer vacation, weekends, after school, and Christmas break. Before that Iâm sure somebody was violating child labor laws âcause I worked here for no pay at all!â He was smiling again.
âYou worked here as a kid without them paying you?â I was confused.
Leon didnât answer at first. âI was just about to close up and go home,â he said, still smiling. âThe owner left several hours ago.â He still seemed nervous and excited that I was thereâhe snipped the entire top of the poinsettia off and it fell with a soft whoosh to the counter. Both of us burst out laughing.
âI guess you got carried away!â I said. âDonât worry. After tomorrow no one will want a poinsettia anyway!â
âYouâre right,â agreed Leon cheerfully. âHere,â he said, shoving two of the red and green plants toward me, and a Christmas cactus as well. âMerry Christmas! Take these home to your mom.â
âYou want to trim them first?â I said, teasing him.
âYeah, let me go get my chain saw!â he said, laughing. âSeriously, I want your mom to have these.â
âWonât your boss mind if you give his plants away?â I asked.
âNo,â explained Leon. âMy boss is my dad. He bought this shop when he got out of college, so I grew up here. I guess itâs always
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