-

“So, the beach thing is a failure,” Iris summarized his story as she cuts the thorns of the red roses. “Which is already an expected outcome. I mean, it’s already awkward enough to have both your ex and your current lover to be in an event together but to bring the kid from your relationship along – seems like a plot out of a teleserye to be honest.”

“I’m sure, Miss Lisa have plans for the day but couldn’t make it happen,” Oak interjects with his thoughts, mediating the talk with another perspective. The man only frowned at the scoff Iris had expressed from his words, rolling her eyes at the optimism he’s hoping on the situation.

“Then, she’s thinking far ahead of the future than deal with the present,” Iris argues back. Her attention already far from the flowers she’s dealing with and placed the roses to the table. The scissors have yet to be let go. “If she thinks everyone’s going to hold hands and sing Kumbaya after a joyful day of sand and salt water, then she’s too idealistic.”

“You’re being too harsh on her, Iris,” Oak points out, taking out his gloves and placed them in the pocket of his apron.

“And there’s a good reason why and you know it too,” Iris said to Oak, spouting her anger. She sighed, heavily. Her lips thinned and directed her eyes at Elijah, intensifying the gaze with an emotion he knew quite well.

“Boss, I don’t care that you are compliant with her bullshit but I can’t tolerate much of it, knowing you’ll be the one that’s getting hurt in the end,” Iris added, voicing out her concern for him.

Iris have been less forgiving towards his ex-wife and the most cautious whenever Lisa is around. Unlike Oak who isn’t capable to carry bitterness of the ruined past. Iris holds it in a tight leashed, guarding such memories and never forgetting the pain Elijah and his family have went through because of it.

“I know and I’m glad to have you here, Iris,” Elijah speaks for the first time in a while. “But I’m trying my best… to move past the pain, you know. I hope you can do the same, too. Even if it means calming the anger within you.”

She looks offended at the statement. Her shock drawn all over her face, eventually forming the annoyance she has for him. Iris clicked her tongue and dumps the scissors to the table, leaving a loud thud for Oak to flinch at and for Elijah to grimace about as his eyes trail to her retreat in the break room.

Thankfully, the door wasn’t closed but it did creak as she brushed her against it.

Elijah stayed quiet. He doesn’t know how to approach the topic to her. Her anger was understandable but she had overstepped within the conflict.

“Leave her be for the time being, Mister Ocampo,” Oak breaks the silence, patting him on the shoulder and shows off a smile small at Elijah. “She’s still, uh, immature – not exactly young to know that life is complicated and all that, but inexperienced that’s all.

“She just cares a whole lot about you,” Oak continues and leaves it at that.

Elijah went to the other side of the table and stood on Iris’s space. He grabs the scissors and tries to finish cutting up the thorns from the roses until the customers that requested it comes in the scheduled time.

He’ll think of a way to speak to Iris after this, Elijah nodded at the promise. He’s somewhat determined, even if his confidence waned from the hours the task had took from him.

-

Elijah was putting all of the outdoor displays back inside the shop with Iris while Oak was watering it. The task can be hassle, some pots were heavier than the water and flowers inside. He drags some of it, others needed more than a simple push to move. Iris groans with each displays she had to carry inside and Elijah tended to the ones he hopes she’s not eyeing to be her next faux dumbbell.

He carried a pot of flowers to the corner near the consultation area, panting along to the steps he has taken and crouch on the floor when he’s finished. It was the last one, other than the pot Iris’ carrying on her shoulder, sweat dripping from her forehead down to her chin. Her teeth gritting and her brows furrowing, she’s glancing to a space close to his area.

Elijah instantly got up from his place. The action didn’t receive any benefits and instead leaves him light-headed and dizzy for a moment.

“Shit,” Elijah cursed and grabs the edge of the desk of the consultation area. His grip tightens, his knuckles shake and he tries to face Iris with a calm composure.

 However, she wasn’t convinced his attempts. “You feeling light-headed, boss?” Iris asked him, approaching his space and holds him from behind. “You might have to sit for a well, man. You’ll probably fall if you try to stand up too quicky again.”

“Guess, I’m getting old,” Elijah said and Iris ended up shaking her head, disagreeing his excuse.

“You just lack exercise, boss.” Those words really hurt him. “I’ve seen men in their sixties carrying heavier loads than you, and they’re still fine – barely sweating even.”

“You wound a ninety-year-old man’s heart, Iris.” Iris chuckled and sat down on the chair on front of his, resting her arm on the desk just like his. Their knuckles were nearly inches apart, their arms shown off by their short sleeve shirts. Their complexion was a contrast from each other, with Elijah’s pale skin tone as to the darker shade Iris was proud with.

Not only that, but Elijah’s sadly skinnier than the muscles accentuating on Iris’ arms.

“With a couple of months left to achieve my ideal muscles, I could carry all of the displays back inside the shop with ease,” Iris tells him, confident. She flexes her triceps and angles her body to show some parts of her back.

“Even if you become the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, I still have to divide the task so it wouldn’t be unfair for you.” She pouted, disliking that her persuasion was failing. “You could be anything but human and I will still have to make sure you don’t get injured in my shop. Besides, I don’t think I can afford to pay any sort of compensation for the injury, Iris. Let that sink it.”

“Maybe I’m a monster with impenetrable skin,” she muttered, crossing her arms across her chest and her chin raised.

“I’m sure the small cut you got from a rose thorn will say otherwise,” Elijah recalls a memory, pleased at the recollection she has on his statement and drops her arrogance in an instant.

Elijah stood up from his seat, feeling slightly better than before and manages to hold onto the desk when he almost falls. Iris reacted quickly, jumps out of her seat to stand beside him and her arms immediately wrapped around his torso and shoulders.

“You okay, boss!?” Elijah grimaced at the loud volume piercing through his ear but he stayed quiet with his complaint and instead nodded.

“Better than before,” Elijah answers back, nudging her hands off of his body.

His posture straightens, disregarding the slouch he had earlier. Elijah shows off a reassuring smile, observing the pursed lips she had at his reaction. The shrug that came with it could mean anything and Elijah simply interpret it as his chance to leave.

Elijah distance himself, taking some steps away from Iris. He was still facing her and she did the same, snorting at the action but nevertheless plays along. She waves at him, mouthing out her farewell and Elijah had done the latter. It was better than ending the conversation without a word, aware at the outburst she has this early afternoon. They haven’t spoken about it, not a drop of a mention concerning her feelings and his opinions.

The timing was right, Elijah thought, but there was something holding him back. And she didn’t even bother to say anything related to the moment as well. Their ignorance was faker than the flowers he had displayed at home.

Then, he paused.

His left pinky was tugged, pulling him to the direction of the front door of the shop. He shudders, the air conditioning wasn’t at fault since it was turned off. However, there was a cold breeze that brushes his neck then down to the pinky where his string was tied. Elijah immediately clenched as the sensation lingers, cooling the heat that radiated within him.

He knows what it means but at the same he doesn’t.

“Mister Ocampo?” Oak calls out to him, concerning expressed from the tone of voice. “Are you okay?” He added. “You look… shock – scared.”

Elijah ignored the question, directing his attention anywhere other than his employees. Their strings remained invisible from his eyes. He turned to look back at the front door of the shop once more, his eyes glued at the empty street with the road clearly occupied from vehicles passing by. Not one car nor motorcycle caught his interest.

“Boss?” It was Iris’ turn to mention her worry. “Are you feeling light-headed, again?”

He wasn’t, fortunately. But he can’t say otherwise at the shortness of breath he’s experiencing. Inhaling and exhaling through his nose couldn’t relieved it so he settles with his mouth. He continues to walk, dragging the tip of his shoes to the path he’s heading, his shoulders hunched forward and his dread and excitement clogging his mind.

Elijah widens his eyes at the figure moving quick from the corner of his eye. He snaps his neck back to the door, gasping at the person opening the shop regardless of the sign stating its closing time. His knees shake and with nothing to hold onto, Elijah loses his balance – kneeling on front of the man that was equally in pain as him.

The man holds onto the door of the shop, panting and sweating. His clothes disheveled and hair unkempt. Still, the man wasn’t the only thing that caught Elijah’s attention.

Elijah’s string shines for the first time, tugging his pinky continuously to where the man had stood. Elijah observes at the shine reaching to the man’s pinky, watching it twitched to where Elijah had squatted on the floor. The string flows gracefully, tying itself around the man’s neck and one of the Elijah’s legs.

Someone gasp.