Page 13 of A Future in Blossom

“Forage away,” Jaime said with a laugh. “I trust you.” She turned to face her. “I wish you could see yourself the way others see you. You run this whole shop like a well-oiled machine. Rose always said you had a head for business.”

Claire stilled. She’d forgotten. Rose did tell her that, often. Tears started to prick her eyes.

Jaime looked around the front room. “Hard to believe that we’re at the finish line for this wedding.” She let out a sigh.

“What’s that sad sigh for?”

“Oh, I just wonder what comes next.”

Claire yawned. “What comes next for me is a long winter’s nap.” She flipped off the lights and held the door for Jaime. “We’d better get some sleep while we can. I have a feeling there won’t be much chance for it in the next two days.”

Early the next morning, Claire woke to the ping of a text on her phone. Drowsy, she reached over to pick it up and read a group text from Chris to Tessa, Jaime, and Claire.

Please come to Rose’s as soon as you can. She’s ready to have The Talk. Coffee’s started.

Seriously? Today? Claire sat up in bed. Rose was finally ready to have this long-overdue clearing of the air on the day before the big wedding? This morning was critical prep time! Every single minute counted. She was just about to object when Tessa and Jaime texted back that they’d be right there. Fine.She let out an exasperated sigh and tossed the covers off.

Claire’s rented Airbnb room was only a few blocks from Rose’s house, so she dressed quickly, pulled her big curly hair into a ponytail, and walked over. Jaime and Tessa drove up just as she arrived at the house, so they went to Rose’s front door together.

Chris met them with a tray of coffee mugs. “Morning. Make yourself at home.”

Claire thought he looked off, like he either hadn’t slept or just woke up ... or like he’d been crying. He avoided eye contact with Claire, which hitched up her odd feelings. Why did this gathering seem so stilted and formal? Not to mention the timing. It couldn’t be any worse!

Rose was in the living room, seated in her favorite armchair, wearing a big, thick sweater, sipping coffee in front of a roaring fire like there was a raging storm outside. Yet it was actually quite apleasant sunny morning. The three girls sat across from her on the sofa. Chris settled into a chair near Rose, chin tucked to his chest.

“Girls, thank you for coming,” Rose said. “I know you have a busy day ahead, so I’ll get right to the point. The night of the fire. Who wants to go first?”

Whoa.Claire, Tessa, and Jaime all looked down at their coffee cups.

“Well then,” Rose said, “I’ll start things off. You should know that I’m the one responsible for that fire.”

All three girls snapped their heads up.

“You?” Tessa said. “Not you, Rose. I’m the one to blame.”

“No,” Jaime said. “It was me.”

“Nope,” Claire said. “I’m the one who started it. I know that for a fact.”

Rose smiled. “The truth was, we all had a part in it. Ironically, everyone except for Chris—”

Chris shook his head. “I had a role in it too, Rose. If it weren’t for my—”

“No, dear,” she interrupted, waving him off with her hand. “The truth is that you took complete blame for the fire just to keep the rest of us out of trouble.”

Claire turned to look at Chris. He had done that? She stared at him, willing him to lift his head, but he seemed determined not to look at her.

Rose took in a deep breath, as if gathering strength for what she was about to say. “The shop had that old knob and tube wiring. I should have had it upgraded, but there was never time to allow for it. Especially that summer. So many weddings.”

“Funerals too,” Claire said. “Big summer of funerals. I did all the flowers.”

After taking a sip from her mug, Rose nodded. “That summer, the motor on the cooler had started acting up. It would go out, and Chris would get it working again, only for it to go out again. Before I’d left on that August day, the cooler felt hot to thetouch, even though the interior was still cool. I felt in my bones that something was wrong. An accident was waiting to happen. But I pushed that feeling aside because I had wedding flowers to deliver.” She exhaled, as if this revelation had taken a toll on her. “I should never have left the shop.”

Chris reached over to take Rose’s hand. It struck Claire that it seemed like Rose’s hands had shrunk or shriveled. They were once working hands, strong and calloused. Now they looked like an old woman’s hands, swollen knuckles and blue veins. Was that what seven years of aging did to a woman?

Before she could think much more about it, Chris spoke up. “I told you to go. I told you that I’d take care of the cooler. I should’ve. I just ... got distracted.”

“I was his distraction,” Tessa said. “I came into the shop looking for Rose, but she wasn’t there. Only Chris. I was upset about something, and Chris stopped what he was doing to help me.” She put a hand on her chest. “I’m responsible for the fire.”

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