Chapter Four Lily #2
My eyes sting, and I turn away from the fountain until I’m no longer at risk of crying. Maybe my mom was right about getting rid of it, because its decrepit state is more depressing than comforting.
The fountain or you?
Desperate to leave this place, I search for my keys until I find them on the pedestal.
I go inside the house and get dressed. Once I’m done with my makeup, I head into the kitchen in search of coffee. My mom is leaning against the counter, watching her favorite morning talk show on her tablet while sipping coffee from a mug.
I’m surprised to see her already dressed for work when she isn’t on the schedule today. She only comes in a couple of times a week now that I’m a co-owner of Rose & Thorn, although she’s always happy to help me with large orders or rush deliveries.
It was hard to convince her to take a step back, but after the doctor noted their concern about her heart and some unideal test results earlier this year, she finally listened to Dahlia and me.
“ Hola, Mami .” I kiss her cheek before making my own cup. “? Estás trabajando hoy ?” I
“Yes, I plan on stopping by this morning to check on some bookkeeping things, but I’m only going to be there for a few hours before my hair appointment.”
“Want to grab lunch afterward?” I reluctantly offer, knowing I’ll have to get the uncomfortable conversation out of the way sooner rather than later.
“Sure. I’d love that.”
My pulse grows stronger with each heavy beat of my heart. “Great,” I manage to say, the word fighting to make it past my tight throat.
She pats my cheek affectionately on her way to the sink. “You okay? You look tired.”
I cringe. “I didn’t sleep the best, to be honest.”
“Did it have something to do with your car being stolen yesterday?”
“It wasn’t stolen ,” I say.
“According to Julian, it was.”
“Julian’s only annoyed Lorenzo got involved.”
She doesn’t crack a smile. “Manny’s mother texted me to tell me how sweet it was of Lorenzo to cover your repair bill.”
This is news to me.
She continues, “Apparently Lorenzo asked Manny to give it a full workup.”
“Maybe Manny should practice mechanic-client privilege.”
My mom makes a face. “I don’t know if that’s a thing.”
“Well, it should be with how much Manny and his mom like to talk,” I grumble more to myself than her.
She toys with her crucifix pendant. “Sweet boy. It’s a shame you don’t like someone like him.”
“Seeing as I grew up during his eat dirt phase, I’ll politely pass on the opportunity.”
“Better him than Lorenzo.”
I swallow hard.
She continues, “ Perdóname, mijita I . I’m a little concerned, but do you blame me? Julian doesn’t like him, which is what worries me most.”
“Who is Julian to talk? Half the town still dislikes him for tearing down heirloom homes and turning them into gray boxes.”
“Liliana!”
“What? You know it’s true.”
“He had good intentions.”
“Okay, so let me get this straight—if Julian does something wrong or unlikeable, it doesn’t matter because he had good intentions, but if Lorenzo does something nice, he must have some secret motive?”
Perhaps deep, deep down, part of me feels protective over Lorenzo because once upon a time, I did like him, and people judging him makes me wonder what would’ve happened if we had become a real couple.
At least you’ll never have to find out.
I decide to grab two sandwiches before meeting my mom in the Park Promenade for lunch. We sit at a bench underneath one of the structures, watching boats glide across the water and a group of summer campers prepare for a hike around part of the lake.
I’m so anxious to talk to her about the letter, I can only manage a few bites of my food. When my mom asks me if everything is okay, I decide to open up to her.
“I want to start with saying I have everything under control.” I don’t, but I will .
“Okay…what’s going on?”
Her face leeches of color as I describe how the condemnation act works.
“So that’s it? They buy us out, tear down the building, and repurpose it?”
I nod. “They are offering a lot of hush money to those who sign an NDA. That combined with the purchase price for the property would be hard for people to resist.”
She clutches her chest, and I panic. “Are you feeling okay?”
My mom’s heart condition is minor, but her doctor said any additional stress and high blood pressure can turn it into a much bigger issue.
She shuts her eyes and nods. “I’m a bit…overwhelmed.”
“I’ll figure it out, Mami . No one is going to take our shop away from us.”
She cups my cheek. “I know you’ll try your best.”
Not exactly the vote of confidence I need, but I’ll take it.
“But…” my mom starts, and now I’m the one who’s suffering from cardiac issues.
“What?” I whisper.
“I don’t know if there is anything we can do.”
“Of course there is.” I just haven’t figured it out yet.
“How much money are they offering?”
I grab her letter from my purse and hand it over.
Her eyes go wide as she reads it. “That is a lot more than I thought.”
“Yup.” I scowl. The Ludlows are mega-millionaires who can afford it, which is why they wouldn’t care if Julian offered them triple the fair market value to stay away from Lavender Lane.
My mom continues looking at the fancy piece of paper. “Liliana…”
“No,” I immediately say.
Her gaze darts back to the paper. “I think we should sign the NDA.”
“What?” I screech. “Are you joking?”
“We could split the money—”
“I don’t want anything to do with it.”
“But you can use your half to open the Pressed Petal somewhere else in town.” I’m upset she would even suggest such an idea, seeing as I rejected Julian’s, Dahlia’s, and Rafa’s offers to loan me money.
I shake my head. “Absolutely not.”
“Why not? I’m getting closer to retirement, and then you’d be free to chase your own dream.”
Angry tears spring to my eyes, coming in hot and heavy. “Rose & Thorn is a big part of that.”
Can she not see how the two ideas go hand in hand? There wouldn’t be a petal-pressing business without Rose & Thorn’s customer base, and the main reason I enjoy creating the art pieces is because I am a part of the wedding bouquet-making process from the start.
I don’t notice a tear slipped out until my mother wipes it away.
“No llores,” I she says softly while pulling me into a hug. Her embrace is tight, and the smell of her perfume is familiar, soothing the ache in my chest.
“I can’t lose this place, Mami .” It’s Papi ’s and her legacy, and I desperately want to be a part of it. My sister always had dreams that were bigger than this town, but Rose & Thorn…it was the beginning of mine.
She brushes my hair out of my face before cupping my cheek. “Even if we lose Rose & Thorn, I want to say I’m so very proud of you, mija . You took our legacy and made it even better, and if your father was here, he would be just as proud of the successful woman you’ve become.”
I frown. “Why does it sound like you’re quitting?”
“Because…I don’t know if I have the fight in me anymore. I’m tired, and hiring a lawyer sounds stressful. Way more stress than it’s worth.”
I know she doesn’t mean to hurt me, but her giving up feels like she is turning her back on me.
This is her anxiety talking, Lily.
I put my feelings aside. “If the buyout wasn’t an issue, would you keep Rose & Thorn?”
“Of course. I love that shop.” Her voice cracks. “I know you’ve taken on more responsibility, but my heart will always belong there. Your father and I…we put our heart and soul into it, and it will always feel like home.”
Which is why I’ll save it one way or another. “Please. Give me a chance to figure this out before you throw in the towel.”
My mom takes a few deep breaths. “Okay. How about this? I’ll schedule a meeting with Mayor Ludlow to discuss the letter and voice my concerns while you think of some solutions.”
I might not like it, but I think I know exactly where to start.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and his name happens to be Lorenzo Vittori.