Page 46 of Bloom and Burn
We finish our lunch chatting about a get-together for a couple of days out of state, maybe on July 4th. Everyone is on board, but despite the fun weekend it’s shaping up to be, Ryan’s mood remains a little off. I try not to fixate on it, but part of me feels guilty, so I find it hard to ignore the issue. I just need to figure out how to fix it, I know I can. No matter how hard the challenge I face, that’s never stopped me from trying.
In fact, as soon as I stop repressing the thoughts circling my head, a plan already starts forming. It’s a reallyreallybad plan, but I hate seeing Ryan like this, so fuck it. I’m gonna fix this or die trying.
I drop him off at the garden center, tell Emily I’m taking the afternoon off, and drive straight to Estacadaso I can talk to Ryan’s parents. It’s a crazy move, and it can backfire spectacularly, but I want to at least try. They hate me as is, so what have I got to lose? And if I can get through to them even a tiny bit, then maybe they’ll stop being stubborn mules and call Ryan.
18
Jack
Ifeellikeacriminal. I didn’t tell Emily or Ryan about this, but it’s too late to go back now as I am already in front of Estacada’s mayor’s office.
I thought it would be harder or that the man won’t agree to see me. I didn’t even book an appointment with him, I just rushed down here from Portland, smiled at the receptionist and demanded to see him.
You got this, Jack. Don’t chicken out now. Show you have integrity! Ryan will love it even if you fail spectacularly and get chewed out by his dad!
Taking a deep breath, I knock on his door and announce myself as he invites me in. Ryan’s mom is there too, sitting on a chair to the side of his desk. Oh boy, I’d hoped she’d be busy with the flower shop or something, but nope, here she is, ready to rip my head off.
“You don’t give up, do you?” she hisses, a storm crossing her face. “You come here and turn Ryan against us, his family, and you think you can still get what you want?” She scoffs. “We are not going to sell.”
I clench my hands into fists. How can they be still going on about this? It’s not why I am here, but then again, Ryan did warn me from the start that his mom is a hard woman to get on your side if she’s already painted you as the evil guy.
Still. I am not here for me. This is about Ryan.
“I’m not here for that. I’m here for Ryan. And I’m sorry for getting between you, that wasn’t my intention at all. But I wanted you to know that he’s doing well. He’s got a job at a garden center and he’s loving it. Emily and I might have to move though, and he’s already enquired about a transfer if that comes to pass, so we can be together. Once he feels ready, I want to help him start a busine—”
“So you’re here to gloat, is that it? You think Ryan is better off with you than with us?” she accuses, grating her teeth. I glance at her husband, seeking to see if I’m getting through to him, but his expression is unreadable, like he’s not really quite a part of this argument. Oh well, I guess this is a dead end. But it was worth a try at least.
“Not at all.” I turn back to Margaret and let a small smile touch my lips. “I wasn’t the main reason he moved to Portland, you know. Maybe I played a part, sure, but he’s wanted the freedom to make his own decisions and mistakes for a long time.” I tuck my hands in my pockets. “Anyway, I really just wanted to tell you that he’s doing well on his own, but he misses you, the town and the Blooming Orchid.” Margaret’s scowl lessens a little, so I push forth, “And I am sure you miss him, too. I don’t think either of you is happy with how things are now. He said he was excited to try new things, but I can tell he’s also a little sad he had to leave Estacada and the Orchid. I just thought you should know.”
“What’s your point?” Margaret demands, her voice shivering with a hint of regret.
“You care about Ryan and I know we started off on the wrong foot, but I care about him, too. I want to see him truly happy and I want to support his dreams. That’s why he moved away—to pursue those dreams. He confided in me that youthink what he wants to do is childish, but I disagree. His ideas are solid, and I believe they would bring more customers to the Orchid. You should trust him more. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve met, and he’s so passionate about what he does—there is no way he will fail. And if he stumbles or needs help, I’ll be next to him every step of the way.”
I leave them with their mouths hanging and their brows furrowed, but that’s fine. I already knew that fixing things wouldn’t be as easy as having a chat with them. But I gave it my best and maybe they’d be willing to at least check up on Ryan.
“Nothing will change what kind of kid I was. Trust me, I’m aware of that. But I’ve done my best to make up for it. I still do it, every day, and the facility I want to build so I can help people like Emilyfor freeis part of it.” I shrug, feeling at peace with myself for the first time in a while. Who would’ve thought that speaking to Ryan’s parents could help me, too? “I know I said I wasn’t here for that, but I guess that’s not quite true. I do want you to reconsider it, because if I can build the facility here, Ryan could come home sooner rather than later.”
Apprehension is written all over their faces. Maybe I can convince them one day, but I really don’t have the luxury of time right now, so I guess removing the strain between us is the best I can hope for. Not today, that much is obvious, but the diminished intensity of their scowls tells me that I’ve taken the first step.
“Are you done?” Margaret barks at me. “We won’t change our minds, no matter what you say.”
I smile ruefully. “I suspected as much.”
“Then I don’t know why you wasted your time coming here,” she states.
“Maybe I did. But this is for Ryan, so it was worth it. I can tell you care about him, so I ask that you give him a call. I think it would make him happy.”
I don’t wait for a reply, I see no point. They will either call or they won’t. I sincerely hope for the former, but if that’s not the case, then I guess I’ll just have to come back and talk to them again.
19
Ryan
“Anddon’tforgettowater them once a day!” I remind the group of kids as they trickle out of the workshop space in the garden center.
It’s my first ever workshop outside of the ones I privately run every Friday after work for Jack and Emily, both of whom are aspiring urban gardeners by this point. All thanks to me. I can’t wait to see how many enthusiasts I’ll end up with after today. Going by the excitement on the children’s faces, they’ll definitely be coming back next week.
I smile to myself as I tidy up the worktops and put away the tools we used, stoked by the turnout. It’s been just over a month since I moved to Portland and I’m having so much fun despite not having my little shop. I’ve been learning a lot though, and putting into practice all kinds of things because the people here at Clements Garden Center are really cool. My manager, Thomas, is a herb nerd who’s currently tackling a chemistry degree and he’s been super nice since the very start, loving all my suggestions about the flower section. The workshops weren’t my idea since they already had them running, but they were mostly seminar style, rather than interactive, so I asked if I could play around with the format. He okayed the second of the three versions I presented him.
