Second Chances

Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Night.

Maddy hung the final wreath along the railings of a gazebo in the little town square where a brass sextet rehearsed "Good King Wencelas." One of the trumpet players winked his approval and gave her a quick thumbs-up. She stepped back to admire her work. The snow-dusted wreaths were now perfectly aligned. The quaint, decorated gazebo looked picture postcard perfect.

"On the Feast of Steee-phen," she sang as she walked through the snow-covered town, a storybook setting, with wreaths and Christmas decorations in the windows of the mom-and-pop shops. She passed the lighted tree in the town square then stopped at Kay-Dee's Bake Shop, peering through the window at the assortment of holiday pastries. The mouth-watering aromas of homemade baked goods leaked under the old wooden door and out onto the sidewalk. A woman in the bakery wearing an apron waved to Maddy.

Maddy then made her way to Taylor's Flowers and upon entering called out, "I'm back from the gazebo."

Jonathan poked his head out of the backroom, his eyes glazed. "Gazebo." He giggled. "That's such a funny word. Gazebo."

"Have things been pretty quiet around here?" she asked on her way to the desk.

"You know the drill. The weeks leading up to Christmas it's work, work, work. Now we can catch our breath before the New Year's Eve parties. It's a perfect time for your folks' week in Punta Cana." He giggled again. "That's another funny word. Punta Cana."

"Hilarious," Maddy said, tossing her coat over the back of her office chair.

"Have you told them the news yet?"

"I was planning to wait until they returned from their vacation."

A FaceTime tone drew Maddy to the iMac on her desk. The sunburned faces of her parents filled the computer screen. They leaned back to reveal that they were dressed in bathing suits, holding tropical drinks.

"Right on cue," said Jonathan.

"Mom! Dad! How's Punta Cana?"

"Never mind that," Reggie said. "What's all this about killing the pizzeria deal?"

"Taylor's is a flower shop," said Maddy. "It's always been a flower shop, and it's going to stay a flower shop."

Carol chimed in. "Maddy, what are you talking about?"

"We're expanding."

"I'm too old for expanding," her dad said.

"I mean digitally. With a mobile app." She showed her phone to the computer screen.

Reggie lowered his sunglasses. "Listen, you. That's nothing new. People have been ordering flowers by phone for ages."

"Not like this, they haven't. And we're going into the wedding and events business. That's where the big margins are."

Carol leaned closer to the screen. "We don't know anything about weddings and events."

Maddy wore a self-satisfied grin. "I'm already working with someone who does."

"We'll talk about this when we get home." Reggie sipped his cocktail.

"Anyway," her mom said. "Punta Cana is awesome." She grinned. "We're having the time of our lives thanks to our sweet, generous daughter."

"You two deserve it." 

"Umbrella drinks at Christmas time," her dad added. "Sure beats shoveling snow."

Maddy's jaw dropped when Nathan came through the door. "Nathan?!"

"Is that Nathan I hear?" Carol asked. "Turn the screen so we can see him."