Reader's Choice

Chapter 2

"I had some questions about your Business" his voice is actually quite average, not exactly uprising but definitely unexpected.

"Go ahead, sir " I say moderately more normally.

"Zeref, Would you be willing to sell?" It's to late for this.

"No." I say in a blunt uninviting tone, not that the subtly of tone would really effect this guy, but it lily wouldn't hurt either.

"I would be willing to pay" he said a large number, the kind of large number that has 7 digits and way out of the guy's legal price range, I mean how much can a Tattoo Parlor owner earn in a year?

"No" I say, I already explained I'm not in it for the money right?

"I'm will ING to go unto double that then"

"No, I'm good, but if you would like to buy any flowers with that money I won't stop you" I say with the sweetest most southern hospitality smile and a slight slipping into my Georgia drawl. Zeref just smirks and turns to look at the displays. He notices my favorite, a dark themed bouquet with black and white with three sashes of blood red Spider Lily, literally looking like blood splashed on a black and whit backdrop. He walks over to the case and examines the bouquet. I slide from behind the counter to the casing and slide it open in front of his nose, only inches from the glass causing him to jolt straight away. I carefully take the bouquet, and lift it from it's built in vase. He looks at me as I tilt my head towards the counter we walk back towards it.
"Wait here a moment" I say as I walk into the backroom. I carefully place it in a prepping vase as I search for the one I had set aside for this particular combination. The vase was a porcelain style vase, in a traditional shape with gentle black designs running up the sides. The designs could be interpreted as Ivy but I found it to be less defined in shape. With a breath I finally lift it out of it's box and begin to prep the water for the bouquet. Then the flowers into the vase . I turn to see Zeref dispensary from the door way to the back room. Well that was odd. I walk into the main room and place it on the counter.

Taking the focus of the flowers I say to Zeref. "Be careful with these, the Red Spider Lily's are poisonous. In Japan and China they are meant to show the path for the dead into their next reincarnation. They also AR becoming quite popular due to certain TV shows."

He just stares at me as if I've gone mad.

"What? You wanted these ones correct?" I say trying to stay polite but letting by southern drip out again.

"Yes" he says, stepping up to the counter.

I smile and begin to ring up the thirty five dollar bouquet and vase when he drops a Fifty on the counter, takes the Bouquet and leaves the store.

Once the door closes I take a huge sigh of relief. I don't particularly like people in general, but dealing with him was stressful. Lots of tense man silence. That's what Dad used to call it. When there is purpose, communication, and tension between two people and yet all is silent. He called it man silence because he had never experienced it around a woman other than mom.

The clock on the wall is almost four and I decide I may as well close up. I leave a note for Jacquelyn saying to open up as soon as she could get it open and I begin to place all the flowers in their cold boxes and secure the cash in it's timed vault. All is put away when I turn to leave.
Exiting the shop I pause. Should I:
To Go Home go to Chapter 5

To Look Around go to Chapter 6

To Go back go to Chapter 5.5

To Stand and Do Nothing go to Chapter 7