The Day the Flowers Died

The Day the Flowers Died Read Online Free PDF Page A

Book: The Day the Flowers Died Read Online Free PDF
Author: Ami Blackwelder
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Adult
want what’s best for their
sons.  I’m sure he means well.”
    “He does.  That’s what makes it all the more awful.” Eli
smiled in his words and, unnoticed to himself, moved closer to
Rebecca.
    “Do you have to work later today?” Rebecca asked, hoping the
answer to be no.
    “My father closes the business every Shabbos, from Friday
evening to Saturday evening.”
    “Then I get you all to myself.” Rebecca reached to his chin and,
with more bravery than usual, brushed her soft forefinger up his
jaw line and over his lips.
    Eli blinked, forgetting himself in public, and leaned in to kiss
her.  Catching himself, he lifted the side of his trench coat
to cover them from the mothers in the distance, as if his coat
somehow secluded them from the rest of the world.  Rebecca
laughed, forgetting to cover her mouth and Eli enjoyed seeing her
sizable, white teeth.
    The early morning approached noon and Eli accompanied Rebecca up
the street for lunch. A panhandler squatted outside the diner,
holding a small pan in his dirty hands, and wearing ripped black
trousers, probably his only pair.  Eli reached into his
pockets and pulled out loose change, tossing it into his dish
before opening the door for Rebecca.
    “Thank you, kind sir,” the panhandler said.
    Eli smiled and turned to escort her inside.  They jumped to
the side when a waiter dashed out the door, motivated by yells of
the owner to “move that bum away from my place of business!” The
waiter dragged the panhandler up and asked him to leave the street,
his eyes filled with a silent apology.
    “Can’t a man make a living anymore?” the beggar grunted,
stuffing the money from the pan into his pockets, then waddled away
with a limp in his left leg.
    The owner behind the counter watched Eli and Rebecca select a
table by the window.  Dressed in common white pants and beige
shirt, his tall frame made its way to their table.
    “Eli, it’s nice to see you today.  How’s business going for
you?”
    “I can’t complain.  So many have been hit hard by the
crashing stock market.”
    “Yes, yes.  It’s a real shame.” The owner didn’t try to
build any façade of real concern. “Here are your menus.” He smiled
into his mustache and headed behind the counter.
    “A compassionate man,” Rebecca remarked with sarcasm.
    “Yes, the sincerity is overwhelming,” Eli returned her
humor.
    Studying Eli’s face, she admired his sculptured features in
privacy, a jagged nose, bushy brows, and defined cheeks.  When
he glanced up, her gaze darted to her menu.
    “How do you know him?” she asked.
    “I used to eat here on occasion with my father.” He stopped to
give the waiter their orders.
    When the waiter left, she asked, “How did things go for you when
you arrived at your mama’s party?”
    “The eating had slowed and the drinking had intensified. 
Many of my relatives were there, so when I slid in, no one missed
me.  I didn’t have such luck with my mama, though.” He made a
funny grimace.  “She made it very clear I’d better be there
for the entire celebration next year or she may disown her only
son.”
    Rebecca’s face grew alarmed.
    “She doesn’t really mean it.  She says something like that
at least once a year.” His voice went up an octave into a motherly
tone, “Eli, you’d better make it to Shabbos this morning or I’m
going to have to disown my only son and you know what a heartache
that will be for me.”
    Eli moved his hands in sway and wrinkled his forehead, imitating
his concerned mother.  “Eli, the Seder for Pesach is only a
couple days away and you still haven’t gotten the bitter herbs, the
eggs, or the chicken I requested.  Am I going to have to
disown my only son? Don’t do this to your mother.” He finished with
a pointing, wavering forefinger, making Rebecca laugh at his
antics.  He settled when the waiter set his pastrami on rye in
front of him, and Rebecca enjoyed her chicken sandwich.  She
tore the
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