His flowers

Chapter 3

                                          Violet

"How you feeling?" Brie frowns rubbing my back. "Horrible." I cough, taking her hand to stand off the floor. Morning sickness is the worse part of my morning.

I brush my teeth and my face turning to her. Every Friday we usually have a movie night after dinner. We all fell asleep on Oak's couch.

"Ready for work?" Oak mumbles with his face pressed into the couch.

"Are you?" Brie raises a brow. "Of course." He scoffs sitting up straightening his shirt.

The bakery we own we previously owned by my mom. She gifted it to us our second year of college to help us get by. Now we work the days we don't go to school. I do most of my nursing school online for the exception of Thursdays where I go in person.

Oak attends his teaching credential program every other day. Brie goes to law school three times a week.

Days like today when all of us work together are my favorite.

I grab a fresh basket of strawberries from Oaks kitchen before leaving for work.

All of our part time employees who work the days we don't are usually college students. UCLA is a five minute walk from the bakery so many students come looking for jobs.

"Clarisa and Joey are closing tonight for us." Oak says as he parks.

My chewing slows, I completely forgot. Today we're going to Alessandro's house for his nephews party.

He's been gone for so long. Now he's just back? Well he's always been here. He lives here. How have we not crossed paths till now?

I feel my eyes glaze over from just thinking of him. Stupid hormones.

Why did he never call? Four years. He promised four years ago that him leaving wouldn't change any of our relationships.

Yet, he never called. He never answered any of our calls or messages. He never told us why he left.

"You ok, v?" Brie looks at me through the mirror.

"I'm fine." I smile looking at her. I clear my throat, blinking away my tears and open my door.

I blow out a deep breath seeing the fog leave my mouth. The sun barely rising, the blue and orange colors slightly easing my anxiety.

"Come on." Oak smiles, "I'll make you another special donut." I feel my lips quirk up as we follow him in.

We all throw on waist aprons, as we start in the back kneading dough.

I gather the ingredients for frosting to whip some up. B makes cream for the cream filled donuts while oak stares down at his phone grinning. His phone buzzes again and a blush rises to his cheeks.

"Who you texting?" I peer up at him leaning against the counter.

"No body." He says quickly dropping his phone.

"You're blushing." Brie laughs. "Tell us." She pleads.

"Just some new transfer." He shrugs. "He's new, he's going to be a history teacher."

"Oh?" The last person he dated was when we were in high school.

"I like him." He mumbles. "His name's Sebastian."

"That's nice Oak." Brie sighs smiling. Brie's last relation ship was in college it ended badly sophomore year. "I've sworn off of men forever." She grumbles, mixing the cream harder than needed.

The bell from the front jingles calling my attention. "I'll get it!" I cover the frosting and make my way to the front.

"Hi! Violet!" Julie one of our regulars comes running in.

"Hi, sweetie! How are you and your brother?" Julie's only about to be fourteen, and taking care of her brother. Both of her parents work full time leaving her to tend to him. Oak, Brie and I help them from time to time. Getting them from and to school.

"Me and Grey are good. Dad says he got a promotion and will be gone more." She frowns.

"Where's Grey now?" I ask looking around for him. "Sleeping. I didn't want to wake him. He had a hard day yesterday so I'm here to surprise him with breakfast."

"You're the best sister. Anybody ever told you that?" I question, pulling out a box for a dozen donuts.

"No." She whispers. I fill up the box with their favorites. "Well you are sweetie. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Stay here I'll grab pancakes ok?"

"Oh." She nibbles on her lips. "I only brought enough for donuts and a tip."

I send her a stern look, "I thought we agreed on free breakfast?"

"Yea but-,"

"How about you save the money for school, ok? Buy yourself a treat, yea?" She thinks a bit before she nods. I slide her the donuts and go pack six chocolate chip pancakes for them.

"You need some milk or something to drink?" I ask before she leaves.

"No thank you, I went grocery shopping yesterday." She smiles stacking the pancakes onto the donuts.

"Are you walking?" I eye the pile of treats. She lives a block from here, that's a long way.

"Yea." She chuckles nervously. "Let me take you." I untie my apron making her shake her head, "it's not far, and plus you're pregnant I don't want to disturb you."

"I can take her." I turn around seeing Oak. "Are you guys sure? I don't want to impose."

"It's alright Julie, it's really early and cold. Let him take you." She looks unsure before nodding. Her and oak leave just as another customer walks in.

There was a time a few months back when Julie came in, tears rolling down her cheeks as she cried about not knowing how she'd get her little brother to his singing concert. We made sure he was nicely dressed and made it on time.

"Was that Julie?" Brie asks walking to the register. "Yea, she came in to grab some breakfast for Grey."

"Did she seem ok?" She questions making a cup of coffee for the customer.

"She seems stressed." I sigh. "Poor girl, has to take care of her nine year old brother at thirteen."

"Yea, their situation is fucked." I send her a quick glare at her use of profanities, "we help as much as we can."

"Violet," my ears perk at the familiar voice. Turning I see Mateo and his wife Jenna. His wife is very beautiful, long strawberry blond hair cascades down her back, red lips and green eyes shine under the lights. "I remembered your mom owned this bakery, we came to see if it was still up."

"We own it now." Brie corrects.

"Hi girls, we came to see if there was any chocolate cake. That's the one thing we're missing." She chuckles.

"Um." I look over to the fridge seeing a few options. "Take your pick." They walk over to the fridge, taking two chocolate ice cream cakes.

"How much for these?"

Brie rings them up, as I go find a strawberry cupcake to satisfy my craving.

"We'll see you guys later right?" Jenna holds a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Of course, we'll be there." They tip us generously before leaving. "We need to buy presents." I gasp, grabbing Bries arm. "Crap." She mumbles. "We'll go when, Oak gets here."

We made our way to the local toy store as soon as Oak got back, picking an arrangement of all sorts of toys. We ended up picking gift bags since wrapping takes to long.

When the time comes, Oak drives up the long drive way. Memories from years ago come flooding back as the mansion comes into view.

Anxiety swirls in my stomach as the blue ballon's fill my vision.

His explanation better be good.