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33 DAVID

Saturday came and it brought with it customers in abundance. Where had they all come from? He could have done with a quiet weekend. He’d had a delivery that morning, including the wedding flowers, and had gone over to the pub to take Meg’s mum’s dress back to their house. Meg had said she didn’t want it anywhere near the event, but didn’t want to give it back.

He was astounded as even more people came in. Whether this was a new uptake for a reason David couldn’t identify, or some kind of karmic reward for the last few days, he didn’t know. He knew the soles of his feet hurt, and he knew he hadn’t had a chance to wash his hands since nine-thirty that morning. The wrinkled lines on the backs of his hands – when did that happen? – were crevices filled with dirt, and under his fingernails needed a good brush.

‘Do you think it will brighten up?’ Benji asked. ‘For the wedding tomorrow?’

‘I hope so,’ David said. ‘Or I’d be worried about that marquee lasting the whole day.’

‘You always worry,’ Benji said.

‘No I don’t.’

He had arrived bright and early, asking David if he could interview him and take photos of him in the photo booth for that week’s social posts. David had skirted around the issue, and sensing resistance, Benji had instead used the time to take control of creating David’s online shop in order to allow subscriptions to be ordered. ‘It’s not the twelfth century,’ he had said, when David asked if it was necessary. ‘I’ll get it set up now. Give me your card.’

The weather outside was miserable. A continuous downpour David had heard throughout the night and hadn’t relented since. The noise of the rain, happening out there, was somewhat comforting. David always thought that when it rained it felt like they were in a rainforest, and today was no different. It was like the air was heavier, and everything far away was slightly blurred, like Meg had illustrated some intricate beautiful portrait of rain and stuck it to the windows.

David busied himself with restocking what had been sold that morning. They’d had a run on the celebration bouquets, so he had to put out his sign that read MORE BOUQUETS AVAILABLE – MADE TO ORDER – ESPECIALLY FOR YOU. The wording made him think of Kylie, and he suddenly remembered a new song for the Plant Playlist. How had he never thought to add ‘Where the Wild Roses Grow’!

At lunchtime, Ray and David were just about managing together, and Benji was in taking photos and videos of how busy it was, which David supposed must be something that helped online. He was weaving in and out between people and kept referring to something called an algorithm. David was just about to suggest he come to the back room for a tea and a rest, since he still wasn’t paying Benji, when he cornered him to ask him to film a video.

‘Again?’ David said. ‘All right. I’m surprised you’ve got space for all these things on your phone. What do you need me to hold?’

‘No, I want you to be in a video,’ he said.

‘Doing what?’

‘Like a “meet the owner” kind of thing,’ Benji said. ‘I’ve prepared questions and we can always redo them, but it would be fun to get your genuine reactions. I bought this microphone so it’s good quality.’

‘Let me see the list,’ David said. ‘I’m quite busy and I’m also completely filthy.’

‘It’s authentic , David,’ Benji said, passing him his phone, which had a small list of questions. ‘People want their florist to be dirty! Like they want a chef to be fat.’

‘Okay, I’m not sure I need to identify as a gay man in this video,’ David said, reading Benji’s questions.

‘But that’s you . The whole point is to get to know you.’

‘Can I think about this, Benji? I’m a little—’

At that moment Hannah came inside. Her hair was wet, and she shook her raincoat uncomfortably over the doormat.

‘Hey, you,’ David said, walking towards her. ‘How are you?’

‘Erm,’ Hannah said.

Benji was watching her curiously now from the counter, and David followed his lead. Benji always knew when there was something up with a person.

‘Are you okay, Hannah?’ David asked.

‘Yes, it’s just …’ Hannah began. ‘Meg’s parents again. I don’t want her to know I came in but I needed to … We went round earlier. I don’t think they’re going to come. Meg gave them this big speech, about not wanting regrets, how she grew up, and they just sat there.’

‘Oh, poor Meg.’

‘They said there was nothing to say and then we just awkwardly left,’ she continued. ‘I don’t think they’re coming and I’ve been the one the whole time saying it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, it’ll all be fine. It does matter though. I think Meg wanted to insist on an answer but in the moment … I want Meg to be happy and I think the only way she’d be happy is if they came. It will kill me tomorrow if they don’t, and we’ve got no way to know.’

Benji stepped forward. ‘Should—’

‘Benji, don’t worry, you’ve missed a bit of the story,’ David said. ‘It will be fine, Hannah, I promise. Just keep supporting her.’

‘You think?’

‘Yes, definitely,’ David said. ‘It’s really hard with her parents, but she’ll get through it. I did.’

Benji walked away to the back room.

‘As soon as it’s happening, she won’t have time to think of her parents,’ he said. ‘We will make it a wonderful day. I’ll do everything I can.’

‘All right,’ Hannah said. ‘I’d better go back. Said I was getting milk but I needed a little offload. Thanks, David. Bet you could do with a lie-down after all this.’

‘Me?’ David said. ‘Not on my sixth coffee I don’t, so don’t worry about me. It’s your day. Take this milk.’ He handed her a carton from the fridge. ‘Go home to Meg. Relax. Nothing’s going to happen now.’

* * *

The rush continued into the afternoon and so Mark came down from upstairs to help. He was good behind the till, David always found. His wide smile always invited customers into the shop but they never found him overbearing. It didn’t hurt that he didn’t require paying, either. But Mark needn’t know about the shop’s dire money troubles, not yet. David felt too awkward to tell Mark, and he needed to get to Monday before he properly looked at what they should do, then he could tell Mark what the plan was. He wanted to present him with a plan of action, not an admission of defeat.

He had half-hoped the stir of custom today would be the end to their problems, but he knew from experience a busy day would often be followed by days of tedium. Everyone had just happened to move their day of shopping to the same date, and it often didn’t mean anything. Nobody today had bought a subscription, no matter how often he mentioned them.

No, what was he doing? Mark was there for him for everything; that was the whole point of them. They could sit together and Mark could help. Mark’s skills and David’s knowledge complemented each other, and what reason should he ever have for keeping anything from him? Mark would do anything for him. He wanted Lilies to succeed just as much as he did. Why else would he have given up his Saturday afternoon? He watched Mark behind the counter having a spirited conversation with an older gentleman who always bought lilies for his wife. He was brilliant, Mark, he really was. There was no more thinking to be done.

‘I just—’

He couldn’t get the words out, and Mark looked over at him quizzically. Shouting over all the other voices, he said, ‘Was that for me?’

‘I need to go and pick something up,’ he said, hurrying to find his keys. ‘Sorry, I completely forgot. You two can manage for the last hour?’

‘I guess I can,’ Mark said, looking confused. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yes,’ David said. ‘I’m brilliant. How nice that it’s busy. We’re over the rush; I’m sure of it. You’ll be fine. Just something I need to do before the wedding.’

‘If you say so.’

‘I love you!’

‘Go on, if you’re going,’ Mark said. ‘See you tonight. Can’t wait for the takeaway.’

‘Me neither,’ David said. ‘Bye, petal.’

‘Hello?’

On the other end of the line, Mark’s voice sounded tired. He could hear no background noise, other than the low hum of a song – perhaps Guns and Roses – so he presumed the last of the day’s customers had petered out.

‘Sorry, it took much longer than I anticipated,’ David said, before taking a breath. ‘Then, you’ll never believe it, I got a flat tyre!’

‘Oh God,’ Mark said. ‘Have you done anything?’

‘Well I haven’t changed it myself if that’s what you’re imagining. Mark, you’ve known me for long enough to realize that.’

‘No, I know, I mean have you called anybody?’

‘No,’ David said. ‘I mean yes, yes I have, I was on the phone to them for ages actually. Sorry that’s why it’s taken so long. They can’t come till tomorrow. They said to leave it parked up here. Will you come get me? I’ll send my location.’

‘Do you want me to call the insurance?’

‘No, no, nothing like that,’ David said. ‘We can do that later. Definitely don’t call them, just hurry up! It’s raining!’

‘All right, I’ll be there,’ Mark said, pausing as the location was sent. ‘I’ll be there in fifteen. You don’t mind if I leave the shop? I’ve not closed up or anything.’

‘No, that’s fine,’ David said. ‘Just lock up and put the sign on the door. See you soon, love.’

When Mark arrived, David waved him over to where he stood. The van was pulled over on the side of the road, parked up next to a small brick wall on a hill. Parked up was a generous term for being stopped diagonally across the road. There certainly wasn’t room for an actual car to pass but luckily nobody had come along to try.

From where the van was, where David had been sitting inside in the driver’s seat, you could see the sun beginning to dip towards the crest of a hill, broken through the clouds, in that hazy way it sometimes managed despite even the most belligerent sky. The insistent rain, present all day, had finally cleared and the sunlight reflected off sodden grass and drenched concrete roads.

‘Hi!’

‘Hey, come here.’

The road was near-deserted, and there was a tiny area curved off by stones where David was now standing. Mark crossed the road and came to him.

‘What a nightmare,’ he said. ‘Poor Daisy!’

‘Well yes,’ David said.

Mark glanced at the wheels before walking round to the other side, and then all the way back round to David.

‘Do you know what a flat tyre is?’

‘Mark—’

‘You don’t have one, David.’

‘Can I show you inside?’

‘Is that flat tyre in the vehicle?’

David pulled back the door of the van and invited Mark in.

‘You’re not supposed to trust men in vans, you know.’

‘Mark, shut up,’ David said. ‘Get in.’

Mark climbed up inside the van and saw a dinner laid out in front of him. There was a tiny table (made of an upside down Dutch bucket with a tablecloth on) with a picnic on top. There were olives, and cheese, and bread. To the side, in another bucket, was a glass of non-alcoholic wine, in ice. He handed Mark a small bouquet of roses.

‘Bought these from the petrol station,’ he said. ‘So you wouldn’t be suspicious.’

‘Wow, David. I didn’t expect this at all.’

‘Surprise date night.’

They sat together in the van and started to eat. David was hungry, after all. They caught up quickly about the day and then got onto talking about how they’d met. For about half an hour, until most of the food was gone, they reminisced and Mark even got a couple of photos up on his phone he’d found recently, showing the first time they’d gone on holiday together, to Greece, and photos of the first Christmas they’d spent together.

Suddenly, David’s ringtone blared from his pocket.

‘Sorry, I’ll …’ He checked the screen. ‘Oh it’s Meg, let me just get this.’

He shuffled slightly and opened the back doors of the van, so he was sitting looking out at the countryside. He listened as Meg explained the unfolding situation. The sun was closer, inches it looked like, from the surface of the skyline, green and blue and yellow all stamping their way through the clouds, which marked everything with a dark black edge. Shadowy black rippled in the grass with the movement of the wind, which David could hear, safely tucked away in the safety of the van. The view was beautiful; what he was hearing was not.

He turned back to Mark to tell him the news.

They needed to go, he said, because the wedding venue had flooded with the day’s rain and not only was the venue ruined and the marquee broken, but all of the things in the storage room destroyed too. Meg was freaking out, but David had turned instantly into action mode, and wanted to go and help, but in his head he wanted to tell Mark the truth, which was that it was a shame on many levels, because he’d very nearly, finally, plucked up the courage to finally ask Mark to marry him. He held on to the ring in his jacket pocket and thought, well I’ve waited nearly twenty years. What’s a day or two?