The Accidental Florist

Jefferson, the nice church lady she’d met at Thelma’s funeral. “I guess you learned to waltz when you were a girl. Would you do this next dance with me?“
    Mrs. Jefferson smiled. “I learned dancing at a girls’ school. I still remember.“
    When Jane and Mrs. Jefferson took the floor, other couples backed away, smiling. The photographer took several pictures, and other guests who’d brought cameras along joined in. As soon as the waltz was over, Jane bowed to Mrs. Jefferson and stood beside her, holding hands as others took more pictures. Both ladies did a curtsy. Jane then asked Mrs. Jefferson if she needed a ride home. “Ted Jeffry doesn’t drink. He’d be glad to take you.“
    “No, thank you, Mrs. Jeff—I mean Mrs. VanDyne. My grandson is arriving to fetch me in a few minutes.“
    Jane stayed in what was supposed to be the honeymoon suite. She didn’t mind that the groom wasn’t there. He was doing his job. If she’d ever had the chance to be sent on a book tour, she wouldn’t dream of making him take time off to go with her.
    Besides, she’d packed a bag with the clothes she’d come here in and others she intended to wear the next day. She had her makeup and vitamins along. Her mother called Jane at nine the next morning. “Jane, dear, that waltz with the pretty old lady was the highlight of the wedding. I’m so proud of you for singling her out.“
    “She was the only nice woman at Thelma’s funeral and I wanted to give her a tribute.“
    “I take it as a tribute to your father and me as well for raising such a nice thoughtful woman.“
    “You and Dad did a good job of teaching me good manners.“
    “Have you heard from Mel?“ Cecily asked, changing the subject.
    “Not a word. Where are we having breakfast?“
    “We might as well just eat at the hotel. I stepped outside a few minutes ago and it’s really too hot to walk somewhere else.“
    “I’ll meet you as soon as I can catch an elevator.“
    Her mother, father, and Katie were waiting for her as she emerged.
    “Did you invite Todd and Mike?“ Jane asked.
    “They’re already here, holding a table for us.“
    As they entered the dining room, Todd hopped up and pulled his mother aside. “Mike had too much champagne and let me drive his truck home. It was cool. When are you going to buy me a truck? You bought his. I remember that.“
    “Katie doesn’t have a car yet. You have to wait your turn,“ Jane said, taking his arm and leading him to the table.
    As Jane sat down, Katie asked, “Why did Mel disappear from the wedding after the first dance?“
    “Because he’d been waiting for some people to be found and somebody found them.“
    “Who are they?“ Katie asked.
    “You’ll have to ask him about it later.“
    “How much later?“
    Jane just shrugged and said, “Nobody knows. And he might not want to talk about it yet.“
    “But you know, Mom?“
    “Just a little of it. I’m starving,“ she said, picking up the breakfast menu.
    When they’d ordered and were waiting for the food to arrive, Jane asked her father, “Have you told your plans to Katie yet?“
    “Yes, if you mean that we intend to live in Chicago soon. I have a few last reports to make before I can be let go to be retired.“
    “Are you sure you don’t want to buy a house?“ Jane said.
    Her mother laughed at this. “My darling daughter, we’ve never owned a house. We don’t know how to mow lawns, or cook for ourselves, or remember when to pay the water bill.“
    “Most certainly,“ her father added. “We need something with a concierge, and maybe a cook who can also teach us how to cook.“
    Cecily raised an elegant eyebrow and said, “You’re going to learn this?“
    Michael laughed. “I thought maybe you might take the lessons.“
    Cecily simply smiled.
    When breakfast was done, Jane asked, “Would you like to take us all along to look at some condos?“
    “That would be fine,“ Michael said. “But we’d have to hire a car service to haul all of us.“
    Katie had been looking back and forth from her grandmother to her grandfather. “Do either of you know how to drive or have a driver’s license?“
    “We both know how to drive, and have licenses from a half dozen different countries, including America. But we will need to buy a car.“
    “Can I go with you to pick one out?“ Mike asked eagerly. His grandfather had no time to answer because two waiters were putting down their plates.
    When they were finished eating and