All Chapters of The Good People's Games System : Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
12 chapters
Chapter 11 New Growth
The shop opened at seven.Muneer had been there since five, unpacking boxes, checking soil, arranging stems. The delivery truck had arrived at dawn with twenty new varieties he had never carried before. Orchids from Thailand. Lilies from Holland. Roses from Colombia.His father would have called it extravagant.His father would have smiled.The first customer arrived at seven-fifteen. An elderly woman looking for marigolds. She bought three pots and told him the shop looked brighter than it had in years.The second customer arrived at seven-thirty. A young man buying flowers for his girlfriend. He had no idea what she liked. Muneer helped him choose a mix of alstroemeria and white chrysanthemums. "Friendship and truth," he said. "She'll appreciate the thought."The young man paid and left.By nine, Muneer had served twelve customers. By noon, he had served thirty. The cash register was fuller than it had been in months. The phone rang constantly. Orders for weddings. Orders for funera
Chapter 12 The Wedding
The order was for two hundred centerpieces.Muneer had never done two hundred centerpieces. His father had, once, for a wedding at a hotel downtown. Muneer had been twelve. He had spent the whole day cutting ribbons while his father arranged roses.Now the ribbons were his responsibility.Saeed arrived at six in the morning. Muneer had been there since four. The back room was covered in white roses and baby's breath. The bride had wanted something simple. Elegant. Not too expensive."We have two days," Muneer said. "Let's start."---They worked through the morning. Saeed cut stems. Muneer arranged. They worked through the afternoon. Saeed wrapped ribbons. Muneer checked each centerpiece for balance."I didn't know there was this much work," Saeed said. His hands were stained green from the stems."Neither did I," Muneer said. "But we're going to finish.""Are we going to make it on time?""We have no choice."---The second day, they worked until midnight.Muneer's back ached. His fi