But You Gotta Put in Work (Elizabeth)

[Emerson (DELETED 8699)]

Emerson stopped her efforts in tidying her workspace as Elizabeth elaborated on the issue at hand. Oh. Pictures and trinkets and personal clutter - that made more sense. She let out a small breath of relief. She didn’t really have to worry that much about making a bad impression or ruining anything, then. The brunette didn’t own any physical copies of pictures because she had evidently not taken any (or anything else, for that matter) from her old home, and any of the pictures she had now or would have in the future were going to be digital since she had a phone. Trinkets weren’t going to be much of a problem, either. Emerson wasn’t shy of them since she often browsed them in the aisles of the various shops she went to, but she never really ended up buying many, and the ones that she did were always tucked away safely with the intention of avoiding breakage. And so in a way, her skin was saved, and she felt better. “Okay. I understand,” she said with a nod of her head.

No dress code? That gave a lot of leeway on what Emerson could wear. And yet, there was a hint of a dress code in the suggestion of wearing something one would to a nice dinner or winery. For one, Emerson didn’t drink wine, and her nicest dinners were from places that allowed takeout, since interacting with waiters and waitresses was more or less a stressful thing (at least in the girl’s mind). But she could think up some good outfits, pull out all the skirts and dresses she had tucked away for the spring and summer months and pair them with long socks and sweaters to keep warm. And if she didn’t have anything she thought was suitable enough, it would give her an actual excuse to go shopping this time.

Emerson’s eyes stopped on the money that was placed in front of her. “Okay. No debating,” she agreed with a smile, reaching for it. “Thank you.” It was folded and tucked away in the side of her boot, giving that she had no pockets and no backpack and didn’t think going to hold the money in her bra, like she was inclined to do, would be the most professional option. The girl reached into her other boot to grab her phone and check the time. It wasn’t terribly late, and it didn’t seem that Elizabeth was bothered by her being there, and what else was she going to do? Sleep? “I can stay to help with one more,” she offered with a shrug. “I would offer splitting up the work, but three bouquets don’t split off evenly between two people, so…” she trailed off, a silly kind of smile on her face because she really didn't know where she was going with her words anyways.

[Elizabeth]

There would be no debating and that made Elizabeth smile just a little more. The money was taken and placed in a spot that Emerson deemed safe. Elizabeth noticed the woman checking her phone. perhaps for messages, or something else. Maybe that application known as Face-something-or-another. Elizabeth enjoyed her privacy, so while the site intrigued her, Elizabeth made no efforts to create her own page, as Elise suggested some time last year. Elizabeth felt that if people wanted to keep in touch with her, they knew the best way to do that; email, or the preferred method; by mind.

When an offer was made to stick around and help, Elizabeth nodded and looked at the three vases that remained. "Indeed." She agreed, before grabbing a vase and set it in front of Emerson. The flowers remained where they were, Elizabeth confident that the woman could gather the flowers she needed and the numbers Emerson deemed needed to make an arrangement for the event tomorrow evening. "That wound be nice." Elizabeth admitted after collecting yet another vase and setting it in her work space.

"How long have you been...in Harper Rock?" Elizabeth asked, deciding to take the initial question a different route for the time being. "I returned to Harper Rock just about...five and a half years ago." Elizabeth said as she snipped some leaves off the stems of the roses, then did the same with the thorns. "When I returned, much had changed. Many advances had been made." While some of the changes to her, had been negative, there had been a great many positive changes too. "But perhaps that is a story for another time." Elizabeth gave the woman a small, wry smile before shifting the attention back on Emerson. "Do you take part in education? Attend the local university?" to Elizabeth, it was important to know who was going to be working with her, and what their interests were. Perhaps, if Emerson were furthering her education, the floral designer could work her way up, with hard work and an expansive knowledge base for business.

[Emerson (DELETED 8699)]

Emerson didn’t currently have any social media that she used. If she happened to have accounts under her name, they weren’t remembered. Often times, she would observe that others were always constantly on their phones. In the coffee shops, they ducked behind their screens. They did the same while they walked. She had to agree that technology was a good thing. She had a phone that could keep her in quick contact with people. Otherwise, it made her sort of sad to see that not many people were talking face to face anymore. Although she lacked the skill of conversing and usually became overwhelmed with multiple people, the girl thought that “real life” conversations were very important. Things that she valued. And so, even if she did happen to have any means of social media, it was very unlikely that she would go to use them when there were so many other more productive things that could’ve been done.

The girl took the vase and then reached for the flowers she thought she would need. She decided that taking less would be better than taking more, as she could always go back if she needed to, but taking just enough would’ve been the best option, and she shooted for that. She had only just started cutting the stems when Elizabeth began to speak. Emerson listened as she worked and nodded her head. “Five and a half years. Long time.” Five and a half years ago, where was Emerson? She was around thirteen. It was weird to picture herself that far back. It was even weirder to picture herself as a much younger teenager. She tried to formulate herself into the stereotype of someone with braces and glasses and an uncanny fashion sense, but it was unsuccessful. “I’ve been here…” Emerson paused, counting out the months on her fingers. “Three months. Ish.” She waggled her fingers in the air as evidence and let them drop back down to grab the shears. “It’s a nice place. I like it here.”

Emerson thought for a bit, although it wasn’t as if she needed to. Plain and simple, she didn’t attend college. As far as she was concerned, she hadn’t been attending any classes beforehand, either. Even though both things sat a bit sourly with her, having a job and studying for a career were two very, very different things to Emerson. The job she had landed herself now, compared to others, wasn’t an extremely big deal. It took skill and basic intelligence, but she didn’t have to be book smart to be able to excel in it. It didn’t carry an overwhelming amount of responsibility, either, and for those reasons, the young brunette was happy to be employed. College and university, on the other hand, seemed to be a totally different ballpark. It was expensive, that much she knew, and almost always revolved around stress. She’d seen it in those who sat behind their laptops and piles and piles of notes at the cafes. The students could sometimes even be seen asleep on their keyboards. Emerson didn’t want that. She didn’t want too much stress or responsibility or the fear of wasting such a mass amount of money over not being able to memorize the glossary section of a textbook.

And so, she shook her head. “No. Not right now,” she said, which implied that there was a possibility of furthering her education in the future. Which there always was. She had all the time in the world to, actually, so it made perfect sense as to why she wouldn’t be so worried about it. “I’m just around.” The girl left her explanation at that. If Elizabeth wanted to know more, she could ask. Emerson wouldn’t hesitate to answer, but she didn’t feel like pushing too much information on someone she had just met. She continued working on the bouquet at hand, reaching for more flowers and ferns when need be.

[Elizabeth]

Elizabeth keenly listened to what Emerson had to say. The woman couldn't help but wonder where Emerson had come from since it seemed Harper Rock was not her birth place. Something she would ask, at perhaps another time. They had plenty of it together, approaching. "I too, find myself just around." Elizabeth admitted with a small laugh and a shake of her head. That was perhaps the best way of putting it. Often she thought of leaving and trying to start a new, or different life. Perhaps a quieter one, where she would sire no one, because it would be too strange and unfair to those she sired here to sire others and try again. Elizabeth did not want to try again in that regard. Elizabeth just realized too little too late that she did not mind solitude and perhaps found life hundreds of years ago easier. Less complicated at the very least.

"I had thought of taken courses at the local university." Elizabeth professed while moving a few already placed flowers to a new location within the vase. Elizabeth took a few seconds to reflect on the repositioning of the flowers before she nodded her head and continued. "However, I think the schooling is different to what I am used to. I do not believe I would do very well. Besides, the things I wish to learn more about, are perhaps not typical. I would need an apprenticeship of sorts. A thing I hear that is no longer around as often as it was less than two or three decades ago." She smiled faintly, then sighed gently. "So, I am around." Elizabeth extended her hands to the whole of the shop, as if she were implying this was not where she wanted to be. "Not that I mind being around. I also love what I do here, for if I did not, I would not be doing this. I meant as in Harper Rock. It is familiar, even though things have changed through the course of the years." Elizabeth stuffed a few ferns into the arrangement and then pushed it back to take the almost completed vase in. With a shuffling of a few flowers, Elizabeth beamed at the completed project, then scooped it up delicately. "A word of advice, from another who is just around...do not stay around for too long. It is really no way to live-for anyone." Elizabeth said before she moved to the cooler and disappeared inside, placing the finished arrangement with the others.

[Emerson (DELETED 8699)]

Emerson listened to the blonde woman as she worked, snipping stems and adjusting the placement of ferns and flowers alike. It was nice to hear that someone was in the same kind of boat as she was, and so she smiled back. As Elizabeth continued to speak and Emerson continued to listen, the girl realized that yes, she was just around, but it wasn’t exactly by choice. She didn’t choose to be in Harper Rock or to forget a lot of things or to be a vampire. That was all by chance, by fate, by result - whatever one she wanted to blame. Things happened and Emerson had to go along with them. What else could she do? Sure, finding out who she was before was an option. More often than not, it called to her. She knew that, eventually, if she didn’t figure out enough information through dreams and triggered memories, she’d give in, get help, and do some research. But eventually was not then. Not just yet.

Emerson was left temporarily to finish up the bouquet and think over Elizabeth’s words as the woman disappeared into the cooler. Staying around was no way to live. She had to agree to that, at least to a certain extent. Her circumstances were a bit different than the average person’s, and she was allowed to do what she wished and be the judgment of her own actions. Emerson had never thought about where she’d be if she wasn’t in Harper Rock. She hadn’t gotten the chance to. Travelling never appealed to her much, she realized, and she liked things to stay routine. It gave her some sense of security when everything else in her life was out of her control. But those were all things to think about at later times. Again, the girl found herself pushing aside her problems as to not face them. It was easier that way. Instead, she focused on the task at hand. Too busy with the arrangement, she didn’t realize the two men that passed by the window of the shop. If she had, she couldn’t have questioned it too much. People were out and about into the early hours of the morning for many reasons. What she could’ve questioned, however, was how they stopped in their tracks, looked her over for a bit longer than one would deem necessary, and were talking into a phone as they walked away, like they were never even there.

When Elizabeth returned from the cooler, Emerson was finished. She got up from her seat, holding the vase of the completed centerpiece carefully in her hands. She’d promised the woman the work of one last bouquet, and that work was done. She could leave the shop after that, only to return the following day for the start of her actual job. “Can I put this one away?” she asked, curiously peering in the direction of the cooler.

[Elizabeth]

While she was in the cooler, Elizabeth moved the completed projects to a cart, then from the cart to a shelf that had ample space between the one she placed them on, and the one above it. She frowned, shook her head and then put them back in their initial location. This process took a few minutes, allowing Emerson to finish her arrangement, before Elizabeth returned out of the cooler.

When Elizabeth got to her work space, she started picking up the cut stems, the leaves and the thorns that had been plucked from the various flowers she used for the arrangement. When those were disposed of, Elizabeth moved to a sink where paper towels hung to the left of the sink. She pulled a few pieces off, wet them and then moved back to the table. Emerson asked if she could take her arrangement to the cooler Elizabeth just exited and all Elizabeth could do was nod her head. "Of course. You will find the others within the cooler. Just place yours along with the others. Please." She looked up at Emerson to see if the woman had any other questions or was going to say anything else, before Elizabeth swiped the rest of the tiny pieces she hadn't collected by hand, into the garbage with the paper towel. "And when that is done and your space is cleaned, we may call it a..." Elizabeth paused to glance at the clock on the wall and laugh. "A morning." She concluded, a smile upon her features, oblivious to the men that had passed by the window at one point.

[Emerson (DELETED 8699)]

After Elizabeth gave Emerson permission to put away her finished work, the girl was off, a bit more giddy about completing the task than she probably should’ve been. She stepped inside the cooler, shivering a bit at the slight change in temperature, and glanced around for the matching arrangements. She found them easily, the bright orange flowers catching her attention out of the corner of her eye. The vase was carefully placed beside the other arrangements. Emerson only had to stand on her toes for a second or two to reach the shelf. Rocking back down to her heels, the brunette’s hands were dusted off on her leggings, and she took a bit of extra time to look at the other bouquets in the cooler. There weren’t too many, so her admiring wasn’t held out for too long, and she returned from the room soon after. “All the flowers are so pretty,” she sighed, making her way back to her workspace. “Do you talk to them? Is that why they grow so nice?”

Emerald eyes glanced around for a bit until Emerson found where the blonde had gotten the paper towels from. She went over to the sink and did as Elizabeth had, running a few under the water and squeezing out any of the excess liquid. Back at the table, she began to wipe up her space, taking her time as she did so. She was humming softly, sweeping the leaves, thorns, and stems into her opposite palm. When all the pieces had been collected in her hand, she disposed of them, and then the paper towel. The girl’s eyes followed Elizabeth’s to the clock, but not much time had passed from the last time in which she’d checked her phone. She giggled softly. It was still weird to her, sometimes, that the sun was rising instead of setting by the time she was ready to go to bed.

Bouquet put away and space cleaned, Emerson was all set and ready to leave - regrettably so. She liked it in the shop already. She liked Elizabeth already. And she didn’t want to leave either, but if she extended her stay too much longer, she may not have been able to outrun the sun. She didn’t want to find out first hand what the effects of that would’ve been, so she made sure she had everything she needed. “Guess I’ll be going now,” she said. “Thank you, again. For the money and the job and letting me help.” She smiled softly. “See you tomorrow?” She paused, thought about how the calendar worked and shook her head. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. Today, technically, since it's morning. So, actually, yeah. See you tomorrow,” she finished quickly, her smile remaining.

[Elizabeth]

When Emerson had returned from placing her finished arrangement in the cooler, Elizabeth's space had been completely cleaned and the woman had set out a ledger on the table. She wanted to keep a record of where some of the money had gone to from the til she gave to Emerson. When the woman deducted the funds from the log book, she closed the ledger and then set it aside. Emerson came out at this time, the woman smiling to her and even giving her a nod.

Blue irises watched Emerson repeat the things she did in her own work space, on what would be Emerson's work space. Her lips raised into a smile as Elizabeth's eyes looked at Emerson surprised. "Indeed, I do. I believe you are the first person to have ever asked such a question. And know the importance of such a thing." Elizabeth grabbed the red covered ledger and moved it over to the counter between each cash register. It seemed Emerson knew more than she realized and perhaps this would be an excellent partnership.

When Emerson was done and she spoke again, Elizabeth nodded her head. "Yes. Tomorrow it is. Do have a good evening, Emerson." She dipped her head to the woman and watched her start to head out before Elizabeth moved into her back office, where the ledger would be put away for safe keeping, in a safe, secured location. Once it was locked away, Elizabeth would move around the shop to check the temperatures of each cooler, water some potted plants and then retire for the evening.