[ T H R E E ]
Elaina was shocked once more, her was harshly beating against her chest that she felt like those near her could hear it.
"What's this?" She muttered picking up the flowers noticing the little note attached to it.
"I don't know, you tell us." Tommy whined giving her a saucy glare.
"I-I don't know..." she trailed off staring at the unopened note.
"Well read it!" Tommy nudged her.
"Oh..." She tore the little tape that kept the note closed and opened it up.
To Elaina
I want to further thank you for your company
I thought the baked goods weren't good enough and opted for something else to convey my thanks.
These flowers though do not compare to your beauty I hope you will take this.
From N.
"Who is N?" Angelica asked peeking at the note over her shoulder.
"No one." Elaina squealed thanking the guy who had delivered the bouquet of roses, digging into her wallet to give him a tip only for him to shake his head.
"Everything has been paid for as well as my tip." He said chuckling, Elaina blushed nodding her head thanking him once again.
"It's the guy from the other day isn't it?" Angelica said.
"No." Elaina shook her head as she headed into the back room with Tommy and Angelica following her closely. She grabbed her satchel bag and stuffed the note inside pulling it over her head as she hurried passed the two who were throwing questions at her left and right. Quickly waving goodbye without answering their questions she hurried out of the bakery.
Once at a safe distance she glance down at the beautiful, fresh red roses. Her cheeks heated up and she fanned her face hurriedly.
"Beautiful." She muttered holding them delicately in her arms as she walked down the street heading home to her apartment which didn't take long as she turned down the second block.
Upon entering her apartment, she placed the roses on the counter while she searched for a large vase big enough to accommodate the number of roses and once she had found one she smiled triumphantly filling it with water and placing the roses inside. Deciding to place them in the middle of her round table she stepped back admiring the beautiful roses.
Heading towards the couch she took a seat grabbing the tv remote and turning her tv on just as her phone sounded off. Without looking at the caller ID she swiped her finger across the screen answering the call.
"Papa." She answered.
"Iniya how are you my sweet?"
"I'm doing fine, Papa and you?" She asked as she gazed up at the tv screen displaying the news.
"Missing home." Her father chuckled bitterly, "This meeting is taking longer than planned." He sighed.
"Oh," she frowned, "I hope everything goes well." She stood heading into the kitchen as she placed the tv on mute. "How is Ethan and Uncle Landon?"
"Landon is fine but your brother had indulged himself into work." She could picture her father rolling his eyes. "We all just want to come back home maybe the day after tomorrow or the next, depending on how the meeting plays out tomorrow."
"Oh okay." She said placing her phone on speaker and putting it on the counter as she rummaged around inside her fridge. "Papa the other two are coming soon can I talk to you another time?"
"Of course, darling." He father voiced, "I love you and pass my hellos to the other two."
"Will do, love you." She slightly shouted as she reached inside the fridge. Digging inside she pulled out the meat setting it in the sink and reaching over to turn her phone off. Just as she pulled the pans out of the cabinets and placed them on the stove her doorbell rang. Hurrying over to the door she pulled it open two pair of arms wrapping around her immediately embracing her tightly.
"I'm hungry!" Eli groaned, she rolled her eyes pushing them off of her.
"Me too!" Evan exclaimed, "I haven't had a proper meal in over a week." He complained.
"That is not my fault dear brother." She scolded as she walked from her entrance back into her kitchen the two following after her closely.
"You haven't even cooked?" Evan complained, she shot him a glare as she cut down the meat planning to make pork stir fry with frozen vegetables.
"Papa said hi." She sighed as she cut down the large meat into tiny pieces placing them in a bowl and rinsing the blood off first before setting it inside the heated pan. The two had moved into her living room changing her news channel to ESPN to watch football.
"Yes!" Eli exclaimed jumping up from his seat, "Cowboys touchdown!" He cheered. Elaina shook her heads, she wasn't much of a football fanatic like her brothers but she had grown up watching footballs games along side them and found it entertaining how a grown mans emotions change depending on how their team is doing. Covering the pan she washed her hands and eyed her brothers.
"The rice should be done soon, I will head into the shower so you two set the table." She said giving them a calculated look. The two brothers nodded and got off the couch heading into the kitchen while she headed down the hall into her room.
Alone in silence she turned the cold water on dipping under the shower head letting the cool water run down her body. Once alone her thoughts were filled with nothing but the handsome man and the bouquet of roses she received. At just the thought of him a smile crawled on her face and she immediately thought about the type of roses she had received, "The Rosa Ingrid Bergman" a beautiful rose with deep red colors that enchanted ones eye.
After rinsing her body of her body wash she turned the water off stepping outside the bathtub and wrapping her towel around her body. Walking into her room she heard her phone ringing on her bed side table and she walked towards it answering it.
"Evan."
"I've finished setting the table and the rice has finished cooking."
"Ok, I'll be out soon." She said heading into the closet.
"Okay."
Hanging up she placed her phone on top of the chair that sat in the corner of her closet. Pulling open a drawer filled with sweatpants she pulled out the first one slipping in them and grabbing a random dark blue t-shirt throwing it over her head. After drying her hair has headed out of the her room stuffing her phone inside her pocket.
"I'm here." She announced.
"Good we're starving." Eli groaned as he pushed her over to the chair. "This better satisfy my stomach." He grumbled, Elaina glared at him.
"You can starve then." She muttered sitting down in her chair.
"Okay let's eat because I also haven't eaten since this morning." She sighed as she grabbed her fork.
"Thank you for the food." The two brothers smiled as they quickly dug into their food hurriedly devouring the food. Elaina rolled her eyes as the two silently ate their food obviously starved while she filled her cup up with water drinking it as she stared at them refilling their plates once more.
"This is good." Evan muttered his mouth filled with food, she smiled handing him a filled cup of water and handing the other one over to Eli who gave her a nod of thanks as he continued to eat.
After their dinner she had left the boys to clean up since she cooked. She got out two tupperwares filling them with the left over stir fry pork and handing it to the two.
"All you need to do is cook rice, I hope you can at least do that." She stated opening her fridge and taking out a box of cookies she received the other day.
"Is that?" Evan peeked over, Eli following in suit both of them staring down at the box. "Granny."
"Yup." She smiled, "Granny sent them yesterday." She said handing it over to the two, "I've already had my shirt those are for you two."
"And you didn't bother to call us?" Eli complained giving her a glare.
"You were going to come today anyway." She shrugged as she sat down beside them on the couch digging into the box of cookies as well.
The rest of the night the siblings enjoyed each others company, each telling the other two how their week has been, and what they've been up to lately. Both their careers were very different from Elaina's, Evan had made it big in the modeling world, while Eli had started up his own architectural firm with a small help from their father who was more than willing to help his son out. After staring his own firm, he turned into a boss always busy barely having time off. Elaina was proud of all her brothers each accomplishing things at their young age, working hard and making use of their smart brains.