3. The Strange Proposal 2

“Happy birthday once again to the only lady who means everything to me,” he said, while presenting the bouquet to her.

“Oh! My God!” She exclaimed when she saw the beautiful flowers, which were the expression of how he felt about her. Now she stood up, and collected it. Thereafter, she gave him a prolonged hug, and appreciated, “Thank you for loving me, my dear. I promise to make you happy for the rest of your life.”

“You are welcome, sweetheart. I will always be there for you,” Carson promised, and the excited Alfred resolved to up his game in getting Mirabel to love him. Afterward, they had a good time, while Pearl kept admiring the beautiful bouquet.

“I'm glad that you like the bouquet,” Carson remarked with a love look.

“It is just marvelous. Thank you, once again,” she pointed out. Afterward, Carson took her back to the hostel, before he drove off with Alfred. Along the line, he asked, “Do you wish to return to your hotel or crash with me tonight, and then head home tomorrow?” 

He waited for his reply, while he concentrated on the road, but to his dismay, none came. After a few seconds, he looked at him, and found out that he was lost in thought.

“I'm asking, Alfred,” he called his attention to, and concentrated on the road. The startled Alfred recalled himself, and asked, “What did you say?”

“Here we are, Alfred. I thought we had a deal. Why are you lost in thought after you had shared your problem with me?” Carson reprimanded. Howbeit, Alfred tilted his head, and explained, “It's not what you think. I wish we could stop over at the florist shop.”

Carson furrowed his brow, and asked, “Stop over? What for?”

Alfred smiled sadly, and said, “I wish I know. If the shop is still open, I wish to see her lovely face once again, before I retire for the night.”  Now, Carson was relaxed, and smiled confidently when he realized that he had overcome the burden that he ran away from and the pursuit of Hazel.

“I'm proud of you, Alfred. You have truly overcome your past. Why not? We can check on her.” Instantly, Carson made a detour to the flower shop. 

“We can begin our plans right away. Or what do you think?” Alfred informed. Carson smiled broadly and commended, “I agree with. Provided you have rehearsed your lines.”

“Don't bother about that. I'm good to go.”

“It's all right,” Carson agreed, and drove on. Soon, they were in front of the shop. It was a few minutes to 9 PM, and Mirabel was still in the shop. Most often, her grandmother would be worried about her health because she would leave for work early and return home late. When she got tired of complaining, she resorted to sending her dinner to her through one of the guards. That night was not an exception.

“Why did you supply me with a bouquet that could not appeal to my woman?” Alfred faced the front desk officer, and blurted out as soon as they got into the shop. Nevertheless, there were many shoppers, who were doing the last-minute shopping before the shop would close for the day, around. However, such harsh comments were detrimental to the reputation of the organization. Suddenly, all eyes were on the disgruntled clients, and Mirabel, who was attending to a client, was attracted.

“Calm down, Sir,” the front desk officer attempted to pacify.

“Calm down? Do you realize how humiliated he was before his woman, just for patronizing you?” Carson added with indignation.

“Kindly excuse me, Sir,” Mirabel pleaded with the client she was attending to, and walked to the front desk.

“It is all right,” the client said, and watched her walked on. He was aware that the organization was good at their work. Having a dissatisfied customer complaining, aloud and angrily, was strange.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” she greeted calmly when she walked up to them. Just for seeing her, and hearing her voice, Alfred's desire was satiated, but he acted on, “I thought you were the best, but I was proved wrong this evening. My woman could not even accept my proposal. I lost a relationship of several years.”

Now, Mirabel was completely embarrassed. She recalled that she personally arranged the flowers for them some hours ago, but just realized that there was a mix-up.

“Gentlemen, we can talk it over,” she solicited with a defeated look.

“Talk it over? What is there to talk about?” Alfred yelled.

“I think there's a mix-up somewhere. The bouquet wasn't for engagement, but for…”

“But for what? How dare you mess my date up?” Alfred barked.

“How can there be a mix-up on a day like this?” Carson added. 

“I apologize once again, gentlemen, for ruining your date. I actually prepared a bouquet for a birthday,” she explained innocently. Presently, she was sweating, and it was obvious that she was nervous, but Alfred must bring her to a point where she would beg to have an audience with him.

“What the hell has a birthday bouquet got to do with an engagement bouquet. I thought you were an expert, and knows better.”

“It is your duty to educate your clients on the way to use the flowers, and not indulge in an expensive mistake,” Carson pointed out. Nevertheless, they had made their points clear, and she had no choice but to concede defeat, “You are right. If I had educated you, may be this mix-up would have been averted.”

“That is not acceptable to me. How do I correct the negative impression that I have created before my girl? I think I will call for a press conference to point out that the mistake wasn't from me, and notify where the mix-up came from.”

At the mention of the press, Mirabel was hysterical because Alfred was a foreigner, and such a publication could jeopardize her position as a law-abiding business owner, and the authority would come after her. Although, she was from the Royal Home, she had been operating with a concealed identity, and would not want to get involved with anything that would make Irene and her daughters have the last laugh, or expose her identity. Then, she offered, “It has not gotten to that, gentlemen. I will help you correct that if you can come back tomorrow morning. I promise that I will sort it out for you?”

To avoid appearing heartless, and inconsiderate, and ruin the chances of getting her to love Alfred, Carson played along, “What time are we talking about tomorrow?” He asked, while Alfred wore a sad face.

“Will 9 O'clock be all right by you?” She asked, but when she saw Alfred's sad face, she fidgeted, and corrected, “If 9 AM would be too late, we can make it earlier?”

Nevertheless, the shoppers were conversant with Alfred's threat. The press conference would not just affect Mirabel, who they thought was a commoner, but their favorite shop may be shut down indefinitely by the authority for trying to take advantage of a foreigner. So, they lent a helping hand.

“Gentlemen, I plead with you to see reason with her. Kindly give her a second chance,” a shopper intervened.

“I think you deserve to be annoyed over such a costly mistake, young men, but give her another chance to right her mistakes,” another shopper added. Now, Alfred and Carson, had no choice but to stop ranting.

“9 AM is all right by us,” Carson announced, and gave Alfred a searching look. At that point, everyone, including Mirabel, focused on him for his verdict. After what seemed like forever, he declared, “See you tomorrow,” and took a step while Carson followed. Subsequently, everyone breathed freely, especially Mirabel, who was about tearing up.

“Thank you for your understanding,” she said, not expecting a response from them. Thereafter, she turned around and, appreciated the clients who intervened, “I appreciate you for your intervention.”

“Never mind. I can imagine their disappointment,” a shopper declared.

“You are right. I should have educated them.”

“It's okay. Don't be hard on yourself. They appear gentle, and a dialogue will quell their anger,” the shopper consoled.

“You are right. Thank you all for your concern.”

“You are welcome.”

Furthermore, the defeated Mirabel rounded up with the client that she was attending to, before the two angry clients walked in. Afterward, she closed for the day.