Then both Maggie and Mama caressed me.

I stood up and turned towards Maggie and Mama, and I could see tears in their eyes. The necklace that Mama had given me felt very warm and strangely heavy. The room felt peaceful and still and then Mama said, “What did you see, Mr. Jim?”

I didn’t know what to say. I just shook my head and said, “Beauty and love.”

Layla was stirring in the stroller and as Maggie went to her I looked at Mama, and she came to me and gave me a hug. Then placing both her hands on my shoulders, she looked directly into my eyes and said, “Just open your heart and trust, child. Everythin’s okay and you’ll see why Layla is here with all of us, you’ll see soon enough.”

I mumbled something about needing to go now and as Maggie walked over to the stroller I heard the little bell ringing in the front of the store announcing Mama’s first customer of the day.

Mama squeezed my hand and said, “Got to get to work now!”

Maggie looked over at me and said, “Honey, let’s call into work and take the day off.
Let’s all just be together today, okay, baby?”

I nodded my head and we left the flower shop into the new day.