Roses for Mother

-THURSDAY-

"Markie, I want you to get some red roses for the dining room table on your way home from work tonight."

"Yes, Mother. How many?"

"A dozen, of course. You know, your father used to bring me roses every night without me having to ask for them."

I grit my teeth but smiled. "I know, Mother. You tell me all the time."

I bent down to kiss my mother on the cheek and tuck her in. "Get some rest, Mother. I'll be home at 5 with roses."

"Have a nice day, Dear."

I shut the bedroom door and headed down to my truck. There was an awful metallic smell coming from somewhere; I'd have to take it to my mechanic tomorrow to inspect. Just another thing on my list.

I drove to my job at the construction site. The foreman approached as I drove up.

"Hey, Mark. We're shutting down today. There was a bad accident last night and police are on the scene." He jerked his head toward the far end of the building we had just started. Through the framework I could see police cruisers, caution tape, and drop cloths hanging from makeshift frames.

"Oh, wow, really? That's awful. What happened?"

"There was a body found. Poor guy was beat to death and dismembered." I dragged a hand down my face. "I gotta stay because I found him, but I've been instructed by Peters to send you all home."

"Wow, that's scary. Uh, well, thanks for telling me, man. I'll see you tomorrow."

I guided my truck off the site and headed for the supermarket to get Mother's roses. The pretty lady behind the floral counter smiled at me. I should ask her out.

"Roses for your mom?" she asked, hearts pretty much coming out of her eyes. I bet if she were my woman she'd worship me.

"Yes, ma'am. One dozen, please." I pulled out my wallet, handed her a fifty dollar bill, and told her to keep the change. She giggled as she began wrapping twelve roses.

When she handed them to me I winked at her and told her I'd see her soon. She smiled brightly and my heart fluttered. I think I might ask her out tomorrow.

Carrying the roses to my truck, I got in and headed home. Yesterday's roses were sitting in the blue glass vase Mother loved dearly, so I carefully discarded them, putting the new roses in their place. I fluffed them around, arranging them just as Mother prefers.

"Mother, I'm back early," I called as I headed up to her bedroom. "There was an accident at the construction site and they sent us home."

"How are you going to get paid, Markie? We need the money!"

"I know, Mother. It's just one day's wages. We'll be fine. Get some rest now."

-FRIDAY-

"Markie, are you going to get some roses for the dining room table tonight?"

"Yes, Mother," I answered, gritting my teeth. "I need to stop at Culver's and get my truck looked at so I'll be late coming home. Get some rest."

I leaned down to kiss her cheek and tuck her blankets around her.

The smell in my truck was getting worse. I rolled my windows down despite the cooler air. What was that stench?!

The police tape was gone from the construction site so I pulled up next to the GM's Ford and parked. I grabbed my hardhat and neon vest, putting both on as I walked to where I would be stationed. Bags of concrete were waiting to be mixed so I got to work.

After my shift I headed to the grocery store. The pretty girl was there again.

"Roses for your mom?"

"You know it. Twelve of them. I'm Mark, by the way."

"Lorena," she said as I pulled out a fifty dollar bill and handed it to her.

"Keep the change," I said.

She busied herself wrapping up the flowers. "Would you like to grab coffee sometime?"

Lorena blushed and said yes.

"I need to get my truck checked out, but can I come back and get you later?"

"That would be great," she said, handing me the roses for Mother.

"See you soon," I said, heading to my truck.

I set the roses on the seat next to me and headed to Culver's.

"How can I help you, Sir?" the guy whose shirt read NICK asked.

"I have an awful smell coming from my truck and I can't figure out what it is," I said.

"We'll get that checked out for you, no problem. Will you be waiting here or are you going to leave and come back?"

"Oh, I'll wait. I have nothing else to do until later. I have a date with a very pretty lady."

Nick nodded and I went to sit down in a pleather covered chair in the waiting room. I crossed one leg over the other and spent my time between watching cars passing on the road, and the workers out in the garage.

After ten minutes or so, Nick came back into the lobby. "So we found the issue with your truck and the good news is, we can get it cleaned up for you today. I just have to, uh, make a call to the, uh, supply building to make sure we have the stock we need and you'll be on your way."

"Oh that's great, man. Thank you!"

Nick smiled and nodded, then headed back out to the garage. He picked up the phone receiver and dialed. He glanced back at me as he spoke into the phone and I smiled and waved. He nodded an acknowledgement.

"Okay, they're on their way. You'll be set soon."

"Great!" I picked up a car magazine and thumbed through it. There was an excellent article on the 1966 Dodge Charger. It was birthed in 1964, released in 1965 and labeled as a 1966. Fascinating!

"Sir, if you'll come with me, we can get you going," Nick said from the open doorway between the lobby and garage.

"Ah, wonderful!" I set the magazine down and stood. As soon as I walked through the swinging door, I was thrown against the wall with my hands jerked behind my back.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided."

"Nick, what's going on?!"

"You have a dead body on the floorboards of your back seat, man!"

I don't know why he was screaming at me.

I turned to the police officer standing next to me. "Can you let Mother know that I'll be late coming home? She worries."

The officer looked at me incredulously.

"Your mother is the body in your truck, Sir."