Oranges and Papayas

It had been one year. One year of promises of financial freedom.

It's been one year. One year of trial and error in this new marriage. Al tried to get a deal for a new machine he crafted didn’t go as planned, as usual. And Amber couldn’t find a better-paying job that was close to their home. Things were more hopeful in the earlier months of their marriage.

Amber Williams is a woman of many talents, especially in the world of plants. Being able to work with even the most stubborn of plants. This, along with her classy flower arrangements, was what kept her employed. She went to a college in the city of Sonder for plant biology, after all. This was where she met her husband and best friend, Alfonso Rojas. He is a crafter of many things. However, his current specialty is robotics. The man tries to find clients to buy his products, but there are no takers in the small and somewhat rural town where he and his wife lived. Amber's father offered him a position at his chicken processing plant, but that fell through as well. It came from the fact that Al was allergic to the chemicals the mill uses for the chickens.

Currently, Amber works at the Painted Peonies flower shop in a town called Oakley. The woman is of short stature and a little heavy-set, with a mocha complexion. Her round face and button nose lacked makeup, as she had forgotten to put any on that morning. The most eye-catching thing about her was her waist-length, flowing auburn dreads that she usually tied into a ponytail.

That evening, she finishes placing a greeting card on an intricate arrangement of roses when Amber hears a text ping on her cellphone. “I hope it’s not another customer. I need to close soon!” She mumbled to herself, picking up her flip-phone.
At a glance, she knows it's her Al from the way he writes his messages, and breathes a small sigh of relief.

She answers, “Hey, sweetie! What's up?” She answers.

“I posted an ad online for my robotics services. Hoping for a response soon!” Al texted.

Amber sighed, “We needed money yesterday. And I’m the only one working too!”

“I know, Tangy. I’m sorry. I’m trying my best with what I got.” Al responded. Tangy was Amber’s nickname.

“I know. We’ll talk more when I get home. Love you.” She finished. It was 8 pm, and Amber was ready to go home after a long day. The woman placed the flower arrangement she had just finished in the fridge and locked up for the night. The evening traffic had just died down, so her drive home wasn’t as long.

She pulled into the driveway of her shared abode. It was a suburban ranch with a red brick exterior and a dark gray roof. Amber opened the front door and was met with a delicious fragrance. Upon entering and closing the door behind herself, Amber tried to figure out where the smell was coming from. The curious woman followed the scent to a small kitchen, where she found her husband. He just took what seemed to be an elaborate fish dish out of the oven. “What's that, Al?” Amber asked, eyeing the entrée curiously. Alphonso placed the entree on the counter for it to cool. “It’s Huachinango a la Veracruzana. It’s a dish from my parents' home country, and I wanted to try my hand at making it.” Amber smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Well, it smells delicious!"

Amber helped set the table as Alphonso got some yellow rice from the cooker. He served the rice, fish, and vegetables onto two plates on the table as the pair chatted about their day. Finally, Amber poured some sweet tea for herself and her husband. The pair sat at the dinner table and enjoyed the fruits of Al's labor. "This tastes really good, Al!" Amber chatted. "Thanks. "He nodded. "There was red snapper on sale at Gills and Grains. It didn't look too bad, compared to what they usually have."

Al took a sip of his tea. "So…what did you want to talk with me about?"

Amber fumbled around with the grains of rice on her plate. "It's, uh…" She hesitated. "It's just that I'm the only source of income as of now. You said that this 'robotics' thing was gonna take off soon after we got married. It's been a whole year…" Amber admitted.

Alphonso sighed, head in hands, "I…I know, Tangy. There’s no one here in Oakley who's interested in anything I'm selling. That's why I posted that ad. We have to hold out on hope." He urged.

Amber's eyes could no longer meet Al's. Worry ate at her insides. "I'm sorry, Al, but I can't. I know it's what you love, but I'm just tired."

He thought of what to say next for a moment. Then he remembered something. "Oh yeah. I was applying for some jobs at the library, and there's a lab that's looking for a botanist in Newton. It pays way better than being a florist. I found a mechanic position that pays well enough. I'll call them about the position tomorrow," Alphonso suggested, polishing off his plate.

Amber ruminated about the suggestion. Being a florist seemed easy on paper, but there's a lot that goes into those flower arrangements. And there were the rude, nasty customers. "I'll look into it. But driving to and from Newton every day seems like an inconvenience…" Amber begrudged, finishing off her dinner.

After dinner, Amber and Al exchanged kisses and cuddles before going to bed. However, the thought of switching jobs to help ease the financial burden of everything weighed heavily on the couple’s minds. But, if it helps in the end, they'll do it.