Chapter Text
Elliot Stabler started his morning like any other. He rose before the sun, and made his way to his flower shop and greenhouse, Bernadette's. He changed the soil for some of the plants, watered the ones that needed it, and began trimming others. He took pride in his work.
He started the flower shop right out of the Marines. He needed something soothing in his life to help with the PTSD. He had always enjoyed flowers, thanks to his mom. So Bernadette's was born.
Sometimes people didn't know what to make of a large, burly man owning and running a flower shop. He saw the hesitation from new customers, but ultimately the love and care he put into his plants helped put him on the map. He had every variety you could think of. If you needed something special, he would go out of his way to get it for you, provided you gave enough of a notice. He worked hard to make his place a success, to make people happy and it showed.
His mother loved her son, but she couldn't understand why he hadn't settled down yet.
"You're thirty five years old, Elliot." She said. "You own a flower shop for God's sake, why don't you ask out one of those pretty girls who come into your shop?"
None of them really stood out to him. Most were seeing someone already. He hadn't had anyone in his life since Kathy anyway.
Kathy was the reason he went into the Marines. He got her knocked up, and he swore he would take care of her and their unborn baby. While he was away, Kathy got sick. She and their unborn baby didn't make it. Elliot wasn't sure he would ever get over the pain of losing them.
So, for now he chose to put everything he had into running his shop. And he was just fine with that.