For the first time in years, she looked happy.
And it wasn’t because someone felt guilty or because they were pretending. It was real.
And she was finally starting to believe she deserved it.
Daniel became a regular at the flower shop, and not just for the bouquets. He’d linger at the counter, talking to Sophie about everything from flowers to favorite books and little life stories.
His kindness was effortless, and Sophie noticed.
“Every time he walks in, he’s smiling,” she told me one day. “Not in that fake way Ethan used to. It’s… different.
But I don’t know. Maybe he’s just being nice.”
I shook my head. “He’s being nice because he likes you, Sophie.
Don’t overthink it.”
Still, Sophie was cautious. She’d been burned before and wasn’t eager to open her heart again. But Daniel never pushed.
Instead, he showed up with small, thoughtful gestures: a coffee on a rainy morning, a joke to make her laugh when she was stressed, a tiny potted plant he thought would look nice by the shop’s window.
“You didn’t have to do this,” Sophie said one day, holding the plant.
“I know,” Daniel replied with a grin.
“But I wanted to.”
It wasn’t until she found the bouquet and note on her car that something shifted. Standing there in the parking lot, reading Daniel’s words, Sophie felt a strange warmth in her chest. She wasn’t used to being noticed like this — genuinely, without any pretense or guilt.
The next time he came in, she found herself smiling at him without hesitation.
“I got your note,” she said softly.
Daniel’s face lit up. “I meant every word.”
They started seeing each other outside of the shop — simple things at first, like coffee or a walk in the park. Slowly, Sophie let her guard down, piece by piece.
For the first time, I knew my sister was thriving.
She’d found a love that didn’t need to be earned. It was hers, and it was real.
Source: amomama
