Have you ever watched someone’s heart break in public? The moment Serena Brooks realized she’d been stood up, her hands trembled so badly she spilled her cocoa, but what she didn’t know was that fate was about to deliver the most unexpected messengers of love. The cafe fell silent as Serena’s cup tipped over. She dabbed at the spill with a napkin, trying to hide her humiliation.
The soaked napkin revealed a hastily scribbled note underneath: «I’ll be there, R.C.» It was a promise broken like so many before. Golden sunset light streamed through Maple Bloom Cafe’s windows, illuminating dust particles dancing around Serena. Her shoulders curved inward as she glanced at her watch. 6:45 p.m. She’d been forgotten.
Mrs. June, the silver-haired cafe owner with eyes that had witnessed decades of heartbreak and healing, moved between tables with quiet grace. When she reached Serena, her weathered hand rested on the young woman’s shoulder. «Sometimes, dear,» she said in a voice only Serena could hear.
«The latest arrival is the one who needs love the most, and sometimes love comes wearing the most surprising disguises.» Serena attempted a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Mrs. June had become the closest thing to a mother she had since beginning work at the cafe three years ago.
The older woman’s eyes held no pity, only a curious blend of compassion and anticipation. «It’s fine,» Serena whispered, though every line of her body contradicted this claim. «This is what happens when shy girls like me try to be brave.»
As she reached for her purse, her sleeve rode up, revealing a small tattoo on her wrist: broken chains transforming into butterflies. It was a private reminder etched the day after her wedding-that-wasn’t, when she stood alone in a white dress, holding a note that read, «I can’t do this. You’re not enough.»
Mrs. June said nothing about the tattoo, simply squeezing Serena’s shoulder before moving away. At the kitchen doorway, she paused, watching as Serena pulled out a leather-bound sketchbook. The pages revealed designs that blurred the line between pastry and architecture.
Gingerbread houses with flying buttresses and precise calculations in the margins, cookie bridges with tension equations, and heart-shaped tarts with golden ratios mapped out. «You know,» Mrs. June called softly, «even the most inspirational cathedrals began as simple sketches. Your hands were meant to build more than just pastries.»
Serena snapped the book shut, color rushing to her cheeks. No one was supposed to know about her abandoned dreams of becoming an architect, a heartwarming ambition crushed by someone who convinced her that her vision wasn’t worth pursuing. The bell above the door jingled with unexpected force.
Two identical little girls burst in, their pink jackets askew and cheeks flushed. Their matching auburn braids bounced as they scanned the cafe with an intensity unusual for children who couldn’t be older than six. «Are you Miss Serena?» the one with a unicorn barrette asked, breathing hard.
Serena froze, her purse half-closed. «Yes?» The cafe fell silent. Every customer stopped mid-movement, sensing they had become an audience to something extraordinary.
The second twin stepped forward, hands clasped as if in prayer. Her voice, though childlike, carried a gravity that filled the room. «We’re Lily and Nora Cole.»
«Our daddy is Richard Cole.» She took a deep breath before delivering her bombshell. «He’s Your Date.» Serena blinked.
«Your… Daddy?» The first twin nodded, then leaned close. What she whispered next sent a ripple through the cafe.
«He told us not to tell anyone, but Daddy doesn’t know we’re here.» The second twin’s eyes, startlingly wise for her age, locked with Serena’s. «He’s stuck fixing a building that’s falling apart, but we didn’t want you to think he forgot.»
She reached for Serena’s hand. «He would never forget someone like you on purpose.» Mrs. June’s soft chuckle broke the silence.
Her eyes gleamed with something that looked suspiciously like the beginning of tears, or perhaps magic. «Well,» Mrs. June said, «it seems life has decided you deserve a better story than being stood up, Serena.» She glanced at the twins with delight.
«Sometimes the universe sends us exactly what we need, even if it comes in packages small enough to need booster seats.» What would you do if two little matchmakers showed up claiming to be sent by destiny? And who was Richard Cole, a man whose daughters would risk his anger to make sure a stranger didn’t feel forgotten?
«Our Daddy is a very important architect,» Lily explained, climbing onto the chair opposite Serena. Her sister Nora quickly followed, both girls now eye-level with the bewildered baker.
«He builds things that don’t fall down,» Nora added. «Except today. Today something is falling down, and he has to fix it.»
Serena’s shock gave way to a reluctant smile. There was something disarming about these twins with their matter-of-fact explanations. «How did you know where to find me?» she asked, curiosity overcoming her reserve.
The girls exchanged a conspiratorial look that suggested they had perfected the art of gentle mischief. «We saw your picture on Daddy’s phone,» Lily admitted.
«And Mrs. Monroe, his assistant,» Nora clarified importantly, «said Daddy was supposed to meet a lady named Serena at Maple Bloom Cafe at six o’clock.»
«But he forgot,» Lily continued, her face suddenly serious.
«Not because he wanted to, but because he forgets everything except work since Mommy went to heaven.» The words landed like stones in a still pond. Serena felt her throat tighten.
Mrs. June, overhearing, moved closer, setting down fresh cups of hot chocolate for the twins. «Your mommy went to heaven?» Serena asked softly. Nora nodded, her hands wrapping around the warm mug.
«Two years ago. She was driving home from work and a big truck couldn’t stop in the rain.» Lily stared into her cocoa. «Daddy was on the phone with her when it happened.»
«Now he doesn’t like phones very much.» The cafe grew quieter, as if the universe itself paused to acknowledge what these children had shared. Serena felt something in her chest shift—a small crack in the wall she had built around her heart.
Mrs. June placed fresh cocoa in front of Serena, her eyes saying volumes. «Listen to them. They came to you for a reason.»
«We have her picture,» Nora said, reaching into a pink backpack. She pulled out a worn photograph, handling it with reverence. In the photo, a beautiful woman with the twins’ auburn hair smiled widely, her arms around the girls, who looked about four.
Behind them stood a man, tall with kind eyes that crinkled at the corners, one arm around his family. He was handsome, with shoulders built to carry responsibilities. «That’s our daddy,» Lily said.
«Richard Cole. He builds things for everyone else, but he doesn’t know how to fix what’s broken for us.» A memory flashed in Serena’s mind: herself, standing alone in a church, her white dress suddenly feeling like a straitjacket, reading the note her fiancé left.
She blinked the image away, but not before Lily’s perceptive eyes caught the shadow crossing her face. «Miss Serena,» Nora said, her voice dropping to a whisper that somehow held the wisdom of someone much older.
«You look like someone who knows how to fix broken things.» The words struck Serena with unexpected force. «What makes you say that?» she asked, her voice barely audible.
Lily pointed to Serena’s sketchbook. «You draw things that hold other things together. Bridges and houses and hearts.»
«And you have sad eyes, too,» Nora added, «like daddy’s. But you still make pretty things.»
Would you believe that sometimes the most perceptive eyes are the ones that haven’t learned to look away from pain? That a heartwarming connection could begin with such honesty?
«We have a plan,» Lily announced suddenly, her face lighting up with determination.
«A very good plan,» Nora confirmed with a solemn nod. «Daddy hasn’t had dinner yet, and when he doesn’t eat, he gets grumpy.»
«Very grumpy,» Lily agreed, nodding seriously.
Serena glanced at the clock: 7:15 p.m. «So, your plan is for me to bring him dinner?» The twins beamed in unison. «Yes!»
«But I can’t just show up at his workplace,» Serena protested, her shyness flaring. «That would be perfect!» Lily interrupted.
«He’s at the Riverside Library project. It has bad foundations.»
«Like daddy’s heart,» Nora whispered, more to herself than the others.
Mrs. June, who had been listening while pretending not to, stepped forward. «The girls are right, Serena. No one should work through dinner.»
«We have plenty of food that would otherwise go to waste.» Serena hesitated, torn between retreating to safety and a strange tugging in her chest, a feeling she hadn’t experienced in years. Something about these girls and their mission sparked a courage she thought had died.
«I don’t know…» she began, but was interrupted by Nora pulling something else from her backpack: a small, framed photo of just their mother, her smile radiant.
«Mommy always said we should help people who forget to take care of themselves.»
The little girl said, her voice soft but sure, «And daddy forgets all the time now.» The simple wisdom silenced any further objections.
Mrs. June packed a large basket with sandwiches, soup, and a box of her famous «heart cookies»—rich chocolate cookies with centers of raspberry filling that seemed to bleed when bitten into. «If you bring warmth,» the older woman said with knowing eyes, «you might just heal more than you think.»
Twenty minutes later, Serena found herself driving toward the Riverside construction site, two excited twins in the back seat.
This is madness, she thought. She was driving two children she just met to deliver dinner to a man she had never met—a man who had technically stood her up. As the twins chattered in the back, Serena caught a glimpse of herself in the rearview mirror.
There was a light in her eyes that had been absent for too long. Maybe second chances don’t always knock on doors. Sometimes they’re six years old and wear pink jackets.
What would happen if, just once, a shy girl chose courage over caution? What if she dared to believe that not all foundations were destined to crack?
«Turn here!» Lily called, pointing toward the river. «You can see the lights.» Bright construction lights illuminated the skeleton of a grand library, all glass and steel and sweeping lines that complemented the riverside.
Even unfinished, it took Serena’s breath away. The architectural student in her stirred to life. «Did your daddy design that?» she asked, unable to hide her awe.
Nora nodded proudly. «He says libraries are magic because they hold all the stories people need to heal.» Serena parked, suddenly nervous.
Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.
«Too late!» Lily announced, already unbuckling. «We’re here now.»
As they approached, Serena saw a tall figure standing near the foundation, gesturing to workers. Even from a distance, she recognized him from the photo: Richard Cole, though his shoulders seemed more tense, his stance more rigid. A woman in a sleek business suit stood beside him, tablet in hand, leaning slightly into Richard’s space.
She was striking: tall, confident, with a polished appearance that made Serena acutely aware of her simple jeans and sweater. «That’s Veronica,» Nora whispered. «She wants to be our new mommy.»
«But we don’t want her,» Lily added. «She smiles with her mouth, but not her eyes.» Before Serena could process this, the twins broke away, running toward their father.
«Daddy, daddy!»
Richard turned, his expression transforming from concentration to shock as he spotted his daughters running toward him. Then, as his gaze lifted to land on Serena, standing uncertainly with a food basket, shock gave way to confusion.
«Lily! Nora! What on earth are you doing here?» He knelt as the twins crashed into his arms, their excited voices overlapping.
«We brought your date because you forgot, and she made dinner so you wouldn’t be grumpy!»
Richard’s gaze lifted to meet Serena’s, and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. «I’m so sorry,» she called.
«I… They came to the cafe and explained you were working late, and Mrs. June thought you might need dinner.» Veronica stepped forward, eyebrows arched in calculated disdain.
«You let your children roam around with strangers now, Richard?» she asked, her voice carrying a sharp edge. The twins frowned. «She’s not a stranger,» Lily protested.
«She’s daddy’s date that he forgot about! And she makes the best cookies in Portland,» Nora added. Serena felt everyone staring.
She set the basket down. «This was a mistake. I’ll just go.»
«No.» Richard’s voice stopped her. Something in his tone, a warmth that seemed to surprise even him, made her pause. «Please stay. You brought dinner. I owe you that much.»
Sometimes the most terrifying moments are doorways to everything we’ve secretly wished for. The question is, do we have the courage to step through?
Richard ran a hand through his hair. «I completely forgot about our coffee meeting.»
«Sandra from the community center set it up, right? About catering for the opening?» Understanding dawned on Serena’s face. This wasn’t a date; it was a business meeting.
The twins had misunderstood. «Girls,» Richard said firmly but gently. «You can’t just leave the house without telling Mrs. Wilson, and you certainly can’t go around telling people I’m their date.»
«But daddy,» Lily began, her lower lip trembling.
«We heard you tell Mrs. Monroe that Serena was pretty,» Nora finished, her small chin lifting defiantly.
Richard’s cheeks colored slightly, and Serena saw a crack in his composed exterior. Veronica’s expression, meanwhile, had cooled several degrees. «I think I’ll let you handle your family matters,» she said crisply.
«We can discuss the foundation issues tomorrow.» With a pointed glance at Serena, she added, «Some problems require professional solutions, after all.» As Veronica clicked away on expensive heels, Richard sighed, then offered Serena an apologetic smile.
«I am genuinely sorry about all this,» he said, «for missing our meeting and for my daughters’ matchmaking scheme.»
«It’s okay,» Serena replied, surprised to find she actually meant it. «They were worried about you.»
Richard glanced at his watch, then at the food basket. A small war seemed to be playing out behind his eyes: duty versus basic human needs, work versus an unexpected connection. «Would you mind if we had that meeting now, just a bit delayed?»
He gestured to a makeshift table covered with architectural drawings. «I could use a break, and the girls are already here.»
«Mrs. Wilson must be frantic, though.»
«I texted her,» Lily said proudly, pulling out a small phone. «I said we were with daddy.»
Richard raised an eyebrow. «Not the whole truth, but we’ll discuss that later.» He turned back to Serena. «So, dinner meeting?» Serena nodded. «Dinner meeting.»
They sat atop architectural plans, the basket open between them, the twins perched on upturned buckets nearby. The construction lights cast everything in a harsh but somehow magical glow.
«These are incredible,» Richard said after biting into one of the heart cookies. Something in his expression made Serena think he hadn’t truly tasted anything in a long time.
«Thank you,» she said quietly. «Baking helps me think.»
«What do you think about?» he asked.
«Structures,» she admitted. «Balance. What holds things together when forces try to pull them apart?»
Richard studied her with new eyes. «That sounds more like architecture than baking.»
«I studied it for two years,» she said, then immediately wished she hadn’t.
«Why did you stop?» The question hung between them. The twins grew quiet, watching.
«Someone convinced me I wasn’t good enough,» Serena finally said. «And I believed him.»
Richard was silent for a long moment. Then, to her surprise, he spread out one of the drawings. «What do you think of this? The community cafe section of the library. Something’s not working, but I can’t see it.»
Serena hesitated, then leaned forward. Her finger traced a line on the blueprint. «The flow is interrupted here. People want to move naturally from books to food, but this wall creates a psychological barrier.»
Richard stared at her, then back at the drawing. «You’re right. I completely missed that.» He shook his head, a smile forming. «You have a hidden talent for design.»
«She draws buildings made of cookies,» Nora piped up. «We saw them in her book.»
Richard’s eyes met Serena’s again, something new kindling in them. «Maybe we could collaborate on the cafe design.»
The offer hung in the air, not just a professional opportunity, but something more. A bridge between two people who had stopped building new things in their lives.
Richard leaned closer. «My wife, before the accident, used to say the foundation of love is trust. ‘Don’t ever stop building.’» His voice caught. «But I did stop. After she died, I just maintained what was already there for the girls.»
«Then you and I,» Serena replied, her voice trembling, «both stopped building.»
Their eyes met in understanding, and to their surprise, they laughed—a soft, bittersweet sound that carried relief. They were two people standing amid the rubble of their past lives, recognizing themselves in each other.
From a few yards away, Veronica watched, her face hardening as she heard Richard call Serena «the calm in the chaos of this project.» She clutched her tablet tighter, an idea forming. When hearts begin to thaw, they become vulnerable again. In that vulnerability lies both great risk and the only chance for healing.
The next morning, Serena stood in Mrs. June’s office, the older woman’s face grave as she showed her a tablet. «I’m so sorry, dear. Someone posted this on the community forum last night.»
There on the screen was a photo of Serena and Richard at the construction site, heads bent together over blueprints. The caption read: «CEO Richard Cole Dating Bakery Girl? Unprofessional Move. Sources Question Judgment on Riverside Library Project.»
Serena’s stomach dropped. «This isn’t… We weren’t…»
Mrs. June squeezed her shoulder. «I know. But Walter Bloomfield saw it this morning.»
Walter Bloomfield: owner of Bloomfield Properties, which owned the building housing Maple Bloom Cafe, and also a major investor in the library project. «He called to say the cafe can’t have this kind of association,» Mrs. June continued reluctantly. «Says it looks like we’re trying to gain unfair influence with the project lead.»
«So I’m fired,» Serena whispered, the familiar sensation of having the ground yanked from beneath her feet returning.
Mrs. June’s eyes flashed with anger. «It’s temporary, until this blows over. And I’ll pay you regardless. This isn’t right.»
But Serena was already untying her apron, her walls rebuilding around her heart. «It’s fine. I should have known better than to step outside my world, even for one night.»
She packed her few belongings, including her sketchbook. Her fingers trembled as she left a small box on the counter: her last batch of heart cookies, with a handwritten note. «Even broken things can hold sweetness.» Tears blurred her vision as she walked out, not seeing Richard Cole himself approaching from the opposite direction, a folder of revised blueprints in his hand.
By the time Richard entered the cafe, Serena was gone. All he found was Mrs. June, her face tight with anger, and a box of cookies with a note. «Where is she?» he asked, his voice betraying emotion.
Mrs. June studied him carefully. «She left. Someone made sure she’d have to.» She showed him the post, watching as understanding and fury dawned on his face.
«Veronica,» he said flatly. «This has her fingerprints all over it.»
«Well, whoever it was cost Serena her job,» Mrs. June replied. «And probably more than that.»
«What do you mean?»
The older woman sighed. «That girl has been hurt before, badly. She was left at the altar two years ago. Very publicly, very cruelly. She’s been rebuilding herself piece by piece, working here, finding her strength again.»
Mrs. June’s eyes bore into Richard’s. «Last night was the first time I’ve seen her truly connect with anyone in those two years.»
Richard stood silent. Finally, he asked, «Do you have her address?»
Mrs. June shook her head. «I can’t give that out, but I can give her a message.»
Richard nodded. «Tell her I understand foundations, not just in buildings. I understand how they crack and how they can be repaired. And tell her the library opens next week. I hope she’ll be there.»
As he turned to leave, Mrs. June called after him. «You lost someone too, didn’t you?»
Richard stopped. «My wife, two years ago.»
«And you’ve been living just for those girls since then.»
He turned slightly. «They’re all I have left of her.»
Mrs. June’s voice softened. «No, dear. They’re all you’ve allowed yourself to have. There’s a difference.»
Richard left, his usual measured stride different, less certain, as if the ground beneath him had shifted.
Back at Cole Designs, he confirmed Veronica was behind the post and called her into his office. «I’ve worked with you for four years,» he said, his voice cold. «I trusted you with my company’s reputation, but never again with my personal life or my daughters’.»
Veronica’s composure cracked. «Richard, she’s just a shy girl who bakes. She has no place in your world.»
«That’s where you’re wrong,» he replied. «She has the one thing this company has been missing since Helen died. Heart.»
He handed Veronica a folder. «Your transfer to Seattle is effective immediately.»
After she left, Richard sat staring at the library blueprints with Serena’s suggested changes incorporated. His late wife’s words echoed. «The foundation of love is trust. Don’t ever stop building.»
He’d stopped building the moment Helen’s car had been hit. He’d maintained what was already constructed—his work, his care for the twins—but he hadn’t laid a single new brick in the foundation of his life. Until last night, when a shy baker with sad eyes and an instinctive understanding of structure had walked onto his construction site with dinner and unexpected hope.
Picking up his phone, Richard called the library board. «About the grand opening next week,» he began. «I’d like to make a small change to the program.»
Maybe healing isn’t about forgetting who broke you. It’s about building again with someone who holds the same cracks.
For five days, Serena ignored the messages Mrs. June relayed from Richard. For five days, she stayed in her apartment, alternating between anger at herself and grief for what might have been—not just with Richard, but with his daughters, who had seen something in her she’d forgotten existed.
On the sixth day, an official invitation arrived: «Riverside Library Grand Opening: Special Recognition of Community Contributors.» Attached was a note in Mrs. June’s handwriting: «He asked me to send this. Go, Serena. Some foundations deserve a second chance.»
Serena traced her fingers over the invitation. Part of her wanted to throw it away, but another part, the part that had started sketching buildings again late at night, whispered that perhaps, just this once, she should see what happens if she didn’t run.
The morning of the opening dawned clear and bright. Serena dressed in a simple blue dress that brought out her eyes. For the first time in years, she wore her hair down.
The Riverside Library was magnificent. What had been a skeleton of steel and possibility a week ago now stood complete, a soaring testament to both function and beauty. Glass walls reflected the river, making the building seem to float.
Serena slipped into the back of the gathered crowd. She spotted the twins immediately in matching yellow dresses, their auburn hair neatly braided. They stood with Richard, who looked both distinguished and slightly nervous in a tailored suit.
The mayor spoke first, praising the vision behind the library. Then the library board head introduced Richard as «the architect who built not just a library, but a heart for our community.»
Richard stepped to the microphone, his eyes scanning the crowd. When they found Serena, relief washed over his face.
«Thank you all for being here,» he began. «This building has been more than a project for me. It’s been a journey.» He paused. «Two years ago, I lost my wife, Helen. She always said that libraries were special because they held stories of how people overcome the impossible.»
A hush fell over the crowd. No one had ever heard Richard Cole speak publicly about his loss. «After she died, I focused on building things that couldn’t feel pain. Structures, walls, foundations. I thought that was strength.»
His gaze found Serena again. «I was wrong. We all build foundations in life—some of steel, some of concrete. But today, I learned the strongest ones are built of courage and kindness.»
«There’s someone here today who taught me that,» Richard continued, «someone who showed me that even when foundations crack, they can be repaired, sometimes made stronger than before.» He took a deep breath. «Serena Brooks, would you come up here, please?»
A collective murmur went through the crowd. Serena stood frozen, unable to move, until Mrs. June, somehow beside her now, gave her a gentle push. «Go on,» the older woman whispered. «Some stories need to be finished.»
Serena made her way to the front. Richard’s smile as she approached filled something in her she hadn’t realized was empty. When she reached him, Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out half of a cookie—one of her heart cookies, broken cleanly down the middle.
«You baked this,» he said. «I broke it by mistake when I put it in my pocket that night. But I saved it because it reminded me of something important.» He held up the broken cookie, half its raspberry center visible.
«This library was designed with a cafe, a place where nourishment for the body meets nourishment for the mind. And I’m pleased to announce that Maple Bloom Cafe, under the direction of Mrs. June and Serena Brooks, will be operating that space.»
Applause broke out, but Richard wasn’t finished. «But more than that, this broken cookie reminded me that healing isn’t about forgetting who broke you. It’s about building again, brick by brick, with someone who understands your cracks.» From the side of the stage, Veronica slipped out, her face struggling between a strained smile and regret as she realized what she had lost in her pursuit of status.
As the ceremony concluded, the twins bounded up to Serena, their faces alight with triumph. «Did our plan work?» Lily asked eagerly.
«Are you going to be our new friend?» Nora added, her small hand slipping into Serena’s.
Richard laughed, the sound natural, yet clearly rusty from disuse. «Girls, give Miss Serena some space. She hasn’t even agreed to work at the cafe yet.»
Serena looked down at the twins, then up at Richard, seeing now what she’d missed before: how the three of them carried the same wound, the same emptiness seeking to be filled.
«Actually,» she said softly, «I think I might be interested in both jobs.»
Richard’s eyebrows rose. «Both?»
«Cafe manager,» she clarified with a small smile, «and friend. For now?»
The hope that bloomed in his eyes matched the feeling unfurling in her chest: fragile, tentative, but real.
«For now sounds perfect,» he agreed. «We can build from there.»
Everyone ends up with cracks. But if we dare to trust one more time, love can fill even the deepest voids.
Three months later, Serena arrived at Richard’s home, a basket of fresh pastries in hand. This had become their Saturday ritual: breakfast together, before taking the twins to the park. The girls flung open the door before she could knock, already in their jackets.
«Daddy’s making pancakes,» Nora announced.
«But he burned one,» Lily added with a giggle.
Richard appeared in the doorway, flour dusting his shirt and a sheepish smile on his face. «I think I’ll need a baker’s help for life,» he admitted.
Serena stepped inside, the warmth of the house embracing her. «Only if you promise not to be late again,» she teased.
He met her eyes, the sadness that had once clouded them now replaced with something warmer. «Not even a minute. Not this time.»
The kitchen was cheerful chaos: batter splattered on the counter, berries in a bowl, the twins stealing chocolate chips. Richard’s home had transformed from a perfectly maintained but emotionally empty space to one filled with laughter and new memories being built atop the honored ones of the past.
The cafe at the library had become the heart of the community. Her architectural eye had proven invaluable, and Richard had encouraged her to complete the degree she’d abandoned.
«You know,» Richard said, flipping a misshapen pancake, «the girls and I were talking.»
«Oh?» Serena raised an eyebrow, recognizing the conspiratorial glances the twins were exchanging.
«We think maybe ‘friend’ isn’t enough anymore,» he continued, a nervous edge to his voice.
Lily couldn’t contain herself. «We want you here always!» she burst out.
«Not just Saturdays,» Nora added earnestly.
Richard set down the spatula, turning to face Serena. «What they’re trying to say is that we’ve fallen in love with you, Serena Brooks. All three of us.»
Serena felt her heart expand, the final cracks healing as love filled the spaces between. «That’s convenient,» she replied, «because I’ve fallen in love with all of you, too.»
From across the street, Mrs. June watched through the window as she sipped her morning tea. She smiled to herself as Richard pulled Serena close, as the twins danced around them in celebration, as the little family embraced in the kitchen, bathed in sunlight.
