He left me his phone number, saying if I ever wanted to leave a place, I should text him.
I thought it was strange at the time, but he looked so sincere, saying I would definitely need it. So I kept it carefully.
He stood at the entrance, bowed to me, and said, “The client is set. The old man has finally repaid his life debt.”
My new shop was open, and my heart was filled with joy looking at the garden full of flowers.
<
Not just because this was the flower city I had dreamed of, but also because I had escaped that suffocating place.
“You’re not that old. Why do you call yourself ‘old man‘?” He closed his eyes, bowed again, and walked away.
I called out to him, smiling brightly, “Come often! It’s free for you!” This was my true nature. Bold and uninhibited, interacting with people.
Across the street was a coffee shop, run by a young man who collected antiques. He often gazed at my shop while making things. So I took a bouquet of flowers and gave it to him. His face turned red, a little overwhelmed. His name was Noah.
We would do crafts together, tend to flowers, bask in the sun, and rock in chairs. Life was so peaceful, I almost forgot the miserable things that had happened recently.
I wanted to settle in South Mountain, but buying a house involved residency status issues. That’s when he suddenly blushed and said, “Sister Mia, if you really want to buy a house, you could marry me…”
I didn’t quite catch the rest of his words; his voice trailed off. When he finished explaining, I paused. Noah saw my hesitation and, blushing again, explained, “Sister Mia, I’m not a kid anymore. I can make my own decisions.”
“If you want to leave later, or divorce after buying the house, I absolutely won’t interfere.”
“I just want to help you.”
I looked at his shy, clear eyes and smiled faintly. So, I vaguely got married again. As I was getting married, I thought, Julian must have already signed the divorce papers, right…?
