The flower that blooms

Previously

…“I’d like that very much,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. He offered a small, genuine smile, a rare glimpse of the warmth hidden beneath his reserve. “Goodbye, Lillian.” “Goodbye, Adrian.” He turned and walked back towards the lane, his steps a little lighter than when he’d arrived. He didn’t cough once. Lillian watched him go, a strange feeling settling in her chest. It was the feeling of a seed, newly planted, waiting for the right conditions to sprout. And as she looked at the patch of tiny blue flowers, she thought of the meaning of forget-me-nots. A quiet hope, a silent promise, began to bloom within her.