Lily set down her spoon, her eyes meeting Howard’s. He saw not just her pain, but a spark of hope.
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because sometimes the universe puts us where we’re meant to be,” he said. “I think we can both find what we’ve been missing.”
She hesitated. “What if I’m too much trouble?”
“Trouble just means challenges,” Howard smiled. “And challenges can lead to something beautiful.”
From that quiet drive to his welcoming home, Lily began to feel safe. Weeks later, the house brimmed with laughter—he gave her stability, she gave him joy. By winter’s first snow, they sat by the fire, bound not by blood, but by the family they had chosen—and found their greatest gift in each other.
