POV: Lily
The shop was quiet, unnervingly so. Normally, the sound of the bell jingling over the door or the rustling of leaves in the arrangements helped fill the stillness, but today it only seemed to magnify it. Every empty moment reminded me of the hours Dad had spent in the hospital since collapsing in the storeroom.
I stared down at the bouquet I was trying to finish, my fingers fumbling with the ribbon. It didn’t help that the words the doctor had spoken refused to leave my head: Without a transplant, it’s only a matter of time.
The ribbon slipped from my hands, unraveling in a tangled mess. I let out a frustrated sigh, slumping against the counter as tears stung the corners of my eyes. The thought of losing Dad—of this shop without him—was unbearable.
The bell above the door ji
