It was a bright, sunny Saturday in Paris, and Gaesha was bustling around her cozy little bakery.
The ovens were humming softly, filling the air with the warm, comforting smell of fresh bread.
She hummed a cheerful tune to herself, her apron dusted with a light layer of flour that puffed up every time she moved.
Life felt good again—really good. Kent loved her, Claire was out of the picture, and Gaesha's heart felt as light as a feather.
She hadn't seen Kent all day, though, and that sparked a little curiosity in her mind.
Where could he be? she wondered, kneading dough with a smile.
Just then, the bell above the door jingled, and Kent stepped inside, his gray coat looking neat as always, a small, shy smile on his face.
"Hey, Gaesha," he said, his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking a little nervous but happy.
"Kent!" Gaesha exclaimed, her face lighting up.
She dropped the dough she was working on and hurried over to him, throwing her arms around him in a big hug.
A cloud of flour puffed off her apron, leaving white smudges on his sleeves.
"Oh, sorry about that!" she giggled, brushing at his coat. "Where've you been all day? I was starting to wonder!"
"Working," Kent said simply, his voice calm but with a hint of excitement. "On something special."
"Something special?" Gaesha asked, tilting her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What kind of something? Tell me!"
Kent chuckled softly, shaking his head. "It's a surprise," he said. "For you."
"For me?" Gaesha clapped her hands together, bouncing a little on her toes. "Oh, I love surprises! Come on, Kent, you gotta give me a hint at least!"
"Nope," Kent said, his smile growing. "I want to show you instead. Come with me."
"Right now?" Gaesha asked, glancing back at the counter where a batch of dough was waiting. "But I'm in the middle of baking! The bread's not done yet."
"Close early," Kent said, his voice soft but pleading. "Please, Gaesha. It's worth it, I promise."
Gaesha looked at him, her heart doing a little flip at the earnest look in his eyes.
"Okay," she said, grinning. "Only for you, though."
She walked to the door, flipped the "Open" sign to "Closed," and turned the lock with a click.
"So, where are we going? Don't keep me guessing!" Gaesha said.
"Up," Kent said, pointing at the ceiling with a mysterious smile.
"Up?" Gaesha frowned, confused. "Like, to my apartment?"
"No," Kent said, shaking his head. "Higher than that."
Gaesha's frown deepened. "Higher? Kent, there's nothing higher than my apartment. Just the roof, and it's all boring and empty up there."
Kent just smiled again. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "You'll see."
He led her to the back of the bakery, where a narrow staircase wound up to her apartment.
But instead of stopping there, Kent kept going, guiding her toward a rickety ladder she'd never climbed before.
"Kent," Gaesha said, her voice a mix of excitement and nervousness. "What is this? Where are you taking me?"
"Just wait," Kent said, glancing back at her with a reassuring look. "You're gonna love it, I promise."
They reached a small trapdoor at the top of the ladder. Kent pushed it open, and a burst of sunlight spilled down, making Gaesha squint.
He climbed out first, then reached down to help her up, his hand warm and steady.
Gaesha stepped onto the roof and gasped, her eyes going wide. This wasn't just a roof anymore—it was something magical.
Pots of colorful flowers—red, yellow, purple—lined the edges, their petals swaying in the gentle breeze.
A small wooden table sat in the middle, with two chairs tucked neatly beside it.
A cozy bench faced the sparkling Paris skyline, and green vines draped over a trellis, creating a little shaded nook.
In the corner, a tiny fountain bubbled happily, its soft splashing sound mixing with the city's hum below.
"Whoa," Gaesha whispered, spinning around to take it all in. "What is this place?"
"Your garden," Kent said, watching her with a proud smile. "I made it for you."
"You made this?" Gaesha said, her voice full of awe. "Kent, when did you do all this?"
"Last week," Kent said, shrugging like it was no big deal. "Kept it a secret."
"For me?" Gaesha asked, her eyes getting big. "All of this is for me?"
"Yeah," Kent said, nodding. "You love plants, right? You told me so."
Gaesha blinked, trying to remember. "I did? When did I say that?"
"By the river," Kent said, his voice soft. "We were walking, and you said you wished you had a little garden with flowers."
"Oh, yeah!" Gaesha said, clapping her hands as the memory came back. "I totally forgot about that! Kent, this is… wow. Just wow!"
"Is it a good wow?" Kent asked, looking a little worried, like he wasn't sure she'd like it.
"The best wow!" Gaesha said, laughing. She ran over to the flowers, bending down to touch their soft petals. "They're real! Not plastic or anything!"
"Of course they're real," Kent said, chuckling. "I wouldn't give you fake ones."
Gaesha spun around, her apron twirling. "How did you do all this? You're an architect, not a gardener! This is crazy!"
"I learned," Kent said, scratching the back of his neck, a little shy. "I wanted to do it for you, so I figured it out."
"Kent!" Gaesha said, rushing over to hug him again, her arms squeezing tight. "You're absolutely crazy, you know that?"
"Good crazy?" Kent asked, his voice teasing but hopeful.
"So good," Gaesha said, pulling back to look at him, her eyes shining. "Look at this table! And the fountain! And the bench! It's all so perfect!"
"It's not perfect," Kent said, shaking his head. "It's simple. I just wanted it to be nice for you."
"It's perfect to me," Gaesha said, her voice firm.
She walked over to the bench and sat down, patting the spot next to her.
"Come sit with me, Kent," Gaesha said.
Kent hesitated for a second, then sat down beside her, their shoulders almost touching.
"So, you really like it?" he asked, looking at her with those soft, serious eyes.
"I love it," Gaesha said, turning to face him. "I can't believe you did all this. It's like a dream up here."
"I wanted to do it," Kent said, his voice quiet but sure. "Sometimes you seem sad, Gaesha. I thought this might help you feel happy."
"Sad?" Gaesha said, tilting her head. "Me? I'm not sad now, that's for sure!"
"Good," Kent said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I just want you to be happy."
"I am," Gaesha said, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'm so happy, Kent. With you, and with this amazing garden. It's the best surprise ever."
Gaesha jumped up suddenly, her excitement bubbling over, and ran to the fountain.
"This is so cute!" she said, dipping her fingers into the water. "Does it really work?"
"Yeah," Kent said, standing up and walking over. "Watch this."
He flipped a small switch, and the water shot up higher, sparkling in the sunlight.
"Eek!" Gaesha squealed, laughing as a few cold droplets splashed her face. "It's freezing!"
"Oh, sorry!" Kent said, quickly turning the fountain down. "Was that too much?"
"No, no," Gaesha said, wiping her face and grinning. "It's just right. You're amazing, Kent. Seriously."
"Nah," Kent said, looking down at his shoes, a little embarrassed. "You're the amazing one."
"Stop it," Gaesha said, blushing and nudging his arm. "You're too sweet."
"I'm just being honest," Kent said, meeting her eyes. "I worked hard on this because I wanted it to be special for you."
"I can tell," Gaesha said, looking around again, her heart swelling. "When did you even sleep, Kent? This must've taken forever!"
"Not much sleep," Kent admitted, rubbing his eyes with a tired smile. "But it was worth it to see you smile like this."
"Kent!" Gaesha said, her voice scolding but soft. "You need to rest! You can't just stay up all night building gardens for me!"
"I'll rest later," Kent said, waving her off. "You're more important right now."
Gaesha felt her cheeks warm, and she hugged him again, holding on tight.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice full of feeling. "Thank you so much, Kent. This means everything to me."
"You're welcome," Kent said, hugging her back. "Wanna stay up here for a bit?"
"Here? Right now?" Gaesha asked, pulling back to look at him.
"Yeah," Kent said, nodding. "Tonight, if you want."
"Absolutely," Gaesha said, her smile wide. "What's next? Any more surprises?"
"Dinner," Kent said, pointing to the table. "I brought some food."
"Food?" Gaesha said, her eyes lighting up. "Did you cook, too? Are you secretly a chef now?"
Kent laughed, shaking his head. "No way. I'm not that talented. I just bought some sandwiches."
"Sandwiches are perfect," Gaesha said, clapping her hands. "Hold on, I'll grab some drinks!"
She darted downstairs to her apartment, grabbing a couple of juice bottles from the fridge, then raced back up to the roof, her footsteps echoing on the ladder.
When she got back, Kent had set out ham and cheese sandwiches on the little table, with napkins neatly folded beside them.
"Ta-da!" Gaesha said, holding up the juice bottles like a prize. "I brought apple juice!"
"Nice," Kent said, pulling out a chair for her. "Sit, let's eat."
They sat down and started eating, the sun sinking lower in the sky, painting the city in soft pinks and oranges.
"This is the best day ever," Gaesha said between bites, her voice full of joy. "And you're the best, Kent."
"No, you're the best," Kent said, his tone playful but sincere.
"Stop that," Gaesha said, laughing and swatting his arm. "We're both the best, okay? Deal?"
"Deal," Kent said, his smile warm and easy. "Both of us."
Gaesha leaned against him, her heart feeling full and happy.
"I love this," she said softly, looking out at the garden and the city beyond. "My own little garden. It's like a piece of magic."
"Our garden," Kent said, his voice quiet but meaningful. "If you want it to be."
"Ours?" Gaesha said, turning to look at him, her eyes bright. "You mean that?"
"Yeah," Kent said, nodding. "I'd like that. If you do."
"I do," Gaesha said, her smile growing. "It's ours, Kent. Our garden."
They sat there together, quiet for a moment, the city glowing below them as the last of the sunlight faded.
Gaesha's heart felt bigger than ever, like it could hold all of Paris inside it.
Kent's surprise—this beautiful, thoughtful garden—made her feel seen, loved, and so very alive.