Xavier had always believed life would feel different when things finally settled—when the big decisions were made, when the future had a shape.
But standing in the middle of his mother's living room, surrounded by the soft laughter of family and the steady rhythm of wedding plans, Xavier realized this was it.
And surprisingly, it felt good. It felt right.
Lilian sat beside him on the couch, leaning her head briefly against his shoulder as she laughed at something his younger cousin said. She fit here—effortlessly. His mother adored her, his sister often asked for her advice, and even his father, usually quiet around new people, seemed to open up around her.
"She's perfect, Xavier," his mother whispered when Lilian stepped outside to take a call. "You've made a good choice."
Xavier smiled at her, "I think so too."
And he did.
Lilian made life easy. She understood his work hours, she was patient, kind, and loving. She handled the wedding details like it was nothing, smoothing over every rough edge with grace.
When Lilian returned, she wrapped her arms around his, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Tired?" she asked, her voice soft.
"Not really. Just thinking," he replied.
"About the wedding?"
"About everything," he said, turning his hand to lace his fingers through hers. "But mostly the wedding."
She smiled at that, pressing a light kiss to his cheek before pulling away to join his mother in picking out table settings.
Later that afternoon, Xavier excused himself to run an errand. It wasn't urgent, just something he'd been meaning to do—a quick stop at the tailor's to see how the dress was coming along.
Lilian had offered to go herself, but he'd told her it was fine. He wanted to stretch his legs.
When he stepped into Amara's shop, the familiar chime announced his presence.
The place was neat, as usual. Sunlight filtered softly through the windows, highlighting rolls of fabric stacked carefully in the corners. The faint scent of flowers lingered in the air, though he couldn't see any in the shop.
Amara looked up from her worktable, her expression unreadable but polite.
"You're back," she said simply.
"Just wanted to see how things were going," Xavier replied.
She gestured to the dress hanging neatly on the mannequin. "It's coming together. The final adjustments will be done soon."
Xavier nodded, his gaze briefly resting on the delicate embroidery along the hem. "It's beautiful. Lilian's going to love it."
"It's what she asked for," Amara said, returning to her stitching.
There wasn't much to say beyond that. Xavier glanced around the shop, noticing a few freshly cut daisies arranged in a simple vase near the window. He didn't know much about flowers, but something about them made the room feel softer than he expected.
"Thank you for your work," he said, meaning it.
Amara gave a slight nod. "It's just what I do."
He lingered a second longer than necessary, then turned to leave, stepping back into the warm afternoon.
Amara watched the door close behind him and slowly set her needle down.
For a brief moment, her mind flickered back to that day at the café—the strange way Lilian had moved, the quick exchange with a man she'd never seen before. She hadn't told anyone. It didn't seem like her business. Maybe it wasn't even important.
Still, something about it occasionally resurfaced in her thoughts.
But Amara was good at brushing things aside. She'd always been good at that.
She picked up her needle again, returning to her work as if nothing had happened.