Chapter 12: Where the Sunflowers Began.

By the time Kaia stepped out of the building, the sky had begun to soften - blue melting into something warmer, gentler. She was almost at the gate when Adrian called her name.

“Kaia.”

She turned.

He stood there holding a small bundle wrapped in brown paper, as though it had been waiting all day to be remembered.

“I meant to give these to you earlier,” he said. “For joining the team.”

He unfolded the paper to reveal sunflowers - bright, alive, carrying a kind of joy she hadn’t expected to feel at the end of a long day.

“For me?” she asked, surprised.

He nodded. “I picked them up this morning.”

He paused, then gently separated two sunflowers from the bunch and handed them to her first.

“These felt…right,” he said simply.

Kaia smiled, warmth blooming in her chest.
“Thankyou. They’re beautiful.”

Their fingers almost brushed. Almost.

She walked away before either of them could say more.

The cafe door chimed softly as Kaia entered Chapter & Brew, the familiar comfort wrapping around her instantly.

Mrs. Alder looked up from arranging flowers.
“There you are,” she said, eyes twinkling. “How was your first day, my dear?”

Kaia placed her bag down, holding up the sunflowers.
“It was good. Better than I thought.”

Mrs. Alder’s gaze moved to the flowers - and she froze for a second.

“Well I’ll be,” she murmured.

Kaia laughed.
“What?”

Mrs. Alder stepped closer, inspecting the stems.
“These are from here, also aren’t they your favourite?”

Kaia blinked.
“Yes they are my favourite, and from….here?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Alder nodded slowly. “I remember them. Fresh this morning. A gentleman bought them.”

Something in Kaia’s chest stirred.

“A gentleman?” she repeated.

Mrs. Alder smiled, already knowing.
“Tall. Quiet. Polite. Didn’t buy roses or lililes. Went straight for the sunflowers.”

Kaia’s fingers tightened around the paper.

“He asked me,” Mrs. Alder continued, arranging the flowers back into vase, “which ones the longest in sunlight.”

The cafe suddenly felt very still.

“He was here?” Kaia asked softly.

Mrs. Alder glanced at her.
“Early morning. Didn’t stay long. Said sunflowers reminded him of beginnings.”

Kaia swallowed.
Because that is what she always thought. Always.
“That, sunflowers are hope, they are hope of new beginnings.”

The memory arrived uninvited -
the morning light,
the quiet cafe,
the way the sunflowers had stood by the window.

And then -

him.

She looked at the two sunflowers he had seperated for her.

“So,” Mrs. Alder said gently.” I suppose that maked today a full circle.”

Kaia exhaled, something between disbelief and wonder.
“He was in my cafe…. before I met him today.”