Lily’s point of view

For some reason I couldn’t get Emma’s face out of my mind. She said she loved me but her face looked pained and her smile was fake. Deciding to focus on something else I grabbed the menus and started to serve people. This week I had to talk more than what I was used to. It was my decision after all to get to know Casey, and it turned out he really is a good person. I was already having a hard time having to go to his office alone and worrying if I was a bother.

I was glad though that he actually tried to make conversation with me even if it was simple. Now I know that he likes boxing, sweet things, avoids conversations about his family, and he has never dated anyone at all. He is someone that is nice to be friends with.

Friends?

“Well, that was the last people for now. I’m tired.” My thoughts came to a stop once Michelle started to walk towards me with the dirty plates she had collected.

“ Are you still going to see Casey?it’s a little bit late but you might make it.”

“No, It’s already past the time we usually meet, he must be working now. Plus, we don’t know if more people are going to come in, you and the other guy can’t handle all of them.”

“Well, while we have time let me ask How is it going? Do you like him?” her voice changed from being whiny and complaining to excited and curious.

“Well… I… let me ask you first, how long have you known your husband? I was surprised to know you guys knew each other.”

I wanted to get a certain answer out of her to make sure that my thoughts were right.

“ Yeah, I was surprised too, and I met my husband in college, we started dating when I was nineteen years old and he was twenty.”

“When did you know he was the one for you?”

“It was after I found out I was pregnant, his family wanted to meet me so I went to their house but when we got there he was told to leave me or be cut off, I was about to leave when this man stood up, grabbed my hand, and started to walk away with me while his family was yelling.”

“That’s pretty romantic.”

“Yeah, but you know after we got out he said,” so what are we going to do now?” as if I was supposed to know, but after that Casey helped us with his tuition, our daughter was born when I was twenty and he was twenty-one, and now she is going to turn five soon too.”

“Wait, but your husband seems to be doing well now so why are you working?”

“It’s not fun for me to be at home, I'm all alone since my daughter started school so I decided to work to have some human interaction.”

“Can I ask you something?”

She nodded

“How does it feel to be in love? What does it mean?” she seemed to be surprised by my question but she was about to answer it before the bell on the door rang.

“Let’s take care of the customers and then I’ll tell you.”

I nodded and then we turned around to see her husband and Casey standing by the door. Casey smiled at me as soon as we made eye contact and Michelle was hugged by her husband as soon as he saw her.

“Hey, we came to visit your shop, it’s really cute.” Casey spoke first while Michelle was still talking with her husband.

“Oh, thank you, actually, Emma helped me decorate. She has good taste, right?”

He only nodded.

“Oh, take a seat, should I tell your cousins too?” he let out a chuckle

“I don’t think they will listen to you since they are in their own little world.”

“Right, should I get you anything?”

“Just a coffee, thank you.”

“Coming right up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Bye, honey, I’ll see you at home.” Michelle smiled and waved at her husband while they left.

I only smiled at Casey and he did the same. As soon as they were out of sight I turned to Michelle. I already knew my answer but I needed to confirm it.

“ You still want to know about love?” Michelle turned to look at me and I only nodded. She let out a sigh.

“ To be honest, I don’t know. I mean it’s love, people see it differently.”

“Then, how do you know you love your husband?”

“That’s easy, everytime I see him I still feel happiness. I want to hug him and be with him all the time. Just by holding his hand I can feel my mood become better. Even if we fight or he does something I don’t like, I can’t stay mad at him because he has become part of my daily life.”

“So I guess you do know love then.”

“Yeah, I guess I do. The best part is that without asking he gives me food, chocolates, or gives me free time when I am stressed. I guess if you want to know what love is, you have to ask yourself if years from now you see yourself smiling with the person because I do. I see myself in a house with a porch where it’s only him and me until we are wrinkly. “

After hearing her answer I knew what I needed to do.

“Hey, can you do me a favor and close up today, I have something to do.”

“Yeah, sure, but what is it?”

“I am going to find my wrinkly person on my own.” I smiled, took off the apron and walked to the street to find a cab.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lily? What are you doing here?” Emma asked as soon as I entered.

“Is my dad here?”

“Yeah, in his study, but why?”

“I need to do something.” I walked to his study, stopped for a minute, took a deep breath and tried to gather all my courage since I have never been good with confrontation.

I can do this. I just have to go in. This is my happiness. Just go in, Lily. GO IN,LILY.

The voice in my head became louder by the minute. I know this is my happiness but I am still scared. I’m scared of what is going to happen once I go in, but I know,I have to do this so I opened the doors and in front of me is my dad sitting down with a shocked expression.