It was a quiet Saturday afternoon. Elsa sat outside a quaint diner beneath a striped canopy, the pleasant hum of the street surrounding her and Lucy.
"What do you think about this place? I had found it during my working hours, and the reviews are actually great," Lucy questioned, leaning forward across the table.
"It's nice," Elsa responded, a warm smile touching her face as she took in the neat, welcoming atmosphere.
Lucy picked up the menu, scanning the options. "I think I'll have the potatoes—no, wait, the ploughman's lunch." She turned her gaze to Elsa. "What about you?"
"I'll have the fish and chips with chicken sauce."
"I thought you'd get the Sunday roast since you like the look of it," Lucy noted.
Elsa smiled, unbothered that it wasn't a Sunday. "I think I'm fine with fish and chips."
"Okay, just saying," Lucy replied lightly.
"I understand."
A moment later, the waiter arrived to take their orders.
"Our next stop is the cinema," Lucy said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
Elsa thought about it, remembering that Lucy would soon be moving to stay with her aunt Madison. Every plan they made now carried a bittersweet weight. "What should we watch?"
"Probably the new releases—and definitely the interesting ones, not the boring films."
"Absolutely," Elsa agreed.
"We should also hang out at our favorite burger shop. I always love our burgers with a side of coke."
"Same here," Lucy responded. She felt a sudden wave of gratitude for Elsa. Smart, kind, genuinely compassionate, and responsible—Elsa was the kind of trusted sister-figure anyone would dream of having. Yet, a pang of guilt tugged at Lucy's heart for not telling her sooner about the upcoming move.
"Elsa... would you miss me a lot if I left?" Lucy's voice dropped, though she still tried to wear a small smile.
"Very much. Why are you even asking the obvious?" Elsa looked at her.
"It's just that you're such a wonderful friend," Lucy murmured softly, realizing how much she would miss her one true confidante.
"I feel like tearing up a little," Elsa admitted, though she softened her tone. "Still, we're going to keep in touch, visit each other, and talk. Everything's going to be fine."
"You should always come pay a visit. My home is your home too, Elsa."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Their food arrived, and as they ate, they talked easily about work—including Lucy's upcoming departure from the flower shop.
After finishing the meal, Elsa sipped her juice through a straw. "I really enjoyed my meal. We should definitely come back here."
"Mine was delicious, too," Lucy agreed, a quiet sadness lingering in the back of her mind as she thought of Elsa eating here alone in the future. "I'll get the bill."
"Wait, we decided we were going to split—"
"Just take it as a gift from me," Lucy smiled gently, knowing how generous Elsa always was with her own things.
"Okay," Elsa relented.
As Lucy walked inside to pay the cashier, the little smile slipped from Elsa's face. Her mood dampened, the heavy reality of Lucy's departure settling into her chest. She forced the smile back, reminding herself that parting ways was just a natural part of life, and they would still see each other. Still, a profound wave of loneliness washed over her. She didn't have a biological sister or anyone else quite this close.
Swirling her drink, Elsa stared into the glass, her thoughts drifting to her past. Brought to an orphanage as a newborn after a devastating car crash claimed her parents—her mother passing away just as she was born, and her father dying while trying to protect her—she had always carried an invisible armor of solitude. She had fought tooth and nail to make her own way in the world, and while she finally had financial stability and could take care of herself, the hollow ache of being truly alone crept in once more.
Taking a quiet breath, Elsa smoothed her expression and forced a gentle smile back onto her face just as Lucy returned to the table, ready to embrace the rest of their afternoon together
Seated on the expansive, plush velvet couch of his lavish villa, Lucas's phone chimed with a message from his father. As he tapped the screen to reply, his thoughts drifted back to Arias the conversation he'd just had with his assistant. He had discovered that Jane had already returned to the United States, her brief Swiss getaway with Lauren coming to an abrupt close.
He had been planning to reach out, hoping to invite her out for a quiet evening where they could finally catch up and explore the chemistry building between them. Realizing she was thousands of miles away cast a momentary shadow of disappointment over him, the sudden distance made him long for her.
Yet, as he looked back down at his phone, a subtle, knowing smile touched the corners of his mouth. The separation was only temporary. The Atlantic was wide, but it wasn't permanent, and the thought of seeing her again—of picking up right where they left off—made the waiting feel entirely worthwhile.
Meanwhile, Elsa and Lucy were at the cinema and were watching a movie laughing over the intresting scenes since Lucy had driven them there.