A man grieving his wife enters a shop to buy flowers for her grave. But he finds the shopkeeper refusing to serve a penniless girl. In a moment of kindness inspired by his late wife, the man pays for the girl’s flowers. Little did he know how that kindness would soon repay him.
Lilies For Lauren
Sundays used to be special for Nick and Lauren. It was their day to laze in bed, eating pancakes, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. They were excited to start a family. So when Lauren got the positive pregnancy test, they celebrated. They spent that Sunday cuddling in bed and fantasizing about what life will be like as parents.
However, only a few months later, Lauren woke up Nick by grabbing his arm and crying out in pain. He rushed her to the hospital and spent grueling hours in the waiting room. Finally, a doctor came out to speak with him but it was not what Nick wanted to hear. Lauren had died and their unborn child had died with her. It was Sunday. The day was forever ruined for Nick.
Two years had passed, but for Nick, it was like Lauren had just died yesterday. The fog of grief consumed him. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was incomplete. That he could never recover. He got in the routine of visiting Lauren’s grave every week, to the point that the florist knew to prepare his bouquet before he arrived. It combined Lauren’s favorite, lilies of the valley surrounded by baby’s breath. There was also a sprig of jasmine, which reminded Nick of the smell of her perfume.
Helping a Girl at the Flower Shop
But one week, Nick entered to find a girl in her late teens arguing with the florist. She was begging him for a bouquet of lilies, crying that she needed them for someone important. But the florist refused because she didn’t have enough money. Besides, that bouquet was reserved for one of his regulars. However, the girl wouldn’t give up, offering to sweep the floor or do any job the shop needed. Nothing budged the florist.
Finally, Nick stepped in. The girl was haggling over the bouquet made for him but Nick paid for them and gave them to her. The girl became emotional as she held the bundle, saying the smell reminds her of the person she’s lost. Nick bought another bouquet of lilies and left the shop.
He didn’t mind giving up the original bouquet. Lauren was an extremely generous person; she even worked as a social worker for at-risk youths. She always looked for ways to help people and if she were in Nick’s position, she would have bought the flowers for the girl in a heartbeat. Thinking about Lauren and her good deeds awoke the fiery grief within Nick. On his way to the cemetery, he tried to think of only happy memories but even those were twinged with pain. They reminded him of how much he had lost.
Meeting Again by Lauren’s Grave
Suddenly, he noticed a girl kneeling by Lauren’s grave as she placed a bouquet of lilies and baby’s breath on the headstone. It was the girl from the florist shop. When Nick approached, the girl was surprised that he had known Lauren too, and even more so when he explained she was his wife.
The girl, who introduced herself as Georgina, said that she didn’t know Lauren had died until the day before. It was a shock. It was hard to believe someone so happy and full of life could possibly be dead. Georgina was one of the many teens Lauren had worked with. She helped Georgina leave an abusive home and found her a safe place to live. Georgina had noticed Lauren always had a vase of lilies in her office. “From my husband,” she had said. She finally met him face to face.
Nick invited Georgina to have a cup of coffee so they could talk more. It was incredible to hear more about his wife from someone he had never met before. Georgina agreed and they spent hours in a small cafe talking about Lauren. Georgina’s 18th birthday was coming up, meaning she was going to age out of foster care. She tried to find Lauren for advice on what to do next. Unfortunately, Lauren couldn’t help her anymore. But Nick decided to continue Lauren’s work. He offered Lauren a room at his house if she wanted it.
Her Legacy Continues
The two continued to meet up, becoming close friends. And when Georgina turned 18, she took him up on his offer and moved into his and Lauren’s house, and attended college nearby. One year later, Nick officially adopted her. He had realized that Georgina was the child he and Lauren had hoped for. While Lauren helped her when she was young, he promised to be Georgina’s family for the rest of their lives, carrying on Lauren’s legacy of kindness.
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This story was inspired by an original piece of fiction. Any similarities between this story and actual people are purely coincidental.
