A Wedding, A Woman, And The Unexpected Gift

The next morning, I opened the salon and stopped short. Flowers—everywhere. Tulips, roses, lilies, baby’s breath—ribboned and tucked into every corner like a florist had moved in overnight. No note, just a small card under one vase:
Thank you for seeing me.

It didn’t match the twelve dollars. All day I wondered—until the hotel from last night’s wedding called.
“The groom and his wife would like you at a small dinner Friday, to say thank you.”

I wore my best blouse. The bride was glowing, the room modest and warm. The woman’s name was Mirela. When she saw me, she stood and hugged me like family.
“My son and daughter-in-law told me what they did,” she said, eyes wet. “They pooled money from the wedding gifts. The flowers were from them. They said a card wasn’t enough.”

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