He paused, like he was deciding how much to say. “She left town suddenly,” Daniel continued. “No warning, no explanation. Just… gone. I didn’t hear from her again. I figured it was over, and maybe that was how she wanted it. I respected that. But I never stopped wondering what really made her leave.” He paused, glancing at the flowers he’d just laid down.
“Last year, I saw her obituary online. Just a photo. A brief write-up. It didn’t mention much. But it hit me harder than I expected. I thought about coming here then—but I didn’t. I thought maybe it wasn’t my place.” Daniel looked up again, this time meeting Lucas’s eyes. “But today… when I saw you standing here—something clicked. Your face. Your hair.”