Early Morning Writing Hour

Lilly barely slept. She was too excited to get started. Before the sun had fully risen, she made her way back to the coffee shop she had visited the day before.

When she stepped inside, she noticed the beautiful blue apron the girl at the counter was wearing. The barista greeted her warmly, her strong Southern accent unmistakable. Lilly recognized her from the day before and found it curious that she hadn’t noticed the accent then.

She chose a table tucked farther into the corner. As she walked toward it, she noticed the back wall was painted the very same color as the barista’s apron.

As she opened her laptop, Lilly remembered the promise she had made to herself the night before. Tomorrow, I’ll notice everything, she had thought. Now she realized she was already doing it. The details appeared naturally.

Instead of struggling like yesterday, she felt a different curiosity.

Justin’s advice echoed in her mind: Don’t explain you’re a travel writer. Show it.

Lilly began to write.

Here is what appeared on her screen.

The memory of the bridal shop begins with my seat in front of the three‑way mirror, waiting for Roni, my best friend, to step out for the big reveal. In the reflection I could see more than dresses. The entire room seemed to move around anticipation.

Nearby, a mother and daughter were having a brief argument, and I had to hide a giggle. I imagined that this disagreement must happen often in a place like this. It felt less like conflict and more like two people deeply invested in one person’s future.

In the mirror I also noticed the attendant moving through the room, offering glasses meant to calm nervous brides and their companions.

I sat long enough to watch several brides and their small circles being served those liquid nerve‑settling drinks. Each time, the same transformation happened: shoulders lowered, smiles widened, and excitement grew brighter all at once.

Yesterday, as I was leaving, I noticed a charming sign outside the shop.

The Enchanted Bridal Village.

At the time I hadn’t fully grasped the charm of the name.

Now, remembering the glittering letters catching the light, I realized how perfectly the name described the hopeful energy filling the bridal shop.

After Writing

She read over her piece and smiled, not just because she liked it, but because she had enjoyed discovering the details along the way.

This time she closed her laptop without disappointment or frustration. This time she felt like a writer, and it felt right.

She hoped Justin would agree. She was pleased with what she had written, but would he be?

A small wave of nerves settled in. Both her future and Roni’s, in very different ways, now involved Justin. For Roni, he stood at the doorway of a hopeful love. For Lilly, he might be the doorway to the writing life she was just beginning to believe in.

To be continued.

Tag, you’re it. If you’d like to jump in, feel free. If not, I’ll keep moving it along, bit by bit.

Sending warmth and kindness.