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Cassidy understood that flowers were her way of speaking in the world. She appreciated each and every one of them—whether they were plucked from the garden and offered by Caro as peace offerings, growing in that pot she had insisted on planting herself, or even the ones that came in large bouquets after her piano recitals, the ones her mother placed gently in her hands with pride before pressing a big kiss to her cheek. To her, flowers were the universal language of love in her life.
Whenever she had free time—or when her mother invited them to read with her—Cass began to dive into the world of meanings. Soon, she learned that lavender stood for protection, hydrangeas were given in search of calm and understanding; even freesias, so hated by her mother—the same ones that had once made her and her sister laugh until they cried at the mere sight of their mother’s disgusted expression when smelling them—symbolized innocence and true friendship.
Her analysis often reached extreme points. She loved devouring entire books just to learn more about such a vast world. Cassidy began to notice, more and more often, the flower vase at the entrance of the house—now filled with fresh flowers every week. That same vase that had once stood empty for so long; where the flowers Stephen used to bring home had rested—flowers her mother would dismiss ever so slightly and leave abandoned in a corner, until Cassidy herself would place them in water, trying to appreciate them. It was useless. She could feel the fear in those flowers every time she touched them, saw their leaves wilting, being plucked from the stem with quiet bitterness.
Now, the vase was full. And the flowers were no longer ignored—her mother was the one placing them carefully in their rightful place. Now they bloomed in vibrant colors, matching her mother in every possible way.
Her mother—who hadn’t been in such a good mood since the first bouquet appeared. Red roses, perfectly arranged to appear elegant rather than excessive. Cassidy remembered, three weeks ago, how her mother had walked into the kitchen holding them like an offering, treating them with meticulous care. She watched her hands unwrap them gently, taking the time to fill the vase with water, smiling faintly at nothing—perhaps remembering.
Red roses: they represent the courage to love with an open heart. The strength of desire, of inner beauty, and the commitment of giving oneself to another.
She smiled. Because her mother smiled, and warmth slowly seeped back into their home. And though she didn’t want to jump to conclusions, flowers did not simply appear in someone’s hands by magic.
The following week brought hydrangeas—translated as purity, peace, and love. The next, blue lilies; tranquility and spiritual harmony. She laughed, because in truth, they looked more cerulean than blue.
******
“Hello, bobbseys.”
Cassidy flailed her arms instantly, recognizing the voice coming from the front door. Caro rushed past her and wrapped their mother in a tight embrace, making her smile. Not the false smile of Miranda Priestly—this was Mom, the real one, who smiled too much and was so affectionate it could become overwhelming. Mom, who loved cooking for her bobbseys and then curling up with them on the couch. Mom, who now returned home with yet another bouquet tucked under her arm… wait a second.
Cassidy immediately evaluated the contents wrapped in paper.
Carnations.
A symbol of devotion, love, longing, and romance.
She smiled as she watched her mother replace the water in the vase, filling once again the space that had once grown dim. Cass couldn’t contain her curiosity. Who was the person making her mother this happy?
She would find out.
******
“Psst… Caro!”
“Caro…”
“Caroline!”
The redhead jolted awake at the sound of her sister calling her name with absolute urgency. Cassidy tugged at her twin’s blanket and quickly slipped under the covers beside her.
“Do you want to know who Mom’s new boyfriend is?”
“You’re insane! She doesn’t even have one!”
“Oh, yes she does. Haven’t you noticed the flowers she’s been bringing home?”
Caro fell silent, surprised. A grin quickly spread across her face.
“Oh my God, we have a new prank target! What should we do first, Cass? Switch things around, feed him false information—oh! I know! Remember wh—”
But Cass wasn’t listening. Something inside her already knew that whoever was giving her mother those flowers was making her happy—and she wouldn’t take that smile away, not after how long her mother had been unhappy in her last marriage.
“We’re not doing anything,” Cassidy said firmly.
Caro tilted her head, unsure. Maybe her sister was right. Doing nothing might be best. After all, she had noticed how Mom had been adding extra bacon to their toast on Saturday mornings.
Mom was happy—and that was what mattered.
The following week brought white lilies.
A symbol of virtue, renewal, and sincere love. Completely sincere.
Cassidy lightly brushed the leaves of the stems, careful not to get caught handling them so boldly. As her fingers grazed the petals, a small card slipped into view—and it was a complete surprise.
“Lilies for my delight, or for the most sincere love I’ve ever had in my life.
– A.”
A mischievous giggle bubbled up through her chest, her smile widening instantly. When she called for Caro to see it for herself, it was too late—her mother had already hidden the card in her palm, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Cassidy winked, with no real target, but fully ready to be an accomplice in whatever was happening.
With no other option, she pretended to head to the kitchen for a snack. Sitting on a stool, she poured herself some juice. Her mother saw her, walked up behind her, and wrapped her in a warm, sincere hug—just like she always did whenever she could.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, bobbseys.”
Cassidy smiled.
Because now, mom didn’t mean just two.
******
The next week marked the biggest moment Cassidy could have imagined.
To her surprise, when she came downstairs, instead of seeing only the vase with its flowers decorating the entrance, she saw a cascade of brown hair and a warm smile at the door—arranging a bouquet of orchids.
Orchids: symbols of love, exotic beauty, and above all, elegance.
Andy held the flowers with a bright smile on her face. Her mother’s laughter filled the entire space, while the former assistant murmured something only the two of them could hear. Cassidy hadn’t heard her mother laugh that freely since before the divorce, and her chest tightened slightly at the beautiful, overwhelming sound of her being truly happy again.
Then she noticed it.
Her mother’s hand cradling Andy’s cheek, drawing closer… and closer…
Until their lips met in a kiss Cassidy could only describe as something straight out of a fairytale.
She gasped so loudly that when she snapped back to reality, Andrea was staring at her in shock, while her mother slowly turned toward her. She expected a scolding—she wasn’t allowed to linger on the stairs, much less spy without permission.
But this time, she didn’t move.
She stayed perfectly still, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. She wanted to scream in excitement, run to hug Andy, even wake Caro up with bouncing steps just to share the news.
”Bobbsey…” Miranda finally spoke, settling on the step just below Cassidy. Close enough to meet her eyes—far enough not to overwhelm her.
Cass swallowed, breathing in deeply, smiling faintly.
“The orchids…” she said, pointing awkwardly at the bouquet. “They represent love, beauty… and elegance.”
The silence could have been cut with a knife—but the little redhead wasn’t about to stop. Something in her chest pushed the words forward with unstoppable excitement. Andrea blinked, confused, glancing at Miranda as if trying to stay grounded.
“And white lilies…” Cassidy continued, standing up and slowly walking down the steps, “they mean sincere love… hydrangeas, peace… carnations, devotion. And red roses…”
She looked straight at Andrea, stopping right in front of her. The height difference was almost endearing—but Andy was visibly starting to panic.
“You already knew that.”
Andrea let out a short, nervous laugh, bringing a hand to the back of her neck.
“Well… I guess now I do.”
Cassidy tilted her head, studying her closely.
Then, without hesitation:
“You’re Mom’s partner.”
Andrea opened her mouth—then closed it. She glanced at Miranda.
Mistake.
Miranda wasn’t going to save her.
“Andrea,” she said simply.
Andy exhaled through her nose, defeated before she even began.
“Yes,” she admitted. “I—I… am. I’m your mother’s partner.”
Cassidy watched her nerves spill into every expression—but didn’t let her suffer for long. She smiled. Not surprised.
Relieved.
“No freesias,” she added, crossing her arms. “Mom hates freesias.”
Andrea froze for a second—then laughed, genuinely this time.
“Noted, kiddo. No freesias for your mom.”
“Never.”
And in that moment, Cassidy understood something new. Something she hadn’t found in any of her books.
Sometimes, the meaning didn’t lie in the flower—
but in the person who gave it.
She turned on her heel naturally.
“I’m going to wake Caro.”
“Cassidy…” Miranda stopped her, gently.
She paused, but didn’t fully turn.
“No dramatics,” Miranda said. “Your sister will hear everything at breakfast. The four of us.”
Cass tilted her head just enough for her smile to show.
“No promises.”
And she ran upstairs, her footsteps echoing through the house.
Miranda inhaled deeply, then walked back to Andy, adjusting the orchids in the vase with almost ritual precision.
“That was intense,” Andy murmured.
“It was inevitable,” Miranda replied.
Then, softer:
“She’s not upset.”
Miranda shook her head slightly.
“No.”
And she smiled—so brightly Andy thought it might blind her.
Her fingers brushed the petals with a tenderness Andrea was beginning to recognize.
And in the quiet of their home, Miranda understood something too
that observation could be stronger than action.
She leaned in, pressing a long kiss to Andy’s lips, pulling away only when the sound of two girls shouting excitedly echoed through the hallway.
Chaos was coming. But this time, she had her girls.