The café smelled of fresh pastries and citrus, the soft hum of conversation filling the air. Emma wrapped her hands around her cup of tea, but her attention was drawn to the small candle flickering between them. The scent—bright lemon zest blended with a touch of honey and vanilla—transported her back in time.
She glanced at Oliver, sitting across from her after all these years. It had been a decade since they had last met, yet here they were, reunited over coffee and memories. The fragrance of the Lemondrop Farm candle on their table reminded her of summer evenings long ago—lemon trees swaying in the breeze, the golden light of dusk casting a soft glow over their favorite park bench.
“You still love candles,” Oliver mused, a small smile playing at his lips. “I remember the way you always had one burning in your apartment—especially the lemon ones.”
Emma chuckled, nodding. “There’s something about citrus scents that always make me feel… at home.”
He leaned back, inhaling the fresh, invigorating aroma. “It smells like you—like summer and light. Like those days we never wanted to end.”
Emma’s heart swelled with nostalgia. Some scents, just like some people, never really leave you. They linger in the quiet moments, woven into the fabric of who you are.
As they laughed and reminisced, the candle’s glow flickered between them, casting gentle shadows on the table. And as Emma finally blew it out at the end of the night, the citrus scent still lingered in the air—just like the feeling that maybe, some stories aren’t meant to end after all.