Chapter 2: Dahlia

Monday, December 8, 2025
9:48 a.m.

She reached for the tubers, her fingers tracing their contours thoughtfully. “Why not?” she murmured, silencing her favorite Florence and the Machine track.

Making her way to the glass table cluttered with books and yarn, she hesitated. She held the handle-less coffee mug to her lips, searching for a final bit of encouragement. The roller-skate sticker on the tablet offered it, and with a flutter of anticipation, she picked it up and powered it on. “I’m about to plant dahlia tubers,” she bashfully announced to the empty room.

Soft whispers and crackles filled the air as the screen came to life, forming words of encouragement. "That sounds like a lovely project! Dahlias are gorgeous flowers with a wide variety of colors and shapes."