#FlashFictionMagic: Croissants and Second Chances

From the time Maeve and Jonah were married and moved into their first home, letters from Declan piled up on the credenza. For years, even after his release, and after the news coverage of his incredible work mentoring young offenders, Maeve refused to unseal a single envelope. 

It was hard not to think about him, though. Maeve and Jonah’s two boys inherited the Rourke red hair, and Will, their oldest, looked and spoke a lot like Declan as a child. In the end, baby Timothy’s birth necessitated a move to a larger home. Unwilling to bring the letters to their new house without knowing their contents, she and Jonah read them together. 

Ultimately, the letters led them here, to this bakery and this face-to-face meeting with a near-stranger. Declan’s hair was combed back in a smooth ponytail, and he was clean-shaven. His face was calm and serious, without a hint of malice or mischief. Maeve didn’t know what to say to this man who was so changed and yet so familiar. 

A bag of croissants sat on the table between them. After several moments of awkward silence, Declan reached inside for a pastry and broke it into thirds. “Here.” He offered the first piece to Jonah and the second to Maeve. Smiling uncertainly, he took a bite of the third.

As buttery flavor settled on her tongue, Maeve realized that her brother had chosen just the right way to begin: by breaking bread together. “Thank you,” she said gently, meeting his eyes. Then she took a second bite and savored that one even more.