The Tea Room at Rosewood Lane

Chapter 3: Stirring Up the Past

The tea room was quieter than usual the next day. The morning rush had passed without so much as a single customer, leaving the place feeling emptier than it should have. Lila busied herself by cleaning the shelves, organizing teacups into neat rows, and wiping away the grime that had accumulated over the years. The work felt endless, but each small task made her feel a little closer to the version of this place she had in her mind.

She didn't notice when Theo entered, the creak of the door nearly drowned out by the sound of her scrubbing. He didn't say anything at first, just watched her from the doorway, his arms crossed, as if waiting for her to notice.

When she finally looked up, she gave him a tight smile. "Morning."

"Morning," he replied, his voice casual, but there was a certain edge to it. "How's the cleaning going?"

Lila sighed and straightened up. "It's a lot more work than I thought."

Theo nodded and stepped inside. "Yeah. I figured it might be."

The silence stretched between them, awkward but not uncomfortable. Lila had already decided she didn't like how easily Theo could slip into that quiet space, his presence filling the room in ways she didn't understand. It wasn't as if he was trying to fill the gaps—he just did, and she was left struggling to keep up.

"So," Theo began, breaking the silence, "I looked at the back room. It's gonna need some serious repairs. The pipes are nearly shot, and I'd recommend replacing the flooring."

Lila clenched her jaw, trying to suppress the frustration that bubbled up. "I know," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "I'll figure it out."

Theo didn't respond immediately, but there was something about his expression that made her feel like he was seeing right through her. "You're not in this alone, Lila," he said softly, almost too quietly. "I get it. You want to honor your grandmother. But that doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself."

Her breath caught in her throat at the unexpected kindness in his voice. Lila straightened up, her fingers tightening around the cleaning cloth. "I'm fine," she replied sharply, trying to brush him off. "I'm used to doing things on my own."

Theo's lips quirked into a half-smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You don't have to prove anything to me."

Lila felt her cheeks flush, and she quickly turned away, focusing on the dusting again. It was stupid—she shouldn't feel embarrassed by his words. But there was something about the way he said them, like he wasn't judging her, like he understood exactly what she was going through. It was more than she was willing to admit.

"I'm not here to judge," Theo added, as if reading her mind. "But, you know, you don't have to shoulder everything. Sometimes asking for help doesn't mean you're failing."

Lila bit her lip, eyes fixed on the row of teacups. She hadn't expected Theo to be so... perceptive. Or so persistent. But that was the thing about Rosewood Lane. People didn't just let things go. They saw each other—really saw each other—and sometimes that was harder than being left alone.

Before she could respond, a soft knock echoed from the door, followed by the creak of the bell.

A woman stepped inside, a smile already spreading across her face. "Good morning, Lila! I saw you had a sign out front, so I thought I'd drop by and check in. You're reopening, right?"

Lila blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in attention. "Uh, yes," she said, feeling a rush of nervous energy. "I'm—well, we're—getting everything ready."

The woman, who looked to be in her late fifties with silver curls and a bright, warm presence, nodded enthusiastically. "I remember coming here with my mother when I was just a girl. I was hoping it would stay open after Mrs. Greenway passed." She hesitated, her eyes flicking to Theo, who was still standing by the counter, watching the interaction quietly. "It was a special place to so many of us. And I think it's a good thing you're taking it over."

Lila felt a tightness in her chest at the mention of her grandmother's name. "Thank you," she said, offering a small, genuine smile. "I'm doing my best to keep it just as it was."

The woman beamed. "I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job. My name's Clara; I live just around the corner. You'll see me in here often. I was a regular back in the day. I'd love to see it open again."

Lila's smile widened, a wave of warmth spreading through her. "Thank you, Clara. That means a lot."

Clara smiled back, then glanced over at Theo, raising an eyebrow. "You helping out with the renovations, Theo?"

Theo gave a nonchalant shrug. "Something like that."

Clara laughed softly. "You're a good kid. Just don't let her do all the work herself. She's a stubborn one, that one," she said with a wink, nodding toward Lila.

Lila froze, a blush creeping into her cheeks. She hadn't expected to be called out in front of a stranger, especially by someone who seemed to know the town so well. But Clara's teasing tone made it easier to brush off.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work," Clara said, turning to leave. "I'll be back soon for my tea. Don't keep me waiting too long!"

As the door closed behind Clara, Lila let out a deep breath, feeling a little lighter, a little less alone in the world. The idea of the tea room being full again, of people returning to something familiar, filled her with hope. Maybe this wouldn't be as impossible as it felt some days.

Theo, still standing by the counter, was watching her, his eyes unreadable.

"You're good with people," he said after a long pause. "That was... easy for you."

Lila shrugged, glancing over at him. "Not really. It's just... it feels different here. Like I can breathe. People here actually care about each other."

Theo didn't respond immediately, and Lila couldn't tell what he was thinking. But in that moment, standing across from him, the weight of everything she was trying to hold together didn't feel quite as heavy. Maybe she didn't have to do everything on her own after all.

"I'll make sure everything's ready for her when she comes back," Theo said quietly, turning toward the back room.

Lila nodded, feeling the first sense of real relief since she'd walked into the tea room. "Thanks," she called after him. She didn't know where this was going, but for the first time since her grandmother had passed, the possibility of something new didn't feel so daunting.