Sunshine and Her Teddy Bear
Cassie Elwood wasn't built for solitude, yet loneliness had followed her all her life. After her mother's sudden death in a car accident, she was left without stability-or a place that truly felt like home.
Growing up alone taught her resilience and to expect very little from others. So when no relative stepped in, she wasn't surprised.
What she didn't expect was Ollie O'Hara-her mother's boyfriend. He wasn't family, wasn't obligated, nor prepared to raise a grieving teenager. Yet he chose to stay. To care. To try.
Their journey isn't one of dramatic rescue, but of quiet survival: shared routines, late-night talks, and small moments that slowly stitch two broken lives together. As grief softens into closeness, the line between responsibility and attachment begins to blur. Comfort becomes complicated, and feelings arise neither dares to name.
"Sunshine and Her Teddy Bear" is an emotionally driven story of loss, healing, and found family-about love that requires patience, restraint, and honesty, because some boundaries exist for a reason.
Author's Note / Content Disclaimer:
This romantic drama features an age gap but does not romanticize relationships between adults and minors.
There is no grooming or manipulation, and no romantic or sexual involvement occurs until the protagonist reaches adulthood. The story consciously explores discomfort, guilt, and emotional conflict, focusing on restraint, responsibility, and moral awareness.
It's a psychological and emotional portrayal of love growing in a healthy, respectful way when guided by restraint, integrity, and maturity.
I welcome feedback and critique. English is not my first language, so apologies for any mistakes. Thank you for reading ♡
