«So, Emily, what do you think of this dress? Do you like it?» – The consultant in the bridal salon smiled warmly, adjusting the delicate lace on the bodice of yet another wedding gown. «It’s absolutely stunning!» Emily replied, admiring herself in the mirror. «It feels like I’m in a fairy tale! I never thought I’d get to try on something so beautiful!» She turned from side to side, savoring how the fabric flowed lightly, creating an illusion of weightlessness.
Her eyes sparkled with joy, and her heart swelled with an unfamiliar warmth. Everything around her seemed like some incredible miracle. «James will be thrilled!» she continued, as if speaking to her reflection.
«He’s just perfect—successful, athletic, and so caring. I’m so lucky to have him!» «Lucky? That’s an understatement! You two are practically the perfect couple!» the consultant chimed in. «Get ready! You’ll be a true queen at the wedding!» Emily smiled, but deep down, a flicker of fear lingered.
Her life had rarely offered moments of joy. From the moment she was born, she was accustomed to hardship. Her mother abandoned her at the hospital right after giving birth, not even giving her a name, discarding her like an unwanted object.
The baby girl ended up in a foster home, then an orphanage. It was the start of a long journey filled with pain and loneliness. «You seem lost in thought!» the consultant noticed.
«Is something wrong?» she asked softly. «No, no, everything’s fine!» Emily replied quickly. «It’s just hard to believe this is all happening to me!» She recalled her childhood, steeped in bitterness and sorrow.
The gray walls, noisy rooms, and constant bullying from older kids. But not everything was so bleak. Her salvation was Sarah, a girl she met on her very first day in the orphanage.
«You know, Sarah, we’re definitely going to be happy!» Emily once said, sitting with her friend on a windowsill. They dangled their legs and gazed at the stars through a smudged window. «Of course we will!» Sarah replied confidently.
«You’re going to marry a handsome prince, and I’ll find a house with a garden and get a dog. But there’s one condition: we never abandon each other, no matter what life brings!» Sarah was always there.
Even when a family wanted to adopt her, she flatly refused. «I’m not leaving Emily!» she declared firmly. That moment stayed etched in Emily’s heart as a symbol of true friendship.
Now, standing before the mirror in a luxurious dress, Emily suddenly felt her past wasn’t so dark anymore. She looked at herself and whispered, «We made it, Sarah! We said we’d be happy, and we are!» «Did you say something?» the consultant asked.
«Just dreaming out loud!» Emily smiled. «This dress! It’s pure magic! I think I’ll take it!» Emily often drifted back to her orphanage days. She and Sarah would sit on that windowsill, legs dangling, dreaming of escaping that gloomy place, meeting their princes, and finally finding happiness.
Their dreams, filled with hope for a better future, helped them survive the harsh realities of orphanage life. But one day, everything changed. It was summer, during school break, and Emily was entering eighth grade.
The kids were taken to a river to swim. For orphanage children, such rare outings were a big event. No one warned them that the river’s current was strong, with dangerous whirlpools lurking beneath the surface.
Emily and Sarah decided to swim to the other side to pick beautiful water lilies that captivated them with their snowy white petals. Though it was against the rules, and they weren’t strong swimmers, they thought they could manage together.
But halfway across, Emily’s leg cramped. She panicked, started to drown, and called for help. Sarah rushed to her, trying to save her friend.
She pushed Emily to the surface, and Emily clung to a branch, gasping for air and coughing up water. But Sarah couldn’t save herself. The swift current pulled her into a whirlpool.
Her body was never found, despite a week-long search. The counselors and rescuers concluded there was no chance of finding her alive. Emily and the other kids held a symbolic farewell by the river, tossing flowers into the water.
No one said it out loud, but all the children and adults understood: life in the orphanage left little room for hope. Yet, deep inside, Emily often argued with that certainty.
What if she’s alive? Maybe fishermen or passersby rescued her? It was possible. Those thoughts lingered like a faint ray of light in a dark room. For Emily, it was a devastating blow.
She blamed herself for her friend’s death, screaming at night, overwhelmed by guilt. After the tragedy, she was sent to a psychiatric hospital, where she underwent lengthy treatment. The medications left her lethargic and depressed.
After her discharge, she changed. She became quiet, withdrawn, as if she’d lost faith in people and life. Even the boys started avoiding her, thinking she was strange and dangerous.
Upon leaving the orphanage, Emily, as a complete orphan, was given a room in a dormitory. Having seen countless tragic stories in the orphanage, Emily watched as girls she once shared those walls with often became victims of circumstance.
Turning into escorts, they were exploited by anyone who wanted them. The boys sank to the bottom. Some turned to drugs, others to alcoholism.
Many ended up in jail for petty thefts. It was almost normal in their circle. But Emily made a firm promise to herself not to follow their path.
She was determined to prove to herself and the world that she could become someone, despite her mother abandoning her. She believed she could break free from that vicious cycle and succeed. After leaving the orphanage, Emily landed a job as a waitress in a small but cozy restaurant.
The owner took pity on the orphan and hired her on a trial basis. The work itself didn’t seem too hard to her. She quickly learned her duties.
But building relationships with people and maintaining a positive attitude was much tougher. Like many orphanage kids, she struggled to adapt to a world where she had to be outgoing and cheerful. Her coworker, Lisa, was a huge help.
At first, Lisa was skeptical of Emily, unsure how such a reserved girl could handle customers. After all, a waitress needed to not only serve food but also connect with people, please them, and find a way to approach each one.
One day, seeing Emily freeze up, unsure how to respond to a customer, Lisa stepped in with advice. «Emily, honey, this won’t do. You’ll scare off all our regulars.
Why so gloomy? You’re so young and pretty. Use that. Smile, relax, think of something pleasant when you work.
It’ll make everything easier. You’ll get more tips, and people will come back more often.» Emily sighed heavily.