Disclaimer - All recognisable characters belong to their original owners. I do not make a profit from writing this; I simply do it for my own amusement. No copyright infringement intended.
PROMPT: Risk - sometimes life is about risking everything for a dream no one but you can see.
It's difficult when you can see something and no one else can. I don't mean like ghosts - no, I mean potential. Everyone and everything has potential in some way or another. Sometimes, you just have to look hard enough. And it's not always easy to see.
I'm lucky in that I saw the potential this little shop had. I'd walked past one day and taken in the rundown, almost derelict corner shop. The shutters were old, rotten, and faded; the concrete steps cracked and in desperate need of some TLC, and I fell in love. I knew it was meant for me. And when I went to the bank with my proposal to open up a bookshop, I was laughed out of the room. They couldn't see it, and they weren't the only ones. My parents had looked horrified when I told them I was going to sell my car, my flat, and anything else of value I owned. They didn't want that for me. And I got it. It probably sounds crazy but I knew I needed to do this.
So I did. I sold my car and bought a second-hand bike. I sold my flat and rented a room from a friend. And I sold what few valuables I had. And by some miracle, I raised the money I needed. I did most of the work myself - with a little help from my brother and his friends here and there. After 3 months, my little bookshop was ready, Rose's Reads was open for business. It didn't take off, not straight away. And then, one day, a girl with brown hair and brown eyes walked in. She spent $100 and told me she'd be back with friends. I smiled politely, not expecting anything to come from it, until a few days later when she did indeed return with friends. And the girl with the brown hair and brown eyes (who I now know as Bella) became one of my closest friends.
My parents still didn't see the payoff. They were concerned about everything I'd given up - my corporate job and relationship being at the top of that list. But I told them it was okay. I had a dream, and I was taking a risk. If it didn't work out, that would be okay. They were still skeptical.
6 weeks after Bella came into my life, I met Edward. Edward was browsing some of the books I had on music when Bella walked in. And right there and then, I knew something beautiful was going to happen. And I was right. 6 months later, they were engaged and planning a wedding.
My bookshop was doing okay. We weren't quite in the green, but I wasn't worried because I knew there was more. I started to plan the opening of a cafe in the bookshop. Nothing to rival your commercial chains, but a place where people could get a warm drink and good cake. That's when I met Esme. She was new to the area and had a wonderful skill for baking. The day she started was the day that Doctor Carlisle Cullen walked in desperate for a cup of coffee after his 16-hour shift at the hospital. They're now expecting a baby together.
Esme and Bella told me I was like a matchmaker. If my shop hadn't been there, chances are they would never have crossed paths with their other halves. I just smiled. It felt like my risk had paid off. With every passing day, my little shop became a little more successful. It wasn't an overnight sensation, but it was certainly sustainable now.
After all of this, I decided to renovate the front—nothing too major, but I did want some different shutters and a new door. That's when I met Emmett.
I won't bore you with the details, but I will tell you this. If I had never taken that risk, I probably wouldn't be where I am now.
Now, I am surrounded by friends who support me. Now, I have a magnificent husband who makes me smile and laugh every day. Now I have two wonderful children, who never cease to amaze me.
So go on, take that risk. Other people might not see the end result, but that shouldn't stop you.
Big hugs, Lu.