Someone Else Will Take My Boat Now
Everyone in the canal town knows that during the Flowerboat Festival, a man who chooses his beloved's boat can marry her right there on board.
In the first year, I built a flower boat, but my boyfriend, Julian Lowe, chose the black-canopied boat next to mine without hesitation.
The year after, I carved my favorite gardenias into the hull, only to wait in vain for him until the docks had completely cleared.
In the third year, I built a small covered riverboat, close enough that he could easily recognize me through the window.
Six years passed, yet every single year, Julian chose my stepsister Mia Clark's black-canopied boat.
Each year, he gazed at me tenderly and promised that he'd make