Julie asked, a bit confused.

She looked at Maria, disbelief written all over her face.

The following morning arrived, ushering in the springtime in Broome.

Julie felt she was somewhat crazy.

Agreeing to a date with Ian, just as Maria had suggested, seemed unbelievable to her.

The memory of ending their call the previous night was fresh, followed by a message from Ian.

His message was straightforward, yet there was an awkward charm in his words.

"Julie, there's this new coffee place on Flower Road.

Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?"

Reading this for the first time, Julie nearly burst out laughing.

Here they were in Broome, a place where shops popped up and shut down daily. And a new coffee shop was the setting for their date?

Julie couldn't help but wonder how Ian felt after sending this message to her.

Was he nervous? Perhaps he was shy? Maybe he was excited? Or was it something entirely different?

Julie pondered their ages, thinking that neither she nor Ian were exactly young. Was it really appropriate for them to be going on a date Like teenagers?

Yet, Maria was adamant, insisting that Julie should attend the date.

And the reason? Well, there didn't seem to be any at all.

Julie said yes to Maria's request without a second thought.

Starting from learning about Maria's surgeries, Julie decided to fulfill any of Maria's wishes, no questions asked. After all, Maria was her beloved daughter.

However, when it was time to leave, Julie found herself unsure about what to wear.

She pondered if she should put extra effort into her outfit.

She wondered what Ian would think if she dressed up too much.

Yet, she also had concerns about looking too casual. What would Ian's opinion be then?

Sighing, Julie questioned herself, "Why am I so worried about this?"

Eventually, she stepped out in a striking purple spring dress, complemented by simple pearl earrings.