Caroline had spent ten years watching her neighbors, Mike and Jill, perform a mysterious daily ritual at exactly 4 p.m. Each afternoon, they arrived in their silver sedan, went inside, shut the curtains, and emerged fifteen minutes later. The routine was so precise it became part of Caroline’s day, sparking endless curiosity.
One day, unable to resist, she crept over when one curtain was left open. To her shock, she saw Mike with a professional camera, taking Jill’s picture. But then, he caught her peeking and even snapped a photo of her clumsy fall. Mortified, Caroline ran home, certain she’d ruined everything.
The next morning, Mike appeared at her door with the embarrassing photo and, to her surprise, invited her over. Inside, he revealed the truth: since they were teenagers, he had promised Jill he’d take her picture every day at the same time, as a gesture of love. The albums he showed Caroline told their whole life story — from youth to parenthood, with love captured in every frame.
Caroline was deeply moved. What she once thought was a strange secret turned out to be a beautiful love ritual. From then on, she stopped peeking through windows, carrying instead the reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary love stories come from the simplest promises.