Loved it loved it loved it! And how symmetrical (for me, heh) that your recipient is someone who has themselves written a wonderfully sympathetic Petunia making her way in the world. I *love* her this way. Petunia can remind me so strongly of the protagonists Margaret Atwood chooses, these often passive women who store it up until it bursts out in some way and they change in some way. Her books tend to leave me full of hope. This story, honestly, I think I would characterise my reaction to it as quiet joy. I was smiling just a little all the way through. Wonderful detail in this meant that it was all so *visible* and *tangible* and so easy to experience, if that makes sense. Delphine, wow, such a solid OC with just a couple of scenes. Petunia was so private and uncertain and quiet and I loved, loved seeing her begin to come into herself and make choices that were about actually starting to *make* her new life instead of just living in it. Cannot praise this highly enough, gah, really, SO fantastic.