Chapter 5: Free Plants

The hospital let me go home for the night, with surgery set for seven.

I went to the apartment first.

The balcony was full of flowers, and every one was in bloom.

Gardenias, roses, hydrangeas, a row of herbs.

Years of my life, one pot at a time.

Sabine never had time for me, so I had given my hours to the plants.

When I was gone, nobody would water them.

I took a photo and posted it in the building's group chat.

"Moving out. Free plants. First come, first served."

The neighbors came within the hour.

By the time the street lamps lit, the balcony was nearly bare.

I handed the last hydrangea to a woman from the third floor and stood in the empty space.

Letting go was easier than people said.

I went into the closet.

The glass case was full of watches.

Most of them were from Sabine.

Each one used to keep me happy for a week.

Now I only remembered her face when she handed them over.

Flat. A box she had checked.

She had given me the same model twice and never noticed.

I took photos and listed the watches online.

Seven of them sold before midnight.

The case sat half empty.

I did not feel anything about that either.

At ten the lock turned.

Sabine came in with a scrape along her temple, a bruise on her cheek and her right forearm wrapped in thick white gauze.

Tobin had his arm around her waist and was holding her up.

His eyes were red and wet.

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