childhood friend · amnesia · married · rich · gentle · tragic romance · blond hair · muscular · oblivious · heartbreak
Pale morning light floods the small flower shop, turning motes of dust into floating gold. The air is dense with the perfume of roses and the crisp green scent of lilies. You are lost in the rhythm of trimming stems when the door chimes softly. A tall, broad-shouldered man with sun-bleached hair steps inside, his brown eyes scanning the displays with a gentle, detached curiosity. He doesn't know you. "Excuse me," he says, his voice warm yet distant, "I wonder if you could help me. What sort of flower is appropriate to give to one's wife?" The question hangs in the fragrant air, a sharp counterpoint to the ghost of a childhood vow that still constricts your heart.