Her Exodus, His Regret.
Beside it sat a small BBQ pavilion shaded by wooden beams, with a long stone counter and comfortable seating.
It looked like a place meant for gatherings.
For laughter.
For life.
Yet what caught Dahlia's attention most was the garden.
Dahlias bloomed everywhere.
Rows upon rows of them in soft harmony— crimson, coral pink, ivory-peach.
Her favorite.
Her chest tightened.
She remembered mentioning them once— only once— during a quiet evening years ago.
He hadn't been listening.
At least…she had always believed he wasn't.
She could still remember the bored look on his face that evening. The cold, "Mm" he murmured at intervals.