ad always

en, un

t with full-blown, sudden heat or violence, but slowly, lik

and yet, there was no denying that they'd become something they never spoke aloud

ning to forget how t

-

ed on a

epartment's intern had misfiled a week's worth of reports, and Mark had torn through the floo

randa, one of the few places in the

en, he

ays come

ess navy blouse, the wind blowing her hai

need to remind myself that the world's

am

ailing that looked over the city

fresh air. He didn't a

at her. "Does

e's trying to

ice. No anger, even, Just to

jah said, and he

hink... I just m

w what that felt like? That sometimes the absen

ed to her, she was a

you,

t differentl

ttery; It was

hing far mor

ut

-

e late afternoon. She stood with one shoulder agains

omething,"

"Something good or som

how you feel about a

ha

with

ated. "R

ings, and you've looked li

for half a second

utes later, he was drifting along the backstreets of the city, whereu

he rusted gate ent

eadable: Botanical Annex

" she said. "It's locked up, but

ntering?" Elija

tering,

by forgotten greenery. Vines curled around the collapsed lat

id. "When the city feels too lou

ed. He unde

teps tapping against old gravel. Charlie sniffe

ped beside a cr

if someone chose me, loved me, that meant I mattered. But lately, i thin

feel her warmth, but far enough to maintai

deserve th

And this time, the s

d his, She stepped back, her vo

hould

-

e dropped him at the office without

the veranda. It wasn't just her words, but the look in her eyes

s fal

n't know h

-

Mark summoned Elij

for Sam's account," he said. "T

erst

through his phone. "By the way, my wife m

areful to keep

O

you've bee

ry t

, not suspicious, ex

oundaries in this office, Elijah. Professi

cour

ed, "Good. That's

-

ia waiting in the break room. She was

dn't he?" she asked wh

"He said you

to make thing

did

th knew tha

olding her cup

dy crossed our bou

eak. Hee words w

whatever pains she was in, to tell her she wasn

e cou

did, everythin

aid the only

we just stop

looked

irst time, sh