In the Language of the Flowers

Epilogue

-Years Before-

Liam wouldn't stop talking. Normally, he spared me. He knew I hated it. Lately, though, he was all over the place. He clung to me more than usual. He told me about things I didn't care about. He got emotional during sex. It was driving me insane.

"But we could get out of the city for a while, also. It might be nice to just drive to random beaches. We don't have to stay at your parents' place, you know?" he said. He took a sip of his ice tea.

I stared at him blankly. The heat was beating down on us. We'd stopped at a café to briefly escape it before heading back to the car, having come directly from the beach.

"Are you done now?" I asked him.

He looked sad. "Why are you being so weird?"

"Why are you?" I asked.

"I'm not." He looked away from me. His hair stirred in the wind, briefly flying into his face. "Let's just go back."

I stood, my chair screeching, and left some money on our table. Liam followed behind me, dejected. "Stop pouting. I thought you had fun," I said, glancing back at him.

Liam sighed. He smiled, but it didn't quite reach its full potential. "I did have fun. I guess I'm just tired."

We stood in silence at the crosswalk, waiting for traffic to stop. When it finally did, he started walking immediately. I sauntered after him, unwilling to speed up to satisfy the strange neediness he was suddenly embracing.

I heard a shout, jerking my attention from Liam's tense shoulders to the street. A woman had started into the road adjacent to ours. She was looking down at her feet, not paying attention to the changing lights.

Without thinking, I sprinted into the road. I don't know what compelled me to do it. Maybe it was Liam's new desire for me. It made me uncomfortable, reminded me that I didn't feel anything for him. For anyone. Maybe for anything, anymore.

I wasn't worried about myself when I ran in front of the truck. I didn't particularly care about myself.

And yet I lived, dragging the woman to safety seconds before the truck would've crushed her. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized that I was still intact. I was sprawled on the sidewalk, breathing hard. Energy buzzed through my muscles.

"OH my GOD!" The woman shouted. She was shaking. Her voice was raspy, but even in her panic, it was strangely gentle. "I could've died!"

I stared at her, shocked. She whirled to look at me, her eyes wide. They were a lovely brown. I could tell she was older by the slight wrinkles at their corners, but her ebony skin was otherwise smooth and her hair, which was tight against her head in a woven bun, had no grey in it; I had no way of guessing her age.

"Holy shit, Ren. Did you really just do that?" Liam was bounding up to join us, offering a hand to pull me up.

I took it and nodded. "I guess." I turned to the woman, giving her my hand. "Are you alright?"

She moved her arm to accept my help but winced immediately. "I'm A-ok. Thank you so much, young man. How valiant!"

"You're not ok. Your arm's hurt," I said, kneeling beside her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize! If it weren't for you, I'm sure I'd be worse off," she said, smiling. I couldn't figure out exactly what it was about her that made me comfortable.

I stared at her for a moment before leaning forward. "Excuse me," I said, wrapping my arm around her to lift her without disturbing her injury. "We should get you to the hospital."