Roses

November 2006

He comes home with a dozen roses, bustling into the house and the blooms spilling out over his briefcase, that eager smile surfacing. She tosses her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek, pulls the roses against her in a bundle. He sets down his bags and follows as she skims across the floor into the kitchen. She meticulously shears the stems, peels the browning leaves, and unwraps the plastic cover. He opens the cabinet and takes the fancy vase she can never reach, holding it out steady so she can carefully put the flowers and water inside. She finishes arranging, shifts the weight of the vase into her own arms, carries it to the dining room, and slowly sets it in the center. He comes up behind, drawing her close to his side.

November 2007

He comes home with a dozen roses balanced on one elbow, the other arm clutching a briefcase and a gym bag and a coat. She greets him from the kitchen. He places the roses on the sidetable as he sets down his packages, and hands them to her when she enters the room, drying her hands with a cotton dishtowel. She smiles and kisses his cheek. He goes upstairs to shower, and she retreats to the kitchen to cut and clean the stems. She leaves the roses out until he is done and can reach the vase for her. 

November 2008

He comes home with a dozen roses that have drying petals and curling leaves. She is in the kitchen, and after he puts away his bags and coat he brings them to her. She turns from her stove and with a slack smile hugs him close with one arm around his middle. He gets down the vase and she puts the roses in, stems and all, and plops them in the middle of the table.

November 2009

He comes home with six roses, hastily wrapped and tied. She is upstairs. He puts the bags in the closet, the roses on the countertop, and the vase on the table. He goes downstairs.

November 2010

He comes home and puts the roses on the table and goes into the living room. She comes downstairs and sees the roses and takes an old, chipped vase out of the cabinet she can reach and stuffs them in.

November 2011

He comes home with no roses. She doesn’t mind.