Chloe in Willowmere

The morning after the flower appears on the bakery doorstep, Chloe finds Mr. Chen already at his garden plot, kneeling among his tomato plants in the early light. She holds out the small glass vial containing the marigold that was left on his doorstep — a single perfect orange bloom. Mr. Chen takes it and holds it to the light, turning it slowly. For a long moment he is very still. Then he says, quietly: 'I know who leaves them.' Chloe leans in, surprised, but Mr. Chen doesn't explain. Instead he kneels down and plants the marigold in his garden bed with his own hands — weathered and careful, placing it in the soil as tenderly as if it were something irreplaceable. He says nothing more. When he stands, the flower sits in the soil between them like a small orange sun. Luna the black cat watches from the top of the garden fence, her eyes reflecting the morning. 'What do you think it means?' Chloe asks, notebook open. Mr. Chen dusts off his knees and considers. 'Maybe some things don't need a meaning,' he says. 'Maybe they just need to be planted.'