To anyone else, she might seem a little crazy. To me—she’s kind of breathtaking. Literally.

She also asks a lot of questions but doesn’t offer much in return. And I think I’m okay with that...for now.

“So do you actually enjoy training?”

I shrug, moving the ice pack to my other side. “It keeps me in check. Keeps me disciplined.”

“How long were you deployed for?”

“I did four deployments, so four years.”

“Do you ever feel like it’s too much? The freedom?”

I look at her, but her eyes are cast downwards. “What do you mean?”

She shakes her head before lifting her gaze. “Nothing. I’ll be in my apartment. Just come get me when you’re done.”

MADISON

Madison: I’m having a really bad day.

Sara: What’s wrong? Did something happen?

Madison: No. Nothing happened. I just feel so lost.

Sara: Are you taking your meds?

Madison: Yes.

***

I open the door, looking down and wiping tears from my cheeks.

“Hey,” Ky says, bringing me into him. “What’s wrong?”

The sympathy in his voice makes me cry harder. “Nothing,” I tell him, because I don’t know how to explain my feelings to him. I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders. “I’m fine,” I lie.

He pushed me back a little so he can look in my eyes.

I fake a smile, not wanting him to be affected by my mood. “Seriously, I’m fine.”

His brow pinches. “Is it me?”

“No!” I say quickly. “Not at all.”

“Then what is it?”

I walk to the fridge and pull out a bottle of water. “You ever have one of those days when it’s just...the colors are dull and even the fresh air seems suffocating.” It sounds stupid, even to myself. I lean against the counter, my eyes still on the floor. “I’m just having one of those days.”

He stops in front of me and grips the counter either side of my waist. “So let’s brighten your day?”

I want to laugh. “I wish it were that easy.”

“Who says it can’t be?” he says.

He sounds so hopeful, I can’t help but to look up at him. “What did you have in mind?”

“Are you ready to go now?”

Sighing, I let my shoulders slump. “We don’t have to do anything, Ky, we can just stay in.”

He smiles. “I’m not a fan of wasting time, Madison. There’s too much in the world. Too much to see. Too much to do. Too much to breathe. We miss it all if we just stay in our apartments all day.”

I smile as he repeats my words from a few days ago. “So what are we doing?”

“Element of surprise remember?”

***

Debbie walks toward us with a huge smile on her face.

“Kyler,” she sings. “It’s good to see you again.

I scoff. “She’s allowed to call you Kyler?”

He just squeezes my hand.

“What are we doing here, anyway?”

He ignores me and follows Debbie to the back of the flower store.

As soon as I enter, I gasp and dig my heels in the floor. My eyes dart everywhere, all at once. It’s a flower warehouse and the smell...oh my god, the smell. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, taking it all in. It’d been years since my senses had so much to take in.

“Is the air still suffocating?” Ky whispers, his breath warming my cheek.

I shake my head in disbelieve, my eyes darting open so I can see him. “Not at all, Ky.”

“Kyler,” Debbie shouts, poking her head out from behind a row of pots. “You coming?”

“Yeah!” He drags toward her.

“Here it is.” Debbie points to a large pot plant. “It’s not exactly how it was pictured online.” She sounds disappointed.

“It’s perfect,” Ky assures her.

I move in front of him so I can see what they’re talking about. “It’s beautiful.”

Debbie lifts the plant to my nose. “You should smell it.”

Ky settles his hand on my shoulders. I dip my head, my chest rising with my intake of breath. It smells just as beautiful as it looks. I look up at Ky, hoping he understands everything my eyes are trying to convey; that I appreciate him and what he’s done for me—what he’s currently doing—means more to me than he’ll ever know.

He’s giving me a part of my life back.

A life I thought I’d lost.

“What to know what is?” Debbie asks me.

“Yes.”

“They’re rainbow roses. The fuse together all the different colors and it comes out like this. Kyler gave you a yellow one, yes?”

I nod.

Debbie smiles. “It’s the flower of friendship.”

I cover his hand on my shoulders with mine. “So I’ve been told.”

“Well,” Debbie says, inspecting the flower. “Kyler wanted to give you one that represented all the things. This one has a little of everything.” Debbie looks up at Ky. “Dark pink for thankfulness, orange for fascination, peach for modestly.” She moves her gaze back to me. “Red and orange for love and desire.”

Ky chokes on a gasp.

I giggle like a schoolgirl.

Debbie adds, “I was thinking of giving it a nickname for the store. I don’t much like Rainbow Rose. Any suggestion?”