Chapter 1000

Although it had been two years, this wasn't the first time I had seen this bougainvillea. Back when Caroline and I went to visit Bruce, he was holding this very plant in his arms. Suddenly, he collapsed, so we rushed him to the hospital. As we were leaving, John hurriedly carried the bougainvillea out. I was so focused on getting Bruce to the hospital that I only caught a quick glimpse of it in the rearview mirror. It did feel familiar, but I didn't give it much thought. With the bougainvillea now sitting on the desk, I finally realized it was the very same one I used to care for. I never imagined Bruce would still have it in his bedroom. Plus, it was in the exact same spot as it used to be—on the desk by the window. I couldn't take my eyes off the room's setup. I wasn't sure if I had been staring for too long, but my eyes and throat felt dry and sore. It was like something deep in my chest had been stirred, too. I was starting to lose track of what Bruce was thinking. After all,