“I figure you can pick out the flowers, or seeds, or whatever gardeners garden,” he told me as he wiped his brow. “I know nothing about these kinds of things.”

“Yeah, of course. Wow, this is just…” I smiled, staring at the yard. “Wow.”

“I can hire someone to plant whatever you choose,” he told me.

“Oh no, please let me. That’s my favorite part of spring—digging my hands into the earth’s soil and feeling myself reconnect with the world. It’s very grounding.”

“And once again, your weird is showing,” he said with a small twinkle in his eye, as if he were…teasing me? “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to shower. Then I can take Talon so you can start your day.”

“Yes, for sure. No rush.”

“Thank you.”

He started to walk away, and I called after him. “Why did you do this?” I asked. “The garden?”

He lowered his head and shrugged his shoulders before looking into my eyes. “A smart woman once told me I was a shitty human, and I’m trying my best to be a little less shitty.”

“Oh no.” I pulled the collar of my shirt over my face and scrunched up my nose. “I said that last night, didn’t I?”

“You did, but don’t worry. Sometimes the truth needs to be voiced. It was much easier to hear it from someone as giggly, drunk, and kind as you.”

“I’m sorry, come again?” Mari asked me that afternoon as we walked our bikes to the hiking trail. Spring was always exciting because we could bike a lot more and explore nature. Sure, I loved it more than my sister, but somewhere deep, deep, deep inside of her soul, I was sure she was thankful to have me to keep her healthy.

“I know.” I nodded. “It’s weird.”

“It’s beyond weird. I cannot believe Richard would break up with you via a phone call,” she gasped. Then she grimaced. “Well, on second thought, I’m surprised it took this long for you to break up.”

“What?!”

“I mean, I’m just saying. You two were so much alike in the beginning, Lucy. It was kind of annoying how much of a match made in heaven you two were, but over time, you both seemed to…shift.”

“What are you talking about?”

She shrugged. “You used to laugh all the time with Richard, but lately…I can’t even think of the last time he made you giggle. Plus, tell me the last time he asked how you were doing. Every time I saw him, he was talking about himself.”

Hearing that from Mari didn’t make it any easier to deal with the fact that Richard had broken up with me. I knew she was right, too. The truth of the matter was, Richard wasn’t the same man who fell in love with me all those years ago, and I was far from the girl he knew me to be.

“Maktub,” I whispered, looking down at my wrist.

Mari smiled my way and hopped on her bike. “Maktub indeed. You can move in with me, so you’re not stuck in his apartment. It will be perfect. I needed more sister time. Look at it this way—at least now you don’t have a mustache going down on you.”

I laughed. “Richard hasn’t gone down on me in what feels like years.”

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Then you should’ve broken up with him years ago, sister. A boy who doesn’t go down doesn’t have the right to your services once he goes up.”

My sister was filled with irrefutable knowledge.

“You don’t seem that sad about it at all,” Mari mentioned. “I’m a bit surprised.”

“Yeah, well, after drinking my weight in whisky last night and spending the rest of the morning meditating today, I’m feeling okay. Plus, Graham made me a garden this morning.”

“A garden?” she asked, surprised. “Is that his form of an apology?”

“I think so. He bought a ton of organic fertilizer, too.”

“Well, he gets an A for that one. Everyone knows the way to Lucy’s forgiveness is through dirt and organic fertilizer.”

Amen, sister.

“So, are we still on for going to visit Mama’s tree up north for Easter?” I asked as we started biking the trail. Every holiday, Mari and I tried our best to make it up to visit Mama. One of Mama’s old friends had a cabin up north that she didn’t use often, and that was where we’d planted Mama’s tree all those years ago, surrounded by people from all around the country who made up her family.

If I’d learned anything from all my traveling with Mama, it was that family wasn’t built by blood—it was built by love.

“So, you’re going to hate me, but I’m going to be visiting a friend that weekend,” Mari said.

“Oh? Who?”

“I was going to catch the train to Chicago to see Sarah. She’s back in the States visiting her parents, and I thought I’d swing by, seeing as how I haven’t seen her since I got better. It’s been years.”

Sarah was one of Mari’s closest friends and a world traveler. It was almost impossible to pinpoint where Sarah would be one month from the next, so I completely understood Mari’s choice. It just sucked because with Richard gone, it would be the first holiday I’d be spending alone.

Alas, maktub.

Professor Oliver sat across from me at my desk, his eyes roaming over the first draft of chapters seventeen through twenty of my novel. I sat impatiently waiting as he flipped each page slowly, his eyes narrowed, deep in thought.

Every now and then he’d glance my way, make a low hum, and then go back to reading. When he finally finished, he sat the papers back on my desk and remained silent.

I waited, arched an eyebrow, but still, no sound.

“Well?” I asked.

Professor Oliver removed his glasses and crossed his leg over his knee. With a very calm voice, he finally spoke. “It’s kind of like a monkey took a big shit and tried to spell their name in it with their tail. Only, the monkey’s name is John and he wrote Maria.”

“It’s not that bad,” I argued.

“Oh no.” He shook his head. “It’s worse.”

“What’s wrong with it?” I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just fluff. All fat, no meat.”