Chapter 233

• The morning after the garden show, I woke to a stillness that felt heavier than usual. The fabric bags rested against the wall where I had dropped them the night before. The faint smell of moss and flowers clung to them, drifting across the room when I passed by. I had not yet unpacked. A part of me wanted to keep the garden close, to stretch it a little longer before the city swallowed it whole.
• The boutique was closed for the day. Aisha had urged me to take time for myself, though I knew she would stop by later to water the plants and check if any deliveries had arrived. She had a habit of making sure everything was cared for, even when she insisted I rest.
• I boiled water and made tea, letting the steam rise into the quiet kitchen. My body still felt heavy from the previous day’s rush, but it was the kind of heaviness that followed something meaningful, not something draining. I sat at the table with my sketchbook open but empty. I stared at the blank page without reaching for a pencil.