Tom came home with flowers in a glass vase. His wife was delighted. It wasn’t her birthday or their anniversary.
He put them on the sideboard, exactly where her favourite vase usually stood.
She asked what had made him so thoughtful on an ordinary Tuesday.
Tom glanced at the dustpan behind the door….
Tom had the house to himself for the morning and a short list of jobs.
He began with the easiest. Dust the sideboard.
His wife, Beth, kept a tall blue vase there. Tom lifted it with one hand and reached for the cloth with the other.
The cloth caught the foot of the vase.
For one hopeful second, Tom thought he might catch it. Then he spent twenty minutes finding pieces behind furniture.
He phoned the shop where Beth had bought it. They no longer stocked that shape. They did have a much larger one for twice the price.
Tom said he was trying to reduce a problem.
At the florist, he spotted an arrangement in a simple glass vase.
Does that include the vase? he asked.
Yes.
Can I have it without the flowers?
The florist said they sold empty vases too. She showed him three.
Tom looked at the price. The small bouquet with its vase cost only a little more. It also gave him something cheerful to hold during the conversation at home.
He chose pink flowers because Beth liked pink. The florist asked if he wanted a card.
Tom considered writing Sorry, but that seemed to start the conversation at the wrong end.
No card, thank you. I’ll be there.
Beth arrived as he was arranging the flowers on the sideboard. Her face lit up.
For me?
Of course.
On a Tuesday?
It seemed as good a day as any.
She kissed him and said the vase was lovely too.
Tom said that was fortunate.
She stepped back, then looked at the empty space around it. He had moved the lamp slightly to cover a pale mark in the dust.
What brought this on? she asked.
I was doing the jobs.
And that made you think of me?
Very much.
Beth noticed the dustpan behind the door. A tiny blue piece lay beside its brush.
She picked it up.
Tom stood quietly with the flower food in his hand.
Beth looked from the blue piece to the new glass vase.
Is this a romantic gesture or a replacement?
A replacement with witnesses.
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