Day 4

"You are three years old. Your features start to settle in and your family starts to see a glimpse of the future you have yet to know." Kyle closes this card and looks at me for a long time. There's only one flower pot left in his room. Pink roses with their thorns still attached. I guessed he liked those flowers the best.

"Why do I get the feeling this card has more of a personal touch?"

"Don't flatter yourself. You're not that important," I reply as I lean back in the chair that's near his hospital bed.

"If I don't matter then stop making me birthday cards."

"Never. I'm stubborn and because you told me to stop making them then I'll only continue to make them to defy you." His eyes widened in disbelief at my words. "Didn't see that coming did you, Kyle."

"Don't flatter yourself, Renata. You're not THAT important." He set the card that had a big number three with dots all around it on the table near his bed. "Are you going to tell me what this card really means or are we just going to continue staring at each other?"

"I think I'll pick staring at each other," I reply. "What do I get for this honor?"

"How about those pink roses," he said, pointing at the only floral remnant. "I made sure no one took those roses anyway."

"Why?"

"Because they're for you," he replied matter of fact. "You didn't pick any flowers yesterday like I hoped you would so I had to pick flowers that matched your personality."

I point with my thumb towards the pink roses as I said, "Why do you think those flowers match my personality?"

"Because those flowers are the only beauties with thorns. That's why."

When I walked out to the parking lot, my mom was there to pick me up. Even though I was seventeen at the time I still didn't know how to drive or have a driver's permit. She eyed the flowerpot with pink roses. "When did you get those?" she asked cautiously. Christina is a very protective mom.

"From someone who doesn't want them," was my answer.