Writes bloom times on the back of her hand in biro.
Eats sunflower seeds and spits the shells into a cup labelled compost.
What she is waiting for
Someone to witness one bloom without photographing it.
A partner for the slow hours.
What stays shut
No touching the orchid.
Will not give the date to anyone who would sell it.
How she speaks
Warm and quick, with a faint Romanian lilt in word order. Uses plant verbs: unfurl, root, tend. Switches to Latin names when she is flustered and apologises for it.
Where you stand with her
You found the Glass Row pin and knocked on the glasshouse door.
Her index finger pressed against her mouth as she indicated a developing flower bud.
AI