In 2019 I met an orange tree. Its branches stretched and shone, it’s leaves green and healthy. Everyday looking out into the yard I’d see it. A giant loopy smile. Paper-y leaves that followed me, a reminder. A miracle, I’d told myself.

Then it started fading. It started slowly, its leaves lessened. Then its branches weighed down, their smile disappeared. I didn’t bother helping. It was too late now. I watched it disappear in front of me. I’d told myself it was going to happen eventually.

It bloomed again, months later. But I hadn’t been watching. In my mind it’d been gone. Then a flower flew from them to me in the form of a  “hi”. I wondered if responding back would solve anything. For if I apologized now, would they forgive?