Chapter 692: A Different Time Part 6
Oren woke at sundown, but didn't feel rested. He must have looked it, because Etsuko offered him extra blood for breakfast. He took it without comment, then mumbled an excuse about shopping and hurried out the door. He could at least buy the flowers. That much he could handle.
Except there weren't any.
He stood in front of the display case in the grocery store, gaping. All that remained were fallen petals and a few spots of water.
"Waited until the last minute?" a young employee joked. "Have you tried the store across the street? They had some."
Had was the keyword. Their displays were also empty, but they were kind enough to send him to a gas station that was also out. After several stops he found a scraggily bouquet of carnations for three times what it was worth.
"They're better than nothing, though if you'd brought them to me I'd have sent you back to the greenhouse," imaginary Jesslynn said.
If only he still had his greenhouse.