"Nice flowers." Michael said as he watched her gather the utensils for his shot. He noticed her slightly shift uncomfortably at the comment. "Do we have an admirer?" He asked amusingly. She stuck the needle in his arm with a little more force than normal. "They're from my father." She replied with a bit of sadness in her voice. Michael nodded with a small smile forming on his lips hoping to lighten the mood with his optimism. "What's the occasion?" He asked while examining her face.

"It's my birthday." She replied. Her expression didn't change. "Happy birthday." He said sincerely. The atmosphere in the room changed suddenly, seeming to become darker and darker. She refused to meet his gaze and instead devoted extra attention to his shot. "Thank you." She said quietly, her hands moving quickly. Michale gave a short sigh, "Okay."

"Hmm?" She gave little attention to him. "Nothing... birthdays aren't usually a sore subject that's all." He replied watching to see if her expression changed at all. It didn't seem to get better... Only worse. Her face fell a bit more and he swore he saw her eyes glass over slightly. "What is it?" He asked her gently, not wanting to make her sadder.

She took a sharp breath in and looked up at him. She put on the best smile she could muster. She cleared her throat before speaking. "It's really not a big deal Michael. Flowers don't last. That's all." She replied. She picked up the clipboard and scribbled a few things on the sheet before acknowledging him again. "You are all set. I'll see you tomorrow." She said while looking back up at him. Michael stood up and walked slowly to the door.

He reached for the door handle but stopped. "How many birthdays?" He asked turning around in the process. She looked at him not understanding the question. "What do you mean?"

"How many birthdays did he show up to?" He rephrased, staring directly into her eyes. She looked away, uncomfortable with the intensity of his stare. "Six." She said with a hushed tone. It felt like her mind was a million miles away from him. Before he could say another word, the guard stepped inside and pulled him away. He swore he saw a tear glide down her face. The action made his chest hurt.

It had been over an hour since he had seen her. His cell finally opened signaling that it was time to go out into the yard. He wasted no time and headed straight for the payphone. He slipped in a few quarters and punched in a few numbers. "Veronica? I need your help."

Veronica arrived at the prison an hour after the phone call which was just enough time for Michael to finish his plan. He slipped a package out of his jacket and placed it in Veronica's hands. "What is it?" She asked him skeptically. His gaze fell away from her eyes and a small smile played at his lips. She chuckled, "What do you need me to do?"

He slipped her a piece of paper, eyeing the guards. "Leave it at the door." He instructed her. She pause before smiling suddenly. He looked at her in question, waiting for her to speak. "Who is she?" She asked him, clearly amused but happiness radiated off of her. He smiled back at her, drumming his fingers on the countertop. "Someone who deserves to know just how important she is." He replied after some thought. Veronica smiled, touched by his words. It had been too long since he had found someone he could trust and love. She slipped the piece of paper into her pocket and rose off of the seat. "I'm happy for you Michael." She said before turning to walk away. He smiled again and was escorted back to his cell.

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Sara had just pulled into her driveway after a long shift. Her mood had not changed since she received the flowers earlier that morning. Her heart felt heavy as she thought about her father at meetings and business parties as opposed to spending time with her on her birthday. No phone call. No card. Just flowers. flowers that wont even last a week. She sighed as she grabbed her belongings out of the car and up to her apartment. She felt emotionally drained after battling with her thoughts all day and just wanted to be in her bed asleep. Somewhere as far away from her mind as possible.

As she climbed the steps she thought back to her appointment with Michael. His presence always seemed to relax her. He was different than her other patients. He was.... gentle. Caring. She reached the final step and exhaustion set over her mind again. She fiddled with her keys in the door, but as she began to step inside the apartment, her foot bumped over a box. Confused, she set her things inside and grabbed the box. It had no return address. She looked around outside to see if she could find the person who dropped it off but the streets were quiet. She walked inside and closed the door behind her.

She turned on the light and and began to cut the tape that sealed the box. She peeled back the tissue paper on the top and gasped at what she saw. The box was filled with origami roses, each carefully crafted. Each crease was perfectly aligned. she felt a smile pull at her lips and a blush rose to her cheeks. Michael, she thought. She picked up one of the roses and inspected it. She caught a glimpse of writing on the inside of it. She gently pulled back a layer of the paper and studied the word. . She read. She set the flower down and picked up another finding an additional word behind the thin layer. .

One after the other she peeled back the layers of each flower carefully so she didn't ruin them. , , , , , , . The words went on and on. She picked up the last flower in the box. . She felt her eyes starting to gloss over with tears. 29 flowers. 29 years old. She saw a small piece of paper at the bottom of the box and she set the flower down. She unfolded the note and read the beautiful handwriting.

Sara,

Birthdays are meant to be a joyful celebration. You have spent so much time

ensuring others experience that happiness. You take care of everyone you meet and expect nothing

in return. While flowers don't last long, words last a lifetime. Each word is an example of

what I've seen through you. You deserve to be happy and celebrate yourself. Happy birthday.

-M

Her smile widened and her tears flowed freely. Her sadness was replaced with a feeling of happiness and unconditional love. Never in her 29 years had she felt so appreciated and acknowledged. She arranged the flowers in a vase and slid the note in the middle. She would put them in her exam room tomorrow as a reminder of his kind words. She fell asleep soundly that night, no intrusive thoughts pecking at her brain.

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Sara arrived to work, happiness radiating off of her. Her co-workers gave her a few glances before returning back to their normal schedules. She managed to smuggle the vase into her exam room without anyone noticing it. She tucked it away in the room, just out of sight from the other staff members. She smiled widely and began her day.

The hours went by quickly and before she knew it, one o'clock had already come around. Michael's appointment was next. She prepared the room and he walked in.

Michael stepped through the doors and immediately felt the waves of joy beam off of her. Each step she took was more energetic and lighter than it was yesterday. He smiled internally and sat on the chair waiting for her to prepare her checkup. "Hello Michael." She greeted him with a smile. He returned it. "Nice flowers." He said almost immediately, staring at the vase that was tucked away. She blushed slightly and looked up to meet his gaze. He chuckled quietly.

She pulled the curtain to give them privacy as she preformed her weekly checkup. "Thank you Michael. I can't begin to explain how meaningful that was." She said to him sincerely. He gently grabbed her hand as it passed by him and he held it for a moment. A tear slipped down her cheek and he cupped her face. He wiped away her tear with his thumb. "Do you really mean those words?" She asked him. His smile grew wider and he softly pulled her closer to him. His lips connected with hers and for a moment, nothing in the world mattered. Every detail of his plan to escape. Every inch of the blueprints. Everything was erased from his mind. The only thing that mattered was her body pressed tightly next to his and her lips pressed against his own.

A quick knock on the exam door made her jump and their lips pulled away from each other. She heard her co worker outside telling her to hurry up. She turned back to Michael. "Every word Sara." He stared into her eyes. "I meant every last word."