When Ryan opened the door, the house was quiet and different from how he had left it. During his year and a half away, he had tried to mirror the feeling in his new apartment, buying different plants and flowers, and it worked a little in easing the emptiness he felt inside.
Too many times, he had to stop himself from sending pictures of how well his little garden was doing to Carl since they were over. So he could only share them with Peter and Alex. Peter, of course, was proud, happy to have another plant enthusiast in the group, and had made it his mission to also turn Alex into one, with no success.
Now he was back home, the plants and flowers that had slowly come into the house were all gone, just like Carl.
Alex had told him Carl moved out not long after he had left, but that hadn't prepared him for the visual impact of seeing the empty balcony and corners.
