Her name was Rose. It was during the Autumn season when she suffered with her husband, watching him expire from cancer in hospice and clutching his hand as he drew his last breath. The holidays, and drop-by visits from family, friends, and neighbors were a blur as she struggled to carry on without her late husband she had been married to for forty years.

New Year's Day arrived, and Rose lazily spied at the glistening sun from the back window of her Florida home. She eye-balled the greenhouse and shed her hubby built for their rose garden a few years back. A tear seeped down her cheek as memories of them nursing and pruning streaked across her mind. She had neglected her garden since her loss. The thought of the roses lulled her into a long-lost good night’s rest with a dream she interpreted as message from her husband to continue tending to the flowers.

The next morning, she threw on an overcoat and lumbered out into the brisk chill, through the back porch, and unzippered the translucent opening to the greenhouse. She entered and her eyebrows raised, and eyes sparkled in unison. "Our roses...they are in good shape," she exclaimed, examining each one by touch. Rose retrieved her gardening tools from the adjacent shed and went to work, pruning, spraying, and basking with renewed energy she had hidden away. A sudden thought hit her. "Perhaps, I could surprise those who comforted me with a rose offering," she whispered. That sentiment wrinkled her face into a glowing smile, and she wondered when the last time was she wore a smile like that.

Rose was now back in her day-to-day routine of gardening with a subtle feeling her hubby was helping from above. A young woman on a morning walk wearing a sullen demeanor, saw Rose heading to her greenhouse and waved a neighborly hello. Rose lived on a corner lot where her back yard was visible to anyone walking along the adjacent sidewalk.

"Would you like to see my roses?" Rose called excitedly. The woman stopped her progress, weighed whether she had the time and relented to Rose's impromptu invitation. The woman's walking shoes disturbed the Bahia grass as Rose awaited and they entered the greenhouse together. "These are called Knock Out roses. They grow in red, yellow and pink, and as you can see, they are assorted by color," Rose announced.

The woman's eyes lit up with excitement as she lowered herself to treat her nose to the gift of the scent. "Beautiful, simply beautiful," the woman sighed, and introduced herself as Lila.

"My name is Rose. I plan to give these flowers out to the neighbors around the loop on Valentine's Day," Rose exclaimed. Rose relayed her husband’s passing and how much the roses meant to them.

Lila's eyes welled and her heart melted with a feeling of wanting to be part of her loving gesture. "If you want help distributing them, I would be happy to go with you. It will also be good for my heart since my recent breakup with a guy I thought was the one," she commented.

"I am sorry to hear you are down. I would love for you to accompany me," Rose responded.

January sped by, but not without weekend visits from Lila to help Rose tend to the garden. Valentine's Day approached and Lila showed up at Rose's house as promised and met her at the garage as Rose was loading her roses on a basket attached to the front of her mobile scooter. "The walk around the loop is a little too far for my feet," Rose explained.

Together they ventured out with anticipation complimented by a shining sun kissing warmth on their faces. The plan was for Rose to remain on the sidewalk and Lila would ring doorbells, offer a rose to each neighbor, and if no one was home, would leave the rose on the doorknob in a clear plastic wrap with a note attached.

The neighbors that did answer the door expressed tearful thanks, with a return "your welcome" from Rose. The flower giving duo made their way around the loop and approached the last house before the turn back when a car pulled up in the driveway.

A young man exited the vehicle while Lila was approaching the front door. Lila stopped in sight of him, and her heart skipped a beat. She rendered a shy smile as their eyes met. Rose sat up in her seat sensing a spark between the two.

"Uh, my friend Rose is offering a free rose to all of her neighbors for Valentine's Day," Lila stammered and pointed to her gardening partner. The man smiled and called out, "thank you very much. This is a really sweet gesture."

Rose smiled and waved. Lila and the man giggled through introductions and engaged in conversation when Rose gently interrupted, "I am going to head back home now. See you later."

"I will visit you this weekend," Lila answered.

As Rose turned away, the man called out, "you wouldn't happen to have an extra rose for me to hand out, would you?"

Rose beamed, lifted the last rose from her basket, and handed it to him with a warm smile and a Happy Valentine's Day sentiment.