It was quiet a moment.

Slowly Sabina turned. Her face was red. She smiled, though her cheeks were wet, and took in a deep breath to try to steady herself.

“I must look a dreadful sight,” she said, coming as close to embarrassment as Matthew had ever seen her.

“You look wonderful,” he replied simply.

She laughed again, regaining her equilibrium and trying to wipe some of the wetness from her face.

Now it was Matthew’s turn to draw in a deep breath.

“I’ll never forget you,” he said.

“Nor I you.”

“I’ve never known anyone I’ve enjoyed so much.”

“Oh, Matthew—don’t,” she said, half smiling, half imploring. “You’re going to make me cry again!”

“It’s true, Sabina. You are one of the best friends I’ve ever had.”

She returned his earnest look with a deep smile of gratitude.

“I brought you something,” he said. “I know it’s probably not so special—after all, you have them all over the place here. But… well, it was… that is, I wanted to find one that was just perfect. I went to three shops in Berlin until I got exactly the one I wanted, though I’m afraid it’s starting to die.”

“Matthew—what is it?” asked Sabina, laughing. “Are you going to keep me in suspense all day?”

He pulled his hands out from behind his back, and held toward her the perfect bud of a single yellow rose.

Tears filled Sabina’s eyes.

She reached forward and took it from his hand. She struggled to speak, then turned aside, choked with emotion, unable to find a single word.

“There’s a little card I wrote to go with it,” said Matthew. He handed it around to her. Still looking the other way, she took it from his hand and looked down at it. It was a tiny slip of paper with but two words handwritten on it: Friends forever.

It was a minute or two before she turned back to face him.

“How dare you say it’s probably not special,” she said in a husky voice barely above a whisper. “It’s the most special rose I’ve ever been given. I will treasure it—always! Thank you, Matthew.”

A moment more they stood.

Suddenly Sabina brightened, took in another deep breath, and said, “And I have something for you! But it’s not here. I didn’t expect to see you here when I ran out downstairs. It’s in my room.”

She walked back toward the door into the house. Matthew fell in beside her. She led him to the sitting room off the small private balcony.

“Wait here a minute,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

With the words she disappeared into her own chamber, reappearing a moment later. She reached out to Matthew.