Dedicated to the brave people of Ukraine, our heroes. All profits go to World Central Kitchen (wck.org).

Two people, who meet by chance in Kyiv before Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, suffer through each one's own self-perceived inadequacies.  Yet they find purpose in each other as the wonders of Ukraine and the Russian invasion embolden them.  They learn that their unique companionship and common fellowship becomes a catalyst to raise their unrealized spiritual and intellectual humanity.  An unattended plant serves as a cathartic agent to bring their paths closer together, but spiraling events and schemers threaten to undo their trust.  Nevertheless, they must cast off their malaise to find purpose in each other and attain mutual confidence, as the wonders of Ukraine and the Russian invasion embolden them.  In the end, what brings them together out of Putin’s war are the conspirators who had tried to divide them.
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Peter suddenly realized he was alone in a foreign city, living off the professional politeness of a few acquaintances, whose boring jobs and official capacities aided his work, but always kept certain reservations towards meeting him.  When he met Ljiljana, however, something crawled inside Peter’s head, a desire for a companion, nothing untoward, just common fellowship even if only for a minute. Peter considered asking her, a stranger, to share time for coffee or tea.  The desire hurt and scratched at the back of his neck, but he beat it down.  He did not wish to feel sorry for himself.

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She avoided looking Dr. Williams in the eyes; it was too uncomfortable.  The plant was not her plant, yet she gave it water and served it in a very small way.  Watering a plant was of no consequence to her, to her boss, to Peter, nor anyone.  The plant was insignificant, unimportant.  The water in the container, too, was trivial.  Yet, her action was eternally physical, forever spiritual.  In the flash of a moment, as the water filled the plant holder, she realized a distressful truth: her life was the same as the plant.  Her panic was too much, and like a door opening from behind, she jumped to close it.   She wished to leave and push the rest of her day before her, to occupy her thoughts in their rutted, yet reassuring boredom.