Fresh Water for Flowers

In the present, Violette visits with Father Cédric. She and the priest have lunch together and discuss his longing to have a child. He is adamant that he will never leave the priesthood.

After Léonine’s death, Violette and Philippe get rid of her things and no longer celebrate holidays. Violette self-medicates with alcohol and lives as though in a coma. Philippe tries to get compensation for Léonine. The two of them no longer speak. One day, Violette receives a plaque for Léonine with no return address. She also comes across a list Philippe wrote of the hotel staff working when Léonine died. After that, Violette begins to rely less on her alcohol and medication, refamiliarizing herself with life. She signs up for a driving test.

Nono brings Violette a newspaper article about the bike crash. Violette asks Nono to read it to her; he reads the first half, in which the body is identified by his partner. However, they’re interrupted by a family arriving for a burial; a fairground entertainer is being mourned by his family and fellow performers. His granddaughter recounts her memories of him. Afterward, the family remains in the cemetery to have dinner and gives Violette tickets for their upcoming fun fair.

After receiving her mysterious package, Violette drives to the cemetery where Léonine is buried. She visits her grave and leaves the plaque behind. When she tries to leave, she finds the gates locked, so she goes to the cemetery keeper’s house that will later become hers. There she meets the current cemetery keeper, Sasha, a man of multiracial heritage with an enormous tea collection. They visit together while Violette cries. After, he gives her a healing massage, and she falls asleep. The next day she wakes, and Sasha reveals he knows who she is; she is the last of the four mothers to visit the children’s graves. After she returns home, she receives a letter from Sasha and recognizes his writing as the same that sent her the plaque. Violette decides she will visit Léonine’s grave twice a month.

Julien visits Violette and invites her to dinner. She accepts on the condition that he finish his story about his mother.

Violette returns to Sasha’s cemetery house and finds a packet he has left for her detailing each of the hotel staff members’ backgrounds, with photographs and addresses. She considers her impressions of each one, as well as Sasha’s true intentions. After, she explores the cemetery and again visits Léonine’s grave.

Julien recounts more of his mother’s story. Irène and Gabriel found a hotel room; Gabriel ordered food for four people, allowing for the subconscious presence of their partners alongside them. They enjoyed their night together, listening to music and making love until morning.

Violette reads the investigative report about the children’s deaths. It reveals that the four girls snuck out to make hot chocolate during the night and accidentally left the stove on. A plastic pan handle caught fire, followed by the plastic coating over the unit, which released toxic gasses. The hotel director was punished for creating an unsafe environment and not keeping the kitchen locked, but it is implied the children were at fault. However, Violette knows the story isn’t true because Léonine has a severe aversion to milk.

Violette enjoys dinner with Julien. He loans her his mother’s journal, saying that Irène wrote about Violette. Violette and Julien agree to go to a hotel together.

In the past, Violette again visits with Sasha. He reveals that he sent Violette the plaque after discussing it with their mutual friend, Célia. They also speak about Sasha’s garden and how it took him a year to learn how to take care of it properly. After his first harvest failed, he found a lost wedding ring buried in the soil, and he took it as a sign to continue.

Violette compares her experience with Julien to her life with Philippe. She no longer feels comfortable and leaves Julien behind, dressing and taking a taxi home.

Violette leaves Sasha to confront one of the men on her list, the chef who now works at a nearby restaurant. She confronts the chef and asks for the truth. The chef is visibly afraid and leaves, confirming Violette’s suspicions.

The other children’s parents do not recognize Violette as the cemetery keeper. She reflects on how she has changed since her daughter’s death. She has not heard from Julien since the night they spent at the hotel. She remembers Sasha teaching her how to garden. Their sessions became the one light place in her life; through them, she began relearning how to live.