Fresh Water for Flowers

Violette visits with a countess whose lover’s wife has just been buried. They discuss her life loving two men. Nono and Gaston arrive; Nono has a crush on the countess. She invites him to escort her out.

Irène’s diary describes her husband becoming progressively ill and eventually being diagnosed with cancer. She and Gabriel grow apart as Irène spends more time with her husband. One morning, a woman comes to Irène’s rose nursery to buy flowers; she reveals herself to be Gabriel’s wife. Irène’s husband’s health improves, and she does not hear from Gabriel again.

Philippe is unhappy working at the cemetery. He continues pursuing the hotel staff to try and learn what happened. He sees two women—one the director, who was imprisoned—but neither can tell him anything new.

Gabriel watches a film with his wife about separated lovers; it reminds him of his time with Irène. His wife remembers how she learned about their affair and went to see Irène at the nursery. Several months later, Gabriel and his wife separate. Irène’s journal shows her and Gabriel reconnecting afterward and agreeing to be buried side by side.

In the past, Violette finds Philippe’s list of names that he always has with him. With Philippe often away, Violette has acclimatized to work at the cemetery. One day she takes Nono’s car and drives into a nearby town; as she wanders through the streets, she sees Philippe’s motorbike. She realizes he is confronting the hotel chef.

Julien, Nathan, and Nathan’s cousin Valentin arrive at Violette’s for a visit. She tells the young boys ghost stories and shows them around the cemetery. They all stay over, and Violette and Julien spend the night together. However, they part ways in the morning, knowing it will not last.

Entries from Irène’s diary show Gabriel returning to her life after her husband dies. Gabriel returns to his wife to be near his daughter, but he and Irène see each other several times a year.

Violette prepares for her yearly trip to see Célia, providing tasks for the gravediggers in her absence. Father Cédric has taken on a young Sudanese couple while they try to gain residency in France. Violette remembers the last time she saw Philippe before he left her for good, after he left to confront the last person on his list of hotel employees. While he was gone, Sasha came back to visit Violette.

Philippe recounts his memory of the day he went to see the chef, telling him of what Geneviève confessed. The chef knew nothing of the coverup but told Philippe that Violette came to see him two years ago, also looking for answers.

When Philippe and Violette arrive home, they talk about their separate lines of questioning.

Violette fondly recalls a trilogy of films she watched as a child. She arrives at Célia’s chalet in Marseilles; she tells Célia that Philippe is dead.

Violette remembers her time with Sasha after Philippe left her. After a month, she reported Philippe as missing. Shortly after he left, one of the hotel supervisors arrived at the cemetery to pay her respects to the children; she didn’t know who Violette was. The woman gossiped about the tragedy and told Violette that Philippe was involved with Geneviève. Violette became convinced that Geneviève murdered the children out of spite and fell into despair. Sasha took care of her until she was well enough to be on her own.

Irène’s diary recounts learning of Gabriel’s death and describes her memories of him: visiting a museum together, dining at a restaurant, the final argument that drove them apart. Later, she receives a posthumous letter from him and visits his grave.