A Beautiful Thing

Sitting in his car outside the plant nursery, Bob watched the front door. He wasn't waiting for anyone, except for John Denver to stop singing. Annie's song was their song, her song, it played as she walked toward him down the aisle on their wedding day 42 years ago and had remained a favourite of theirs. It was played at her funeral just a year past.

The song finished and he drew a deep breath and exited the car. Entering the shop, he was almost overwhelmed by the scents from the many pots of coloured flowers. Ornaments of every kind, water features, the water cascading down, tumbling over fake frogs and leaves. The lilliputian bonsai trees arranged on their display stand. His wife visited here often before she passed, he could see why. It was like entering a fantastic wonderland. So distracted was he that he didn't see the shop assistant standing near him.

"Hello there, can I help you?" the woman asked

"Oh jeez! You nearly gave me a heart attack." Bob replied grabbing his chest.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realise you were concentrating so much. Would you like a bonsai?" she asked.

"No, I was just looking at them. I came to buy a pear tree if you have one." He spoke quietly, like he was telling her a secret.

"Do you have a particular pear tree in mind? We have several varieties."

"My wife would know, she used to come here all the time. She was an avid gardener," he said.

“Is she here, perhaps we need her input, or is it a surprise.” A look of mischief crossing her face.

“No. I want to plant one in my garden as a memorial to her.” Bob didn’t talk about his late wife Annie to anyone, not even his children. He didn’t really want to do it with a complete stranger.

“I’m so sorry. If you follow me out the back, all the trees are there. I’m sure we’ll find a good one.” She said solemnly.

He followed her around the plants, tightly packed into their displays and traversed the barely visible winding path toward the more organised outside area with the larger plants and trees. They moved to the back where the fruit trees were set out in order of species and variety. Turning toward him, the saleswoman continued talking.

“So here are our pear trees. Some grow quite large. Do you have much space?” she asked

“Yes, it’s a fairly big garden. I have a space next to the trellis I thought might be nice. It’s pretty sunny and at the back of the yard. My wife has filled it with many of your plants over the years,” he added.

“Well, that’s lovely to know. May I ask her name? I probably served her. This is my shop.”

“Annie. Annie Webster.” He told her.

“Oh yes, of course. I’m sorry to hear that she's gone. I had wondered why I hadn’t seen her. I thought her garden must have been finished. She was lovely. We had many conversations about her garden. I imagine it is gorgeous. She knew what she wanted and probably could have taught me a thing or two.”

“Thank you. It is lovely, but I think she would have found more to do. It was her thing.” Bob said with a thin smile.

“If you say it is near a trellis, you can train them to grow against the lattice,” she offered

“That sounds tricky. Gardening wasn’t something we shared, I just enjoyed being in it. I keep finches.”

“That sounds like a good hobby. Oh, I’m sorry my name is Kelly. Should have told you that already.”

“Bob.”

“Lovely to meet you, Bob. I should tell you; pear trees like to be near pear trees. For pollination. Do you have room for two?” Kelly asked

“Probably not. Is it imperative? He asked

“It helps if you want fruit. You’re over in Smith Street, aren’t you? I delivered to your wife a couple of times. My mother lives in Myra Rd, that runs parallel to you. She has a pear tree. That might be close enough. She’s here now, gimme a sec and I’ll ask her.” Kelly hurried off leaving Bob to examine the trees on his own.

“Well, Annie, you finally got me in here and I see the attraction. Your garden is better though. I promise to make it happen.” Bob was speaking to himself, he thought.

“Who are you talking to, dear? Bob spun around to find a different lady, about his own age, staring at him like he was mad.

“Ah, no, just myself. You must be Kelly’s mum. I’m Bob.”

“I know who you are. I knew Annie, we had many a good chat over the years. I’m Bev, nice to finally meet you. I’m so sorry she’s gone Bob.”

“Thank you, I don’t remember her speaking of you?” Bob looked a little puzzled. While he had his birds and Annie loved her garden, they kept no secrets. He was surprised by Bev’s comment.

“Oh well, they weren’t important life chats, they were about gardening…and occasionally you. She worried for you, especially if she wasn’t there to look after you.” Bev finished, with that same mischievous grin as her daughter.

“I can look after myself,” he replied, trying not to sound upset but failing. “I have done alright by myself for nearly a year now.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you; I seem to remember she was worried you would hide yourself away with your birds. Anyway, about this tree, I think I know where you live compared to me and I think we are close enough. There is another next door to me as well, so between us all we can feed the world, or at least the neighbourhood.” Bev laughed at her own silliness. “If you don’t mind, I suggest the Bosc variety…” Bob cut her off.

“She wanted a ‘William’ pear tree. There was one in her mother’s garden growing up.” He was looking quite serious.

“A William it is. Do you know where you want it and do you know how to go about it?” Bev asked

“I think I can dig a hole!” Bob had become a little defensive.

“I’m sure you can, you look strong enough, but there is more to it, if you want it to thrive. I would be happy to help if you like. I would love to see the garden for myself.” She asked as a small plea.

“Ah, ah, hmm, maybe, I was going to make it a memorial to Annie and plant it with my children and their kids. It was going to be a family thing for her anniversary. But look, since you knew her, maybe it would be something she would have wanted.” Bob was clearly calculating his options and how this might affect his plans. He wasn’t one to change plans. “I’ll have to think about it, if that doesn’t offend you.”

“No, not at all. I’ll get Kelly to put one aside and when you’re ready we will deliver it and I’ll throw in the fertiliser as a gift. Is that ok? Bev asked.

“If you don’t mind, I might go now and I will call here when I need it. I need to speak with my wif…daughter. Sorry old habits I guess. I will talk to you soon. Goodbye.

“I look forward to it.”

Bob left Bev to the rest of her day and wandered back to the car. Once again, he found himself sitting there staring at the shop, this time in silence, although someone looking in might have thought he was talking to someone.

“Annie, I don’t want this. I didn’t want any of this. You should be here with me buying trees. Why aren’t you here? With me. I miss you Annie, the house is too quiet, there is too much space for my thoughts. Your singing used to drive them away.”

Bob drove home.

***

“Hello B and K Nursery, how can I help?” the voice on the phone said.

“Hi, it’s Bob Webster I spoke to Kelly and Bev about a pear tree. Do you know…”

“Hi Bob, it’s Kelly here. Are you ready for your tree?” Kelly asked.

“Yes, I’ve dug a big hole, now I need to fill it. My family is coming over on Saturday. Can it be delivered then? Around midday?” he asked. Also, I spoke with my children and they thought it might be nice it your mother would come. If she knew Annie then it is important she be there.”

“Mum would love that. I’ll get it sorted. I hope you have some people with muscles, we’ll need them to wrestle the tree inside. It’s quite big.” Kelly told him.

“Yes, there will be some young men there, able enough. I will fix you up then, if you like.” Bob said.

“Don’t you worry about that, we’ll work it out, besides we know where you live,” she laughed.

“Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it. See you then.”

Bob hung up and released a deep breath as a sigh. The day he had dreaded was getting close. For him it would be like burying his wife again. He wasn’t sure he would be up to it.

Saturday came, and as the morning ticked away, Bob’s family arrived for the big planting. There were hugs and handshakes and the odd tear. He watched as his grandchildren ran around the wonderful garden his wife had created for them. Right on midday, the front door bell rang and there behind the screen were Kelly and Bev.

“How shall we do this Bob,” Kelly began.

“Hello to you both, I’m very glad you’re here. I’ll send the boys around the side, they should be able to manage. Would you like to come in?” he offered, opening the screen door.

“Thank you,” Bev said

“I’ll go out and supervise, ok Bob.” And Kelly was gone.

Bob led Bev through the house to the yard, and began introductions. Before long, under strict scrutiny from Kelly, the tree and the accompanying bags of mulch and fertiliser were brought in. Bob made his apologies and disappeared into the house, but quickly came back with a lovely etched glass urn. As the tree neared its destination, he called everyone’s attention, in his quiet way.

“We know why we are here; it is to once again pay tribute to Annie Webster, loving Mother, Mother-in-law, grandmother, friend and wife. It has been a difficult first year and I have done my very best to fill in those rather large gaps left by her absence. This tree was her last request, the completion of her beautiful garden. It is so fitting that she be part of it.”

With that he opened the urn and gently poured the contents into the bottom of the hole. “Here you go my love, where you spent so much time and put in so much love and care. We will always remember you.”

Kelly organised the men to empty the bags of nutrients in the bottom and carefully place the tree in the hole. Bob then got the grandchildren to help replace the soil.

“I’ll finish this Bob; you go and be with your family.” Kelly said to him quietly.

Bob nodded and began ushering the family and Bev toward the house and the banquet that had been laid out.

“That was a wonderful thing to see Bob, Annie said you were a lovely man.” Bev said as they walked toward the house.

“I am so glad you could be part of it. I was worried I couldn’t do it. It always seemed to hard too even think about. I’m glad it has happened. It is a beautiful tree.”