The Rose Arbor

1 May 2006.The butterflies in the spring,flew around the roses.Love Garden was the best place to vist for this penniless lovers.It had the best scenery ever.Whenever,Jing Yi and Wei Li visited the love garden,Jing Yi pestered to him about buying the rose shrubs and put tag with their names on it.Wei Li disagreed with her.

“Rose is ornamental plant.It needs love and care. If we put here just like this,among many plants,they will not get enough sunlight and …”

“You are so disappointing.What is so bad about a pot of roses?” Jing Yi sulked and walked away from the garden.

Since then,Wei Li always wanted to give Jing Yi rose shrubs But he didn’t know how to do.Being perfectionist,he also hated the fact that their plant will die if they are to put among other.

One particular day,Wei Li came to rose garden alone,carrying gardener tools.He strolled around the garden,to find the perfect spot to plant his rose shrubs.He could not find any better spot than the grass patches,located in front of garden itself, beside the garden’s small walkway.He plowed the ground and planted the bare roots of rose shrubs,a few on each side .He tried all sort of fertilisers to make sure his little rose plants would survive. A middle aged man stared at Wei Li,who was sweating profusely, struggling with shovel and tons of fertilizers.He was The Gardener.He noticed Wei Li as he was watering the plants and was staring at him for past few minutes.

“Young man.Why give yourself troubles?I sell rose plants.1 pot is $5 dollar only. You put here and I will care for them,like the rest.I sell tags for $1” He promoted his business.

“There are 100 plus of them. Can you care for all?Mine need attention.Also Uncle….you think I don’t know? I knew you removed all those dead plants and reuse the pots...And the tags too.” He whispered to him.

This angered the gardener who declared to him to care for his own rose plants and not expect him to water them.Wei Li came to garden everyday, after work or at his free time,to water the rose plants and give them fertilisers if necessary.The gardener was there sometimes and he would glare at Wei Li whenever they meet. All of these,of course,Jing Yi didn’t know.

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Wei Li was a very smart and hardworking guy.He finished his doctor fellowship within 2 years.After he go into practice,their lives became much better.

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Spring 2007

Jing Yi interlocked her with Wei Li.She leaned her head on Wei Li shoulder.She then sighed softly.She was sending him off for Conference at London.

“What with that face?” He asked.

“what face?”

“that face.” Wei Li pointed at her face.

“Since you are going to London,I am wondering if you will have girls following you.”

Wei Li chuckled.

“I have a girl following me right now.And that’s you.”

Jing Yi looked at Wei Li. Her face showed insecurity.Wei Li then tightly hugged her in his arms.

“DR JING YI IS WEI LI’s ONE AND ONLY GIRL . SHE IS MINE AND I AM HERS!”

He shouted that in the airport. Everyone looked at them.Jing Yi’s face turned red from embarrassment.

“Always.” HE whispered to her ear and kissed her.

The conference,which was supposed to be 3 days was extended to 7 days.He had two things to worried about. Jing Yi and the rose plants.He really wanted to give them to Jing Yi.He went to Love Garden the next day after he came back.7 days without water.Would they die?He wondered.As he reached there,he was surprised to see the gardener watering them.

“Hello uncle.” He greeted him.

“Talking about care and attention.You didn’t even come here to look after them for 7 days.”The gardener complained.

“I had conference.Thank you uncle.I was really worried about them!”He wholeheartedly thanked him.

Since then,He befriended with gardener who later learned the reason why Wei Li was so enthusiastically taking care of them.Then We Li faced one problem.Unlike the plants in pots,which have strong stem to support the flowers,his plants had weak stem.

“Climber roses.” The gardener informed him.

They needed pillars or structure to give them supports.If not,they would not survive or very presentable like the other roses plants.This saddened Wei Li the most since he wanted to present these roses to Jing Yi on their second anniversary. He felt that it was not beautiful enough as these roses were more like bushes with flowers.He then decided to build the arbor With the hope that the roses would climb and cover the whole arbor.He would then present it to her.

“Wei Li.It will take years.3 to 4 years to cover the whole thing.”

“Hmm,then this will become my wedding gift to Jing Yi.She should finish her residency by then.Then we will marry.I can’t wait to see her surprised face when I show this to her!” He sounded like a boy.

“Dreamer” The gardener remarked.

“True love” Wei Li corrected him.

The arbor was built by Wei Li himself with the help of gardener. The man can never forget the smiling face that Wei Li wore when he was tirelessly building it.Like Wei Li,he too wished that the plants would cover the whole things and bloom quickly.Like a doorway to Love.

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May 2009.

Sat on wheelchair,Wei Li gazed at the rose arbor.The shrubs had yet to cover the whole arbor although they are significantly taller now. Tears rolled down as he reminisced the wish that he had and the reasons why he built this arbor.

The gardener,who came to water the plants saw Wei Li in wheelchair,looking at his plants.He quickly ran towards him.

“Wei Li? Wei Li?! What happened lad?You didn’t come here for 4 months.4!! Why are you on…?”

Wei Li looked at the gardener with tear-welled eyes.He then held the hand of the man,tightly.

“Uncle...I won’t see them...I won’t see them reach the top.I won’t see them bloom.Why are they so slow? uncle,can you help me?Please make them cover the whole arbor quickly. I just want..Just want  to see her happy face.FOR ONCE.I...I...I…” he wailed bitterly.

The gardener hugged him,just to give him much needed strength.He too sobbed together with him.Such a good man to have such an unfulfilled life.The gardener wondered if he could do anything for Wei Li.

“Dr Jing Yi. She has such a beautiful big eyes.Her lips are like cherry blossoms,full of life. After these roses have reached the top,please give the arbor to her. Do not tell her that it was mine or I built it.” Wei Li reminded him.

“Will I see you again Wei Li?” he asked.

Wei Li only lowered his head.Teardrops rained the single rose he was holding.