Planted

Chapter 30 Planted

Just before the lunch bell rang, my students were busy drawing and writing a story about their favourite plants. At my desk, I was marking grammar exercises. Being here, helping students craft their stories and planting dreams into young hearts made me feel fulfilled and happy in ways that my work with TUF never could. Reflectively, I looked out of the classroom window and was mindful of how far we had come. The freshly cut grass and the cool tropical breeze made it perfect weather for the school picnic at lunch time.

Our wedding was perfect as well. After about two months of combined family effort, we had the best wedding ever. The ceremony was traditional, solemn and moving. The weather was cool and slightly overcast-- perfect for photographs. The food was vegan, delicious and to be raved about amongst friends. The venue was scenic, breath-taking and a floral explosion. The music brought a light-heartedness as people mingled freely. The highlight was when we took each other's heart and hands for the next thousand years. Okay, slight exaggeration. Still, it was surprising that all of it was done without me having to sell any emeralds.

"Ring, ring!" went the bell and the students quickly streamed out the class. Eager and excited they ran barefooted on the grass towards the park next to the school. Already laid out on the grass were packets of Nasi Lemak wrapped in banana leaves and cold rose-coloured bandung in little packets. Although, the students were hungry, they queued patiently in rows for their food. Prefects went around giving the girls flowers for their hair and the boys picked out bunches of little flowers with a safety pin attached to put on like a badge.

Tommy always insisted that the reason I picked him was because he laid himself bare--naked body, heart and soul. Totally vulnerable to hurt, which for him was the extent of his great love for me.

I wasn't so sure his assessment was totally true.

Maybe, it was more that at a subconscious level Tommy introduced me to a whole new way of being-- an exit from a self-absorbing circle of personalising everything. He opened the door to an alternative life where even the most mundane deed had meaning, purpose and wholeness for not just me but humanity and forever.

Even that was not totally true.

There is a mystery to love. Relationships are bigger than the sum of all its parts. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Suddenly, a brown dog came bounding out of the bushes as the spicy chicken drumsticks were being distributed. It tried to swipe the chicken legs off the children's hands causing much squealing, running and chasing. All the teachers rushed about calming the kids down, replacing lost drumsticks with our own and luring the errant canine away with bags of chicken bones. Sigh! Every perfectly planned occasion had its own measure unpredictability and disarray.

At our wedding, that element was Logan. On the day of the wedding, the whole family including the groom wore a green belt with their outfits. Logan had planted this crazy idea for a joke in their heads. He insisted that the show of family solidarity was more important than the fact that they had mucked up my carefully co-ordinated colour scheme. Sigh! The wedding was not as flawless as I had planned and the control freak in me was rearing its ugly head once more. But past experience had taught me to chill and I had long learnt that I can't win them all. The bridal bouquet with blush, purple and cream orchids was still beautiful and the day was still brilliant.

After the students had their ice popsicles, they broke out singing 'Pok Ame Ame' and 'Lihat Kebunku'. The classes raced each other for prizes causing much excitement but the event that got the whole school howling with laughter was the teacher's sack race. I had to sit that one out because of my protruding belly. 

Baby Chris was due in a few months. Christina, that is. 

There were times I worried about us repeating the negative role models in our family. You know the whole idea that as women age we become like our mums, and guys their dads. But Tommy reminded me to take out the gender factor and we'd be sweet. My dad and Jan are the best parenting role models ever.

To channel his nervous energy, Tommy was spending his evenings building her a wooden tree house complete with a vegetable patch. That man is so cute! 

At the prize giving ceremony, my class monitor was beaming as he got up to receive a box of chocolates for winning the Tug of War. I was so proud of my class! Soon lunch drew to a close; the principal gave a speech; and the children clapped politely before heading home to their families. The school term had ended on a high note.

Our wedding ceremony ended with a video clip filled with our childhood pictures, plants we grew together and several posed happy couple moments of us reluctantly planting kisses on each other's cheeks. When the usual cheesy speeches from the bridal party were over, Sir Gawain ended up having the last say, when Bea read out as a parting blessing on us all,

"Many exploits before now,

Have happened much like this.

Now may the crown-thorned God

Bring us to his bliss!

Amen."

---Sigh! That was so planted!

The end.

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Special thanks to my family: Andrew, dad, my brothers, she-Bob and my huge loving extended family :) Bye <3 <3 <3