PARADISE GARDEN

PARADISE GARDEN

Nick and Steve became firm friends, meeting at junior school both had similar interests. Rugby in winter, swimming in summer and anything to do with the ocean. After matric, Steve studied Horticulture while Nick pursued marine biology and completed his Padi diving course. Every summer they vanished beneath the waves where they would spend many hours hunting crayfish and abalone, Exploring the beauty of the reefs like they were their own kingdom.

After university Nick worked for Sea Fisheries in Cape Town. Scraping together enough cash, he earned his skippers license and bought a five-meter semi-ridged rubber duck with twin Yamaha motors. He pushed Steve to get his own skipper’s ticket and complete a Padi diving course so they could enjoy weekends diving together. They bought aqualungs and began to explore the beautiful underwater gardens of kelp, plants and fish life.

One afternoon over beers at Forester‘s pub in Newlands.

‘’Got some news Nick, I have just bought a property in Constantia Hills with a three-bedroom cottage’.

‘’Hell! That’s great,’ Nick said sipping his beer. ’How big?’

‘’Its two acres, I am going to redesign the place and make into something special.’’

Nick grinned, I can’t wait to see it, I hope there is a nice braai area. Listen I have being meaning to tell you that I am going to Durban for research work on prawns up the North Coast of Natal. I won’t be seeing you for quite a few months, so I will be moving out of my rented apartment. What work are you busy with now?’ added Nick.

‘’I am doing some garden design work for Kirstenbosch gardens,” said Steve proudly. During the weekends I will be getting my new cottage painted and start putting together my own Paradise garden.’

‘’I am sure with your contacts and a little help from Kirstenbosch you will gather some great plants for your garden. Paradise garden, you say, sounds great, I can’t wait to see it when I am back.’

‘’It’s very exciting’’ said Steve. The main bedroom has two big glass doors that face the garden area and as luck would have it, there is a borehole with good water.

Nick raised his beer. ‘Let’s try and hook some fish this weekend and maybe catch a crayfish or two before I leave for Durban. Can we braai at your new place?’.

‘’Good idea’ ’said Steve. ‘There is a spot where we can make a fire and I am going to invite a new girl I met recently and show you what I am planning for my paradise garden.

The Saturday morning the weather was clear and windless. The boys managed to catch some ‘’Harder’s and a nice Cob. They had luck with the nets, catching their quota of crayfish.

‘’There is still time before we head back’’ said Nick, I want to show you an underwater garden I found at a new drive spot called, Hottentots se huise’’.

With the sea being flat, the journey took about twenty minutes at full throttle. They helped each other with their aqualungs, checked their air supply, donned their masks and flopped backwards into the clear sea water. Then followed the anchor rope down to the seabed.

Steve was taken back by the beauty of the surroundings, massive ferns, huge sponges, tiny multicolored fish, sea anemones opened like flowers and star fish. Two spotted sharks swam past them minding their own business. Nick and he had dived together countless times but had never seen an underwater garden of this beauty.

Back on the boat, Nick shouted over the roar of the engines.

‘’Well, what do you think of that garden?’

‘’I’ll have a lot of work to do on my new garden.’ ’Steve shouted back.

Later at the cottage, Steve showed Nick and his new girlfriend, Louisa around. The garden was already lush, still wild, full of promise.

‘’The garden is beautiful already’’ said Louisa.

‘’I am sure you are going to create something special here,” Nick added. Then quietly under his breath he whispered, ’She’s gorgeous, so don’t stuff this one up,’ he said playfully.

They braaied their catch, laughed and chattered late into the evening then said their goodbyes. Steve knew that he would not see his best friend for some time.

‘’Stay out of trouble,” said Steve as he gave Nick a bear hug at the airport departures parking area. ’Don’t forget to message or call me sometimes and let me know what’s happening’.

‘’I will’ ’said Nick. Waving.

Nick’s contract extended but they kept contact by email and WhatsApp.

Steve’s garden and landscaping business grew, keeping him busy but whenever he could, he would spend time nurturing his own garden. He was pleased with the way the plants had flourished and the incredible bird life it had attracted because of the water features he had built. It was becoming the paradise he’d imagined.

One afternoon sitting on a bench beneath the shade of a wild olive tree, Steve’s phone rang.

‘’Hey Nick, good to hear your voice, what’s up?’

‘’A bit of bad news my friend,’ Nick said quietly.’ I have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it’s not good as it has spread to my liver. So, my buddy time is not on my side, but I wanted you to be the first to know.’

Steve felt the world tilt,’’Shit!’’--- I don’t believe what you are telling me.’

‘’It’s true my friend, so I am headed back to Cape Town. I would rather be home when my time comes’.

‘’Are you going to have any treatment?’ Steve said immediately.’ Like chemotherapy or radiation treatment’.

‘’I will see an oncologist when I am back home, ’Nick said’ but I don’t think it’s going to help as I was told that I am at stage four’.

‘’ Come and stay with me, I have more than enough room for you.

‘’Thanks,’’ Nick said softly I will take you up on that.’

A few days later they were sitting in Steve’s garden. Nick looked around, amazed.

‘’My goodness you really have made your own Paradise garden here’ ’said Nick. ’I am sure Adam and Eve would have been very happy here’.

They both burst out laughing.

‘’Would you like something to drink’’ Steve asked.’ A rock shandy or water?’.

‘’Do you want me to rust? ‘Nick said, ’let’s have a beer’.

‘’I can’t believe what’s happening, ’Steve’s voice cracked. Tears welling up in his eyes.

‘’Don’t get weak on me now,’ Nick said, putting his arm around his best friend’s shoulder. I am not sure how long I have so let’s enjoy each day. The oncologist said it may be a month or two. She is going to prescribe pills for pain and morphine when things get tough’.

‘’I will be happy if you stay with me till you leave’ Steve said, I will get a carer so you won’t need to go to hospital or Hospice, and you will be in the bedroom with the glass window so you can enjoy the garden’’.

‘’Steve, things are going to get tough for you looking after me,’ Nick warned.

‘’Incontinence, puking and so on. It’s not going to be easy for you.

‘’There is an old saying,’ Steve replied, ’let’s cross those bridges when we come to them’.

A month passed. Steve watched his friend grow thinner and weaker. When Nick was lucid and not bombed out with pain medication. They talked about their friendship and the fun they had shared together. Their love for each other and what might happen to their souls, would they meet again?

One afternoon Steve was holding Nick’s hand and started sobbing uncontrollably. Suddenly Steve felt Nick’s hand squeezing his. He opened his eyes; Nick was staring at him shaking his head from side to side slowly.

‘’Steve,’’ Nick’s voice was barely audible.’ I want to ask you something.’

‘’He lent forward, putting his ear close to Nick’s mouth.

Nick said slowly in a whisper to him “would you like me to put in a good word for you when I get there?’’.

Steve sat back on his chair, his eyes welled up, tears streaming down his cheeks. He wiped his eyes and looked at Nick and saw that he was smiling.

Another week passed.

Nick drifted in and out of consciousness. Steve fed him small sips of water with a syringe. One afternoon he saw Nick was trying to say something. He put his ear close to Nick’s mouth to hear what he wanted and heard him say, slowly and softly.

’Please turn me-- on my side-- facing the garden’.

He adjusted him gently making sure he could see the greenery, the birds, the sunlight moving across the leaves.

He woke up with a start. Something felt different. The room was too still.

Steve looked at Nick, he knew instantly. He reached out and took his friend’s hand, now cool and still.

‘’Rest in peace my friend’ ’he whispered. ’I am glad you had your last look.’

The paradise garden stood quiet around him, holding a memory of a friendship that had lasted a lifetime.