Me: I think my favourite camellia is dead, dead, dead! I’m devastated! I keep hoping it will come back to life but, even with all this rain, there are no flowers flowering!
Anthony: Yes and I hate to break this to you, Jules, but it is definitely dead.
Me: Are you sure?
Anthony: You really don’t have a clue about gardening do you. Now that I have a more objective view of things, I can see this quite clearly.
Me: But all of the other camellia trees are fine! It’s just that special one – my camellia, the one I bought from that lady, Bonnie, from The Vision Splendid Gardens in 1998 at an exorbitant price because it had to be dug out of the ground.
Anthony: The thing is, Jules, plants need water, especially in the summer, especially in Australia.
Me: Yes, I know that, Ants. I’m not a moron! Anyway, it’s winter now.
Anthony: Preceded by summer?
Me: Well, duhh.
Anthony: What you do is you get the hose, position it against the trunk of the tree, turn the tap on and hey presto. On very hot days, leave the hose on for longer.
Me: Patronising bastard.
Anthony: It’s not rocket science.
Me: What? Since when do you use expressions like that?
Anthony: Somebody I knew used to say that a lot.
Me: Yeah, but I don’t water anything anymore because when I turn the tap on, the pump pumps and it uses electricity and I’m trying to be conservative which, by the way, was something you, yourself, encouraged.
Anthony: There are always exceptions, Jules. I watered your camellia religiously every summer, while you were at work, before I went into the nursing home.
Me: So how come it survived without you watering it for six years.
Anthony: Ming did it.
Me: Oh! Actually, you’re right – I remember him doing it. It was during one of his following-in-your-footsteps phases.
Anthony: Don’t be sad about it, Jules.
Me: But I am, Ants. I loved that camellia so much – its incredible, ballerina-like flower, the story about how we convinced Bonnie to sell it to us and the way her workmen secretly gave us three trees because they thought Bonnie had ripped me off.
Anthony: It’s not dead, Jules.
Me: And I used to bring you the best of its flowers when you were in the nursing home and, after you died, I took them to your grave.
Anthony: Are you listening?
Me: Yes?
Anthony: I nicked it.
Me: What?
Anthony: The camellia died so Bonnie and I figured out how to get it here without you noticing, then we planted it, and now it’s flourishing.
Me: What?
Anthony: Your camellia is here, Jules.
Me: What?
Anthony: Stop saying “what?”
Me: I beg your pardon?
Anthony: That’s better.
Me: If you were here, I would punch you gently on the nose but oh, Ants, I am so relieved that it’s okay – the tree, I mean. Thank you so much. I am going to miss it but it’s good to know it’s in good hands. I’m sorry I don’t have green thumbs like you.
Anthony: My thumbs are now a heavenly shade of emerald and….
Me: Okay, I get the picture.
Anthony: Good.
jmgoyder 
I have a camelia bush that my mother planted and I feel attached to it. Unfortunately, I hardly water it enough either.
What a beautiful story and I’m sorry that the bush died. Perhaps that is a sign that you are moving on to other nurturing things in your life now. Nurture yourself, Julie. Don’t berate yourself for some “neglect” over a bush in your past. You were busy surviving and coping.
Now you get to heal and take care of yourself. You are more important than anything and I believe there were be more beautiful flowers in your future.
This conversation made me laugh towards the end, such a pretty flower
He needs part of you with him too. ❤
I’m printing this one out for a friend who just can’t accept her husband’s recent death. You are weaving a picture of the afterlife in these beautiful posts, that is joyful and reassuring and profound. Of course our relationships continue despite loss like yours. You are helping so many people walking this pathway. Keep writing and using that beautiful imagination of yours.