In the Shade of the Frangipani Tree

One pays special attention to those plants The Husband procured. They get a bit more care, and a bit more attention. Firstly, it's because The Husband cares for them enough to wander out into the garden now and again in order to enjoy them. Secondly, it's because The Husband tends to refer to them as HIS grapes and HIS frangipani tree. Thirdly, it's because The Husband speaks the language of praise sparingly, and one feels just that little bit more motivated to give that little bit of extra care in order to hear that little bit of praise. "Hey, my frangipani tree is looking really good these days" he says, and I am embarrassed to even tell you how I feel when I hear that.

I only begin to realize that The Husband has pulled the proverbial fast one on the hapless, naive and gullible me. Because you see, he bought the frangipani tree for me but he seems to still think it's his. And also you see, he bought the grapes for me but well, it does seem that they're also his. Of course, he will say that whatever is his, is also mine and so it doesn't really matter whose it really is... but somewhere in the recesses of my heart so charmed by The Husband's plant "gifts" to me, a little voice exclaims "Duh?"

Anyhow, our frangipani tree is gathering itself a fuller crown by the day and added a new cluster of white flowers to its branches. It has grown in height and in breadth, and now towers above the smaller trees in our garden - the kedongdong tree and the lime tree. Like me who quietly exists in the shade of The Husband's busy life, so too do the other trees grow in the shade of our frangipani tree.

But you see, the other trees are fruit trees. Like me, they bear fruit and give joy of another kind.