Moth orchids

CW: Mention of death and some serious medical condition.

"Plants are God's given gift to humanity".- Mom usually said when she tries to convince me on letting her get another new plant in the house.

She stood at the botanist shop, happy to get a new house plant, making it her sixth plant just this year. Mom was an avid lover of nature obviously. In every month of every year, she visited the botany shop to get a new plant in order to replace the already dryed and lifeless one in the house. Many a times, I quarreled with her, for not paying proper attention to her plants and making it suffer the sun burn before finally dying off, and then, she immediately rushes off to the bank to make a redrawal, and makes her way to the botany shop to get a new plant. Our house was now home to different species of plants, all because of mom"s addiction to nature.

One day, I was forced to ask her her main obsession with plant and how she felt wasting her time and money in always getting a new plant, when she would have used that same time and money to go to an adoptive home and get me a brother or a sister. Yes, I was always unhappy not to have a sibling and I have always made mom know this from the onset. Mom had me through CS (cesarean section) and her womb had to be cut out due to a medical condition she battled with called fibroids. After she had me, she suddenly fell in love with nature and began stocking our home with different kinds of plants. I asked her.

"Mom. What do you see in this plants?".

She smiled a bit and replied.

"Rita. You aren't gonna understand if I tell you. I see this plants as I see my dreams while I'm asleep. They only give me hope that someday my dreams of getting us a good life will come to reality."- she said.

On Feb 16th..

Mom and I had visited the botany shop as she used to. The hibiscus plant which she bought on our last visit had taken its final bow to earth. Every possible means of trying to resuscitate it from its poor state proved unsuccessful.

" Gimme that one".- mom said to the botanist. Pointing at a plant.

" Ohh.. this??".- she asked. Looking happy in finally understanding the direction mom had been pointing to to show her her preference. Mom's pointy finger was slightly bent due to an accident that occurred when she was still a child- she revealed to me. Sometimes, when she instructs me to bring her the remote in the house. I get confused at what direction she was really pointing at.

" This is a moth orchids"- the botanist said.

"It's very lovely and beautifies the home"- she added.

" Let me have it".- Mom said. Collecting the plant from the botanist and sniffing it a little before handing over some cash.

" What do you say about it".- she turned to ask of my opinion in the car. Knowing fully well I was never always happy with her buying flowers upon flowers to stock our house.

" i think it's nice and lovely".- I said. Just to make her happy.

For two weeks, Mom had watered and paid more attention to the plant, unlike she did to the previous ones she got.

She always watered it in the mornings, and afternoons and set it by the kitchen window of our apartment. She strongly wished to watch it bloom soonest, and always thought it to be her dreams coming true.

" Rita. If this plant blooms. Then know that our dreams has come to reality"- she said optimistic.

We weren't wealthy but still we weren't poor. Mom had only wished we could move out of our current apartment into a more spacious apartment and wanted a more comfortable life for us both. She made part payment for a house in an estate dominated by rich families, just two streets away from our home.

----

Sadly, a month and a few days after Mom had bought this plant and devoted her time and energy in maintaining it. She took ill and was taken to the hospital. She was diagnosed with diabetes and had to stay for a month in the hospital. Every day seemed like hell to her as her healthy deteriorated the more. I asked the doctor if anything will happen to her. He only gave me the "No" head without saying a word. Mom lay on the hospital bed, looking pale and weak. She had asked me to bring a glass of water to her and I immediately went to get it.

I could sense that something isn't right, and that Mom and the Doctor could be hidding something from me. So I asked with courage.

"Is there any problem Mom?".

" No my angel"- she denied.

Immediately my countenance changed and she was quick to notice it. Then she held me by my hand and revealed to me what the doctor had said to her concerning her illness.

" Rita my girl. I have a serious condition called "diabetes". And the doctor had said it's already in its late stage that nothing can be done at the moment."- She said with little balls of tears rolling down her sparkling eyes. I wept also knowing what lies ahead.

" I will lose mom too."- I said weeping.

I could see the fright of death in mom's eye, but she tried to bracen up so to hide the feeling from me.

" Do you need me to do anyother thing for you mom?- I asked.

" Yes pls. Get me my Moth Orchids plant".- she requested.

"Alright mum".- I said. Running home to get her the plant. It was kindof strange to me for Mom to only request for a plant at this moment when they're thousands of other things I could help do for her.

"What will I do. If this is the request of dying woman. Who am I to deny her this wish"- I thought to myself.

I returned with the plant. Already I helped water it and took it out for a brief minute, for air and sunlight ( I was never interested in doing this initially. But since Mom had been in the hospital and it was all she most wanted me to do for her always, I just couldn't refuse to help).

" Thanks so much Rita".- she appreciated.

Mom instructed me to place it by her window side. Every morning when I come visiting, she would pour water into a glass cup and give it to me to water the plant. While staring happily at it afterwards, hoping it would bloom before her eyes.

-----

March, 28th.

I visited mom, but couldn't find her in her ward. I could only see her Moth Orchids, staring helplessly by the window and a new bed already made in where she usually laid. I rushed to the nurses counter, insisting on seeing Mom. One of the nurses agreed to take me to the doctors office to confirm where mom's bed have been shifted to. Luckily on getting there I saw the doctor emerge from his office.

" Doctor! Doctor!"- I yelled..

" Yes ma'am"- he replied.

" Please where has my mum been taken to?"- I asked impatiently. Now shaking from the disturbing thoughts of her dying which is now gradually filling up my mind.

" Hmm"- he shook his head.

" Ma'am, follow me"- he said.

We walked past several wards, until we finally got to one certain, lonely and quiet room. Every patient seemed to be laying down motionless and covered all through in a long white piece of cloth. The doctor led me to where Mom was put. He raised up the cloth and I saw Mom's eyes closed. Her body was pale and stiffened. She was motionless and her eyes grew darker.

" Mom is dead"- I uttered while I wept continuously.

The doctor led me out of the morgue( just found out). Holding my hands and taking me back to the ward Mom was put in intially to grab some of her stuffs. I picked up a few of her things from the desk, and on getting to her plant. Surprisingly, it began to bloom. Its flowers were soo beautiful that I had to gaze a few more minutes, enjoying the view of nature taking its course. I could only wish Mom had been here to watch this lovely display of purple colours like she ever wished to. I took home the plant to watch over it. And like Mom always did to it. I watered it frequently, set it by our house window for fresh air and little a touch of sunlight. Always, I remembered Mom with this plant and felt her presence, sitting close to it all the time. Mom had always viewed the "Moth Orchids" plant as her dream yet coming to a reality and all I could do for her now was to live up to that dream.