Sara Alexi - The Illegal Gardener

When I decided I could go back to my village I felt very nervous. Many things could have happened. I feared my grandparents could have died, or my mother could be unwell. Many things I thought as I took the bus to near our village. The last part must be walked and so I entered the village on foot.

The first person Aaman sees is his grandfather. He looks like he is walking along the street for no reason. He looks up at Aaman from a distance and squints at him. It takes him a full minute to recognise Aaman. Aaman savours the sight, then his grandfather drops his stick and tries to run. Aaman runs too and catches grandfather as his legs wobble. They hug, grandfather’s hands patting Aaman’s back. Aaman has tears running down his cheeks, grandfather is talking so quickly he is making no sense. They pull away and look at each other and hug again.

“I thought I would never see you again,” is the only thing Aaman can hear him say clearly. But Aaman is making noise too, he is laughing and asking how grandma is, how Ma is, how Father is, are the oxen OK, has anything changed?

They are such a noise that grandmother and Ma come out of the house to see what all the fuss is. Ma drops the bowl she is drying and runs to Aaman, her soft, brightly coloured clothes fluttering. She cries and hugs Aaman so tightly he cannot breathe. She kisses him all over his face and head and hands.

“I thought you were dead!” she wails, new tears upon old. Aaman strokes her hair and makes calming noises. His grandma has hold of his other hand, she is kissing it and rubbing it against her soft, chestnut skin.

“Where’s father?” Aaman finally asks.

“He’s in the corner field I will go and get him.” Grandfather sets off, swinging his stick, a bounce in his step.

The women hug him some more until Aaman asks, “Where is Saabira?”

He looks to the house and sees her peering from the door. He puts his hand out to her. She hesitates and then comes running into his arms.

“I was afraid that you did not want me anymore.”

He takes her face in his hand and looks into her eyes for a long time.

“Hello, Saabira, I have come back to you.” Aaman pulls her to him as she sobs.

Whilst Aaman hugs Saabira, a neighbour comes out to see what the fuss is and screams when she sees Aaman. That causes several other faces to appear and soon people are flocking from all directions, slapping him on the back, asking him questions about Iran, Greece, Italy, and Spain.

There is such a great commotion that Aaman does not find space to tell his family about his job in Sialkot. His father comes next and barges through everyone to greet Aaman. He hugs him so tightly, Aaman is impressed by his strength for his age.

The sun is beating down on them, and Aaman’s mother suggests they all go in the house. The room quickly fills as more and more people hear of his return and come to wish him welcome.

The questions never stop. Neighbours bring food, and the welcome becomes a party. No one asks about the money for the harvester, they are all just pleased to see him home.

The whole weekend is much talking and telling of the tales of his journey to Greece and back. Children stand wide eyed, gasping at the dangerous parts and cheering at his accomplishments. Saabira sits by his side, never losing physical contact.

By Sunday evening, Aaman is exhausted, but people still come to visit and everyone is still very excited. He tells his family that he must go to bed early as he must leave very early in the morning. This produces looks of horror from his mother and Saabira who cling to him all the more.

The room is still full of visiting neighbours and there is so much noise that his Ma and Saabira cannot hear him. Aaman stands up and quietens the room. He then announces to everyone that he has a job at Sialkot as a programmer which is received in a deathly hush as no one quite understands. He, Aaman, is a farm boy. Aaman then tells the tale of Juliet; it becomes unreal in the telling. Before he reaches the end of the tale, more neighbours arrive and want to hear from the beginning. The younger ones ask him to tell it again as well, they enjoyed it so much the first time. So Aaman starts the tale again, and Juliet disappears from reality into the word of folklore.

Not a sound is made as he tells his tale. When it culminates with the offer of several jobs in Lahore, and then him taking one in Sialkot, his mother screams and cries tears of happiness afresh, and his father and grandfather can be seen to grow a few inches, their heads are held so high. Saabira glows with pride. One of the younger boys cheers. This is followed by someone else who cheers and claps, and without design, the party starts all over again and sleep is forgotten. Aaman feels so happy to bring such joy to his family.

Aaman goes back to Sialkot for the week and returns the following weekend. His mother says it is like a show where you get all the story in pieces. But that next weekend, he tells everything. When he tells them he has made the money for the harvester, his father runs to tell their neighbours. Before the afternoon is finished, the whole village is in Aaman’s family house again talking about how soon they could get the machine. Every time Aaman speaks now, the room hushes, his words hung on to like beans during a famine. Aaman points out that harvest is over for the year, and it would be better for the money to stay in the bank to earn interest than having a machine sit idle for long months. If they all put their money together into one account they would raise enough interest between them to buy a slightly newer harvester than the one they had set their sights on.

His mother declares him to be the cleverest man in the world, and his father slaps him on the back. They are so proud. Aaman stands tall like a man. He wishes Juliet could have been there.

Juliet wipes away a tear and reads on.

Now I will tell you about Saabira. She was shy like when we first were married but I knew I had to deal with my fear of hurting her. So I was bold, Juliet. I tried to sweep her off her feet. But I hesitated and often forgot where I was and some of my thoughts I am not proud of. Saabira is my wife and my thoughts are only for her. But I had spent so long apart from her, she was not foremost in my mind, and I drifted to what was a more familiar vision for me. I believe you can understand all this.

But time has healed us and the greatest news I have yet to tell you. Saabira is pregnant. We live in Sialkot during the week and I have good doctors checking her regularly so I feel confident that all will be well.

When she realised she was pregnant, we became closer and I have told her all about you. I have told her about your kindness and your care and she has asked me to send to you her very greatest regards. She respects you highly.

I have come to realise that ours is not a relationship that is to pass, Juliet. I want to know you for the rest of my life in some capacity. I trust I have your permission to write to you often now I have settled where I am.

I nearly forgot to say Saabira is adamant, she wants to call our baby Juliet. I trust this is acceptable to you.

Juliet pulls another tissue from the box and wipes her nose. She looks over the garden and can see Aaman vividly at every job. But the Aaman in her mind gives her only happiness.

Dear Aaman,

I am delighted by your hero’s return. It is no more than you deserve. I think what you have done and achieved is extraordinary and I applaud you.

I think I would like Saabira. Please pass my warmest regards back to her. I would be honoured if you named your child after me.

I hope your harvester makes your father’s life easier and brings prosperity to your village.

You have brought me nothing but happiness. I too feel that ours is a relationship that will not pass and I too wish to know you the rest of my days.