The Nature of Love

By Gareth Wilding-Forbes

The Nature of Love is a collection of short stories about real people. Their lives and experiences reflect the many paths we have all walked. By journeying down these roads once more, many of our memories will be re-experienced.

The Nature of Love reinforces the importance of what the author has always believed—giving love to someone is special, sharing love with someone is pure magic.

Written by Gareth Wilding-Forbes, author of The Essence of Time, we see his look at the innermost workings of the heart and love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Oct 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781925219333

Gareth Wilding-Forbes

Gareth Wilding-Forbes was born into a theatrical family and followed his parents into a career in the entertainment industry.His experience has covered most aspects of entertainment, in Australia and overseas, as an actor, director, broadcaster and in management.

Book preview

The Nature of Love

by

Gareth Wilding-Forbes

This is an IndieMosh book

brought to you by MoshPit Publishing

an imprint of Mosher’s Business Support Pty Ltd

PO Box 147

Hazelbrook, NSW 2779

http://www.indiemosh.com.au/

Copyright © Gareth Wilding-Forbes 2014

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The Nature of Love

Have you ever seen a garden that looks well kept, cared for but lacking colour. Sometimes they’re called ‘native gardens’, full of bushes and palms and very leafy plants. But still no colour, unless of course you like green.

This was one such garden. It was very pleasing to the eye, and it certainly offered abundant shade during those long summer afternoons. Still something was missing.

Fred had been tending this garden for over twenty years and it was his decision and his alone, to design and maintain it the way it was. You see, Fred was also a little lazy. He knew that if you plant flowers you have to tend them, nurture them and care for them, but with plants, all you have to do is make sure they have enough water and fertiliser and prune them occasionally.

There was one particular plant that was Fred’s favourite. It was tall and slim with not an over abundance of foliage. In fact, it was rather plain when compared with all the others. But maybe that is why Fred liked it.

It stood alone over in the far corner and every once in a while Fred would walk over and talk to it, very quietly, as if sharing a secret. He wasn’t really one to believe in talking to plants. After all, God put them on earth and Fred just helped them grow. But this was somehow special. Almost unloved. It had sat on that spot since the day someone had given it to Fred rather than throw it away.

About three years ago Fred was given another plant. A small dainty specimen that seemed to have a personality all of its own. In fact it seemed to radiate a special beauty that was quite unique. Fred was told that in time, this plant would mature and flower, but after three years Fred was still waiting for this to happen.

He always made sure it was in a peaceful and serene part of the garden where those blasted kids from next door couldn’t disturb it. But still it remained just as green as all the other plants in the garden. One day when Fred was having a chat with his favourite plant, the tall plain one, he got the weirdest sensation and without knowing why, he quietly went over to the small, very special plant, and carefully, so as not to damage its roots, dug it up and replanted it over in the corner, next to ‘his mate’, for that’s what Fred called the tall one. His mate.

Unfortunately, Fred became ill and had to go into hospital for an operation, after which he went up to the country to stay with his son for a few weeks to recuperate.

He arranged for a local gardener to pop in and make sure the garden was kept tidy while he was away.

Fred’s only regret in having a green garden was that each year when the ‘Garden of the Year’ was judged, his never won, because the judges always felt that it lacked colour. So, you can imagine how surprised he was when he received a letter from the Royal Horticultural Society, advising him that his garden had been awarded first prize for its unique design. He was still up in the country at his son’s place so he rang the RHS to find out what was going on.

A rather toffee-voiced lady told him that the judges had never seen a garden with such a predominance of green with just a touch of colour. She said it was that touch of colour that made it so unique.

The following Saturday, even though he wasn’t feeling one hundred percent, he talked his son into driving him home for the RHS presentation.

Fred still couldn't believe that it was his garden that they had chosen. They must have made a mistake. What can you expect from those high and mighty do-gooders who only judge gardens. He bet they never got their hands dirty with real work.

When Fred arrived home all the toffee-nosed RHS people were standing out the front. They seemed to be in a hurry to get the ceremony over with, so before he even had time to see his garden, they made a couple of boring speeches, presented him with his trophy, took some photographs for the next edition of Horticultural News and left. Except for one judge, who stayed back. He followed Fred down the side path as he made his way to his award winning garden and just as Fred was about to turn the corner he called out ‘What ever made you put those two together? It’s against all the rules, you know.’

At that moment Fred saw what all the fuss had been about. Over in the far corner the little plant had blossomed into the most wonderful array of pink blooms. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Right there and then he decided to call the little plant his ‘Beautiful Lady’, because that was exactly what it looked like—the most beautiful lady he had ever seen.

And then he noticed his ‘Mate’. Leaves that had never been there before had grown and seemed to be sheltering, almost protecting the smaller plant. They looked so suited together.

At that moment Fred remembered the judge’s question.

‘Oh, er, my mate suggested it. Of course they’ve known each other for nearly three years. I just had to put them together …  ’

Questioningly the judge asked, ‘Known each other?’

‘Well yes.’ went on Fred. ‘All my plants know each other. It just takes a knack to know which plants belong together.’

As he turned to leave the judge said, ‘Obviously these two do.’

‘Yes,’ thought Fred. ‘Together they are the most perfect pair I’ve ever seen.’

Time is a Thief

She was a flower. At home on the Nile, long before the Pharaohs built their own tributes to a death they knew would immortalise them.

He could trace his roots back through time to the days of the building of the Parthenon and the soldier of Marathon.

She stood