Everlasting Love

The low, rhythmic patting sound stirred the quiet afternoon. I know that it is my grandpa patting my grandma's leg. Every afternoon, my grandma suffers numbness and pain in her right leg and my grandpa gently pats her leg to soothe her pain. I go to their room; my grandpa is sitting on a stool next to the bed, quietly patting my grandma's leg. My grandma is lying in bed, her face twisted as the pain ripples through her body. My grandma suffers from Parkinson's disease, which she was just diagnosed with in these recent years. A couple years ago, she also had a spinal surgery, which left her numb feet and an aching body. Her health has worsened much more than last time I saw her. It is sad to see how fragile she is. Not only is she frail-thin, but her body shakes uncontrollably. The only thing that hasn't changed is her warm smile and loving embrace when she sees me.
I've always been touched by the way my grandpa takes care of my grandma. He holds her in his arms when they take walks, making sure she is steady, and even though she spends most of her time in bed, he reads the daily newspaper to her, brings water to her bedside when she is thirsty, fans her in the heat (because the air conditioner hurts her legs), and constantly reminds her to take her medicine and pills. Anytime and every time she needs something, he always jumps up to get it for her. He always accompanies her by her bedside. I am moved to see them always holding hands as they lie on the bed, chatting quietly.

I quickly join them and help massage her feet. They are delighted to see me. My grandma gives me a feeble smile. We chat while we accompany her. I am used to lying between my grandparents listening to them tell me stories about my past-the time they played with me when I was young, and how they have enjoyed watching me grow into a young lady.

I also enjoy listening to them share their memories. I like to see my grandma's face beam when she talks about her youth. This time, I asked them how they met each other. My grandpa said that they met in college. They were in the same class together. My grandpa was a quiet, diligent student who came from a poor family. My grandma, on the contrary, was an outgoing, popular girl from a rich family. Together, they attended a small college in China; all the students stayed in the dormitory. When the weekend came, my grandma always went out with her friends to have fun, while my grandpa would stay on campus and study hard to maintain his scholarship. Sunday night, my grandma and her friends would look all over for my grandpa and ask him for the answers to the assignments. He always let them copy the answers from him. My grandma dressed fashionably and spent money generously. Everyone in the college admired her and talked about her. My grandpa would comment to his friends, "Who could dare marry this spoiled, rich girl and afford her luxurious lifestyle?"

After they both graduated from college, my grandpa got a job in Taiwan. Later, my grandma got an offer from the same place my grandpa worked at. Her family didn't want her to go that far away, but she heard people say that there are a lot of delicious fruits and beautiful places in Taiwan. She decided to go for one year, just to have fun. When she went to Taiwan, my grandpa was the only person she knew. He helped her find a new place to live and gave her a tour around this new country. They became good friends and got knew each other better. My grandpa reminisced, "One time, I was so sick, and everyone around me told her not to bother taking care of me, but she insisted on helping me until I got better." He realized that my grandma was not spoiled but a really nice, warm-hearted and loving girl, and my grandma found out my grandpa was not just a geek, but a humorous, funny person. They fell in love. Soon the Communists took over China, and they both lost contact with their families. They got married in 1949, with only a few close friends present at their wedding. In a new place, without help or support from their families, they started their humble, but loving family. My grandpa said, "We've been through good times and bad times together. She used to take good care of me; now, it's my turn to take care of her."

Now in their 80's, my grandpa still admires my grandma. He told me his secret, "I never dreamed that I would marry your grandma, even though I already had a crush on her in college."

After 30 minutes of non-stop patting, my grandpa was sweating and puffing profusely. He stopped to rest, while my grandma stretched her hand to hold his. Her face relaxes as the pain goes away. Her pale face is so peaceful and beautiful. My grandpa grabs her hand and tells me, "She is the most elegant lady I've ever seen." My eyes moisten. I cannot agree with his words more. In fact, they are both the most elegant people I've ever seen!