Patrol

At this time of year, she always begs me, "Let's go on patrol." Not just during the day, but at night too. Just like a real patrol. Sometimes it's around the neighborhood, and other times we take a train or bus. We stay in that place for about an hour.
Patrol. It's a cherry blossom patrol. From the time the cherry blossoms start to bloom until they turn into leaf-covered trees, it's always time for a patrol.
What she likes in particular are the cherry blossoms at the end of their peak, when they turn into a "flower raft" of petals on the water. She begs me again and again, "Patrol, flower raft." Since it's fun to go for walks together, I also skip along, saying "Patrol, patrol," and we head out together.
Even on chilly spring days, or days when the sun shines and it feels like summer. It's fun when we walk side by side. That alone is fun. I can feel the power of the cherry blossoms.
But this year, we couldn't do that.
She was recuperating at home. Her post-operative recovery was poor, and she had been ordered to stay in bed. I couldn't find the words to comfort her as she lamented, "Why can't we go? Patrol."
No matter how many photos I showed her of familiar cherry blossom spots like Chidorigafuchi, Ueno Park, Shinobazu Pond, or Edogawabashi, she wasn't satisfied. I'll just bring the cherry blossoms to the room. I went around to several flower shops, looking for cherry blossom branches that were still in bloom. I finally found branches at a price I could afford and brought them in. It was a cherry blossom tree just for the two of us.
"This isn't a patrol, it's an arrest, isn't it?"
She smiled contentedly.