Who Loves Me?

Eighty four year old Mui Soh pushed her noisy old cart with stacks of used cupboards and deflated boxes on it. The sun was scorching hot as her feet made their tiny advances towards an old building in Bedok. She walked this route everyday, each day with a different feeling. Today, she was feeling happy. She collected three extra cupboards from a new HDB flat's void deck and she could fetch at least fifty cents more.

She knew the owner of the private recycling company. She used to be able to sell tissue paper at three packs for a dollar. However, she stopped doing so one year back because too many other senior citizens were doing the exact same thing, at the exact same place. She witnessed too many quarrels and unpleasantness amongst the old people, that she decided to give up selling tissue around Bedok area.

"Mui Soh! You're here! Today abit late huh!" The towkay (boss) of XING XIONG RECYCLING COMPANY PTE LTD greeted as the old lady pushed the cart unsteadily up a small slope.

The old lady pushed the cart up with much effort and took short breaths before speaking in her comfortable dialect, Teochew. "Take a look at these. Fetch me a good price okay?"

The fat boss laughed and lifted the cupboards and used boxes from the cart. Normally, these old people hardly bring in large amount of used cupboards and boxes, but they ask for very little cash returns. Hence, the towkay did not mind employing these old people to do this task. To him, he was giving them a revenue to pass days.

He weighed the items and stated a fixed price. "Two dollars. Can?" He asked back in Teochew. "Very good already! Normally for this, I only give one dollar and seventy cents!"

Mui Soh smiled. Lunch was settled. She nodded happily and recieved the purple note with thanks. She spent the entire morning from seven till noon looking for as many cupboards as possible. On bad days, she could walk around for the entire day to buy herself a decent dinner which normally consisted of rice, some vegetables and black stew sauce. Today, she can finally settle lunch before walking around to look for empty cans so that she could also settle dinner.

The old lady with hunchback looked very small as she walked amongst the crowd of Bedok Bus Interchange. With her back hunched, she was barely one hundred and fifty centimetres tall. Nobody would normally notice her, except the shop tenants because she would drop by often shop by shop, asking for used cupboards and unwanted boxes.

She walked towards the coffeeshop and ordered a packet of rice, with fried french beans and to finish it off with some black stew sauce. The lady charged her one dollar and fifty cents. Mui Soh was happy that she still had fifty cents with her. This fifty cents might come in useful later in the day if she needed it.

With the packet of rice, she made her way home to a three room flat which her late husband left her with three children twenty years ago. The walk to her house was a good fifteen minutes walk. However, Mui Soh often took half an hour before reaching home because of her slow steps. Age was catching up with her and she knew that her life was coming to an end soon. How soon, she still was not sure. She often dreamt of her late husband sitting in the house, but she could never find the voice to speak to him. She had so many questions to ask him. So many.

The house was empty, but relatively neat. Mui Soh hated untidiness since she was young. Her late husband loved her dearly for keeping the house neat and clean at all times. She was a good housewife. She always thought herself as that. However, when it came to parenting, she felt she was a total failure.

Her first son, Albert, was still serving his jail term of forty years for manslaughtering and illegal booking. Mui Soh was determined that he would not be able to send her off her final journey when the time comes. Her second son, Edward, on the other hand, made it to the an overseas university using his mother's lifetime savings, and made it big in Singapore and England. He is now a successful businessman living in the city area of Singapore with his wife of twelve years and his eight year old daughter.

However, Mui Soh stopped meeting Edward for almost ten years. She did not even get to see her grandchild. It was all because of his wife who detested her. Before they got married, his wife was kind to Mui Soh. Mui Soh thought that maybe, she could finally rely on her child for some lifetime support, but, shortly after two years of their marriage, his wife stopped her husband from visiting the old woman completely.

Her son had offered to return the study loan he owed her before he bidded his final goodbye, but Mui Soh was too upset, back then, to accept any form of compensation.

Then came her third child, her daughter, Helen. Helen was the child Mui Soh was most worried about. At the tender age of sixteen, she gave birth to her first son, Ming. She then married the father of Ming who was barely nineteen. Now, at the age of twenty two, Helen is already a mother of four children. She divorced Ming at eighteen and got married again to a man ten years her senior and gave birth to the other three children. She now works at her husband's chicken rice stall near Eunos and occupies her time taking care of the household. Mui Soh only saw her daughter once a year and she never brings in any money.

Mui Soh ate her lunch quietly as the birds chirped outside the window of her kitchen. She was thankful for a nice house even though she was using the depreciating savings her husband left her to pay for the utilities bill. Her late sister used to encourage her to rent a room out to some China ladies who will pay a few hundred dollars every month, but Mui Soh found it hard to trust anyone else. She felt more at ease if she lived alone.

After lunch, Mui Soh briefly sweeped the floor and cleaned off the dust on top of the television set. She did that everyday, and so, the house was never too dirty. Besides, the only appliance she owned at home was only an old television set her late sister bought for her. She spent only evenings to watch the Channel Eight drama being aired at nine daily.

The only indulgence Mui Soh allowed herself to have was smoking. She often limit herself to two cigerettes each day because cigerettes were getting too expensive. She depended on her husband's and sister's savings to last her till she breathed her last.

After cleaning up the place, she sat down infront of her gate and looked outside the corridor. She could see an aeroplane flying into the clouds. Thankful for the filling lunch, she lit her cigerette and inhaled deeply.

For awhile, she felt like she did not mind living after all.

******************************

"Xinhui! Today's Mother's Day! We're going to give the flowers to mommy later when she comes into the car okay?" Edward whispered with excitement as he handed a stalk of rose to his eight year old daughter, sitting behind at the backseat.

Xinhui held the rose with a wide grin. "Then, I will show her my card!"

They waited for a short moment before Edward spotted his wife walking towards his car from her office opposite the road. His wife, Ivy, was still as beautiful as she was when he first met her. He remembered instinctively how much he was attracted to her when they were back at England. She was one of the most beautiful Asian girl in their faculty back then.

When Ivy hopped into the car, Edward and Xinhui shouted in unison, "HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!"

Ivy let out a surprised smile and took the flowers and the card with emotions. "Thank you darlings." She said, pleased. She bent over and gave her husband a kiss on the cheek and reached back and gave her daughter another kiss on the nose. "You guys are the best things that ever happen to me."

Xinhui giggled. "Mommy! See the card! You like it?" She asked in a her kid-like voice.

Ivy nodded with a wide smile. "Yes, darling. Thank you. It's beautiful. Did you draw these flowers yourself?" She asked, pointing to the flowers drawn on the front of the card.

Her daughter nodded happily.

Edward drove away from the parking lot with a wide smile on his face. He loves his family. They meant everything to him. He would do everything he needed to make his two princesses the happiest women on earth. Just a couple of days ago, he bought Xinhui a brand new violin just because she wanted it.

"Where do we go for dinner?" Edward asked, stopping behind a car during a red traffic.

Ivy smiled and asked her daughter for an opinion.

"Pastamania! I want to eat pasta and pizza!" Xinhui voiced out excitedly from the back.

Ivy looked at her husband and gave him an all-knowing smile and nod.

"Alright! Whatever my little princess says!" Edward agreed as he stepped on the accelerator gently.

They remained quiet for awhile as they drove down the Expressway. The radio station was announcing and talking about the significance of this special date for mothers. Just before they played "MAMA" by Spice Girls, Xinhui suddenly broke the silence.

"Daddy, where is your mother? It's Mother's Day. Don't you have to give flowers to your own mother?"

Edward remained quiet, and Ivy gave her husband a quick glance before looking out of her side window.

"Daddy?" Xinhui probed.

Edward looked at his wife. Finally, for the first time in ten years, he mustered his courage to ask his wife for this request. "Dear, can we drop by Ma's place for awhile? It's Mother's Day."

Ivy dropped the envelopes she was holding onto her laps and turned to her husband. "I think I made this very clear right from the start right? Your Ma and I don't click. If we visit her once, she'll expect us to come twice, thrice, then by the time you know it, you'll be frequenting her place more than you think."

"But, it's been ten years, Ivy." Edward reasoned, his lips forming into a thin line. "Besides, Ma is so old now. What if something happens to her?"

Ivy faced the front with a straight face and went back to her letters. "No. Why are you worrying? We've already given our contact details to her neighbour right? If anything happens, she'll contact us." She insisted stubbornly and opened another letter. "Don't come and bother me with these small issues okay? I've got bigger things to handle. Like, this letter, that will require me to handle carefully."

Edward made a sharp turn to the left and all the letters fell from Ivy's laps. She threw her husband an angry glare, but kept quiet and picked the envelopes up.

***********************************

"Ming ah! Come and help me!" Helen shouted at the top of her voice as she struggled to stop her toddler from crying and at the same time, take orders from customers.

It was dinner time and the hawker centre was bustling with people. Her husband's chicken rice stall had been there for years, left behind by his father, hence, explained the steady number of patrons daily.

Ming, almost nine, stopped playing with his friend and ran over to his mother's side.

Helen frowned at her son. "Where you go!? Always play, play, play! Here so busy still play!" She lectured as she passed two plates of chicken rice to the boy who took them steadily. "Table twenty! Six dollars ah!"

Ming did as he was told and brought six dollars back to his mother. Helen passed him another tray of food and ordered him to make another trip to table fifty, and to bring fifteen dollars back.

"Ah Seng, can I bring the children up first? Qinqin is hungry. I must go and make milk for her." Helen asked her husband who mercilessly chopped a whole roast chicken into two.

Wong Kai Seng, not looking up from the chicken, muttered. "Later. Now too many people."

"But, Qinqin is hungry! Weiwei and Shanshan also need me to feed later! Ah Ming also haven't eat dinner. Can I give them some rice first?" Helen persuaded, but was interrupted when a teenage boy came up and ordered two packets of roasted chicken rice.

"Six dollars," Helen said in Mandarin as she collected the money before she started wrapping up the two packets of rice for him.

When the boy left, Helen rocked her daughter gently who was tied to her using an old piece of sarong as support. "Can?" She asked, hearing her daughter's sobbings subside into soft hiccups.

Her husband signaled her to go and she happily took off her apron. "I'll come down after I put these children to sleep." She assured happily as she unlocked the baby pram. They had been sitting on a pram the entire evening, playing with the same toys over and over again. Weiwei was only four years old, wheras Shanshan was barely three. Their daughter, Qinqin just turned one a few days back.

"Ah Ming! You come! You sit here and eat your dinner first! I go home and cook for your brother and sisters okay? You help Pa ah!" Helen ordered when her son came back with the money and the empty tray.

"But, I want to eat with them." Ming retorted quietly.

Helen hit Ming at the back of his head. "You go, then who help your father?! So big already still need me to hit you! Not shame ah!" She shouted and started to push the pram towards the direction to their house.

Ming sulked and took the plate of chicken rice his stepfather had prepared for him. His stepfather was alright, it was the chicken rice he hated. He had been eating chicken rice everyday, he was starting to get tired of it. Only at school, he was allowed to eat whatever he wanted with his two dollars allowance.

Meanwhile, Helen made her way home. She smelt of grease from head to toe. Her hair was oily and sticky. No matter how she washes them off, the smell will always linger around. Her poor daughter had to be stuck with her in the hot and stuffy stall the entire day. No wonder she cried for hours! Not only was she tired and hungry, she was also hot and disturbed by the environment. However, there was no other choice. She had to bring the children with her wherever she goes. They are her responsibilities.

She arrived home shortly and entered the empty, messy house. She had tried to put in effort to clean up the place every night, like how her mother used to do, but, she was starting to find that this chore was almost impossible. Having four children in the house was bad enough. Not to mention not having any time to do anything else besides tending the stall with her husband and taking care of her children. At the end of the day when she finally takes a rest, it was already close to one in the morning.

Gently, she placed Qinqin down onto the sofa. She had fallen asleep, finally. Helen swayed her hips from left to right several times to loosen the muscles around the area where she carried her daughter for long hours.

She unfastened the safety belts for her two other toddlers and allowed them to run around in the house, since she had deprived them from doing so for the past four hours or so.

Quickly, she made her way to the kitchen and started to cook porridge. She had been an excellent cook, all thanks to her mother. Her mother used to make delicious porridge when she, or any of her brothers were ill. She always made sure she got her hands onto the best scallops before setting them into the brewing pot of chicken or pork porridge.

Just as she waited for the porridge to boil, she went into the living room and turned on the television. She sat beside Qinqin and rested her feet. She had been standing all day and her legs were starting to give in. Although she had been helping her husband for years, she still could not come to terms with her legs.

"Weiwei ah! Stop running ah! You fall down, you see!" She lectured softly at her running son as he ran past her and nearly trip over a toy.

"... Today is Mother's Day! Did you do anything for your mother today?" Quan Yifeng, Singapore's one of the best television host asked a passerby on television.

Helen watched the short interview and suddenly, she remembered her own mother. For years, her mother had been alone. Her useless brothers could not take care of her, but, she realised she could not too. Ah Seng refused to give her any extra allowance and he was the one controlling this family's financial issues. There were times when Helen asked for money to buy some tonics for her aging mother, but was scolded severely by her husband who found that tonics used on old people are a waste. She stopped asking since then.

Tears filled her eyes as Quan Yifeng continued to discuss about filial piety.

******************************************

That night, Mui Soh woke up to find her late husband sitting on the exact spot she always found him in when she was dreaming. He was sitting on the old rattan chair and smiling at her. He looked at peace, like how he always did.

Mui Soh sat up and smiled at her husband. He was dressed smartly in his favourite white button shirt and black pants. Surprisingly, unlike her dreams, she could see her late husband clearly under the strong sunlight.

"Ah Mui. Thanks for taking care of my house for so many years." Her husband spoke in Teochew, the way Mui Soh remembered how he sounded.

Strangely, he never spoke in her dreams.

Mui Soh smiled. "It's my duty. I've done my best, but I'm sorry, I didn't bring up our children well." She said apologeticly.

Her husband stood up from the rattan chair and held out his hand. "Come. Follow me."

Mui Soh took his hand without any hesitation and got off the bed. She was still looking into the deep pair of eyes who used to attract her when she was barely seventeen.

Together, they walked into a tunnel of light, where there only happiness prevails.

Sugar Daddy

It was a Saturday night. A young girl, probably about twenty four to twenty five years old, was grooving at the dance floor with sexy moves, enjoying the attention she was attracting.

What the crowd did not know was that she had been doing this for the last consecutive two weeks. Her feet often ached after a night of dancing in her pair of killer stilletos. This was not an easy job.

The Dee-jay changed into another sexy number and Hailey Wong walked out of the dance floor, gently dapping away little droplets of persperation off her forehead. Her face was flushing pink as she made her way to the Ladies. Looking good at all times was essential for her job.

Hailey looked into the full length mirror in the Ladies and admired her voluptuous figure. She had specially picked this dress from Guess last Thursday. She loved the sexy black cutting that revealed a generous amount of chest and thighs. Her heels, an import from Salvatore Ferragamo. She shifted her body slightly to the right and admired the side of her calves. Her legs were long and well toned. Hailey flipped her hair back sexily and touched up on her bright red lips.

She went back to the dancefloor shortly and continued swaying sexily amongst drunk men and young guys. Several young men came up to her and offered to buy her drinks. However, she rejected their offers because they were not what she was looking for.

It was until ten minutes later, when she found a potential prey. He looked fifty, sitting by the bar, enjoying a glass of beer. The best thing was, he was alone. She looked at him from head to toe and surveyed his movements. Leather shoes and white business suit. She looked closely and could immediately figure out that it was an expensive suit.

Hailey has a habit. She always makes sure her target is the one she is looking for before committing herself into a new affair. That way, she will not get any unnecessary trouble later on.

"Can you buy me a drink?" She asked, slipping herself onto a stool beside the balding man.

He looked at her for a moment and continued drinking his beer.

Hailey smiled and looked at the bartender, "Mark, give me a Lychee Martini."

The bartender smiled and gave her a thumb up sign before proceeding into mixing the drink.

"So, what are you doing here alone on a Saturday night?" She asked, and spotted his wedding ring. "You should be with your wife."

The man ignored her and continued to take a big gulp of his beer. Mark placed the glass of martini infront of Hailey and Hailey flashed him a sexy smile. How sad, she thought, if only Mark was rich, she would definitely date him.

Hailey sighed as she took a sip of her martini, "life's hard, isn't it? Had a tiff with your wife?" She asked.

Again, the man showed her no interest.

"Come on, surely we can talk? I won't eat you up. Besides, I'm not that ugly right?" She asked in her sweetest voice.

"I'm not in the mood." He replied coarsely, signaling Mark to give him another glass.

Hailey touched his knuckles gently. "Oh, care to tell me more about it?" She asked, glad that he did not withdraw from her touch.

"I don't know. Don't want to talk about it. If you want to drink, you stay here quietly. Otherwise, just go." The man said when his beer arrived.

Hailey was fine with it. It definitely beats having to dance all night. Besides, all she had to do was to get him in bed.

********************************

The next morning, George woke up with a splitting headache. It took him a good whole minute to realise he was not at home. He felt the sheets and pillow. This is not my pillow, he thought and sat up.

He almost fell off the bed when he saw a beautiful young lady sleeping beside him, her hair spreading across the white pillow. She still had her make-up on and was naked.

George stumbled out of bed and went into the bathroom. He splashed his face with cool tap water and stared into the mirror. What happened? He thought. Who is she? He asked himself again.

Short images flashed past quickly. He drank with a lady, whose name he had conveniently forgotten, then, she helped him out of the club, and brought him to a hotel. He splashed more water onto his face when what happened after that became clear to him.

Never in his life, have he ever thought of betraying his wife. Now, he did it.

A pair of arms embraced his waist unexpectedly, interrupting his thoughts.

George jumped.

"Good morning, George."

It was a lady's voice. Immediately, he remembered the exact same voice who spoke to him at the club yesterday.

George untangled her arms from his buldging belly and walked out of the bathroom.

"Here's two hundred. I've paid for the room, I believe. Take it and go." He instructed as he took out two hundred dollars cash from his wallet and threw it on the bed.

The girl, still naked, walked up to him and smiled coyly. "If, I only wanted two hundred dollars, I wouldn't have stayed till now. I would have robbed you last night." She said and sat on the bed.

The girl watched in amusement as George struggled to put on his suit clumsily. She smiled and went up to him. Gently, she helped to button up the white shirt. George rubbed his temples and made no signs of rejecting her offer.

"Stay with me. I'll make you happy. You know that, right?" She asked, buttoning the top button. "Last night, you had fun. So did I. We share an affirnity." She continued softly, buttoning the second button. "I know you're married, but it doesn't matter right? We're all out to have fun. I promise to keep our affair a secret one." She went on, proceeding to button the third button. "I'm sure, I'm fresher than your wife, right?"

George groaned as the splitting headache came back. He rubbed his head and fell onto the chair.

The sultry lady smiled and touched his manhood. "I'll make you feel better, I promise." She muttered and George knew he could no longer reject her.

**************************************

"Spend one whole night outside, happy right?" Susan, George's wife of thirty years said sarcastically when her husband opened the front door of their beautiful condominium.

He had made sure his shirt was not out of place and no stain of Hailey were to be found. He checked the common places like his collar and neck. Safe. Hailey was a pro indeed.

Susan had been preparing lunch. He could smell his favourite stewed pork belly from the door.

"Cooking lunch? What's there to eat?" George asked, throwing his suitcase onto the white sofa.

His wife crossed her legs neatly, still seated on a single sofa. She may be fifty two, but she still maintained the posture of a tai-tai. She does her manicure monthly and always made sure she maintained a certain weight. However, her culinary skills were marvellous. George could never stay away from her stews.

"Whole night never come home, come home first thing you ask is, "What's there to eat?" So much for being concerned for your wife." She commented, placing her brightly manicured fingers on her upper thigh. "Where did you go? Quarrel abit only, you run out. Smart already right? Married for so many years, finally got guts to walk out on me." She questioned, her voice maintained a calm and relaxed tone.

George loosened up his tie and fell back on the sofa. He was exhausted, not to mention having sex again in the morning when he was having a terrible hangover.

"I have no time to quarrel with you okay. After lunch, I still have to go back to office. There are alot of things waiting for me to sign. Just go and prepare my food." He ordered and stood up, "I'll go for my shower first. When I come out, I want my food ready." He said and made his way to his bedroom.

Susan took a deep breath and stood up. Trying her best to keep her cool, she clenched her fist and forced a smile. "Sure. I'll do just that." She obliged softly and gritted her teeth as she watched her husband slammed the door behind him.

All these years, she had been treated like a dog. That was what George made her feel all the time, anyway. All he bothered was his business and their children, Cindy, Warren and Raymond.

Their oldest daughter got married two years back and stayed with her family over at England. Warren, this year twenty six, was also married to an air stewardess. He was a cabin crew. As for their last son, Raymond, was twenty four, and still studying in a local university. He hardly came home because he lived in the hostel with his bunch of friends. His mother had been very displeased with that decision he made. She only came to terms with it after the first year of impressive results.

Susan walked into the kitchen and lifted the lid of her pot. The pork belly was stewing just well and the smell filled the entire kitchen. She had specially went to the market this morning to prepare this meal for her husband after a terrible fight they had last night, and yet, not only did he come home unhappily, he was also cold towards her. Susan sighed and gave her stew a little stir before putting back the lid.

The rice was cooking. Susan took out some vegetables and started washing them. George hated a meal without vegetables. To him, it would seem like an incomplete meal. Susan took note of his likings and dislikes over the years and tried to be a good wife. Yet, his feelings towards her seemed to fade off as the years went by. Especially after Raymond started staying out. They seemed to have lost a common topic to talk about.

Susan was not very tall. She stood at one hundred and fifty five centimetres tall. George was alot taller than his wife. Almost a head. Before they were married, George loved her height. In fact, he loved everything about her. They courted for two years before getting hitched. Susan loved him very much. She may say mean things once in awhile during a fight, but she knew she never meant any of them.

However, after they got married, George started complaining about her height when Cindy stopped growing at one hundred and fifty seven centimetres. It was the genes, he said. He stopped complaining only after he confirmed that his two sons' heights took after him.

George came out of the room and sat by the dining table. He was top naked and only dressed in a black shorts. He took today's newspaper and started flipping through them. He had kept very quiet.

Susan felt her husband was very different. Normally, after a fight, he would always try to make things a little better so that they could have a peaceful night after that, but today, he was too silent.

She stir fried the vegetables and brought it out to the dining area. "I'll take the rice." She said and went back into the kitchen.

George placed the newspaper aside and looked at his wife from head to toe from where he sat. She can be too skinny for her age, but she still had a firm bottom. However, when it came to her upper part of her body, he cringed. How could any woman be so flat chested? He must be blind to marry her thirty years back, although she made a good wife. She simply failed in the looks department. Compared to Hailey, she was far behind.

George slapped himself lightly and muttered, "why am I thinking of her again!"

Susan stepped out with two plates of steaming rice. "What? Thinking of who?" She asked suspiciously.

"Oh. Nothing. My mother. She has been dead for five years. So fast." George quickly shifted the topic and was glad that his wife was convinced.

"Yah. Life very short. Your Ma also passed away so many years already." Susan said and went back into the kitchen to dish out the pot of her husband's favourite pork belly stew.

*********************************

That night, George sat on his bed as his wife buttoned up his pyjamas' top for him. Suddenly, he felt a pinch of guilt. How could he have betrayed his wife? She may be irritating and not as sexy as Hailey, but she truly loved him and bore him three wonderful children.

"What are you thinking?" She asked, finishing the last button before she got up. "You've not been yourself the whole day." She continued, climbing up on the bed.

George shook his head and shifted his lower body up to the bed. "No. Nothing."He replied.

Susan smiled and arranged the blanket neatly over her husband's legs. "Yah. Everytime I ask you what are you thinking, you always tell me nothing. Thirty years already, you still never change. So secretive ah?" She teased.

George smiled, "cannot ah? Sleep lah." He said and lay down.

Susan laid beside her husband and switched off the bedside lamp. She was contented to have her husband back.

Just then, George's handphone beeped.

The both of them sat up and Susan switched on the bedside lamp again. "Who is that?" She asked. "So late already."

Her husband took the handphone and immediately got out of bed when he saw the sender's name.

"I go make a phone call. You sleep first lah," He said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He went out of the bedroom and read the message.

Sender: Hailey
Time: 10.45PM
Date: 1/6/2008

Hi baby. i keep thinking of u. Will u come over n find me now? I'm at home. I've got a special treat for u. u wun wanna miss it!

luv,
haileyyyy

George frozed on the spot. If she continued to sms him so often and randomly at night, Susan will bound to find out. He realised he just placed himself in a very dangerous position whereby he could not shake this girl off.

Just as he was worrying, his phone rang.

"Hello?" He said in a whisper.

"Hey baby. You read my SMS?" The other end asked, breaking out into a short giggle.

George rubbed his temple. "Will you please, stop calling me? I thought it was over."

The girl stopped her laughter abruptly. "It's not over, Mr Wang. Do you think it was just a pure night of fun? Don't forget, you were just asking for more this morning." She said, her voice in a more serious tone. "Besides, you won't want to anger me, baby. You wouldn't want your wife to know about us."

Wife?

George fell against the wall behind him. "What? What are you talking about? She wouldn't find out anything right?"

Hailey laughed mercilessly. "That's why I say, old uncles easiest to cheat. I had everything recorded down. All our raunchy sex positions too, baby. Do you want to watch it?"

George moaned in despair. "What is it you want?" He finally asked, realising that perhaps, money can solve this problem among themselves amiciably.

"I want you to be my sugar daddy. Can? Of course, I'll give you anything you want in return. But, you have to pay for my expenses and get me gifts. How about that? It's totally worth it if you think about it." Hailey explained.

"No. I don't want anything to do with you anymore. Can we settle with a sum of money? I don't want to have anything to do with you."

Hailey laughed. "The game starts with me, and it shall end with me. Only what I say count. Get it Mr Wang? I'll see you tomorrow morning at your office lobby. Nine." She said and hung up the phone.

"No-" George was about to stop her from continuing when she hung up the phone abruptly.

He threw his handphone onto the sofa and sat on it. How could he have allowed himself to make such a mistake? How could he have slept with a girl old enough to be his daughter? Worst of all, how could he betray his wife in a moment of spur?

He hated himself instantly. Susan must never find out. If she does, a divorce is going to be inevitable.

*******************************

George drove down to his office in his BMW and was not surprised to receive a phonecall from Hailey.

"What?" He asked impatiently, tugging at his earpiece as he made a sharp turn.

"Good morning baby. Had a nice sleep? I am outside your office building now. How long more are you taking?" Hailey's bright and cheery voice asked. She sounded totally different fro mthe menacing tone she used last night.

"Can you wait at the MacDonald's opposite? I don't want any colleages of mine to see you." Georg asked.

The girl giggled. "I'm waiting right here. Don't tell me where to meet you." With that, she hung up the phone.

"Fuck you!" George shouted and threw the earpiece onto the passenger seat beside him. He pulled the brake towards a side curb and rested his head against the steering wheel. What kind of trouble have he got himself into?

How could he have allowed himself to make such a mistake?

Just then, his handphone rang again. He picked it up, thinking it was that vixen.

"What is it?" He asked, his voice almost in a groan.

"Hello? George ah!"

It was Susan.

"You forgot your briefcase and herbal tea! I'm now reaching your office! You reach already tell me. I wait for you in your office okay?"

George lifted his head up in horror.

"You what?" He asked.

Susan laughed. "I'm on my way to find you lah, silly old man! Why you sound so shocked? And you drive very slow leh. I left house later than you, I also reaching soon already."

"Susan, um, I tell you, you wait for me at the MacDonald's opposite my office. Don't go to my office okay? Not too convenient. You know lah, Scott." George was referring to his American boss. Susan knew how much Scott looked down on her husband. 

"Oh. Okay lor. I wait for you at MacDonald's." She agreed and hung up the phone.

George stepped on the accelerator and sped off. What a day! How could he have forgotten to bring his briefcase?! That sort of situation was almost impossible.

**************************************

MacDonald's was packed with office ladies and workers, queuing at the counters, most of them ordering the take-away $2 sausage mcmuffin and coffee. George never liked fast-food.

He saw his wife sitting at the side of the glass panels and moved over, muttering "excuse me" to the people at the queue. His wife apparently came in what she wore this morning, a flower printed white loose bloouse, and white tights.

"George!" She called and signaled him to come over.

Her husband sat at the round stool opposite his wife and wiped off his persperation.

"Wah! You ran a marathon ah! Why you sweat until like that?!" Susan asked, offering him her cup of iced milo.

George smiled nervously. "No lah. Very hot, that's all. My car park near my office carpark, so must walk very far."

Susan giggled like a schoolgirl. "You very silly leh! The carpark is only across the street. How far can it be?" She asked.

George gave another smile and took the briefcase.

"Thanks dear." He said and stood up hurriedly, "Scott is waiting for me. I'll see you at home tonight." He said and rushed off quickly.

"Hey!" Susan called after him, hoping that perhaps she could wish him a proper goodbye, but her husband seemed to be in such a great hurry. She smiled to herself as she took a sip of her drink. It has been a long time since her husband addressed her as "dear".

She was about to stand up to leave MacDonald's when she realised the red plastic bag beside her.

"Aiyoh! Herbal tea! How can I forget?" She scolded herself gently and brought the bottle of herbal tea she brewed this morning across the street for her husband.

******************************

Meanwhile, Hailey sat crosslegged on a black sofa at the lobby of George's office. She was impressed with the building George was working at. Many foreign office workers breezed past her, mostly Caucasians. She had a few affairs with a couple of Caucasians, but realised that Asian men are more effectionate as compared to Westerners. Besides, Asian men treat human values more seriously.

Not that she cared about human values, but Asian men are more afraid to let their wives know about their affairs, as compared to Caucasians.

Some men walked past her and took a quick glance at her. That was not new to Hailey. She wore a red tight dress that revealed her long slender legs and bright red high heels. She allowed her hair to flow freely down her breasts. Men threw her lustful glances, whereas women threw her glances of disgust.

Just then, George ran into the lobby panting. His white shirt was stained with persperation thoroughly from the front. She smiled at the breathless man and gave him a coy wave of hello.

He went up to her and grabbed her arm. She winced in pain as he dragged her to the fire exit beside the lift.

"Let go of me!" She wailed as he pushed the door open.

George threw the girl against the wall and leaned against the wall beside hers.

"Do you want to do it here?" Hailey asked with a sultry smile. She inched herself close to the man and touched his chest. "I didn't know you like it in the public."

George pushed her away. "That's enough. I'm here to tell you that we're over and I'm willing to pay any amount of money to get you to delete or give me the sex videos you took of us. I hope you'll oblige."

Hailey laughed mercilessly. "I told you, only I have the say in this gme. Which part of this sentence do you NOT understand?" She asked, pushing her fringe off her face. "Besides, if you agree to my conditions, you'll benefit too. Both of us will benefit." She whispered and inched closer to him.

George pushed her away again. Her perfume was intoxicating, but he felt himself reacting towards her advances. Why is she so irresistable?

"I'll keep everything a secret. I don't need alot of money monthly. Just three thousand per month and my bills, you settle. That's all. With that, you can do anything you want with me." She teased, licking his chin. "George, let's make this work out."

George grabbed the girl and kissed her fiercely. Hailey was smiling. All thanks to her sexy look, no men could resist her charm. For once, she loved the way he gave in to her pleas. She 
could be sure, then, that she got herself this deal.

As George proceeded to lift Hailey's dress, the Exit door flung opened. He turned around quickly and saw Susan standing by the doorway, with the bottle of herbal tea in her left hand. Her eyes were filled with tears of anger and betrayal. For awhile, George regained his posture and felt embarrassed facing his wife with his zipper down.

He quickly zipped up his pants and started, "Susan..."

Susan threw the bottle of herbal tea at him and ran off. It was the last George ever saw of his wife.

When he got home that night, his wife had packed up and left. To where, he was not sure. All he knew was, she was never coming home. She did not even inform her children of her whearabouts. She simply disappeared from the face of this earth.

She did not even leave a letter.

Two months later, a "DEED OF SEPERATION" was sent to him, with Susan's signature on it.

**********************************

Hailey danced to the techno music as she closed her eyes and remembered how George left her and she could no longer blackmail him after his wife found out. It was never her intention to let her wife find out anything about them. In fact, the longer she could get hold of the man, the more benefits she was going to get. She had never fared so badly like this.

Tonight, she will get someone better. Except this time, she would be very careful. Very, extremely careful.

When Gods No Longer Listen

There was a period in Lee Boon Keat's life where he hated the words, "thank you, I will call you back."

That was when he was busy running around Singapore, trying to find a job that pays reasonably, has fixed working hours, and that he was familiar with.

He had been working with a logistics company for twenty five years. Sadly, during a recession, he was given "early retirement" with a sum of money as compensation. However, the money did not last long. Shortly after three years, the money depreciated. That was when, he decided not to sit around anymore, and find a proper job to generate a new source of income.

His wife have been working since she was twenty. Thankfully, she is still in the same company after almost thirty years. The company looked up to her in terms of seniority and decided to let her stay after a salary negotiation five years ago. You see, Mrs Lee had been nearly fired as well, due to the outsource of manpower. Due to that, Mrs Lee decided to negotiate with the board to let her stay for a few years longer, in the expense of a decrease in her salary.

Their youngest daughter, Vanessa, was also recently diagnosed with second stage of liver cancer. It was taking a toll on the family, especially when the medical expenses were excruciatingly high. Mr and Mrs Lee were very upset over their twenty year old daughter's plight. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect their young daughter to be sick.

They pray everyday for their youngest daughter to recover completely and for their eldest son to find a proper job and stay on it. Their son have just completed his National Service. Holding only onto his O level certificate, he did many odd jobs over the years, but could not stay longer than a year in each.

"So how is your daughter? Okay already?" Ah Teck, Boon Keat's buddy for thirty years asked with concern as they sat at a coffeeshop near their house.

On Friday nights, Boon Keat will be at the coffeeshop with a couple of his best buddies to enjoy a couple of beer and to chit chat about social issues.

The balding man shook his head and took a large gulp of his beer. "Going through chemotherapy now. Still have ten sessions to go. Poor girl, keep vomiting everyday. I don't know what to do. Somemore each time not cheap you know! They give her a jab before her chemotherapy and it costs almost three thousand dollars ok!"

Ah Seng, another buddy of Boon Keat chipped in, "It's okay! She will get well! Furthermore, she's so young! The chances of she recovering is 100%! Confirm!"

Boon Keat was not sure about that. He no longer had the energy to think about other issues besides money. Money, to him, was the most important thing he needed to solve all his family problems.

"How about your son? Now still no job?" Ah Seng asked, shaking his leg under the table. "My daughter now start work already. At this Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Not bad, earning about two thousand a month. Maybe they have positions for your son to try out. I'll ask her." He offered, inhaling the cigarette deeply.

Boon Keat sighed. "That boy! Don't talk about him! Everyday stay at home play his stupid computer game! I don't know what he is going to do with his life! He wants to rot, I don't mind let him rot, but now, we need money! I can't afford to let him rot anymore!" He grumbled and looked at his friend. "Can or not? Tell your Tanya to help."

Ah Seng sympathised his friend's situation and agreed to ask Tanya for help.

However, Boon Keat knows deep down that his friend was simply offering out of goodwill to help. If he had been truly sincere, his son would not have been jobless for a good eight months.

******************************

That night, Mrs Lee could not sleep. Her daughter had been tossing and turning on the mattress on the floor. She woke up a few times to take her daughter's temperature. If there should be any signs of fever, she must be sent to the hospital immediately.

Her husband snored loudly beside her in the dark. Mrs Lee's tears fell from the corners of her eyes as she turned her back towards her husband who reeked the smell of alcohol. She prayed every day to the Goddess of Guan Yin, but why nothing seemed to improve at all? Her family had so many problems, she could hardly breathe.

"Ma..." Vanessa's voice called out softly. She must have felt the bed moving a little when her mother shifted her body.

Mrs Lee sat up and moved herself to her daughter who was lying wide awake.

"Yes?" She whispered, soothing her daughter's long hair.

Vanessa's frail frame hugged her mother tightly. It felt like she was using all her strength because she seemed so weak. Mrs Lee was pretty amazed at how much strength her daughter possessed still.

"Ma, am I causing alot of troubles for you and pa?" She asked, her voice tingling with sadness.

"No," her mother choked back her tears, "no, ah girl. Don't say that. Pa and Ma will do all we can to help you." She continued, putting her daughter's head underneath her chin so that she could not watch the tears falling down her face.

Tears fell faster as she recalled what Vanessa's doctor told her this afternoon during her second chemotherapy session.

"She is going to lose her hair. That, you must be prepared," Doctor Ho said in a hush. "She is also going to get weaker, and skinnier. Normally, we'll give something to stop her vomitting but it depends whether her body accepts this medication well or not. Otherwise, she might still vomit even after I give her that dosage of medication." She explained.

"Then, will she be cured 100% after her chemotherapy?" Mrs Lee asked, holding the doctor's freezing hands, "please doctor! Please make her okay! She is only twenty! She still have one whole life ahead of her!" She pleaded in tears.

The doctor patted the hand and replied in a quiet voice, "I cannot promise you anything now, Mrs Lee. Wait till Vanessa finishes her chemotherapy, then we talk about it okay? For now, give her all the support she needs. Don't ever give up."

Poor daughter, she is going to lose her hair! Mrs Lee thought to herself and sobbed harder. Worst still, when she recalled how her father passed away due to liver cancer as well, she shook in fear. What if, Vanessa, like her grandfather, could not make it?

Vanessa held her mother's waist and snuggled close even though the weather was humid. "Ma, don't worry. I'll get well." She said in a little brave voice.

Mrs Lee cried loudly. She could no longer hold back her tears.

That night, Mr Lee's snores and Mrs Lee sobs could be heard all through the night.

**********************************

The next morning, after breakfast, Boon Keat went to a furniture shop opposite his house in hope to find a job. He had walked past the shop a couple of days back and saw a piece of note sticking outside the shop saying "FULL-TIME ASSISTANT REQUIRED". He bought a couple of furnitures from the shop before, so, he was quite familiar with the boss and place.

"Good morning, Ah Keat! How are you?" The boss, Lim Lai Huat welcomed him loudly from the front counter. He stepped out of the counter and went over to his ex-client, neighbourhood friend. "Coming to buy furnitures huh?" He asked in a bright voice.

Boon Keat smiled and wiped the glistening sweat off his balding head, "no, no. I'm here actually to talk to you about something."

The overweight boss laughed, "sure, sure! Come! Sit here! Got fan!" He invited and placed a stool under a ceiling fan for Boon Keat to relax on.

Boon Keat sat down and felt better. Sometimes, he cursed the weather for being too hot, however, his wife always lecture him for cursing the Gods.

Lai Huat stirred a cup of black coffee for Boon Keat and brought it over to him, "drink coffee." He offered and handed the blue tin cup to Mr. Lee.

Mr Lee took it with gratitude. They sat down and enjoyed the coffee for awhile before Boon Keat started a conversation. "So, Ah Mun not working here anymore? Why you alone today?" He asked, putting the tin cup down.

Lai Huat, in his white polo t-shirt grunted. "Don't talk about that boy! Very lazy! That other day, still can bring girlfriend come! He thought I was not coming back early, come here hanky panky! But I came back and saw them!" He complained, feeling angry again. "That girl almost going to take off her shirt already! What he think my place is? Hotel huh!" He shouted loudly, taking out his pack of cigerettes. "You smoke?" He asked, offering a cigerette to Boon Keat.

Boon Keat rejected politely, "I quitted."

Lai Huat withdrew his offer and placed the cigerette in between his lips. "Quit better. Look at me, smoke for thirty years still cannot quit. Hopeless already." He muffled as he lit his cigerette. "Very stressful nowadays. Run this shop myself, and nobody want to work for me because nowadays, young people want to work in aircon, high class place! Who will be so stupid to work here? No air con, place so old, and got such a mean boss!" He joked and laughed.

Boon Keat followed suit and shook his head, "no lah. You're not mean. I heard from Ah Mun you gave him bonus last year! Nowadays, bosses very seldom give good bonuses already. Singapore nowadays so expensive, but all the salaries also never rise. How to survive like that?" He lamented.

Lai Huat inhaled the cigerette deeply and rubbed his bulging stomach, "yah lah! This government, I really don't understand. This rise, that rise! Salary, no change! I try my best to give my workers what I can! If times are bad, I also cannot help it right?" He reasoned.

Boon Keat nodded in agreement. Speaking about the way the government works will never bring him to the main topic of being employed. Hence, he decided to stop the conversation about what the government did and concentrate on his initial intention for this visit.

"Huat ah," Boon Keat started, rubbing his bald head. "I have a request to ask from you. I wonder if you will allow." He started, looking around awkwardly.

The fat man laughed heartily as he pressed the cigerette out on a ashtray. "What? Just say!"

"Um. Since Ah Mun not working for you already, how about employing me?" He started, and paused, "you know lah, I've been jobless for four years! I kept finding and finding, but all they tell me is "we'll call you later", then, not a word from them! Some told me I'm too old for the job, but they never state on the newspaper they are looking for people below 35 what!"

Lai Huat looked at the fifty five year old man and lit another cigerette. "You know what I want my assistant to do or not? He have to carry heavy things, deliver heavy furnitures, climb up and down the ladder to fix nails, all that you know. For your age, not wise lah." He stated matter-of-factly.

Boon Keat was quick to argue. "Why? You doubt my strength is it? I can show you! I can carry a sofa all by myself! I can also lift a bed! My daughter nowadays sick, I moved my own king sized bed to the side of the room for her to sleep on the floor! I'm very strong you know! I'm also very good at fixing things! Nailing, hammering, painting, all of these I can do too! You cannot trust young people nowadays, they're too rash!" He explained and paused for half a second. "You see that Ah Mun you know already! No sense of responsibilities! Sometimes, we old men are more responsible then those young men!"

Lai Huat sat quietly, all the while listening to what Boon Keat had to say. In his mind, he was full of doubts. He knew that this man had been working as an office boy for twenty odd years, and he totally had no experience in this line, but, could he trust him? As a friend, yes. However, in terms of health, he had alot of worries.

"I won't pay much you know. Just a thousand per month. No medical benefit. No CPF, you know. Work from morning ten to at night ten. You can?" Boss asked, in the hope that Boon Keat might find the salary too low. He used to pay Ah Mun a thousand five monthly, inclusive of CPF. However, for Boon Keat, he decided not to commit too much.

Lai Huat could sense a bit of hesitation in Boon Keat and sat back. He knew that this offer was too much for anyone who once drew a salary of two thousand to accept. Besides, these are manual work, not office work.

Boon Keat looked straight into Lai Huat's eyes and finally made a positive decision. "Yes. Okay. CPF not important to me because I'm also fifty five already. No medical benefit also never mind! I hardly fall sick. Morning ten to at night ten also can because I live across the road only, so no need transport fees."

Lai Huat looked at his friend in disbelief. "Are you sure? Confirm? Hard work you know!" He asked.

Boon Keat nodded gladly. "I'm very happy to have found this job. At least now, we have an extra income."

For once, Boon Keat felt happy. Although he may have given up looking for his ideal job, he decided that for his age, this was the best God could offer him.

********************************

Boon Keat underwent some training from Lai Huat that day and he was told that the training was taught for free, so he will not be paid for that day. He learnt how to fix up a furniture and polish the drawers. He also learnt how to issue invoices and reciepts.

He reached home just in time for dinner at eight. To celebrate the success of a job interview, he bought a roast duck home for everyone.

"Boy ah! Open the gate for me!" Boon Keat called his twenty two year old son from the gate.

Jeroy, his grown up son totally ignored his father and continued to be engrossed in his online strategy game.

"Boy! I said open the door! You deaf or what!" Boon Keat shouted from the gate. Vanessa came rushing from the room and opened the front gate with the key hanging at the side of the wall.

"Pa." She greeted and helped her father with the plastic bag he was holding as he took off his shoes.

"This Ah Ming ah! Really!" He walked up to his son from the back and smacked him on his head hard.

Jeroy stood up immediately and backed off in defence. "What! You mad ah! Come home then beat people! Crazy is it!" He shouted.

Boon Keat was fuming. "Ya! Mad! Why? Because I have a useless son like you! Everyday play game, play game! Work don't want to find! Everyday do nothing! Is that what you want to do all your life?!"

"Shut up lah! Not like you're very good right! Four years never work, never bring money, still go out and drink with your friends using Ma's money! You also useless what!" The tall son shouted back and pointed at his father, "I become like this, also learn from you!"

Boon Keat slapped his son hard enough for his son to lose his balance for awhile. Jeroy leaned against the computer table and rubbed his face angrily.

Mrs Lee ran out of the kitchen and nudged her husband's arm, "what happen? Why you hit Ah Boy?!" She asked, another hand holding onto her son's muscular arm.

Jeroy shook off his mother's grip and stormed into his room. He slammed the door hard enough for Vanessa to jump from where she sat.

"I tell you! Pa found a job today! You think your pa idle at home everyday is it?! I tell you, you are not like me! I worked for twenty five years of my life to give you everything you need! Then the company sacked me and I went around looking for a job! I go out to look for job okay! You? You stay at home everyday and play your stupid game! I am going to smash your computer!" Boon Keat shouted at the closed door and unplugged all the plugs off the computer monitor angrily. "You think I'm joking! You getting from bad to worst!" He continued shouting as he took the entire monitor screen and walked out of the house.

Vanessa sat on the sofa quietly, afraid to say anything. When her father was fuming, it was better if everyone just kept quiet.

Mrs Lee shook her head and smelt something burning. "Oh no! My fish!" She yelped and went into the kitchen.

That night, Jeroy did not come out at all. He did not join them for dinner, neither did he come out to use the bathroom. His room was dead silent for the entire night. Boon Keat had instructed everyone to ignore him.

****************************

The next morning, Jeroy's room door was opened. Mrs Lee, being the first to wake up every morning, went into his room to check if her son was alright.

"Ah boy?" She called, walking into the empty room. The morning breeze blew into the room through the grilled windows, causing the flower printed curtains to flutter at its momentum.

There, she found a note on the study table. It was Jeroy's untidy handwriting and bad English.

After reading it briefly, she ran into her room in tears.

"Keat! Keat! Wake up! You see this! Ah Boy ran out of the house already!" She cried, shaking her snoring husband who was still in his dreamland.

Her husband sat up dreamily and looked at his wife. "What are you talking about?" He asked groggily.

Mrs. Lee turned on the bedside lamp so that Vanessa would not wake up and passed the crumpled note to her husband.


When you read this letter, I not here already. Go where? I also don't know. But my friends will take care of me lah! You two don't like me, think I very useless, okay lor! Now you all only have Mei to take care of, also can save more money lah! Don't have me, you don't need to feed me or pay for my electrical bill every month. Every month listen to you complain about my handphone bill and PUB bill really make me damn dulan (Hokkien term for "irritated")! I cannot stand it anymore lah! You all see what you all can do with your life! Don't need come find me already. Bye.

Boon Keat dropped the note onto his laps and stared into space for a good two minutes without speaking. His wife was sitting beside him sobbing. That was it. Not even a greeting or a sign off message.

He told his wife that Jeroy needed to experience life outside and that this trip for him, might instead do him good.

"If he comes back one day, he will be a different Ah Boy already. Let him be, "Boon Keat comforted his wife, although his heart was piercing with pain.

And so, Mrs Lee prayed to the Goddess of Guan Yin everyday for the recovery of her daughter's illness and the comeback of her son.

**********************************

It was finally Chinese New Year. A year had gone by and still no news of Jeroy. Mrs Lee flipped the newspaper everyday, hoping not to see any article of accidents or murder cases that might involve her son. No news, is always good news. She still prayed to the Goddess of Guan Yin diligently and offered fruits and tea.

The round table was filled with fresh raw meat and vegetables with an electric steamboat in the middle. The broth was boiling and Mrs Lee sat by the steamboat, waiting for her husband to come home.

Mr Lee came home at about six that day because Lai Huat had to go home for his reunion dinner.
"Sit, let's eat." Mrs Lee said with a smile when her husband opened the gate.

Boon Keat stepped into the house and sat beside his wife who had prepared a feast for him.

"This year, no reunion dinner because ah boy and ah girl not with us. Only you and me. So, we'll just settle for something simple okay?" Mrs Lee asked, lifting the lid of the steamboat.

Mr Lee looked at the two empty seats beside him and felt his heart ached. Last year, the family was seated at the reunion table, enjoying a feast of steamboat their mother prepared. This year, everything felt so empty.

He looked up at the altar and saw the Goddess of Guan Yin looking down at them. Beside her, was a photo of their beautiful daughter, Vanessa.