Episode One: Goodbye Is The Hardest Word (V)

Twinkle, why are you covered in bruises?

Scene 5: At Twinkle’s Apartment


Kan Sui Zhong has whipped out another bowl of soup. This time, chicken feet with pumpkin and adzuki beans. Interesting flavours, he thinks, as he takes a tentative sip – Daughter, come and have some!

She sits on the sofa, feet up, flipping through a magazine. The cover reads: ‘How To Know If It's The Real Thing.’

‘Daughter, this soup is going to make your skin beautiful – if you don’t drink it while it’s hot, all its efficacy will be lost!’

She gets up, walks listlessly to the table. ‘Ah Pa – I told you I’m not hungry. Why do you still insist on cooking up so much food?’

He grins. ‘Can’t a man be happy his daughter is back home? Lam-Lam, do you know how worried I was when you were away? I didn’t know when you were coming home, when I’d see you again. I was worried your departed mother will hound me for an answer!’

She tastes the soup. ‘It’s all right. Tastes not bad.’

‘Lam-Lam, I know you don’t like me to interfere with your life but I must say I’m very happy with the decision you’ve made – ’

She stares at her father. Moves to the far side of the room. For some reason, she does not feel like continuing the conversation.

‘I know Chi Yat-Po is a nice boy and all. And he’s been your best friend all these years. And he obviously cares very much for your wellbeing. But – ’

‘But what, Ah Pa, what do you want to say?’

‘Don’t jump at me. I’m not saying anything a reasonable parent wouldn’t say. Chi Yat-Po, for all his virtues, is not an equal match. Your world and his world – well, they’re worlds apart! You know we Chinese have a saying about bamboo doors facing bamboo doors ...’

She scowls at her father. ‘He is no longer in my world, as you put it, so please can we talk about something else – ’

Kan Sui Zhong sighs happily. ‘I’m glad you think this way. Chi Yat-Po is a happy fishmonger. He is satisfied with his fishing float and his fishing stall and cutting and cleaning and selling fish. He will wake up every morning and do this without complaints. Chi Yat-Po, if you’ll forgive me for saying, is just like his father – simple-minded and singularly without ambition.’

Twinkle feels her ire rising. ‘How can you say that, Ah Pa – you don’t know him as well as I do – ’

‘Hey, before you jump to conclusions, let me tell you this. When Chi Kam Kwai was a young man, he was completely like this as well. Having enough to fill his rice-bowl was all he cared about. Tell him about more enterprising matters, he’s gone – like a shot out of the door.’

‘And what’s your point, Ah Pa? Isn’t Uncle Chi Kam Kwai happy as he is? Isn’t he doing well being a good provider for his family?’

‘Good provider? You call that being a good provider? Hah, his one young son has nothing except a fish-stall and a fishing float. They live in a small apartment with two bedrooms and a tiny kitchen. Everyday, they work from sun-up to sundown doing something which every man, woman and child in Hong Kong knows is a menial, lowly job. What does Chi Kam Kwai have, I ask you?’

‘Chi Kam Kwai is contented. Isn’t that enough?’

‘Contented? Contented is what people say when they’re failures and cowards. People who can’t make headway in this world and don’t have the courage to go out there and make a grab for their piece of the pie! Now Koon Sing - that Koon Sing is a different species altogether – ’

‘I’m so glad you approve of Koon Sing – ’

Kan Sui Zhong does not notice the sarcasm in her voice.

‘With Koon Sing, you’ll never ever have to go home to a man who stinks from the sweat of his labour. With Koon Sing, you’ll be able to expand your horizons, go where your poor mother and I have never gone before. With Koon Sing, you’ll be able to see the world, conquer the world! You’ll have something Chi Yat-Po will be never able to give you. Do you know what that is?’

‘What is that, Ah Pa?’

‘Respect. Respect from people in this society. You ask yourself – how many people are going to respect the wife of a fishmonger. I dare you, go to the street and tell people – I’m the wife of a fishmonger and see what they say. See if they will give you a second glance.’

‘Ah Pa, I know you mean well for me but can we not talk about Chi Yat-Po anymore?’

‘All right, all right, as you wish. I only hope you appreciate your good fortune that a man like Koon Sing finds favour in you – ’

The doorbell buzzes.

‘Who can that be?’

Jeff’s face appears at the opened door. Kan Sui Zhong flings himself at Jeff, gives him a bear hug, to the surprise of the younger man. ‘Uncle – ’

‘Ahh, speak of the devil! Come in, my dear young man, come in. You’re just in time. Soup!’ – Kan Sui Zhong snatches up the big bunch of flowers from Jeff's hands, propels him into a chair, forces him to sit in it, drags a bowl of soup before him and forces a spoon into his hand. ‘Eat, eat! Lam-Lam, here's some flowers for you, isn't it lovely!’

Jeff digs into the soup. ‘This smells wonderful. You’re a very good cook, Uncle – thank you ...’

Kan Sui Zhong beams, he massages Jeff’s shoulder as if he were a prized bull. All of a sudden, from the corner of his eye he catches Twinkle glaring at him – ‘Ah, Koon Sing, you sit here and eat your soup. I’ve suddenly remembered I’ve got something important to do –’

‘Where are you going, Uncle?’

‘I, ahh, I’m going to see my, my – yes, my bookie. I’ve forgotten to place my numbers for this week’s lottery. You two talk as long as you wish, I’ll be out for some time. See you, daughter! See you, Koon Sing – ’ and before Twinkle can stop him, the door bangs shut behind him.

Jeff pushes the bowl of soup away. He stands up and approaches Twinkle.

‘Isn't it kind of late for you to come and see me – ’

‘Oh, don’t be silly. Isn’t it normal for a boyfriend to be eager to see his girlfriend no matter what time of day?’

She crosses her arms, hugs herself and sits down on the sofa. He hurries to her side.

‘Twinkle, I was so anxious to see you – ’

‘Why?’

‘I wanted to know if you’ve talked to Chi Yat-Po, if you’ve told him about us. What I mean to say is, is he all right? Has he come to terms with our decision to be together? Well?’

She turns her face away from him. ‘Yes, I’ve spoken to him – ’

‘And – how did he take it?’

‘As always, he was a gentleman. He told me not to worry about it, told me he’d be fine – ’

Jeff leaps up from the sofa. ‘That is great, just great!’ – he tries to pull Twinkle to her feet – ‘Come on, get dressed, let’s go out and celebrate!’

The shock and horror must have registered pretty clearly in her face because the next minute, Jeff steps back – ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, so sorry. I’m being an insensitive cad, aren’t I?’

‘Yes, you are. He was, he is – my best friend.’

‘I know, Twinkle, I know. But don’t be mad at me – isn’t it a fact I’m your best friend now. That’s what I’m supposed to be, isn’t it? A boyfriend most certainly is one's best friend, yes?’

The thought of that has not struck her before. Now she feels the full force of it. And the violence of it shocks her. Shocks her so much, she involuntarily shakes her head – ‘Oh no, oh no, what have I done? What have I done – ’

Jeff takes her into his arms, holds her so tight she can hardly breath. ‘It’s going to be okay, Twinkle. It’s going to be okay. Now you have me. You have me. You don’t need Chi Yat-Po anymore. You’ve got me!’

She shudders, cold and terribly frightened at the same time. This is not how she imagined love to be. ‘Koon Sing, let me go – I can’t breathe!’

Reluctantly, he releases her. ‘Your hands are cold – ’ he takes her hand and starts to massage it – ‘Hey, what is this? How did you injure yourself?’

She looks at her hand. Sees what he means. A big, black bruise has formed on the top section of her wrist. Quickly, she checks her other hand. A matching bruise, slightly below the left wrist.

‘What happened? How come you’re black and blue all over?’

She has no idea.

‘Did you fall down?’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘This is very weird. Did you sprain yourself by accident?’

She shakes her head. ‘No, no, nothing like that – ’ then suddenly remembers and blushes violently.

He sees her red face. ‘Why is your face so hot? Are you all right?’

‘Koon Sing, I don’t feel so well – ’

‘Have you got a fever?’ – he tries to take her temperature but she refuses to let him touch her forehead.

‘I want to go to bed. I want to sleep – ’

He looks at her, stock-still. After a few moments, he relents. ‘All right, I’ll call you tomorrow. You go to bed. Come, I’ll take you to your room – ’ but she refuses his hand. Refuses to let him take her by the elbow and lead her to her room. Instead, she shrugs him off. Pushes him towards the door. Opens the door and shoves him out.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow – ’

‘Ok, tomorrow. Tomorrow then – ’ his voice echoes forlornly on the other side of the door.

She locks the door. Quickly, she runs to her room. Once her door is locked, she inspects herself. Checks her arms all over. No, there is no other sign of bruising except that on her wrists.

She sits down on her bed and looks at her wrist. She touches the bruises. The flesh is tender, it hurts. Softly, she murmurs to herself – ‘Chi Yat-Po, you hurt me …’