The twilight was purple outside. Chloe realized she was seated right in the centre of the Chinese restaurant. Someone said it was called The Mansion.
She glanced around her. There were patrons of sorts. A waitress walked pass in a gleaming white cheong sam, carrying a kettle of what Chloe assumed was tea.
The Mansion was old grand. Like a big Chinese coffee shop, but classier with shiny mosaic floors and white tiled walls all around. The marble table tops added to the stark whiteness of the place.
Excitement temporarily enveloped her perpetual sadness. She heard someone’s heartbeat and wondered if it was hers. It was about time. Soon, Lee will appear.
Soon he will look at her with unbelievable delight. Soon, she will reunite with him. And he will meet her for the first time.
There was a commotion at the entrance. Lee’s auntie said someone had fallen off a bicycle. Everyone gathered at the doorway… looking, waiting, but never helping. She recognized some of Lee’s colleagues.
Then, she heard his voice. He called out softly, almost fearfully. Their eyes met she turned to look at him. Not surprisingly, his face slowly lit up.
She could feel his warmth even from 10 feet away. “He’s going to hold me,” she told herself – all the while hoping, all the while disbelieving.
“It’s really you,” Lee said, eyes boring into hers. He walked towards her. She assured herself, “Yes, he’s really going to hold me.”
“The guy should not have been riding without a helmet,” Lee’s auntie said.
Lee sighed. “These guys never learn. Is he dead?” he asked. “I’ve never seen a dead body. I want to see.” Lee was as excited as a small boy.
He got distracted when their dim sum arrived. All the bamboo steamers were laid out, covering much of the table. His attention was back to her.
“Come, darling,” Lee said tenderly to her. “Sorry, I’m late. Let’s eat.”
He sat close and looked at her face lovingly, happily. It seemed like he never wanted to moment to end. She didn’t dare hope for that.
“I want to hold you,” he said, beaming from ear to ear. He moved closer. Very close yet never close enough to touch her. Again, she felt his warmth.
“Will you put your arms around me?” she asked. She knew he wanted to. And she could see he was happy she asked.
He put down his phone receiver and said, “I have to go to the office for awhile.” He sighed helplessly. “I’ll be right back.”
With that he disappeared through the crowd. She saw that the fallen cyclist had gotten up. Lee’s auntie was helping him with a helmet.
Outside, twilight had turned to night. The streets were busy. Chloe looked through the window and wondered where she was. Penang came to mind. Then her phone rang. It was Lee.
“I’m walking back from the office now OK?” He sounded like he was walking briskly – jogging even, perhaps. She also detected a hint of desperation in his voice.
“OK, dear. Don’t worry. I’ll wait for you,” she assured him gently.
Lee appeared at the doorway again. He smiled at her and walked to the table. He looked at the rice and dishes laid out.
“It’s healthier than dim sum,” Lee’s mother said. “You’ve been eating out too much. Have home-cooked food for a change.”
Lee was frustrated now. “But we want to be alone,” he told his mum as politely as he could. “Please understand, you can’t eat with us.”
His mum walked away, surprisingly unperturbed. Lee looked at Chloe. A quizzical look flashed across his face. “He noticed I’m in a different dress,” she thought happily.
“Will you still let me put my arms around your shoulders?” he asked. Again, they sat closely next to each other. Yet again, there was no contact.
“Yes, please.” She looked down at her lap quietly, waiting for the touch she’d been waiting forever for. Nothing happened. When she looked up, Lee was across the hall.
He was talking to his best friend Darren. They were looking out the window and laughing. “The water looks good,” Darren said.
“Yeah, man! Let’s go now.” They ran out together and not once did he look back. She could hear Lee say he was going to dive in to the sea.
Chloe sighed. It had happened again.
She sat in silence and yearning. Everyone at the Mansion had disappeared. Even the tiled walls were gone. The floor had become golden sand. She saw Lee at the edge of the cliff. The wind was strong and unpleasant.
“I think the fan’s too strong,” Chloe said.
Lee dove off the cliff. Chloe anticipated the impending darkness that would soon swallow her. “He’ll wake up the moment he hits the water,” she thought sadly.
“Then, who knows when he’ll dream about me again.”
Note: This just a short story I wrote. It was inspired by some book I bought by mistake. Critiques welcome. : )
