An idea.

January 2003

'What could I do?' I asked. 'I would just have to accept it'
'But honey, wouldn't you try to get me back?'
'No. I'd assume if you said you wanted to break up that your mind was made up'
'Oh' she said
'Sorry babe, have I upset you?'
'No, just quite tired now'


I awoke the next morning with the same uncomfortable feeling. And that night was our last, I was flying home on Thursday. I began to worry that the trip would end on a bad note.

When I got to the office, I sent her an email, asking why she had talked about breaking up. I knew the question had been hypothetical, but the tone of my note suggested that she had worried me.

'Don't worry honey' She wrote, 'I will never break up with you. You are the person, I will spend the rest of my life with. I have no doubt. We can never break up. You promise? Promise you will stay with me forever. I can't live without you'

My mood improved.

I had lunch with Henry, and asked him about the job market and property prices in Hong Kong. The job market was very tight at the time, but he promised to look out for me, if I was interested. And property prices were lower than I'd expected. And I began to wonder.

After lunch I tried to call Maggie, but could not get connection, which was unusual. Eventually, I called her desk phone, something I did only rarely, to avoid causing her complications at work.
'My hand phone doesn't work again' she said.

We arrange to meet in Central again, where we would also meet her mother and take her to a buffet dinner. 'My mother loves to eat' she said, and then 'honey, do you know how much I love you?'

My mood improved some more, and I had an idea. One final gesture that I thought would help end the trip on a high note.