At least we would be married

January 2003

When we talked that evening, the conversation took on a new turn. ‘We could get married in the UK’ she said.

I stayed calm, ‘I guess so’ I replied, ‘but I don’t know how long we would need to wait. It takes a long time to organise a wedding I the UK.
‘How long? Honey, I don’t believe’
‘Well there is a waiting list for church weddings in the UK, I don’t know exactly, but I think about six months’
‘We always think that the westerner men don’t like to get married, so how can you have such a long waiting list?’
‘Well you are mistaken, they just marry later in the west. And all the girls like to have the church wedding’ I was making it up as I went along, but I didn’t think she could find that out.

‘Anyway’ I asked, ‘why are you asking about a UK marriage, I thought you wanted to marry in Hong Kong. Think how expensive it would be to fly all your family to UK’

‘Honey, I am just thinking how we can be together as soon as possible, you know I just want to start our happy life. Mother would not come to UK, but you know, she just wants me to be happy. Anyway seems that UK may not be such a good option. So as I say, nothing is perfect’
‘But darling, surely you want your mother to be there?’
‘Honey, nothing is perfect. I just want to be with you’

‘But babe, what would we do after we are married? I stay in UK and you go back to Hong Kong? I don’t think I could do that, do you? Just imagine how horrible that would be.’

‘But at least we would be married, and I could feel more secure’