Tomorrow?

February 2003

A couple of days later, I was in Newcastle airport, returning to London. Since it was nearly 4pm UK time, I called Maggie before getting onto the flight.

We talked for a while, and then I warned Maggie that I had less time than usual, as my flight was at 4.45pm. She said, ‘honey, I spoke to my father today’

I was surprised. I didn’t immediately connect this to the conversation we’d had earlier in the week. ‘You did?’ I asked.
‘He said he wanted to speak to me because my mother told him that I am getting married’
‘Shit babe, I thought you promised me to wait’
‘Honey, I know but mother wanted to tell him now. We tried yesterday, but could get connection’

‘So what did he say?’
‘Quite surprising. I never expect this. He asked me to resign my job, so I can spend more time with my mother, before I go to UK. He ask about you, and said that I must be old enough to make decision about my future life’

‘Babe, I can’t agree to that. You mustn’t give up you job’
‘But if you say that, means you are not serious to me, means you don’t really want to get married’
‘No. It is just such a big step. We need time to think it through’
‘What is there to think? Honey, I have to quit the job if I come to UK. So what is the difference’
I hadn’t really thought about that. I never really thought about her coming to UK. What could I say? Her argument was logical.
‘Look it is just a shock that’s all, let me think about it for a while, get used to it. When are you thinking of resigning?’
‘Tomorrow’
‘Tomorrow? Babe just wait a couple of days’

My father

February 2003

The following night, we’d barely said hello, when Maggie said, ‘you know what honey, tonight I have the dinner with my sister and mother, as I told them we will get married at Easter, and I will move to UK to be with you’
‘Babe, I thought we agreed to wait before telling them’
‘Ha ha, honey I know we did but, but I cannot wait. You know I am such a rush person, I never can wait’
Her laugh was so infectious that anger was impossible. ‘What did they say?’
‘Well my sister question me. She say I do not know you long. How do I know you will treat me well? Are you really serious to me, or are you playing the games. That kind of thing’
‘I thought those bloody questions had gone away’
‘Honey, don’t be angry. You know she care of me only. She always treat me like another daughter. But you know what honey, my mother defended you. She say you are the good guy, very sincere and very loving to me. When my mother say that, then my sister agree. So I am very happy’
‘But you should have waited’
Honey, don’t say that, or I will be unhappy’
‘Ok babe’
‘He he he he he’

‘Right, don’t do anything else. Lets talk it through properly next week, when we are face to face’
I felt in danger of losing control of all this. I had this picture in my mind of Maggie’s family arriving in London. Then what? Would they be able to find me? I knew Maggie had my office address. But what could they do? They could cause me a lot of discomfort, I knew that.

‘Honey, my mother say that they have to speak to my father’
‘Why?’
‘Well he has to give his approval’
‘Does he? Why? Babe, please wait until we have spoken next week’

Hong Kong again

February 2003

‘Of course we cannot share with someone else. We will need some privacy. Tom’s room is right next to mine. I can hear him snore. I think you know what I am talking about’
‘Naughty honey. But you are right, I agree. But you will have to take responsibility for that. How long will it take?
‘I don’t know. I know the property market is booming’

That evening I started to formulate a plan to return to Hong Kong, and the following day wrote to Henry that I wanted to meet up to catch up with outstanding actions, and start the process of moving more work to Shanghai.

Fortunately, he gave his support, and suggested that I make my visit to Hong Kong coincide with Nicky’s trip from Shanghai.

Armed with this, I sought the usual approval, suggesting that I would need one week.

A phone call from my boss soon followed, he questioned the need for the trip, and said that I had been absent a lot recently. In the end we compromised on a four day trip which included a part working weekend. But at least I was going to Hong Kong again at the end of the month.

The message was clear though; my trips would get closer scrutiny in the future. Maybe this really was my last trip.

Maggie was very happy when I gave her the news. ‘It’s only 4 nights though babe’
‘Still I am happy. Now I will see you soon’
‘Then we can talk properly about our plans’ I suggested.
‘Ok honey, I can’t wait. Where will you stay? Let me check for you. Find somewhere more convenient than the City Garden’
‘But my company get a corporate rate there’‘How much they pay? I might be able to get a promotion offer at another hotel. Save money. I will let you know tomorrow’

Delayed

February 2003

‘Babe, we can talk about it later ok. Please don’t talk to anyone else before then’
‘Ok honey, call me anytime’

This gave me a few hours to think. I was rather enjoying all the talk of marriage, but I didn’t want her talking to her mother or, even worse, her sister. I didn’t want to create that expectation.

I called her minutes before our agreed 11pm curfew. ‘Babe, I don’t think you should talk to your mother yet. Not until we are have definite plans’
‘I think I need to tell them something’
‘Yes, but just wait until I can find out a bit more information. I might need a visa to go to US, I don’t really know, and do we need to book anything? I am not sure. So better find out first’
Reluctantly ‘Ok honey’
‘And as I said, I am not happy to marry until I am certain of my transfer to Hong Kong’
‘Any news, honey?’
‘Well, I checked, and it seems as if the contract has been delayed, its not a certainty yet, but that’s the way it is looking. And without that contract the business in Hong Kong is really struggling. They don’t have much work. Certainly not enough to cover my expat salary’
‘So what shall we do?’
‘Well let me double check first babe’

Then I asked, ‘weren’t you planning to come to the UK for Easter anyway?
‘But you know honey, I think UK can wait’
‘I was just thinking it would be better if you met my mother before we got married’
‘But honey, I don’t think you are that close with your mother’
‘Oh, why not?’
‘Because, the western families are not so close, not like us, as soon as the children growed up they leave home. Look at me honey, still living with my mother, I don’t think you will do that’

Now it is different

February 2003

‘Babe, I am saying for example only. Hopefully it will be much less than that, but you see what I mean? How can we go and get married and then be forced to part?’
‘You still don’t know when you can come over, right?’
‘No. The business here is very busy, but in Hong Kong, the business is quiet. They expect to win a big contract, if that happens, they may need me quite quickly, otherwise it could take some time’
‘I never know this when I met you. Then I think you are living in Hong Kong already. Now it is different. I love you already. Well honey, you never know, maybe your company will get the project soon, and then we can go to Las Vegas’

Then I asked her if she’d heard about the illness in Guangdong.
‘No honey, we haven’t heard of that, but is not surprising, the people of Guangdong are so dirty. Never know how they can live like that’
‘I doubt they get much choice. Anyway, I am not sure this illness is caused by being dirty’
‘What is the causes of that then?’
‘I don’t know. I just mentioned it, so that you can be a bit more vigilant. If you get another cold, or flu, you should go straight to the doctor’
‘Ok honey, but I am ok now’

After that, the story went away, and we didn’t talk about it again.

The next I had the following note:

‘I will talk to mother and sister, and tell them that we will get married at Easter’

I wrote a quick reply; ‘Babe, please do not talk to them, until we have had chance to speak’

But then I decided to call her, even though I knew she would still be at work, in case she hadn’t received the email.

Strange form of pneumonia

February 2003

‘Would you be happy with that?’
‘Well, nothing is perfect honey, and we don’t have to wait and is much cheaper I think. You know I don’t need expensive wedding’
‘I know, but I don’t want you to feel disappointed afterwards’
‘Honey, I understand, but don’t worry, once we register I will be happy enough…… So what do you think?’
I thought it was an awful suggestion; ‘Well if you are sure’

That evening, working late, I was idly reading the news on Yahoo. A report caught my eye. There were sporadic reports from the Guangdong province of southern China that hundreds of people were falling ill with what was described as ‘a strange form of pneumonia’.

I copied the report and sent it to Maggie, asking her to watch out for any flu like symptoms. It was less than a fortnight ago, that we had been traveling in Guangdong.

I was a bit surprised the following morning that she had ignores the note. Instead she sent me details of websites and information about weddings in Las Vegas.

That evening she asked me ‘Can you get the leave, at Easter? That is a holiday for you guys, isn’t it?’
‘As far as I know’ I said and then I asked her what she was planning, saying that I still didn’t have a date for my transfer to Hong Kong.
‘I think at least we can register, that is most important’

‘Are you saying that we go to Las Vegas at Easter, get married, and then continue to live apart, until I am able to come to Hong Kong?’
‘Not good huh honey?’
‘It would be horrible, what if I can’t move for another 6 months? Then what?’
‘Honey, I never think it will be that long. You never tell me that.

Viva Las Vegas

February 2003

‘Somewhere else? What do you mean somewhere else? You don’t mean the UK? What about your family and friends?’
‘Honey, friends are not important. Do you know how much it the wedding dinner will cost? Of course they will come to eat the dinner, you don’t know Hong Kong people, they will just bring the little gift. So I think better not, better save the money’
‘But do you really want to upset them?’
‘Oh, doesn’t matter. As I said family is much important, not friends. Friends are ok to talk or sometimes the dinner, that’s all. You know if I want to buy the new dress, I never go with friends, they are not honest, they may tell you to buy the dress even though it is not nice looking, because they are jealous, something like that. I always go with mother or sister, only they can be trusted’
‘Do you ever see any of your friends?’
‘Sometimes might meet up for lunch, but in the evening I just rather be at home. You know after the work, will be tired, so just lie in the bed watching tv. Honey, you know I don’t go out much, I am always here waiting for your call.
‘You should try to see them sometimes babe, otherwise you will lose touch’

‘So honey, what do you think?’
‘About what?’
‘We could go for travelling and get married’
‘I don’t know, what about your mother?’
‘She will not mind. She will just be happy that we registered’
‘By registered, you mean marry?’
‘Yes’

‘Honey, We just need to think about you and me. Not the others. We will be together for the rest of life. I will not live with my mother, I will live with you. I think we have to be selfish’
‘So what do you have in mind?’
‘Honey, you know what?
‘What?’
‘We could get married in Las Vegas’

St Valentine

February 2003

I awoke early the next morning because I wanted to send an email to Maggie, and the dial up from my room, I knew from past experience, would take an age.

When I finally got connection, I sent her a picture of a single red rose with a short version of the St Valentines story. It was Valentines day. I assumed that St Valentine would mean something to her.

When I arrived in work, I got her reply; ‘so happy to receive your valentines message, and today I opened the card that come to the office for me, you know it said from my secret admirer? Who is that secret admirer? I think he is my handsome sexy superman’

I wrote back; ‘I cannot know who your secret admirer might be. I think you might have many’

Later, I got another email; ‘You know what honey, the beautiful flowers were delivered to me just now. From my secret admirer. We know who that is, don’t we. Thank you honey, you give me so much face’

A while later, the receptionist called me to say that Maggie was on the phone. This was unusual, she rarely called me.

‘Hi honey’ She said,’ I couldn’t wait to talk to you and tell you thank you for the flowers, they are so beautiful. Everyone in the office says so. They all notice that. They can see that you love me. This is my perfect day. And it is all thanks to you’

And when she got home there was another card waiting. I’d given it to her sister before leaving Hong Kong. That one was signed by me.

It was a happy conversation that evening. All the difficulties of the past few days were forgotten.

‘Tomorrow, I will take the camera to work and take pictures of the flowers, then you can see next time we meet’