Fiction: Group 4
when she stated she was nearly thirteen. “One-tree!” “One-three, Thirteen?” I had questioned whilst
subtlety trying to teach her. “Thir-tean!” She caught on.
I smiled and softly clapped. “That was absolutely wonderful! Maili! Hun Haao!” Throwing out all of the
positive adjectives in my existing range of Chinese.
“And thank you for the tea and buns.” I gestured to both the items respectively and nodded a bit trying to
show my gratefulness.
“Yu ar welcome, pretty lady.” In good humour, she did a short grand bow and I laughed at both the ‘pretty
lady’ and her playful gesture. And again, she slipped back to the kitchen.
I glanced at my husband and found him still with his group of friends, low murmurs and laughs about god
knows what. Focusing back at the plate of buns, I picked up one of the no longer imaginary bun and stuffed
it into my mouth. I chewed slowly, contemplating on the strange taste. There was meat in this one, the taste
of the bread was still oddly sweet and the stuff inside tasted like vegetable flavoured meat… Well, I think I
enjoyed the previous bun that I had earlier that day. A sweet bun that oozed with warm yellow paste and
then I realized she gave me yet another type of bun to try instead of the one I asked for. I guess it was her
way of trying to expose me to their different flavoured buns. I shrugged, it wasn’t awfully bad nor life
threatening like how some people believed trying new food to be. I snorted grabbing another bun, my
husband was one of those people. Speaking of my husband, he was making his way back to our small table,
looking content. I’m not sure I could say the same about myself. Seems like I never get to speak to him
properly anymore.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”
I smiled back recalling all the times I’ve waited for him. “When have you ever.” I was just that patient. Or I
at least learnt to become. After all the nights, days, and months I’ve waited for him. And when I had first
developed emotions towards this man- the owner of a small glass shop at that time, I had also waited for
him to make a move. It took him a good two years. God forbid if he had taken any longer, I would’ve
snapped. I nudged the plate towards him and he cringed.
I smacked his arm. “At least try it before rejecting it!” He reluctantly took a nibble, not even big enough to
reach the stuffing of the bun. I sighed. “David.” He sighed and took another bigger bite.
For a moment, I almost regretted forcing him to try it for he looked sick and his eyes stared to water. He
excused himself again and retreated to the restroom. I let him go without any quarrels, feeling quite guilty. I
reached for the last bun and began to devour it. Finishing it, I sadly looked at the bun on the ground which
David had dropped in his haste. It was such a waste.
My mind had begun to wander back to the silk carpets when MeiLing came up to the table to fetch the
empty plate. Such an attentive little girl she was, almost as if she had eyes all over the place. She looked at
the fallen bun in confusion, then distress and then expressed her concerns. “Bao no good?”
I laughed “No, no! It was delicious- it was good! But my- David! Are you okay?” He came up behind
MeiLing, still looking a bit queasy.
He smiled nonetheless. “Yes dear, I got it out of my system.”
“Good, good. I’m awfully sorry for forcing that on you, didn’t think you’d react so badly,” I frowned.
“It’s alright. I’m still alive” He laughed. And I’m glad David wasn’t like most men who’d react quite
absurdly to my pushy nature. I suddenly brightened. “I would like to introduce you to someone who had
given me her company the majority of the day. Isn’t she such a doll?” I gestured to MeiLing.
But he looked confused and then laughed, “I would tell you but I need to actually see that person first
Sandra!”
It was my turn to be confused. “But David, she’s standing right in front of you.”
“What are you talking about Sandra?” He suddenly turned serious. “There’s no one there.”
My breath got caught in my throat. I wanted to cry, to shout, and to tell him that she was there, her back to
me. She was there, looking at David. I started shaking. “Sandra? You’re shaking, are you alright?”
I couldn’t answer him. I was stuck. I couldn’t look away from her back. I couldn’t breathe.
She was there.
-“Pretty lady?”
