Sure, April said. Every month, when I visit the doctor, I have an ultrasound. They found out last appointment. Andys very happy. He says he wants to keep it now. She leaned back and smiled with satisfaction. Were a family. I knew it would all work out.
Thats so wonderful, April, I said. So youre all together now?
Yes, but not living together. He doesnt have time, he needs to be on the Island to be close to work. So he lives on Hong Kong Island, and Im at Discovery Bay with the domestic helper. He comes and sees me once every few weeks, and tells me how happy he is.
What about the other wife?
She doesnt matter, April said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Louise and I shared a look.
Is he still in the same work, April? I said, carefully not mentioning Andys underworld connections in front of Louise.
He says hes not involved any more, April said, obviously happy. Hes working in Aunty Kittys business. Mostly in China.
Im pleased for you, I said, and I meant it.
Louise looked up from her menu. Soft-shell crab. Want some?
Cant eat crab while Im pregnant, April said.
Why not? I said.
It will make the baby a criminal. Scuttle sideways, like a crab.
What else cant you eat? I said, trying to keep the disbelief from my voice.
Lots of stuff, April said. Have to be careful. Not make my blood too hot or too cold. The Chinese doctor keeps an eye on me. I drink Chinese medicine, to stay strong. Aunty Kitty is looking after me very well, she has doctors who are looking after me.
Kitty Kwok?
She says she misses you from the kindergarten, Emma. She says you should go and visit her at her house. She keeps asking me to take you over there.
I didnt say anything. Kitty Kwok still called me, and approached me at charity functions, and I still carefully avoided her. I was sick to death of the woman. But at least she was helping April with the baby.
Im not going through that when I have a baby, Louise said grimly.
What? I hesitated. What?
Oh, didnt I tell you? Louise said with an evil grin. Im off to get married at the end of the month. Say bye bye, ladies, Im marrying a king.
No! I shouted, and heads snapped around to look at me. I lowered my voice. Dont you dare go off with that bastard!
The waiter approached and we ordered quickly.
After he had gone I turned to Louise. If you go off with him nobodyll ever see you again. For Gods sake, Louise, dont do this!
A king? April said, trying to keep up.
Yep, Louise said with satisfaction. She eyed me sideways. Watch this, Emma, this is really good. She turned back to April. Im marrying an Arab sheik. A king. Filthy rich. Ill be moving to the Middle East at the end of the month. Say ta-ta.
Youre marrying one of them? You have to wear those veils and things, you know, April said, explaining. You cant go out in public. And they sometimes have more than one wife. If hes really rich it might be worth it, but if hes not then its a waste of time.
Oh my God, you are so mercenary sometimes, April. I leaned forward to speak intensely to Louise. This is such a bad idea. You do know how many wives he has already?
Theyre great. Ive met some of them, Louise said. They came with him to explain. They all help each other, look after each other, great friends. Cant wait.
Dont let his I hesitated. I chose my words. His prowess cloud your judgement, Louise. Once youre over the novelty, you have to live with him, and share him.
You know him too, Emma? April said. He has wives already?
Prowess? Louise said still grinning. Wouldnt know, the guy hasnt touched me. The grin widened. He is a perfect gentleman; you have to marry him and go with him before hell do anything. Like I said, cant wait.
I put my head in my hands. Oh God. Louise dropped her voice to a low purr. Soft white fur.
I folded my arms on the table and dropped my head on them. I wanted to bang my head on the table. Oh God! I am going to kill that bastard when I see him! I glared up at her. He promised me hed stay away from you!
Oh, that explains it, Louise said. I had to chase him around for ages. Took a long time to finally make him give in.
I buried my head in my arms. I am going to kill him.
The waiter came back and I lifted my head. He placed four jelly coconut milk drinks and a pineapple rice on the table, and turned away.
I stopped him. We didnt order this.
He froze, then his face stiffened. He picked up the drinks and the rice with disdain and stomped away.
What did your family say when you told them? I said.
Theyre not speaking to me. She changed her voice so that she sounded very stern and spoke down her nose. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am. She grinned. Makes it easier, really.
Youre throwing your whole life away to be one of a hundred, I said.
One hundred and seventeen. But the first fifty or so are really old and ugly. No competition. He just keeps them around cause he has to. Her eyes sparkled. Like you can talk, anyway. I hear yours has scales. Yuck.
What are you talking about? April said, completely bewildered.
The waiter came and plonked some dishes onto the table. He glared at me. We ordered some drinks too, I said. He stomped off.
Scales? April said softly. You have a man, Emma? Not this Chen man, is it?
Yep, Louise said with satisfaction. Engaged to him.
You going to marry John Chen? April turned away. Lucky you. Whens the wedding?
Not for a long time, April. A lot of problems. May never happen at all.
Lighten up, Emma, Louise said. The Tiger says itll happen.
I didnt say anything.
Why did you say he has scales? April said. Hes a turtle, Louise said with relish. I glanced up quickly. April inhaled sharply, her eyes very wide.
You say that about Emmas man? You insult Emma too? What a horrible thing to say!
What? Louise said, not understanding. What did I say?
April leaned across the table towards Louise. You said hes a turtle, she hissed.
Thats a shocking insult, Louise, I said.
Is it? No wonder the Tiger says it all the time. Louise grinned. What does it mean?
Man who cannot satisfy wife, April said, very softly. Wife turns to other men.
Cuckold, I said.
Whoa. Louises eyes widened with delight. Cool. Good one.
Same thing as wearing a green hat, April said.
Why turtle? Louise said. Why is that particular animal the insult?
I didnt want to discuss it. I have no idea.
I dont know either, April said. Just turtle is very offensive animal. Lot of insults attached to it.
I studied them. April: living in dreamland, believing she had a family when she only saw her man every few weeks. Louise: willing to share a man with more than a hundred others. And me.
I was probably the most pathetic of us all.
Will I still be able to see you, Louise? I said.
Since you know all about it, you might be able to talk to me occasionally, Louise said, still obviously happy. Dont count on anything; usually when we go there were gone for good. Never seen again.
What? April said. You dont mean that, do you? I dont understand.
Your poor family, I whispered.
Thoroughly worth it. Louise glanced down at the dishes. Is this what we ordered?
I looked at the dishes as well and sagged. Nope.
The economic downturn hasnt affected this place at all, Louise said as she tried to catch the waiters eye. They still act as if theyre doing us a favour by letting us eat here.
Im glad everything turned out for all of us, April said. Well all be happy married women.
I really did feel the need to bang my head on the table.
I tapped on Johns office door and opened it a crack. Free to talk?
Just let me save this file, he said, studying the computer, then turned and leaned his elbows on the pile of papers on his desk. What?
Its May fifth. The festivals started. And you havent done anything.
Aiya, he said, and I giggled. What?
Aiya, he said, and I giggled. What?
Thats an extremely Cantonese sound coming from you, I said, still smiling.
Ive heard you say it too. You can pick people who have lived in Hong Kong for any length of time, even expats. They all say it.
Cheung Chau, I said, bringing him back to the point.
Aiya, he said again. Its already started?
The buns are up, John. The three effigies have already been built.
Whens the big day?
Three days from now. May eighth. I sighed with exasperation. Why dont you ever look in your diary?
I have a secretary and I have you, he said. I dont need to.
You forgot your own birthday, Pak Tai.
You know its not my birthday, he said impatiently. Its the Buddhas birthday. They just lumped me into the holiday because it was convenient.
Did you know him?
Who?
The Sakyamuni Buddha.
He hesitated, watching me, then, No.
What about the teachings?
What about them?
Are they true? The Buddhist Precepts?
He sighed. You know better than to ask me that, Emma. You know you have to find your own way.
I shrugged it off, it was worth a try. Okay, so whens your birthday?
You know I have no idea, he said. After four and a half thousand years Id challenge anybody to have an idea. I doubt if I was ever actually born, anyway. I just am.
Well then, Eighth Day of the Fourth Moon it is. May eighth this year. Three days from now. Thursday.
He leaned back and retied his hair. Aiya.
Ive already cancelled all your classes, and booked the boat to take us over. We leave at ten in the morning. Okay?
He grinned broadly. You already arranged it?
Of course I did. You dont think Id leave it to you, do you?
Cheung Chau was a dumbbell-shaped island about an hours boat ride from Central Pier. The island was only three hundred metres wide at its narrowest point and hardly any height above sea level. The two weights on the dumbbell stretched to either side, and were slightly higher.
The island was completely packed with people for the festival. John carried Simone so that she wouldnt be crushed.
The air was full of the noise of shouting, drums and gongs, and the smells of food and sweat. A thick pall of incense smoke hung over the entire island.
We stopped for lunch at one of the small restaurants near the pier before we went anywhere. The restaurants usually specialised in live seafood, held in tanks next to the kitchen. Diners could select exactly which fish and shellfish they wanted, how they wanted them served, and the restaurant would oblige. But for the week of the Bun Festival the entire island of Cheung Chau went vegetarian in Pak Tais honour. The butcher shops closed for the holidays.