Memoirs
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Memoirs Part V
After freshening up it was time for dinner and I couldn't wait to savour my mum's cooking after all those years. My brother had arrived with his wife, and to my greatest surprise she was already 6 months pregnant! Time passes fast, and I felt like I'd lost touch with my family. Yet I never felt alone, and I attributed that to the love that Chloe had shown to me the past months, and instantly felt that there would be no one else in the world that I would ever love again.
Chloe was already downstairs helping my mum with dinner preparations. I was just beside myself with glee. How could she just blend in so well? Chatting with my brother and his wife while fiddling with tongs trying to get little bite-sized appetizers on a large dish seemed like something sheÂ’d been doing for years. She obviously needed no introduction to the rest of my family.
“Bunny, you didn’t comb your hair again! It’s so messy!” She exclaimed while I sat myself down on a chair giving my brother a friendly punch on the shoulder.
“You know, I’ve never said this to you before, but while my mum’s still around, you are not to take over her role to nag me.” I smirked back. Ha! Looks like I won that one.
“That’s not funny…” She trailed off, and continued with what she was doing. Oh no, was she upset? I didn’t have time to think before my brother and I started busying ourselves with man talk, which always seemed to divert towards the topic of photography. I guess that was one of the rare things that he and I had in common. Still, I loved and missed him so.
Dinner was, as usual, belt bursting, even though I wasnÂ’t wearing one. Thank God for elastic bands, I thought to myself. However, I wasnÂ’t too worried about my over-eating as I was about ChloeÂ’s silence towards me. She was amiable to the rest of my family but it seemed weird that for once, her attention wasnÂ’t on me. I couldnÂ’t quite figure out if I was just being sensitive, or that she was deliberately ignoring me. Sometimes I hate being a man, for we can never tell such things.
After my brother and I did the dishes, I grabbed Dad’s keys and said, “Dad, I need to go out for a sec, taking your car hor?” and didn’t bother waiting for an answer. He probably just grunted anyway. To my surprise, Chloe didn’t bat an eyelid. Didn’t she want to know where I was going? Looks like I’m in the deep end this time, I thought, and left.
When I returned, she was already in bed reading. I entered our room tentatively, and she put her magazine aside and snuggled under the covers, facing away from me. I walked up to her from behind and sat down beside her.
“Dear, I’m back. Can I have a kiss?” I coerced.
“I’m trying to sleep…” She managed. The temperature definitely dropped a few degrees there.
OK, I thought to myself. This wasnÂ’t going to be easy. I left her alone and proceeded to undress myself and got into my pajamas, hoping that sheÂ’d break the silence. I knew her well; she just wouldnÂ’t be able to keep mum about her unhappiness for long. And I was right.
“Where did you go?” Her icy-cold voice stung.
I remained silent for a while. “Well?” She demanded.
“When I left the house I knew you were angry at me because you didn’t even bother to ask where I was going. I didn’t have anywhere to go, just wanted to see if you were really angry.”
“I’m not angry what…” She was such a bad liar, it was almost cute.
“Anyway since everything was closed, I drove around aimlessly for a while until I remembered a MacDonald’s restaurant that opened late. So I went there and got a few straws to make you these.” From my pockets, I produced twelve stars made out of folding the straws and showed them to her, hoping she would notice the sores on my fingers from folding the thick plastic. They don’t make them that thin like those found at the kopitiams in Singapore that’s for sure.
Her eyes lighted up.
“I’m sorry dear, I think I have a good idea why you’re pissed off, I just don’t want to start this holiday on a bad note.” I sat next to her while she picked up one of the stars off my hand and threw them childishly back at the rest of the eleven. And repeating that a couple of times. Her sweet innocence was returning, and a hidden smile seemed to slowly reveal itself on her tender lips.
“So you like the stars anot?” I probed. “I haven’t made these in 5 years. Wasn’t easy since these straws are so hard, you know.” The most innocent look of my life adorned my face and I took a great deal of effort to make it stay, since my smile was also oozing out of my lips.
She grabbed a star, and instead of throwing it back at the pile, she threw it in my face playfully. “You’re not off the hook ok?” This time her smile was uncontrolled, and turned away so as not to give me the pleasure of her immaculate beauty.
“Oh yes I am!” I exclaimed. “Yippie! I’m off the hook liow.” I stared jumping up and down on the bed and sprinkled the stars on her head. That was certainly something I did not want anyone else to see. A 30-year-old man treating his bed as a trampoline yelling “Yippie” wouldn’t go down well with society, I figured.
“Hey stop it, you’re making me dizzy!” So I stopped, and asked her, “Do you know why I made twelve stars?”
“Well, I know twelve roses means ‘Be mine’, but I’m already yours mah.” Cheeky grin. “So what does it mean?”
“It means the number of children you’re gonna bear for me!”
“Yeah right, in your dreams!” Now she was really back to her usual self. I was just so happy. I never ever wanted her to be angry with me again. Not that it’s easy though. I moved under the covers so she could snuggle tightly in my arms. Her breathing was light, and I could feel it on my bare chest. She started to speak again.
“Bunny, you know why I was angry right? When you were gone I was thinking that I was over-reacting, but then, did you know I’m under a lot of pressure?”
I was a little shocked. What did she mean by that? Reading my thoughts, she continued. “Meeting your family has been one of the things that I’ve always looked forward to, yet I feel pressured because I didn’t know what they would think of me. Especially when you told me about Andrea and how your mum hated her. That scared me you know. And just now, your stupid comment on how I was taking over your mother’s role wasn’t funny at all. What if she took it the wrong way? I just didn’t like it. Luckily she didn’t seem bothered by it. Obviously she knows your nonsense better than I do!” With that she proceeded to thump my chest. She’s been in the habit of doing that lately. “So that’s why I was all annoyed and scared. I really love you, and your family, and I don’t want them to hate me.”
She sounded so forlorn that it wrenched my heart into the most oddly contorted shape. I was so touched. Here I was thinking it was a little squabble between a couple that I knew I could “fix” while she was introspecting about the future of our relationship. For the first time in my life, impending commitment in a relationship didn’t scare me at all. I knew I was important to her since she felt this way, and felt so idiotic that I hadn’t been able to sense this apprehension in her. ‘Bloody men’, I used that excuse again.
I sighed. “I’m so so so sorry dear. I had no idea you thought that much. I mean I always knew you wouldn’t have problems with my parents. I guess I should’ve reassured you. Why hadn’t you spoken to me about this?”
“Didn’t want to worry you lor. I usually just tell myself that I was thinking too much.”
“Hey, I don’t want you to keep anything from me ok? And stop feeling that you’re not as important to me as my family and all that nonsense, in case you are thinking that way, ok?”
“Ok bunny…” She was sleepy now. All the anxiety about meeting my family and the long periods of traveling seemed to finally culminate in an exhausted and spent body and mind of my beloved Chloe. I was glad she was in my arms. No one in this world would ever fill those arms again.
We slept soundly that night, under the clear star-lit skies of Brisbane, and among the MacDonaldÂ’s straw stars scattered over lilac satin sheets.
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Great story.....
And she's perfect... isn't she.....
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thanx lilo~Originally posted by lilogirl:Great story.....
And she's perfect... isn't she.....
well so far.. yeap!! ahhaha..
but i guess different guys find different types of girls "perfect". guess we're all searching for the "perfect" one for ourselves.
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if you were to write in the girl's perspective... i think he would be as perfect for her as she is to him..........Originally posted by jOhO:thanx lilo~~
well so far.. yeap!! ahhaha..
but i guess different guys find different types of girls "perfect". guess we're all searching for the "perfect" one for ourselves.
reading tis makes me realise... tat guys are really like us girls..... tat they do think and feel after all..... i was beginning to believe otherwise.... -
wah...Originally posted by lilogirl:if you were to write in the girl's perspective... i think he would be as perfect for her as she is to him..........
reading tis makes me realise... tat guys are really like us girls..... tat they do think and feel after all..... i was beginning to believe otherwise.... 
two things: didn't know the male lead was so perfect in your eyes (since the male lead has many of my traits, or many of the traits i strive for, at least) and, that the story can make u think so positively. it's definitely a good thing and i'm flattered!
dun lose hope lilo! hope keeps me going, and keeps me writing! -
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the male lead thinks and really do love the girl...... tat alone is a wonderful thing liao.....Originally posted by jOhO:wah...
two things: didn't know the male lead was so perfect in your eyes (since the male lead has many of my traits, or many of the traits i strive for, at least) and, that the story can make u think so positively. it's definitely a good thing and i'm flattered!
dun lose hope lilo! hope keeps me going, and keeps me writing!
lik a i say.. i really like it... keep up the great work...
can't wait for your next chapter....
hope.... no lar... not losing any.... cos dun have any????
... joking lar.... -
yeah he does. i can feel it!Originally posted by lilogirl:the male lead thinks and really do love the girl...... tat alone is a wonderful thing liao.....
lik a i say.. i really like it... keep up the great work...
can't wait for your next chapter....
hope.... no lar... not losing any.... cos dun have any???? ... joking lar....
thanx for the encouragement. making me melt leh. think if i listen to u play piano that's it for me liow. 
hmm i wonder if chloe can play the piano. -
Joho...i dunno what to say... you're brilliant.. you really love this girl don't you? lucky girl! BTW, I've started some writing after you asked me if I did, and it's sort of like the gir's perspective to your stories.. wanna read?
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yo questor...!Originally posted by questor:Joho...i dunno what to say... you're brilliant.. you really love this girl don't you? lucky girl! BTW, I've started some writing after you asked me if I did, and it's sort of like the gir's perspective to your stories.. wanna read?
wah u always seem to appear when i post a new entry to my stories leh.. getting kinda freaky ahhaha..
of course i wanna read. open a new thread and post. gogogogogo. -
Originally posted by jOhO:yeah he does. i can feel it!
thanx for the encouragement. making me melt leh. think if i listen to u play piano that's it for me liow.
hmm i wonder if chloe can play the piano. ...
well she's your perfect gal.... so it's up to you to shape her the way u wan her to be.......
i guess playing piano reflects a sense of artistic air in a person.... ..... if only everybody knows the real truth...... -
your loyal fan mahz.....Originally posted by jOhO:yo questor...!
wah u always seem to appear when i post a new entry to my stories leh.. getting kinda freaky ahhaha..
of course i wanna read. open a new thread and post. gogogogogo.
next time if you ever become a famous writer... dun forget us.......
i wan an autograph copy of every of your published book!!!!!!! -
cannot lar.. so good meh? wat professional writer and professional photographer.. kaoz i only amatuer!!Originally posted by lilogirl:your loyal fan mahz.....
next time if you ever become a famous writer... dun forget us.......
i wan an autograph copy of every of your published book!!!!!!!
next time u become a concert pianist i want front row seats to ur every concert!~~ -
Originally posted by jOhO:cannot lar.. so good meh? wat professional writer and professional photographer.. kaoz i only amatuer!!
next time u become a concert pianist i want front row seats to ur every concert!~~ .....
herein sits a professional writer cum photographer.... and a future concert pianist..................
dun play play hor............. -
aiseh.. the perfect couple?Originally posted by lilogirl: .....
herein sits a professional writer cum photographer.... and a future concert pianist..................
dun play play hor............. -
wow, din realise u wrote it this morning...... guess u finally cleared ur head n managed to write, good, cos it was a great effort!
looking forward to part VI! -
thanx.. my head isn't cleared, more like "compartmentalised".Originally posted by ~Or|oS|s~:wow, din realise u wrote it this morning...... guess u finally cleared ur head n managed to write, good, cos it was a great effort!
looking forward to part VI! -
eh..uncle joho...i read liao.. just now having test..dun have time to check all topics..besides..i was aiming at the blueberry skies..becoz wait until too impatient liao..paiseh
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wah... since when i become ur "unker"Originally posted by Devon:eh..uncle joho...i read liao.. just now having test..dun have time to check all topics..besides..i was aiming at the blueberry skies..becoz wait until too impatient liao..paiseh
okok thanx for reading. hope ur paper went well! -
yeah you said it lilogirl! I am a fan of joho's work, I've looked at his photos too, he is quite artistic isn't he? Hm... wonder what else he can surprise us with?Originally posted by lilogirl:your loyal fan mahz.....
next time if you ever become a famous writer... dun forget us.......
i wan an autograph copy of every of your published book!!!!!!! -
morning questor~~Originally posted by questor:yeah you said it lilogirl! I am a fan of joho's work, I've looked at his photos too, he is quite artistic isn't he? Hm... wonder what else he can surprise us with?
wat happened to posting ur story? eheh i wanna read leh. -
wah.. you chasing me for assignment ah?Originally posted by jOhO:morning questor~~
wat happened to posting ur story? eheh i wanna read leh. sorry it's not ready yet , still needs some tweaking, and I don't think I wrote much too, maybe a couple of lines to go with part 1 .. anyway I don't have it with me at the moment, it's on disk SOMEWHERE so I need to look for it..
Am also thinking what to call it.. memories as opposed to your memoirs.. but it sounds like that song you know by Barbra Streisand..
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hmm nope dunno that song. ehhe not that cultured! maybe i've heard it lar.. just dunno the title.Originally posted by questor:wah.. you chasing me for assignment ah? sorry it's not ready yet , still needs some tweaking, and I don't think I wrote much too, maybe a couple of lines to go with part 1 .. anyway I don't have it with me at the moment, it's on disk SOMEWHERE so I need to look for it..
Am also thinking what to call it.. memories as opposed to your memoirs.. but it sounds like that song you know by Barbra Streisand..
no worries not chasing u.. just thot it was written and finished but still haven't posted mar. -
MAJORLY huge typo, edited liow in part V, thanx to nat for pointing it out!
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wow...
just read it
romantic leh n the guy really understanding