Part IV
September was a great time to be in Brisbane. The winds of Spring gently coerced the chills of winter away, making way for a gentle sun that seemed to smile upon our love. She was effervescent. Was she never?
"Dear," I said, as we walked towards the cab stand. "You excited about meeting my parents?"
"Not really, I just wanna get that part out of the way so we can enjoy the rest of the holiday."
I was taken aback. "I thought you were dying to meet them? You should've told me!"
She stared giggling. "You goondoo! I'm joking! Geez, trust you to take that seriously."
Ooooh, she got me that time. My face held the expression of an incredulous loser. I pulled the cabin luggage I was dragging to an upright position before getting in behind her and lifting her up by the waist. She was wearing one of those thin summer dresses with speghetti straps that was most probably lifted up accidentally from the boisterous attack.
"BUNNY! Put me down, you just lifted my skirt! We're in public, you know!"
"Doesn't matter, this is Australia, no one knows you here anyway!" I grinned and put her down. she turned around and gave me a punch in the chest. "That's what you get for bluffing me." I reasoned. She wasn't angry with me, and smiled to show it. I had my arms around her waist, and continued, "Oh and I put you down only because I didn't want to share with everyone what only I could ever have access to." My sly grin exuded enough charm to warm a cup of coffee on a cold winter's day.
"Yeah right, you're still a goondoo though!" Her attempt to hide her blushes were futile.
The ride to my parents place seemed short, only because I couldn't stop telling her about the landmarks as we passed them by in the cab. I felt invigorated, like my life has come one circle, only in this circle I found what I never knew was missing in my life: happiness. All the memories came flooding back when I saw familiar sights, except I couldn't remember the heartaches. She was leaning against me in the cab, the air-conditioning possibly a little cold for her, so I put her cardigan around her, only to find her sleeping sweetly, terribly tired from the flight. I stroked her hair gently, while she murmured something incoherently. Almost everything she does is so angelic. I am indeed a lucky man. I sighed contentedly and succumbed to slumber.
I woke to the voice of our cab driver. "Hey mate, which street in Middle Park?" Arr, the familiar, authentic aussie accent invoked lukewarm nostalgia within me. I never did think that it was particularly charming.
"Cara Close, you know it?"
"Yeah mate, like the back of my hand. My folks live in Westlake, just down further."
"Fair dinkum!" I sucked at sounding aussie, but what other place do I get to use that phrase? "Might wanna pay them a visit after dropping us off then, hey?"
"Yeah, good one mate, just in time for the scones, I reckon!" His smile shone through the rear-view mirror.
"Rightio, we're here!" said he, as I pointed to a house with cream bricks and a red roof. The paved driveway was long and in yet a deeper red, maroon. A double garage stood at the end of the driveway, while the rest of the house angled out, giving way to a well-kept garden with a numerous palm trees. Rose bushes crowded against the brick wall, but were devoid of flowers since winter had just passed. The lush green grass was basking in the gorgeous sun, while our dog, Pepper, was resting in the cool of the shade provided graciously by the trees. I woke Chloe up, paid the man and proceeded to unload our luggage from the boot.
"Ta, mate," the cabbie almost yelled as he sped off. Even the sound of a Falcon sounded astoundingly familiar!
"Wow, you used to live here?" She rubbed her eyes, as if not believing them, but really from the sweet slumber she had just risen from. "It's so beautiful! I'm not going back to Singapore, I don't care what you say!"
"Well, who says you could live here permanently with me? Unless you wanna marry my brother. But he's already married. Then how?" I teased. "My mum won't let me live with a girl unless I marry her." That was, of course, plain bullsh[/i]it, since my mum knew she was living with me, and highly encouraged it because "at least there's someone to take care of your lazy bum", in her exact words.
I had hardly finished my sentence when my mum opened the front door. "Boy ar!! You're finally here! Alamak, we've been waiting so long for you to come and visit. You ar, must wait until Chloe suggest then will come right?" My eyes rolled, either due to her Singlish that she never managed to get rid off despite being here 15 years, or her reverence for Chloe, someone whom she'd never met, possibly both.
She looked at Chloe and smiled. "You must be Chloe. Wah so pretty. Boy ar, much better than your other one, wat's her name ar? Andree, or something..."
"Mum! Aiyoh can don't mention anot? So long ago already, and the name's Andrea, by the way." My annoyance at my mum's tactlessness was also fueled by the fact that I had to stoop to speaking contrived singlish to bring myself to her level. Thank God I had told Chloe about Andrea, I thought to myself.
Chloe beamed. "Hello aunty!" She exclaimed. This is where she shone best. The first impression she gives anyone is second to none. I had no qualms about my mum accepting her, but I slightly feared for the contrary. "Thanks for letting us put up here on our holiday!"
"Aiyoh, so hak hei for wat, almost family lar. Come come, let's go inside. Daddy's doing his stock market dunno what thing on the net as usual." My eyes couldn't roll anymore, for goodness' sakes! Although I had to admit, I was smiling inwardly. I did miss my parents terribly.
I needed no directions once I got into the house. Everything was pretty much the same, and I didn't really bother to look around much, as I ushered Chloe up the stairs, through a long landing, and into my room, which was brilliantly clean. The queen-sized bed looked small compared to the rest of the room, like I almost forgot that this used to be where my wonder years were spent. Well, at least now, I thought to myself, this bed would come to good use. I'd always slept on this bed alone.
"Sorry about before dear, my mum's like that."
"Your mum's cute! I think I'm really going to like her."
I laughed. "You better not eat your words!"