Chapter 3

Linda

          

Another day of business for me, another day not seeing Aaron. Pathetic.

          

It’s been 2 months since he left Macau. And he has been calling me every single night ever since, well, sometimes it was me who called.

          

The plaza is packed with people as usual. I doubt if a single drop of water can seep through the crowd. Voices and shouts fill the air, rattling, raw, ruthless.

          

The stairs to the façade are filled with people, some sitting, some squatting, some holding a camera, most speak mandarin. Ever since the handover the small quiet city of Macau has turned into a bustling place, bursting with energy and neon lights.

          

‘Hey you, one egg tart.’ One shouts in mandarin.

          

‘Hey, egg tart.’ Another shouts in mandarin.

          

‘Egg tart.’

          

‘Give me an egg tart.’

          

‘COME ON HURRY UP I WANT EGG TART.’

          

All these Mandarin shouts are dynamites, exploding inside my brain, devastating, painstaking, obliterating everything in their wake.

          

‘May I have 2 tarts please?’ A gentle, warm voice says in Mandarin. I look up, and see a man with his girlfriend in front of me. I freeze for a moment. And the voice says again.

          

‘Are you ok?’

          

‘Yeah, Yeah, I’m fine.’ I swipe my hands on my apron.

          

‘Don’t push her, she’s been working all day.’ The girl says, smiling. ‘Take your time, we can wait.’

          

I take out two tarts from the oven, and give them to the man. As he is paying I say,

          

‘Came to Macau with your girlfriend for a holiday?’

          

‘Yeah.’ He smiles, turning his head to the girl.

          

‘Well, have a great time.’ I say, grinning.

          

‘Thank you.’ The girl says, beaming, and they walk away, hand in hand. I am looking at the two lovebirds overflowing with joy and glee. Then suddenly,

          

‘HEY FOCUS ON YOUR WORK GIVE ME EGG TART.’

          

I grin, and say ‘Yes coming,’ fake as it is.

         

My, my do you know who I am, I am the boss of this shop. But it doesn’t matter, soon enough my thoughts drift off to an image of Aaron and I walking, hand in hand like the two lovebirds, in the battered stone-paved streets of France, or Vienna? Doesn’t matter.

          

My god you have just known him for two months Linda. You don’t even know if he likes you. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

          

‘EGG TART.’