Simon have the most tiring party in his life. He have to keep smiling and answer everyone's question again and agin. 'Where is your wife' At one point, he wants to hang a white board or maybe a recorder on himself that say 'Wife is not here because she is sick and at home now.' His mother is disappointed but there is nothing she can do. She tells Simon after this she will follow him to his apartment to see Mei Wan. Simon hurry to send a message and Lisa acknowledge. She goes downstairs and check his bedroom. Lisa brings along her toothbrush and a cute face towel just in case her mother-in-law visits the bathroom. She hurry to see if she miss out anything. Before she can do anything else, she hears the door opening, she hurry to get on Simon's bed. Mrs Han open the bedroom door and see Lisa on the bed she walk over to feel her forehead. Lisa is perspiring and she open her eyes slowly. Pretending she is not feeling good. Mrs Han look at her son.
"How can you leave your wife at home in this state?!"
"Mother.. your ..."
"That is not important! She is not feeling well, as her husband you should bring her to the clinic or the hospital. What is going in your brain my son?"
"Mother, mother. I am fine i have taken medicine. Sweating it out is good."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Sure. Old remedy always works."
"Fine. Then go and sleep. You come outside."
Before Simon close the door, he looks at his wife sleeping on his bed. He smile and close the door gently behind him.
That night Simon's mother stay on quite awhile thus Simon offer her a drink of her favourite alcohol. She talk about time when his father passed away. How she struggle to keep alive with him in her arms. She become who is she today all because of her faith that she will live to see tomorrow with her son. She is determine to earn enough to see him through life. With the riches they accumulate now, it is more than enough for the next generation.
"Son, get a child soon."
"Mother, i will try."
"You say that every year and every year i am getting older. Can't you grant my birthday wish? I don't ask for a whole football team of grandchildren but just one. One is already a precious gift. That one child that i can live another ten years for."
He nod his head and hold his mother's hand.
"Don't let Mei Wan down. I promise her father that i have his money and his daughter well in our hands."
"What.. what... what money..."
"Three years ago both of you step out of the room to talk. Well i have a talk with Chairman Yang. At that time, the company is not doing well. I told him, if he want his daughter to marry into our family, give us a sum of money as investment and we will take care of his daughter for life. He went back and think about it. Your marriage is about money but it ended well now since both of you like each other. In this case, his investment will forever stay in our family so will his daughter."
Simon's mind goes blank for awhile.
"You mean to say, this marriage involved with money?"
"It is sad to say that but it is the truth. Her family offer the highest and his daughter is not bad looking. Besides that you seems to be fine with her. I thought that you will reject her on the first blind date but it turn out fine. She is better than those other girls who cannot bring anything into this family."
After she leave around near mid night, he stand alone at the window looking outside. Lisa comes out of the room and look at Simon. She hear everything that Mrs Han had said in the ,living room. Their marriage is all about transaction of cash and a life. She silently walk to the supply room and open the door. Before she close the door, she see Simon on the other side. They look at each other and smile. She gently close the door and walk upstairs.
Sunday morning, Simon wakes up and walk outside. He look around to see Lisa's photos all around the hall. He is thinking how much money is involved? Should he return them to his father-in-law? In his blur state of mind, he walk into the bathroom and about to brush his teeth when he see that there is a cute face towel hanging and the flower face on it smile at him. There is even a toothbrush. Suddenly he feels lonely in his apartment. He recall last night when he see Lisa laying on his bed, it warm his heart. He did not want to do anything but to look at her. Lisa isn't the most beautiful girl he ever meet but there is something about her that makes him feel that his life will be complete with her around. She did not ask for anything from him for all those fake years of marriage. She did well in his company without his help. After he brush his teeth, he make himself a cup of coffee. Sit at this usual spot. He look at the mobile phone on the coffee table. After switching on the TV, he pick up his mobile phone and message Lisa.
'Good morning. Did you have breakfast? I am going to start cooking, want to have some?'
He waited for awhile the message still not read. She probably still in bed.
At seven, she reply that she is out for her run and will be back by nine. He hurry to reply her that he will keep some for her. She takes awhile to reply that she wants to stop by the supermarket probably will not eat his breakfast. He hurry to reply that he is thinking going to the supermarket. He can meet her there. After a long wait she reply 'Ok, let's meet there' Delighted, he takes a quick shower. Walk in his wardrobe to find his black tee shirt, black white baseball jacket, black jogger pants and a cap. He hurry to find his socks and shoes. Checking to make sure he switch everything off. He pick up the car keys, recycling bags and his mobile phone.
At the super market he stand at the entrance and wait for her. She finally arrives while jogging. She smile and wave. He smile too looking at the pin size girl crossing the road towards his direction.
"Waited long?"
"No. Just arrive."
He lie but it feels good to lie to her at this.
"Oh you bring recycling bags too! I have forgotten to bring mine!"
"It's ok, i still got a few more in the car. You can use them."
"What do you need to get?"
"I usually get a week of food supply."
"Ah, me too! But i don't cook so i have lots of junk food for my movie pleasure."
They started with in a good mood and enjoy shopping in the supermarket. It feels like the most natural thing to do together. They walk around talk and laugh. He look at her preferences of things that she grab. Mostly unhealthy bites but he is not going to nag at her for eating those. He shouldn't make her feel bad. Besides that.she knows when to go for exercise to take care of her health. She is doing good. While Lisa is too looking at what he is taking off the shelves. Mostly food that can keep for awhile before he cook them. Also he grab a box of ice cream and some fried french fries and fried onion rings. He is not really a health freak, he eats unhealthy food too. Probably he just like to be neat. After payout, they head to a nearby cafe to eat breakfast. They chat for awhile. It's been awhile for Simon to eat with someone without work involved. It is something that he like to remember for a long time. For Lisa, she always surrounded by people but it's her first time to just spend her time with one person whom she can talk alone with. She wanted to ask him about what her father and his mother did for this marriage somehow she swallow those thoughts away. She did not want to spoilt the hour with this. They end their morning with good bye in the lift. They watch each other disappear when the door closes. Both of them return home with a sense of emptiness in their hearts. Packing and putting away the groceries away, Simon look at his mobile phone and later walks away however he come running back when he hears his mobile phone buzz. 'Shall we have dinner together? We can watch a movie on TV tonite.' He smile broadly and actually dance around the kitchen isle. He pick up his mobile phone and type seriously. 'Your place or mine?' He waited again. 'Do you want to cook?' He again hurry to reply 'if you like my cooking, i don't mind.' he see that she is typing away on the status bar. 'Your place at seven. I want to assist you in making dinner.' Again he hold his mobile phone and did a dance around the kitchen isle. 'Fine. I see you at seven.' and he include a smiley face icon.