Clash Between Two Worlds *Sequel* (Complete)

Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Chapter 1

Vivian, Mrs Su, Mrs Zhao, Jimmy and Ruby came over that evening for dinner.
Vicki met them at the front door, busily tying an apron round her waist. "I haven't cooked yet," she explained in answer to their astonished and questioning looks. "And a lot of the dishes that I'm gonna try today I haven't tried before, so all of you are going to be my guinea pigs!"
"Oh boy, we're gonna be eating grass and soil!" Jimmy teased, laughing.
In fact, it turned out to be a great dinner. Every dish was delicious to the extreme, and everyone ate until they couldn't eat anymore.
"Alec, if Vicki's meals are all as good as this one in the future, I won't be surprised if you put on twenty stones," Ruby said solemnly.
"Do you honestly think I'll cook like that all the time?" Vicki asked, incredulous. "Nah! Alec can go out and buy dinner back, because I'm sure not going to cook everyday!"
Alec made a face, and everyone laughed at him.
"Don't forget that I'll be living with you as well," Mrs Zhao said to Vicki.
"Oh yes, well, mum, I'll cook for you and Viv, no one else."
"Aw, I should have thought twice about marrying a person like that," said Alec, and Vicki hit him again. "She's been hitting me all day!"
"The result of too much love, I suppose," Jimmy chortled, and the dinner ended very, very pleasantly.

Chapter 2

Mrs Zhao, Vivian, Vicki and Alec settled down in the new house very happily. Vivian, who was still working as a maid in Ruby's house, was away most of the time, but whenever she had leave she came back.
Mrs Zhao was supremely satisfied for now she lived in a comfortable home and had one married daughter. She had grown to love Alec dearly and liked spending time with him. In a way, he reminded her of her husband...her face always darkened when she remembered Mr Zhao.
One day, while Vicki was busily cleaning up the house and Alec was away working, Mrs Zhao received a letter. The moment she saw the handwriting on the envelope she dropped onto an armchair and her breath came out in short gasps. "Vicki!" she called.
Vicki came out of the kitchen where she was furiously scrubbing the tabletops. "Yes, mum?" she asked.
"Come here."
A trifle puzzled, Vicki went to stand beside her mother. "What's the matter?"
Mrs Zhao held out the envelope with shaking hands. "This is from your father," she said in an unsteady voice.
"My father?!" Vicki gasped.
"Open it," Mrs Zhao said, trembling. "I can't."
Vicki took it and opened the envelope. She drew out a folded piece of paper and unfolded it. Taking a deep breath, she read aloud: " 'I'm sure you know who I am. I know where you and the girls are living. Expect to see my face soon.' " she looked worriedly at her mother, who had gasped and was now as white as a sheet. "Mum? Are you ok? If you're not well, we'll leave this to later on..."
"No! Finish reading it, Vic! Hurry!"
" 'I just got out. The happiest day of my life and my wife wasn't there. Do you call yourself a wife? I don't. But I don't mind because I've turned over a new leaf. Eighteen years have done a lot to me. You'll find that I'm very much different. Aaron.' " Vicki stopped.
"Is that all?" Mrs Zhao whispered.
"Yes."
Vicki sat down on the arm of the chair and put her arms round her visibly shaking mother. "Mum, please tell me more about dad. You never talk about him, but now that he's coming, I think it's time to tell me, right?"
"Ok." Mrs Zhao nodded. "I married your father two years before I had you. I married him because I thought he was charming and kind-hearted. The first year of our marriage was wonderful, a fairytale, practically. But after that year...he changed." Her voice trailed off lamely, then she breathed in deeply and continued in a stronger voice. "He started getting drunk and he got into bad company. He started following his 'friends' all around town, and he was involved in one or two murders in the second year of our marrige. I was terrified of him because every night he would come back and beat me, then insist that I have s** with him. I tried to protest, but he forced me. In the end I gave birth to you, and he was so delighted that for a while he stopped his nonsense. He doted on you a lot, Vic, he scarcely ever let you go.
"Then, one day, he changed again. He became involved in more murders, and became even more violent. I became pregnant and gave birth to Viv. He was furious. I don't know why. It was horrible, Vicki. I couldn't take it anymore. He had gambled away all our money, destroyed the house and all our possessions, beaten me until I could hardly walk, and murdered so many people. I - I..." she shivered. "I called the police and reported him. That night the police came and caught the entire gang. He was sentenced to death, but somehow it changed to life imprisonment. Now - I don't know why he's out. Vicki, I'm frightened."
Vicki was ashen with the shock. "Eighteen years? Then - he went to jail when I was only two years old?"
"Yes." Mrs Zhao looked at her daughter with hollow eyes. "I'm so scared of him, Vic. I'm so scared of what he might do to you and Viv now that he's out of prison."
"Maybe he escaped?"
"I don't know. But I'm so frightened."
Vicki hugged her mother tight, hoping that Mrs Zhao couldn't feel her heartbeat which was faster than normal. The thought of this violent man coming to live with them was frightening no matter how many 'leaves' he turned over.
Mrs Zhao clasped Vicki's hand and pressed it urgently. "Vic, you won't tell Viv? You won't tell her?"
"I won't," said Vicki. All her life she had protected Vivian and now she couldn't bear to think of what her sister might do if she was told this story. "Do you think he'll really come, mummy?"
"I think so." Mrs Zhao nodded again. "He may be horrible and all that, but he never tells a lie. What I'm afraid of is - not so much the beating, Vicki, but that he might want to sleep with me."
"No!" Vicki said fiercely. "Alec and I will never allow him to sleep with you. Not until he's proved to have really changed."
Mrs Zhao smiled wanly to show her gratitude, but inside she was so frightened that she could barely think. Her husband had scared the wits out of her so many years ago, and though it was much later now, his hold on her was still as absolute as it had been eighteen years ago.

Chapter 3

That night, when Alec came back, he found that both Vivian and Mrs Zhao had already gone to bed. Only Vicki was up, watching the TV as she yawned widely.
“Hey love!” Alec said, putting his arms round her from behind and kissing the top of her head.
“Hi Alec,” Vicki said, turning round and giving him a brilliant smile. “How was work today?”
Alec propped down on the sofa beside her. “Awful. It was a TERRIBLE day at work.”
Vicki put her arms round him and laid her head on his shoulder. Then she jumped up. “You’re so tense!”
“I am?? Oh goody. Massage me then.” Alec got off the sofa and sat on a cushion at her feet. He took off his shirt and Vicki started to massage him, but her mind wasn’t on it. She kept thinking about what her mother had told her about her father, and wondered if she should tell Alec or not. She decided to tell him. After all, what was the use in keeping it from him? Her dad had already written very clearly that he was coming.
“Alec, I want to tell you something.”
“Shoot.”
She hesitated for a moment, then told him what her mother had told her earlier on. Alec was silent, absorbing the news. When she finished he sat very still, as if in shock. Vicki shook him a little. “Say something!”
“Crap.” The moment he said it he knew it was the wrong thing to say. There were so many things to say – and he said the wrong thing. Again, he said the wrong thing. “Your father is a murderer.”
Vicki drew away from him, her expression hardening. “So you regret marrying me, then?” she asked coldly.
Alec stared straight ahead for a while, then turned and looked at her. “Vicki, I don’t care what your dad is. Ok? I don’t care if he was a beggar, or a gangster, or a murderer – which apparently he is – to me you’re Vicki, the girl I love. End of story.”
A light came into Vicki’s eyes but she said, “And your first reaction?”
“Come on, Vic, I’m sure your reaction was like that as well, right? You’re my wife. I love you no matter what. How could I stop loving you just because your father is a bad guy?” Alec put his hand on Vicki’s lap and squeezed her hand. “Right, Vic?”
Vicki smiled at him, incredibly touched by his words. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Ok. Get back to work. My muscles are still as tense as ever,” ordered Alec.
Vicki bent down and gently kissed his shoulder.
“Hmm, I think that’s more effective than massaging,” Alec said, leaning his head on her knee.
“Ha. If you want more, you better protect my mum when my dad comes.”
“Of course, sweets!” Alec got back on the sofa and rubbed his shoulders for a while, then exercised his neck. “I think I’m ok now. No thanks to you,” he said, pouting.
Vicki answered his pout by kissing him. Then she couldn’t contain herself and before long Alec’s lips were locked on hers in wild kisses, one after another. They kissed until their lips were sore, and even then Vicki refused to let go of him. Finally Alec managed to detach himself from her lips. He was almost lying on top of her, and his eyes were looking straight into hers. “You wanna do this now or later on in the bedroom?”
“Now,” Vicki answered. Alec leaned forward and kissed her neck. She lay there enjoying it as his lips searched her shoulders, her neck and her face. He started nibbling her ear, and she felt as if an electric current passed through her body.
They heard someone clearing her throat loudly and looked up to see Vivian.
“Viv, hi!” Alec said, giving her a bright smile.
Vivian stared at the both of them and grinned.
“Hi, Viv, great to see you, now can you please move your ‘a’?” Vicki said, giving her a sweet smile.
“Aren’t you guys gonna go to your bedroom? It’s kinda public here, you know.”
“Nah, it’s the most private place in the world,” Alec disagreed. “You know, Viv, if you don’t get moving…”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll tickle you until you can’t talk!”
Vivian pretended to be frightened and squealed. She ran up the stairs and called down, “I’ll spare you two this time! But the next time – I won’t! I’ll sit there and watch you!”
Alec yelled, “Just try it!”
Vivian laughed and they heard her going into her bedroom and closing the door. Alec dropped his head and continued to suck Vicki’s skin. “Alec?” she murmured.
“Hmm?”
“I know Viv will be down again.”
“How do you know that?”
“She came down to get something, but she forgot it.”
“Oh, heck. It’s ok. We’ll just ignore her.”
Vicki was silent for a few moments, then said, “3, 2, 1.”
Immediately Vivian’s bedroom door was flung open and she came down the stairs. “I forgot to get the drink I wanted!” She glared at the both of them. Alec was absolutely ignoring her and kissing Vicki’s shoulders and neck.
“Viv, get lost,” Vicki said.
“I told you I wouldn’t spare you this time, right? And I’m not!” Vivian went to the kitchen, got herself a glass of water and stood there.
“Viv, just disappear, ok? Stop this. It isn’t…” Vicki’s words were cut off by Alec’s mouth on hers. He kissed her passionately, then looked up and grinned at Vivian. “If you wanna stay, then please stay. You’re most welcome.” He pressed his lips against Vicki’s once more and bit her lip.
Vivian yelled, “Ok, ok. Enough is enough. I can’t take it anymore.” She flew upstairs, taking her glass of water with her.
Alec laughed and sat up.
“Ow, Alec, get off my legs.”
Alec obliged. “I think we should grab some shuteye, eh? I’m tired.”
Vicki laughed at him. “You rascal!”
“Most honoured, madam,” said Alec, standing up and taking a deep bow.

Chapter 4

“Mum, you simply will NOT believe what I saw last night,” said Vivian the next morning. Vicki gave her a murderous look but she chose to ignore it.
“What is it, dear?” Mrs Zhao asked.
“Vicki and Alec were in the middle of a serious snogging session!” Vivian said, making a face. “It was so gross.”
Mrs Zhao smiled indulgently at Vivian. “Well, sweetie, after all they are married.”
“Mum, Viv chose to watch us,” Vicki said immediately. “We didn’t exactly ask her to stay and watch.”
Mrs Zhao smiled again. Vicki knew why her mother looked so worried and was so silent. She was thinking of the letter that Mr Zhao had sent. “Girls, I don’t feel too well today, so don’t be worried if I stay in my room the whole day, ok?”
Vivian looked anxiously at Mrs Zhao. “Are you sure that you want to stay in your room the whole day, mum? Tomorrow I’ll have to go back to work!”
“Don’t bother mum, Viv,” said Vicki, finishing up her coffee. “Sure, mum, you can rest today. Tonight we’ll take you out for dinner.”
Mrs Zhao escaped from the table.
“Here, lazy, help me to wash the dishes,” said Vicki, getting up as well. Vivian grabbed the newspapers and opened it. “Sorry, sis, I’m busy.”
Vicki hit Vivian lightly on the shoulder. “Get your butt out of that chair and help me or…”
“Or?”
“You can jolly well rot at home tonight while Alec, mum and I enjoy ourselves!”
Vivian got up. “All right, all right,” she grumbled. “Geez, I knew I shouldn’t have taken such a long leave. It’s sure hard staying with someone like you. How does Alec ever manage to live with you?”
“I suppose you should ask him and not me,” Vicki replied. “And stop complaining, you don’t have to face me everyday.”
Just as they finished the dishes the doorbell rang. “I’ll get that,” Vivian said, quickly making her escape from the kitchen. Vicki stuck her tongue out at her sister and wetted a piece of cloth to wipe the table with. She heard Vivian opening the door. “Who are you?”
“I’m your father. Let me in.”
“My father? Don’t kid me, man. I wasn’t born yesterday. What are you selling?”
“Look here, kid, I’m not selling anything. I’m Aaron Zhao. You’re Vivian Zhao. Let me in.”
Vicki threw down the cloth and ran out of the kitchen to join Vivian at the door. She saw a tall, thin man dressed in a shirt and pants with a fierce and cruel-looking face. Vivian was looking at him with a disgusted look. “What are you doing here? Go away!” she repeated.
“Hold on, Viv,” said Vicki. “I’ll fetch mum. Don’t let him in until mum confirms that he’s our dad.”
“What?” Vivian couldn’t believe her ears. “You actually think that he may be our dad?”
Vicki didn’t answer as she ran up the stairs to fetch her mum. Knocking on Mrs Zhao’s door, she called, “Mum, there’s a man at the door and he claims that he’s our dad. Can you come down and check if he is?”
There was a short pause, then the door was opened and Mrs Zhao came out. “A man who claims he’s your father?” she said, looking frightened. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Come on, mum.”
Mrs Zhao went down slowly to the front door. The moment she saw the man her face paled and she shrank back. Vicki, who was watching her intently, said, “So he is our father?”
The man looked at Mrs Zhao and sneered. “Ah, Elise. I see you haven’t forgotten me, huh?”
“This guy is our father?” Vivian exclaimed. She stared at the man in amazement. “You’re my father Aaron Zhao?”
“How many fathers do you have?” the man said contemptuously. “Get out of my way, kid. I’m tired and hungry and I don’t intend to have a girl like you blocking my way.” He looked beyond Vivian and caught sight of Vicki. At once his face brightened. “Vicki?” he said. “Is that my daughter Vicki?”
Mrs Zhao put her hand on Vicki’s arm. “Don’t you dare to touch her, Aaron,” she warned.
“Shall I let him in, mum?” Vivian asked, a little hurt by what the man had said.
“Let him in,” said Mrs Zhao. “He’s your father. But don’t touch him.”
Vivian obeyed and stepped aside. Mr Zhao came in and went for Vicki. “Ah,” he said, rubbing his hands. “I always knew you would grow up to be a beautiful girl, Vicki. Do you remember your old man?”
“No,” said Vicki warily. “I was only a toddler when you left us.”
“No doubt your mother has told you stories about me,” said Mr Zhao, letting out a soft, mocking laugh. “I advise you not to listen to her, Vicki. She’s just a liar – a liar who’s condemned to go to hell.”
Vivian’s temper flared up. “How dare you say that about my mother, you wacko!” she cried. “My mum is NOT a liar and she’s NOT condemned to go to hell! You will be if you continue saying these sort of things about my mum!”
“No one told you to butt in, girl!” Mr Zhao snapped. He turned back to Mrs Zhao. “So sorry to intrude on this happy family, Elise,” he continued in his sarcastic voice. “But don’t forget I’m part of it, too.”
“You’re not part of this family,” Mrs Zhao spat. “You stopped being part of this family a year after our marriage, you bastard. If you dare to go near Vicki or Vivian, I’ll kill you.”
Mr Zhao laughed. “I’ll be waiting for you,” he said.
“How did you get out of jail?” Mrs Zhao demanded.
“That’s for me to know,” Mr Zhao answered. “Meanwhile get me a bedroom for me to rest. I’ve been on the move for days and I want to have a nice, pleasant nap.”
“There’s a room there,” Vicki said, gesturing to an empty room to the right of the kitchen. “You can sleep there.”
Mr Zhao looked, then gave Vicki a grin which had no merriment in it. “You think you can shove your dad into a room which no one wants, eh? You’re lucky I don’t mind, Vicki. In fact, all of you are very lucky that I’ve decided to stop killing people. As for how I got out – listen to me, the three of you. If any of you ever have the guts to call up the police, I’ll kill you. I mean it. Don’t think I’ll spare you just because you’re my daughters and wife.”
Mrs Zhao looked at him with so much hatred that snake as he was he decided to get into the room as fast as possible. The moment he closed the door Mrs Zhao looked at Vicki and Vivian with a scared face.
“Will someone tell me what all that was about?” Vivian demanded.
Vicki heaved a sigh. She knew that they could no longer keep this from Vivian. “Go up to my room,” she said, “and I’ll tell you the whole story.”

Chapter 5

The next day, Mr Zhao left the house in the late afternoon. Vicki, secretly glad that he was out of the house, went into his room and looked round in disgust at the mess. She was about to start cleaning up the room when her mum came and saw her. “Vicki!” she called sharply. Surprised, Vicki turned. “Yes, mum?” she inquired.
“Vicki, don’t clean your dad’s room. He’ll be furious.”
“Why?”
“Just don’t do it. I’ve done it once in the past and when he found out he beat me up.”
“Oh. Ok then, I won’t touch his stuff.”

Chapter 6

He was totally drunk, but still he managed to make his way back to the house which was now his home. He grinned evilly when the house came into sight. He’d go in there and destroy everything. Oh, the joy of it!
He threw himself at the door and banged on it, the sounds he made echoing in the silent street. It was past midnight.
“Coming,” he heard someone call. It was his daughter Vivian. She was still around; she hadn’t gone back to wherever she worked.
The door opened and the light from the hall streamed out. He saw Vivian in her nightdress, staring at him as if he was a ghost. “Who are you looking at?” he yelled at her.
Vivian backed away as he came closer. “Look here, kid, don’t you dare to stare at me,” he shouted, raising his right fist and bringing it down roughly on her face. Vivian screamed and immediately lights were turned on. Alec, Vicki and Mrs Zhao came running down the stairs to see Vivian falling onto the floor with a bleeding nose.
“Aaron!” Mrs Zhao cried. “No!”
“What’s happening?” Vicki demanded.
“He’s drunk. Your father is drunk,” Mrs Zhao said wildly. She shrank back when Mr Zhao swung on her. He raised his hand, about to slap her, but Alec sprang forward and caught his arm just in time. “Mum, hurry, go and hide,” Alec said in a calm voice. “I’ll try to handle him. You mustn’t stay here and get injured.”
Mrs Zhao was rooted to the ground. Vicki gave her a slight push. “Go, mum!”
She fled. Mr Zhao swung round and used the back of his hand to hit Alec. The impact of it brought Alec down on the floor. Before Vicki could react Mr Zhao had snatched up a stool and began smashing it against her. She cried out in pain and tried to grab it but it was impossible. Both Alec and Vivian clung on to him, trying to make him let go, but the madman’s strength was too much for them.
“Stop that!” Mr Zhao yelled. Alec and Vivian refused to let go of him. He used the chair to hit Vivian’s head and she fell. Vicki escaped from her position on the floor and ran to Vivian. “Viv! Are you ok?”
Vivian’s lips had cracked and were bleeding profusely. The spot where the chair had hit her had started to swell, but thankfully it wasn’t bleeding.
“If you don’t stop this nonsense I’ll report you tomorrow to the police,” Alec yelled. “I mean it!”
Mr Zhao broke off one of the legs of the stool and lashed it viciously across Alec’s face. Vicki rushed forward and caught hold of him. “Stop this!” she screamed at him. “Stop hitting us!”
Mr Zhao lunged a final attack on her which made her head dizzy. Then he stamped off to his room and slammed the door shut.
Vicki could scarcely rise from the floor. Vivian was holding her lips and feeling her head gingerly. Alec’s cheek was bleeding terribly.
Mrs Zhao hurried down the stairs. “Oh no! Vicki, come, let me help you up. Alec, stay there, I’ll bring some lotion and bandages. Viv, sweetie, come, I’ll help you to the sofa.” She hauled Vivian up and deposited her on the sofa, then turned her attention to Vicki. “Were you much hurt, dear? Never mind, I’ll apply lotion to your wounds.” She hurried away.
There was silence after she left. The night’s happenings had robbed them of speech. None of them could think of anything appropriate to say.

Chapter 7

Over the next few months Alec took so much leave that one day when he turned up at the office his boss fired him. “I don’t need a lazy worker like you,” his boss snapped. “I don’t know what has come over you lately, Alec. You used to be one of the most hardworking, diligent workers I have. Now you’re one of the laziest. Get your bum out of this office. I don’t want to see you again.”
Alec was deeply hurt by that speech and on his way back home he hated Mr Zhao so intensely that he wanted to finish up that man the moment he arrived home. But he knew that it was impossible. He wasn’t strong enough. He thought of the way Vicki and his mother-in-law were being bullied and his brow furrowed in frustration. Wasn’t there anything he could do…anything at all?
Vicki was horrified when she heard the news. “You’re fired? What’s going to happen to us now?” she looked at him helplessly. “I think I better get a job as well,” she said.
“No. Someone has to stay here and look after mum.”
“Alec, you have to go back and beg your boss. Tell him the truth. You have to. Please.” Vicki took hold of his hand and looked pleadingly at him. “He’ll understand, he’s not a bad-hearted man.”
Alec swallowed hard. “Ok. I’ll try.”
He went back to the office the next day and talked to his boss, who, after listening to his story, decided to give him a second chance. But as they were currently working hard on a project, he had no choice but to give Alec extra work, which meant Alec remaining in the office until very late hours.
Since he was away most of the time Mr Zhao could hit Vicki and Mrs Zhao even more, and Alec could do absolutely nothing to stop him. Vivian came back home once a month and was hit so badly that she escaped back to Ruby’s house without even staying for the night. Altogether it was a horrible time for them.
Alec wasn’t a person who gave up easily, but now he really couldn’t endure it any longer. His home was completely destroyed by this madman. He began to stay away even after office hours, hanging around in restaurants and bars, unwilling to go back. When he did go back he had to fight Mr Zhao and protect Vicki and Mrs Zhao as much as he could. It was very stressful for him.
As for Vicki, it was even worse for her. Mr Zhao especially liked to pick on her because he knew that Alec worried most about her. There was one time when she was hit so badly that she could scarcely get up from the floor. Mrs Zhao called up Alec and begged him to come back home. He flew back and brought her to the hospital where she remained for three nights. In the meantime Alec smuggled Mrs Zhao out of the house and brought her to Ruby’s place.

Chapter 8

When Mrs Zhao visited Vicki in the hospital, she found her daughter very pale and very spiritless. Alec sat beside her, watching over her.
“Vicki, how are you, dear?” she asked, bending over her tenderly.
“I’m ok mum.” Vicki tried to smile.
“You’ll be coming out tomorrow, won’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And going back home?”
“Yes.”
Mrs Zhao met Alec’s worried eyes. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Why don’t you go to Ruby’s house and live with me?”
Vicki smiled wanly. “I thought you disapproved of staying in Ruby’s house?”
“Yes – but now, I see that it’s actually a good idea. Mr and Mrs Lin will take good care of us. Vicki, you can’t go back home. Your father will kill you.”
“No, he won’t. I won’t let him.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Look at what he has done to you! He even got Alec fired.”
“But Alec’s back to work now.”
“Vicki! What is the matter with you? It can’t be that you love your father, right? Don’t be so silly!” Mrs Zhao was getting agitated. Vicki took her mother’s hand and chafed her fingers gently. “I love my dad as much as you love him, mum.”
Alec groaned. “Vic, please! Just go to Ruby’s place. Do you know how stressful it is for me? I can’t attend to my work properly for worry, and every time I go back home I find utter chaos inside!”
Vicki looked at him with troubled eyes, and for the first time she noticed how thin he’d gotten, and that his hair contained a few grey strands. She let go of her mother’s hand and took his. “Alec, I’m so sorry. I never thought of you – I’m really selfish! Ok, I’ll listen to you and mum and go to Ru’s place when I’m discharged. Is that all right?”
Mrs Zhao smiled a little when she saw the love in Alec’s eyes as he looked at Vicki. She remembered seeing that love in her husband’s eyes during the first few months of their marriage…remembered how wonderful life had been then…and how drastically it had changed after that one month. Her face hardened. What right had Aaron Zhao to come and break up their home like that?
*************
“Don’t you simply love life, Jimmy?” Ruby asked, looking around. She was wheeling Jimmy down a park, and as she wheeled she admired the greenery and beauty she saw all around her.
“Hmm,” Jimmy replied, staring straight ahead.
Ruby took a quick look at him. There was absolutely no joy in his face. “Jimmy, don’t be like that, please. The world is a wonderful place even for you.”
“I have no doubt you think so,” he said with a strange twisted smile.
Ruby’s patience wore out. She let go of the handles and stamped her feet in irritation. “Jimmy, stop being so melancholy! You’re destroying my own joy! What has happened to you lately? You used to be quite ok. Now! Look at you! I don’t believe you love me at all,” she finished bitterly. “You wouldn’t be like that if you truly cared for me! So I’ve been making a fool out of myself these months, haven’t I, looking after you and taking care of your every need? Tell me the truth! Do you love me or not?”
Jimmy looked up at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. Smiling soothingly, he took her hand and squeezed it. “Of course I love you. I’m sorry, I’ll try not to be so gloomy anymore. But you’re not an invalid, Ru. You don’t know what it’s like to be sitting in a wheelchair all the time and seeing other people walking past you every minute.”
At once Ruby was repentant. “I’m sorry. Really. I never – sorry.” She knelt down and looked at his face earnestly. “Jimmy, I want to take care of you forever…will you let me do that?”
Jimmy looked at her silently for a moment. He knew very well what she meant, but he didn’t want to talk about it. “Ru, this park is beautiful, isn’t it? Let’s see more of it.”
Ruby got up. She, too, didn’t want to talk about it if he was so unwilling.

Chapter 9

Originally Alec had no thoughts of bringing Mrs Zhao back, but Mr Zhao used such violent means to get her back that he had no other choice. When she was discharged Vicki went back to her hellish life at home.
Ruby saw firsthand what was happening and said angrily that she would call the police.
“Will you?” Vicki asked doubtfully.
“Why not?” Ruby fumed. “That – demon is torturing you! I won’t let this go on anymore! I don’t understand why Alec doesn’t do more than just protecting you two. He should have reported this matter to the police a long time ago!”
“But – but my father will only be jailed for a few months. When he comes back what will happen to all of us?”
Ruby sighed. That had never occurred to her before. There seemed no way out of this misery.
“Has your relationship with Jimmy gone any further?” Vicki asked, wanting to take her mind off Mr Zhao for a while.
Immediately a shadow came over Ruby’s face. “No. I don’t know what to do with him, Vic. I’ve hinted so many times that I want to be his wife, and I know that he understands those hints. Why then doesn’t he propose to me? I think he’s worried that once we’re married I’d leave him.”
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No thanks. I – I’ll handle him myself.”
“Ok then.” Vicki rubbed her forehead with her palm, then said, “I better go back home now. My mum’s all alone at home and my dad may come back any time now.”
“Vicki, why do you still call him your dad?”
“He’s my dad,” Vicki said matter-of-factly. Ruby shook her head, but didn’t comment any longer.
*************
Could it be that her long journey was now over? That she’d be comfortable at last? Tears welled up in her eyes as she took in all the familiar sights. It felt so good to be back here in her own town again after so long.
Would her family be able to accept her? She thought about this, and sighed softly. She would just have to try.
Holding her little bag which contained her meager possessions, she walked slowly down the streets, inviting stares from plenty of people. All of them remembered her. That was a good sign.
There were still a few kilometers to go. She’d have to be patient and save all the energy that was possible.
*************
Vicki was in the middle of washing the dishes after dinner when she heard a loud yell. Running out of the kitchen, she opened the front door and peered out into the gloom. There were more yells, and suddenly her father dashed up from nowhere and, pushing her aside, rushed into the house. “Shut the door!” he shouted.
“What’s going on?” Mrs Zhao, who had come down the stairs, asked.
Vicki shut the door. “What’s going on?” she echoed.
“Loansharks!” Mr Zhao gasped breathlessly. “I borrowed a hundred thousand from them – needed the money for beer – and now they’re after me! They’ll kill me!” he grabbed Vicki and looked at her with terror in his eyes. “Give me the money!” he demanded. “Give me the money, or I’ll kill you!”
“Aaron!” her mother shrieked. “Let her go! She doesn’t have a hundred thousand to give you! Let her go!”
“No! I want the money!” Mr Zhao yelled. He was really in a frenzy.
“Dad…” Vicki got no further. She was flung roughly aside as her father ran to his room. “What are you doing? Dad!”
Mr Zhao came out of the room with a gun in his hands.
“Where did you get that?” Mrs Zhao got the fright of her life. “Put it back! Aaron, don’t be mad! Aaron!”
“The money! Or you’ll die!” Mr Zhao said, pointing the gun at Vicki.
“I don’t have any money!” Vicki protested.
Dimly, Mrs Zhao heard the gun going off. She heard Vicki’s screams. “Vicki!” she cried out.

Chapter 10

Vicki screamed as she heard the sound of the gun going off, screamed when blood splattered all over her, and realised that it was her father’s blood and not hers. “Dad!” she cried out when her vision cleared and she saw Mr Zhao lying on the floor, covered with blood.
He had shot himself in the brain right at the last moment. Neither moved to feel his pulse, for they knew that there was none. He had committed suicide.
For a while, Vicki was rooted to the ground, trembling inside. Then she came to her senses and made for the telephone. She called the police, then Alec’s office. Alec was absolutely incredulous when he heard what she had to say, and rushed back as fast as he could. So did Vivian when she was notified.
***********
Two days later
As Vicki watched her father’s body being cremated she couldn’t believe that the nightmare was finally over. The loansharks were taken care of by the police, so they didn’t have to worry about them.
Not a single tear dropped when everyone sympathized and tried to comfort them. Vivian and Vicki had no love for Mr Zhao, and Mrs Zhao had suffered too greatly because of him to care whether he was dead or alive. As for Alec, he hated Mr Zhao deeply and this sudden death didn’t take away his hatred.
It was so pleasant to return to a calm, peaceful home again, so lovely to know that you wouldn’t be beaten or threatened anymore. So wonderful to be able to call your house yours again. Alec continued to be away a great deal since he was very busy, but Vicki didn’t have to worry about when he would come home again. It seemed like paradise after the hell they’d been in the past few weeks.
Vivian started coming back and Vicki noticed that she was much thinner than she was before. There was also a very sad look in her eyes and she was very quiet, quite unlike her former self. She was very queer, always slipping off to her room and locking the door, and when Vicki asked her what was wrong, she simply shook her head, refusing to say anything.
Alec began to spend so much time away from home that communication between him and Vicki greatly lessened. When he came home he was always far too tired to talk to her, and in the beginning she didn’t mind, but as it went on she found that their relationship was getting strained. She was strangely uneasy with him and when he came back she didn’t know what to say to him.
One Saturday, Alec finally managed to get a free day. Lounging about at the house, Vicki tried talking to him, but she soon ran out of ideas and escaped to the kitchen where she found her mum making some omelette.
Mrs Zhao gave Vicki a sharp look. “Ok, daughter. Tell me what’s going on between you and Alec.”
Vicki was startled, but she gave her mum an innocent look. “Whatever are you talking about, mum?”
“You can’t hide anything from me, Vic. I know that you and Alec aren’t as chummy as you were before. What happened? Did you have a fight?”
“No!”
“Then?”
Vicki sighed deeply. “I don’t know! He’s always away at work, and I find it so difficult to talk to him!” She looked at her mother sadly. “I don’t know what to do with him anymore, mum…what to say to him and how to behave around him. He’s forever working and working and not having enough time for me.”
Before Mrs Zhao could answer, the doorbell rang.
***********
She waited for someone to open the door. Heaven, how tired she was! She could barely stand up now that she had finally reached her destination. How lovely everything looked to her! How home-like, how friendly! It was like arriving at paradise. She would be ok now, she would be taken care of. She had not the slightest doubt about that.
The door opened and she stared right up into the face of the man she knew so well. She smiled as she saw how shocked he was. “Alec, are you startled to see me?” she asked.
Alec started. “Vicki!” he yelled.
Vicki? Vicki was living with Alec?
A girl hurried up and she recognized those beautiful eyes, and those pretty features. The lovely face of Vicki Zhao Wei. “Vicki,” she murmured, smiling.
Vicki, too, looked devastated. “It can’t be!” she screamed. “You are…”

Chapter 11

Vicki’s words died on her tongue and she started back violently.
“Gigi!” Alec finally managed to say.
The girl smiled weakly at both of them. “It’s me.”
“Go back!” Vicki said, terror-struck. “Don’t come and haunt us!”
“I’m not dead!” the girl protested. “I’m Gigi Su! Don’t you recognize me? I didn’t die on the night of the fire. If you’ll let me in, I’ll tell you the whole story.”
Alec stared at her as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Which of course he couldn’t. “Gigi? But…but you’re dead!”
“I’m not dead,” the girl repeated. “I’m Gigi. I didn’t die in the fire, I escaped from the house. Oh – let me in and I’ll tell you everything!”
Vicki looked doubtfully at Alec, who sighed and shrugged. “Ok then. Come in.” He bent down and helped the girl into the house. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes, very.”
Vicki went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Who was at the door, Vic?” Mrs Zhao asked.
“Gigi, mum.”
“Gigi?” Mrs Zhao stared. “Isn’t she dead?”
“I thought so! I admit this girl is alike Gigi in every way, but I find it very hard to believe that she IS Gigi Su!”
“Wasn’t Benny Chan supposed to get married to her?”
“Yeah – I won’t be surprised if he turns up at our doorstep as well,” Vicki said as she went out of the kitchen and placed the food on the dinning table. “Here,” she said, “have something to eat, then tell us what all this is about.”
The girl ravenously attacked the food while Alec and Vicki sat watching her and casting doubtful looks at each other. Finally she took some tissues and wiped her mouth. “I can prove I’m Gigi,” she said. “You’re my second brother Alec, and you’re Vicki Zhao, who used to be one of the maids in my house. And I have a scar on my right elbow which was caused by some glass I broke when I was six.”
Alec shook his head, astounded. “Show me.”
The girl showed him her right elbow, and indeed there was an ugly scar. “Not only that,” she added, “I have the pendant mother gave me when I was four.” She fumbled in her ‘dress’ for a while, then brought out a pretty pendant. Alec took it and turned it over in his palm. “It is,” he confirmed, after examining it closely. “But – how? Everyone thought you had died in the fire!”
The girl began to shiver. “I couldn’t get out of the house at first! I tried my best, but everyone kept rushing by me and holding me back! At last I managed to get out of the horrible house; by then it was nearly burning up – I heard you running into the house yelling for Jimmy, then I heard you calling my name. I did get out, but in the confusion and darkness somehow I lost my way and ended up in some woods. I don’t even know how I ended up there! I fainted, because I was so badly burned and wounded. When I woke up I found myself in a small little house with an elderly couple. The woman took good care of me. One day the man brought me to a town many miles away from here to see a doctor whom he trusted (the old man doesn’t usually trust doctors) and I lost the old man. I then tried to make my way back here.”
There was no doubt now that she was Gigi.
“Well…” Alec said, at a loss for words.
Vicki’s eyes shone. “Gigi!”
Gigi clasped Vicki’s hands tightly and smiled through her tears. “You can’t imagine how much I have missed all of you, Vicki! How is Jimmy? Is he ok?”
“He’s – paralysed,” Vicki said with some difficulty.
“Paralysed,” Gigi repeated. “Oh no. Jimmy – paralysed?”
“Yes. But he’s quite happy, because Ruby is taking good care of him.”
“Ruby?”
“Yes. They’re officially a couple now!”
“That’s good! I must go and visit Jimmy and…” she turned to Alec. “Brother? Don’t you acknowledge me?”
Alec grinned and patted her hand. “Yeah, sis. It was a shock seeing you, though. I thought you had risen from your grave and come to haunt us!”
“Silly thing! I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts?”
“I did when I saw you!”
“You can live here from now on,” Vicki told her. “We were really devastated when we heard that you’d died.”
“Actually, when I was in that house with the old folks, I kept thinking of you, and – Benny, of course.” Her voice faltered.
“Why didn’t you escape from that house and come to look for us?” Alec asked, wanting to change the subject.
“I was too badly injured. The doctor healed me tremendously – I understand why the old man trusted him so much.”

Chapter 12

Ruby was totally shocked when Gigi showed up at her doorstep the next day with Vicki, both grinning at her shock. Jimmy wheeled himself up to the front door as well, and couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw his sister whom he thought was dead. The first thing he said was “Go away! Don’t haunt us! Rest in peace!”
Gigi burst out laughing, and showed the two of them what she had shown Vicki and Alec. Even then, Jimmy couldn’t believe that she was actually Gigi. “But – but…you died in the fire!” he protested.
“There wasn’t any body, was there?” Gigi asked seriously.
“No but…”
“No buts! Jimmy Lin Zhi Yin, you’re my eldest brother. I know you. Don’t you know me?”
It was a long time before Jimmy could believe that she was Gigi. “Now if Benny should show up as well, I won’t be surprised at all!” he chuckled.
Almost at once Gigi’s face darkened. Vicki saw it and hurriedly said, “So tell her all the news! She’s been away for so long. Gigi, do you know that this stupid brother of yours still hasn’t proposed to Ruby yet? What do you suppose he’s waiting for?”
“Brother, how can you wait for so long?” Gigi demanded. “If I were you, I would be married to Ruby already!”
Jimmy looked uncomfortable. Ruby was by then as red as a hongbao (red packet. Yeah yeah I know it’s lame but I can’t come up with anything better). Vicki and Gigi laughed at her obvious embarrassment and wisely abandoned the subject.
Ruby’s tongue was loosened after a while and she began chatting so much that Gigi and Vicki could scarcely say a word. Laughing, they listened to her banter and shared amused looks with Jimmy, who was listening with half a ear to his girlfriend’s chatter.

Chapter 13

Alec drowsily opened the front door and stumbled in. He was really beat, having worked all day with hardly any breaks for rest. Vicki met him at the door. “Poor thing, you look so tired,” she said. “Here, give me your briefcase. Take a bath and go to sleep.”
“Why do you wait up for me, Vicki?” Alec asked tiredly. “You should go to sleep, you look tired too.”
“You left home early this morning – so early that I hadn’t even woken up yet. I haven’t seen you all day.”
“Next time you don’t have to. Don’t bother about me.”
Vicki put aside his briefcase as he climbed up the stairs. Then she followed him into their room. “I’m soooo sleepy, I think I’ll skip bathing,” he moaned.
“No! You stink. Get into the shower.”
“You are just like a hen,” he grumbled, but he obeyed anyway. When he finished showering he walked out of the bathroom, flung his towel into a chair nearby, and headed straight for the bed. “I’ll take care of the clothes in the morning,” he mumbled before falling onto his pillow and closing his eyes.
“No, it’s ok, I’ll wash them.” Vicki leaned over him and gently touched his face. “You haven’t kissed me yet,” she said, her lips thrust into a pout.
He squinted his eyes and blinked up at her. “I’m too tired, Vicki!” he said before turning his back to her.
Stunned, Vicki sat back. He had never refused to kiss her before. What was wrong with him?

It was the same old story everyday. He would disappear early in the morning and come back home usually around midnight. Vicki soon gave up staying up to wait for him, for he was so grumpy when he came home that it wasn’t a pleasure receiving him. They were drifting further and further from each other, and though she hated it, she couldn’t do anything about it. She knew how hard he was working, and how the office was rushing up their latest project.
She mentioned it occasionally to her mother or Gigi, never to anyone else – certainly not to Vivian. She didn’t know what was happening to Vivian either. Vivian was growing thinner and thinner, and her face was old and worn out. She talked very little and when she came back home she hid in her room, hardly saying a word to anyone. She ate very little as well.
One day when Vivian came back she was so strange that Vicki couldn’t take it anymore. She knocked on her sister’s door and called, “Viv, it’s me.”
There was a pause, then Vivian said, “What do you want, Vicki?”
“Let me in. I want to talk to you.”
There was another silence, then Vivian’s trembling voice came through. “I don’t want to talk. Please leave me alone.”
“Viv, what’s the matter? We’re sisters, remember? You can tell me anything.” Vicki waited for her response. When there was none, she knocked again. “Viv, I don’t like seeing you like this. Please tell me what’s wrong. Mum’s beginning to worry as well.”
“Ok then. Come in,” Vivian said so abruptly that for a moment Vicki was taken-aback. Then, in case Vivian should change her mind, she opened the door and entered. Vivian was standing by the window, gazing out. She closed the door quietly and walked over to her. “What’s going on, Viv?” she asked, putting her arms round her sister. Her heart ached when she felt only bones under her hands.
Vivian jerked away from her. “Nothing’s wrong,” she said sharply.
Vicki looked at her with pained eyes. “Vivian, please. Tell me. Why are you so thin?”
Vivian’s lips trembled uncontrollably, and she looked as if she was about to cry. “I’m thin because I was getting too fat, Vicki. Nothing else.” She walked over to her bed and sat down on it. “But I’m ok. Really,” she added.
“No, you’re not ok.” Vicki sat down beside her and took hold of one of her hands. “Vivian, did something happen to you?”
“Nothing. Nothing happened to me.”
“Why aren’t you telling me what’s troubling you?” Vicki looked at Vivian with so much love in her eyes that Vivian couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. She let out a sob and flung her arms round Vicki. “I feel so horrible inside, Vic,” she whispered between her sobs. “I don’t know what to do! I’m so confused.”
Vicki held her as she cried, patting her back gently and waiting for her to calm down. When at last she did, she said, “Vivian, what’s the matter? Did someone bully you?”
Vivian shook her head. “No one bullied me. The matter is – is me, Vic.”
Fear gripped Vicki’s heart. “What are you talking about?”

Chapter 14

That night, Vicki stood outside her mother’s room as Vivian went in to tell Mrs Zhao the bad news. There was a murmur of voices, then a sharp cry Vicki knew was her mother’s.
“Hey, Vic.”
She started and turned round to see Alec coming towards her. “Alec!” she exclaimed. “Why are you home so early?”
“The boss let me off early today,” Alec replied. He held out his arms. “Come here, I haven’t hugged you for so long.”
She felt a big smile light up her face and she ran into them, wrapping her own arms round him and holding him close. It had been so long since she’d held him – she clung on, never wanting to let go. “I’m sorry for having neglected you like that,” she heard him say. “Forgive me?”
She buried her head in his shoulder. “Always,” she said, her voice muffled.
When they finally let go of each other, Alec cast a puzzled look at her mother’s bedroom door. “Why are you standing outside your mum’s room? Did you do something naughty?”
“No,” Vicki said, her face falling as she remembered Vivian. “I have something to tell you, Alec.”
“What’s it, sweetie?”
“Vivian has anorexia,” she whispered.
Alec jumped as if someone had dropped ice down his back. “What?” he exclaimed.
“My sister is dying of anor – rexia,” she said, starting to tremble inside. Alec looked aghast. “It can’t be true. You’re joking right?” he looked at his wife’s pale face and knew that she wasn’t. “Oh boy. Vicki.” He closed his arms round her again and stood embracing her as her tears dropped onto his shirt. “And where have I been!” he continued in a bitter voice. “Working in the office while you’re going through so much pain at home. Will…Viv…really…die?” he said with difficulty.
Vicki nodded.
“Can nothing save her?”
She shook her head.
“Oh boy,” he said again, and closed his eyes briefly with pain. He had gotten very fond of Vivian, and this news was a blow to him. “Has she told mother?” he asked in a low voice.
“She’s telling her now.”
Alec felt Vicki’s pain and grief. He had never seen two sisters closer to each other than Vicki and Vivian. He couldn’t even come near to what Vicki must be feeling right now. “It’s ok, darling. Cry all you want. I’m here.”
That hour was terribly sad for Vicki, but wonderfully sweet too, for it was to be the last day she and Alec were together like that for a long, long time afterward.

Chapter 15

Mrs Zhao bore the news with amazing strength. After the first cry, she showed no more signs of weakness and was a tower of strength and endurance to Vicki, who tended to break down quite often.
Just at that time Vicki began to feel very tired and nauseous. At first she thought it was simply the grief which was causing her to be like that, but as it went on for days she grew alarmed. *Why on earth am I always sleeping and feeling as if I would vomit at any moment?* she thought. Alec had returned to his former schedule, so she couldn’t talk to him about it. At last she told her mother.
Mrs Zhao gasped. “Vicki!”
“What?” Vicki asked, confused.
“This is wonderful! Marvellous! Fantastic! Fabulous! Magnificent! Miraculous!”
“Ok, ok, mum, cut out the ‘m’ and ‘f’ words. Did I miss out on something?”
“This was exactly how I felt when I was pregnant with you!” Mrs Zhao announced triumphantly.
Vicki’s jaw dropped.
“My dear, you have to go to the doctor and consult him! I’m sure the results will be positive!”
“But…”
“No buts! Go now! I’ll accompany you. Quick, get changed! We are going to see the doctor about this!”
Vicki wasn’t allowed to protest anymore.
***********
“Well?” Mrs Zhao looked anxiously at Dr Khoo.
Dr Khoo looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. “Accept my congratulations, Mrs Su. You are going to be a mother in eight months’ time!”
“What? I’m pregnant?” Vicki gaped.
“Yes!” The doctor then proceeded to tell her of the precautions she should take, but she scarcely heard any of them. She was too astonished and delighted with the news. Alec would love it!
However although she sat up late in the night to wait for him, she grew too sleepy and had to sleep. She was dead to the world when he arrived home, and the next morning he was gone far too early for her to tell him the good news.
Gigi met the news with the most joyful reaction, and insisted that she must help out with the naming of the baby.
Vicki and Ruby went to Ruby’s house and told her, Vivian and Jimmy the news. All congratulated her, and Jimmy asked what Alec’s reaction had been.
“I wasn’t able to tell him. He’s away all the time,” she answered.
“What? He’s away all the time?” Ruby echoed. “What does he do?”
“Working, of course.”
“Working,” Ruby repeated. Without rhyme or reason, she suddenly looked angry. “Do you think he’s having an affair?” she demanded.
Everyone started.
“Ruby!” Jimmy exclaimed reproachfully. “How can you say something like that?”
“Why not?” Ruby retorted. “Why shouldn’t he have a mistress? What office would take you away from home at six in the morning and let you go at midnight? It’s ridiculous! I think you should have a serious talk with Alec, Vicki. See what he’s up to!”
“Ru, you’re insane!” Vicki said, laying a hand on Ruby’s forehead which was cool and dry. “No fever. That’s a good thing.”
“I’m not insane,” Ruby said indignantly. “And I’m serious about this.”
“Ru, come on. I trust Alec.”
“Get real!” Gigi added. “Alec wouldn’t ever do something like that to Vicki and you know it, Ru Lin Su!”
“Ru Lin Su,” Vicki repeated. “Hey, that name is cute, isn’t it?”
“Ru Lin Su,” Gigi said. “Yeah! Very cute.” She looked slyly at Jimmy. “When are you going to propose, brother?”
“Stop bugging me!” Jimmy said, irritated. “Besides, I prefer Ru Lin to Ru Lin Su.”
“Yeah, stop teasing us,” Ruby said.
Gigi gave her a severe look. “Then don’t say things like my brother having a mistress, because you know that isn’t possible at all!”
“Ok, ok! Geez, you guys do know how to hit a fellow when he’s down,” Ruby grumbled.
“I think Ru Lin Su has just undergone a sex change,” Vicki said solemnly to Gigi.
“Why?” Gigi asked.
“Because she said ‘you guys do know how to hit a fellow when HE’S down’!” Vicki replied.
“Haha! It’s true! Jimmy, be careful or you might end up with a guy for the rest of your life!” Gigi said laughing.
Ruby and Jimmy glanced at each other while Vicki and Gigi burst into shrieks of laughter. “What’s so funny?” Jimmy asked.
“I don’t know,” Ruby said, and as she had no patience while Vicki and Gigi were amusing themselves that her expense, she said loudly, “GO BACK AND TELL ALEC THE NEWS, VIC ZHAO SU!”

Chapter 16

There was absolutely no time to tell Alec. No matter how much Vicki longed to tell him the news, she didn’t even see him long enough to tell him. She gradually grew sadder and sadder, and was on the verge of sinking into a deep depression. If it wasn’t for Gigi, she later on said that she would have been depressed long ago.
Meanwhile, Vivian’s health was deteriorating, and everyday she seemed to grow whiter and thinner than ever. It was evident that there was not much time left for her. Vicki spent every moment possible with her, and Vivian’s last days were very happy, especially since Ruby gently told her to go back home for rest and not come to work any longer.
One day, while Alec was out of the office for lunch, he met Dr Khoo, who warmly congratulated him.
“For what?” he asked, absolutely bewildered.
“Don’t you know?” Dr Khoo gave him a weird look. “Your wife Vicki is pregnant.”
Alec was so amazed he lost his tongue and simply stood staring at the doctor. “I suppose you don’t know,” said Dr Khoo guiltily. “I shouldn’t have told you…”
“Thank you, doctor,” Alec said curtly, “for telling me this.”
He asked his boss to release him earlier that day, and when that was agreed to he took his briefcase and walked out of the office.
Vicki had had a tiring day of housework, and was not in the best of moods when Alec arrived. He opened the door and put his briefcase on the floor, fatigue overcoming him. “Hey, Vic,” he said when she came out of the kitchen.
Vicki’s temper flared up when she saw her husband. “Where have you been?” she demanded angrily. “Do you know how I stay up at night to wait for you?”
“I told you not to stay up, Vic. Why don’t you ever listen to me?” Alec said irritably.
“Why don’t I ever listen to you?! YOU are the one not coming home! Do you know that for one whole week I have not seen you at all? What is going on, Alec? Is it because work in the office is just far too much, or is it because you have found someone else? TELL ME!” Vicki shouted.
“What? You think I have someone else?” Alec glared at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant, huh? If you ask me, I think that YOU are the one who’s keeping secrets from me!”
“How was I supposed to tell you?” Vicki screamed. “You are away all the time!”
“You’re cheating on me! Whose baby is that?”
“What! You dare to think that of me? What do you take me as? What has gotten into you, Alec? You were so nice last time, so loving and gentle…the moment we got married you changed totally! And when my father came you changed even more! Is it because you were shocked by my father’s history and now you look down on me? That’s it, isn’t it? Your love for me was so shallow that it vanished when a little bit of difficulty came along. I’m sick of this marriage, Alec Su. I don’t want to be married to you any longer. It’s driving me crazy. This is the time I need you the most, and you aren’t here. You know how bad I’m feeling over Vivian right now. WHERE ARE YOU, Alec? WHY AREN’T YOU WITH ME WHEN I NEED YOU MOST?” Vicki cried.
Alec was by then too furious to care about what he said. “If you are so unhappy being married to me, then leave! I don’t care!”
Vicki was struck dumb. She hadn’t expected a loving answer from him, but she hadn’t expected something so harsh either. Alec’s words were so hurtful that it wouldn’t have hurt less if he’d taken a dagger and thrust it straight into her heart.
“And now, about this baby…why didn’t you tell me?” Alec shouted.
“I couldn’t!” Vicki shouted back. “You are away all the time – HOW DID YOU EXPECT ME TO TELL YOU? Call you up at the office? The only time I did that I was reprimanded and rebuked so terribly that do you really expect me to do it again? You’ve changed completely. I – I wish I never married you because I HATE you!”
Alec gasped. Now it was his turn to have hurtful words flung at him. He saw their relationship, deeply dear and cherished, crack and break. He looked away from her tearful face.
Vicki let out one strangled sob and rushed upstairs. Somehow he knew that this entire quarrel was all his fault, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologise to her. No matter what, his pride had to be saved.

Chapter 17

Their quarrelling had woken up Gigi, Mrs Zhao and Vivian who came rushing out of their bedrooms to see a tearful Vicki running up the stairs.
“What’s the matter, darling?” Mrs Zhao asked worriedly.
“I’ve just fought with Alec. I want to divorce him,” Vicki answered determinedly.
The others were struck dumb. “I want to divorce him!” Vicki repeated, this time much louder and clearer. “I don’t want to live with him anymore! I can’t stand him, I hate him!”
Gigi swallowed hard. “You must be joking, Vic. Alec will never allow you to divorce him!”
“I don’t care!” her voice broke. Mrs Zhao hurried up to her and hugged her. “It’s ok, Vicki. Look, why don’t you give Alec another chance? Maybe he’s too stressed which is why he’s acting so strangely. Don’t make such a harsh decision.”
Vicki leaned her forehead on her mother’s shoulder and shook her head violently. “No. I’ve had enough of this – this ‘married’ life. Mum, I don’t even know whether he’s got another woman! He’s never around, and whenever I see him, he treats me so coldly that I feel like – trash! Mum, don’t try to help him. I’ve made up my mind.”
Alec heard what she’d said, for she had spoken very loudly. He sank onto a chair and covered his face. What was WRONG with him? Couldn’t he just go up and tell her he was sorry? But no, he was so stupidly proud, so proud that he couldn’t even say a simple ‘sorry’ to his wife who wanted to divorce him.
“Vicki, please, you must give this some thought…” Gigi protested. “Talk it over with Alec. Try to work things out between the two of you.”
“And besides, Vicki, you’re pregnant,” Mrs Zhao added. “You can’t just walk away from Alec and leave the child fatherless, can you?”
“Yes, Vicki, you must consider this carefully,” Vivian said. “I’m sure Alec still loves you as much as ever, it’s only that…”
Vicki rushed into her bedroom and slammed the door, locking it. Gigi, Vivian and Mrs Zhao looked at each other in despair. Then Gigi ran down the stairs and glared at her brother. “What’s wrong with you?” she screamed. “Why must you behave like that?”
Alec sprang to his feet. “Don’t you start on me as well, Gigi!”
“Do you know that Vicki wants to divorce you?” Gigi demanded. “Are you willing to let her just walk out of your life like that? Think about it, Alec. Think over it before you do anything else!” She whirled round and disappeared up the stairs.

Chapter 18

Gigi was wandering about in a store, thinking. The situation between Alec and Vicki had worsened over these past weeks. She really didn’t know how to help them anymore. And Vivian…poor Vivian. Vicki had told her all about Vivian’s affair just after the funeral, and she felt heartsick. How could Vivian have ended up like that?
“OW!” she shrieked suddenly. Something very heavy had fallen on her foot.
“Oh, sorry, miss,” said an embarrassed voice, and she looked up to see a tall, homely young man. “You stepped on my foot?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m so sorry,” the young man repeated.
There was something about him which reminded Gigi of Benny. Although he did not resemble Benny at all, there was just something…
“You must be Gigi Su,” he said.
She jumped. “You know me?” she exclaimed.
“You were supposed to be Benny Chan’s bride, weren’t you?” Gigi’s face answered his question. He stuck out his hand. “George Chan, Miss Su. I’m – no, I was – Benny’s cousin.”
Gigi faltered under his appreciative look. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Pleased to meet you too,” he answered with a smile.
Benny – Benny was dead. There was no point in clinging on to the past. She would never forget him, but she had to move on. She smiled warmly at George. “Why don’t we go for lunch together?” she suggested. “I’ll like to know you better.”
George smiled and agreed.
************
Ruby scurried around Jimmy’s room, tidying up everything. “I really don’t know how you can mess things up like you do!” she said severely to Jimmy, who sat on his wheelchair and watched her.
“I don’t know either, Ruby. I think it’s a talent.”
“Hah! Who wants a talent like that?”
Jimmy grinned briefly, then looked serious. “Ru, you know, I have been thinking and – I haven’t been talking about marriage much, have I?”
Ruby flushed and her pulse began to race. “What are you talking about?” she asked nervously.
“Oh, not much. I’ve just been debating whether – whether…” Jimmy stopped, and cleared his throat. “I think Ru Lin Su does sound nice.”
Ruby gasped. “Jimmy!”
“Will you marry me, Ruby?” Jimmy asked, looking directly at her.
She did not answer in words, but all of you should know how she answered.
************
“I demand it, Vicki. Who are you to refuse your mother?” Mrs Zhao said sternly.
“I don’t WANT to talk to him, mum!” Vicki protested.
“I don’t care. The two of you are going to have a talk, and you’re going to do it in front of me. I’ve phoned up Alec and he’ll be coming home early tonight.”
When her mother was like that, Vicki knew better than to refuse. Inside her she actually wanted to see Alec and hear his voice again, but she was so stubborn and angry with him that she declined to admit it.

“All right, you two.” Mrs Zhao stood in front of Alec and Vicki. Alec sat on one corner of the sofa while Vicki sat on the other. “I want the two of you to come to a decision about what’s going to happen. I don’t want this to go on anymore. Are the two of you going to divorce or not?”

Chapter 19

"So are you two going to get a divorce or not?" Mrs Zhao repeated, looking at the two of them.
Alec didn't look at Vicki, who was busily studying her fingernails. Neither knew what to say.
**************
"How did you meet Benny?" George asked, looking at Gigi, who was sipping her orange juice. "His mum is a friend of my mum," she replied. "We weren't very friendly the first time we met, then afterwards..." she sighed and shook her head. "Oh, I don't want to talk about it."
"Yeah, I understand. Look, there's a great sale going on today, you wanna go and check it out?"
Gigi eyed him in astonishment. "You LIKE shopping?"
"Why not? Hey, some guys enjoy shopping too, you know. So are you going or not?"
Gigi grinned cheerfully. "Sale oh sale, here we come!"

Chapter 20

"It's up to Vicki," Alec said at the end of a long, awful silence. Mrs Zhao turned to Vicki. "Well? What do you say?"
Vicki was completely and totally mixed-up inside. "I don't know," she said lamely. "Alec hasn't been - there for me when I needed him most. You know that, mum."
Mrs Zhao heaved a deep sigh and sat down. "Listen to me, the two of you. I know that you're not on good terms with each other right now. But it isn't as if you have been cheating on each other."
"She's been cheating on me!" Alec burst out angrily.
"I have NOT!" Vicki said just as angrily.
"Then why didn't you tell me about the baby? Why did you hide it from me?"
"If you hate the baby so much, I'll ABORT it!"
Alec turned away from her.
"Before you accuse her, Alec," Mrs Zhao continued calmly, as if that interruption had never taken place, "please remember that you weren't there for her to tell."
"Exactly!" Vicki said.
"You were at work all the time; you were so busy that you had no time for her."
"My office was trying to rush up a project!" Alec protested.
"Even so, you could have told your boss to let you off earlier and let you have some family life, right?"
Alec remained silent.
"I don't want to help you make up your mind, Vicki. But if I were you, I would try and give this marriage a second chance. To me, there is no need to divorce unless your husband is being unfaithful or - behaving as your father did." Her eyelids drooped suddenly and she said no more.
The room was once more engulfed in thundering silence. Finally Vicki couldn't take it anymore and got up. "Let me be alone for a while," she said, walking to the staircase. "I need to think."
When she was gone, Mrs Zhao looked at Alec. "Do you want to divorce her, Alec?"
Alec sighed. "No, mum. To tell you the truth, I love her as much as ever."

Chapter 21

"No, you are SO not telling the truth." Gigi looked incredulously at Vicki, who nodded to confirm her words. "You can't be thinking of aborting your baby! Please, Vicki! You can't kill a new life," Gigi pleaded. "Don't be out of your mind."
"Gigi, Alec doesn't want the baby - he thinks I cheated on him to get pregnant - I don't feel any joy when I think about being a mother. In fact, it just adds on to my burden and troubles now. I - I don't want the baby to feel unloved," Vicki finished, her eyes brimming with tears.
"How do you know that Alec doesn't want the baby? Please think over it carefully, Vic. You may not get pregnant for the next ten years. (ok, so I may be exaggerating) Don't pass up on the chance now."
Vicki sighed. "Gigi, why is it that my life is so filled with problem?"
Gigi shrugged. "Everyone's lives are filled with trouble."
"But mine seems to be exceptional!"

Chapter 22

For the next few days Vicki steered clear of Alec. She didn't want to see him and feel all the conflicting emotions rush up again. She just didn't want to think about it at all.
Mrs Zhao decided to let her daughter figure out herself what she wanted to do. At least now she knew for sure that Alec still had feelings for Vicki. No matter what had happened, he hadn't stopped loving her. As for Vicki - no one could tell whether she still loved him or not. The matter was left hanging in the air for days, and Vicki's tummy steadily grew bigger and bigger.
One day, someone told Mrs Su all about what was going on in her youngest son's home and she grew exceedingly angry. How could Vicki treat her son like that? She decided to go and confront this wife of Alec's.
Alec, having been let off early from work, came in through the backdoor into the kitchen and was taking out some food from the refrigerator when he heard his mother's voice in the sitting room.
"My son is working so hard to support you. He protected you from your father and suffered so much for you. Now you want to leave him! Don't you think you're going overboard, Vicki? Do you have no love for Alec anymore? Think of what he went through because of you! Do you count yourself as a good wife?"
"I never said I wanted to leave him!" Vicki cried, outraged.
"Then why are you avoiding him? Why did you have that quarrel with him? Why did you talk of divorce? Why did you want to abort your baby?"
"I'm not talking about divorce anymore, and I'm not going to abort my baby!"
"Is that baby Alec's?"
"MRS SU! How can you ask something like that? You mean to say that I'm so low? This baby is Alec's!" Vicki was evidently burning with fury now. "I may not be an excellent wife, but at least I love him! Perhaps I haven't been displaying my love for everyone to see, but I do love him and I'm not going to leave him! So don't come here and accuse me of having an affair, because I'll never ever be so despicable!"
Alec was startled. Did he hear right? Did Vicki really honestly say that? Did she still love him? Questions were running through his head as he strained to hear what his mother was going to say next.
"In that case, Vicki," Mrs Su said in a softened voice, "why do you continue to avoid him? If you still love him, then why are you acting like that?"
There was complete silence for a while. Vicki murmured something he couldn't hear, and then a rustling sound told him that Vicki was in his mother's arms, seeking consolation and finding it.
He sank into one of the chairs, his mind in a blur. If the two of them still loved each other then - this marriage could be saved! This nightmare could be ended at last.

Chapter 23

When Mrs Su finally left, he walked out of the kitchen to see a very dazed-looking Vicki sitting on the sofa. Going up to her, he took her hand in a rare gesture of affection (well, it's rare now). She looked up at him and her expression changed to shock. "Alec! What are you doing here?"
"What? You mean I can't even come home now?" Alec joked, holding her hand tightly in case she wanted to let go. "I heard everything you said to my mum."
Vicki started. "What! You were eavesdropping?"
"I wouldn't exactly call it eavesdropping. Anyway, I heard everything. So - Vicki, I just want to tell you that I love you. It's been a long time since I've said it, and I know I haven't been a good husband lately - but, as you said just now, I still love you. Forgive me?"
Vicki's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared helplessly up into Alec's handsome face, at a loss of what to say.
Alec waited patiently.
"I..." she murmured, then paused. "For what am I supposed to forgive you?" she said slowly. She lifted her free hand and gently caressed his cheek. She said no more, but volumes of books could not have told him more than the look in her eyes did.
**************
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the holy matrimony of..." said the minister emphatically. Vicki, now huge with her baby, smiled at Alec, who put an arm round her and drew her closer.
The pianist struck up the Wedding March (wait a min, is it sposed to be played before or after? oh heck, i can't remember...nvm) and everyone rose to welcome the bride.
Bridesmaids - more bridesmaids...ahh!!! The bride at last! Looking beautiful in her simple wedding gown, she walked down the aisle, leaning on her father's arm and smiling radiantly.
When she arrived at the front, the minister asked, "Who gives her away?"
"I do," answered the proud father, and he stepped aside while the bride and bridegroom joined hands.
With a smile, the minister continued, "Jimmy, do you take Ruby to be your wife?"
"I do," Jimmy replied.
"Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, in times of prosperity and in times of want, in times of success and in times of failure, and forsaking all others, will you be faithful and loyal to her so long as you both shall live?"
"I will," Jimmy said, looking lovingly at Ruby.
The pastor did the same with Ruby, then asked, "May I have the rings?"
The bestman handed him the rings.
"Jimmy, take this ring and place it on Ruby's finger as you repeat after me: 'With this ring, I pledge my life and love to you, I take you to have and to hold, from today on, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as we both shall live, I will always be faithful to you, I will be to you the husband, God commands in His Word, I promise you this in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' "
(A repeat performance with Ruby)
"Now that you have made to one another this solemn promise, it is fitting to make this sincere and irrevocable vow to God. Repeat after me, but with your heads bowed in prayer, say this to God: 'Our Father, You have heard the vows I have just made to the one I love. Now to You, O God, I promise I will never revoke my vows of marriage no matter what the circumstance or reason. Help us both to keep this vow. Amen.' " The minister continued: "By the authority vested in me as a minister of Jesus Christ, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Ruby had to bend down, but Jimmy kissed her unashamedly.
"Now, congregation, let us welcome Mr and Mrs Jimmy Lin!"
Everyone whooped and cheered as the music started again and Ruby wheeled Jimmy's chair down the aisle. Alec held Vicki's hands, both recalling their own marriage all those months ago. No matter what, they would keep the vows they made to each other!

Chapter 24

"What's the matter, Vicki?" Mrs Zhao asked worriedly when her daughter staggered into the kitchen with a pained look on her face.
"My pains are getting bad," Vicki gasped, "and I think my waters are going to break soon."
"Oh no!" Mrs Zhao was horrified. "Alec! Gigi!" she shouted. Alec and Gigi came running down the stairs. "What is it?" they asked anxiously.
"Quick, fetch Vicki to the nearest hospital! She's going to give birth soon."
Gigi gasped. Alec was startled. "Now?"
"Yes! There's no time to waste!"
Alec put his arm round Vicki to help her to the car, and Gigi did the same. Mrs Zhao hurried after them.
**************
Vicki shivered with the pain, clinging on desperately to Alec's hand. "Alec, it hurts," she said, clenching her teeth.
"It'll be ok," Alec said soothingly. "It'll be over soon."
The doctor hurried into the room with a few nurses. "Ok, steady now," he said, taking up his position at the back of the bed. (as i dun noe much abt giving birth, i'll skip this part)

"Why is it taking so long?" Ruby asked, beads of perspiration on her forehead.
"Do you think anything is wrong?" Gigi asked.
"No. Don't worry. Vicki will be fine," said Mrs Zhao encouragingly, but she, too, was very nervous.

Vicki gasped for air. "I'm so tired," she panted. Alec held her hand tightly. "Come on, dearest, you can do it!" he urged.
"Push, Mrs Su, push!" a nurse said.
Vicki breathed in deeply and pushed for all she was worth. The baby came shooting out. The doctor caught it professionally and a nurse cut the cord. The doctor slapped the baby, making it cry. Vicki heard the cry and slumped back into the pillows. The afterbirth hadn't even come out yet. After ten minutes of agony, it finally slid out. She fainted.

When she came to, the first thing she saw was Alec smiling down at her. "You did it!" he said in excited low tones. "I'm so proud of you!"
Vicki felt something lying beside her head and looked. It was her baby, lying on the bed with its eyes tightly shut. "Oh," she murmured.
"She's a girl, Vicki. You just gave birth to a perfect baby girl. Nothing missing! Ten toes, ten fingers, two eyes, a nose, a mouth..." Alec laughed joyously.
Vicki looked at her baby, who looked so innocent and cute even in her sleep. How could she ever have thought of aborting her? But that didn't matter now. She had given birth successfully. That was all that mattered.
Alec kissed her forehead and said, "You will be needing a lot of rest from now on."
Vicki smiled up at him. "Hello, daddy."
He grinned and touched her cheek. "Hello, mummy!"
**************
"Are you sure you want to name her Vivian?" Alec asked dubiously.
"Why not?" Vicki said defensively, holding her daughter in her arms. "It's a perfect name for a perfect baby. Vivian Su. It sounds lovely."
"Lovely, eh? Ok, whatever you say."
On the day of her christening, baby Vivian won everyone's heart by her gurgles and giggles and smiles. Yes, she would grow up to be a fine woman - a woman after her mother's heart - a woman who would touch and thrill millions of people with her wonderful beauty and her magnificent voice - soaring up to the heavens...but now she was as yet only a little baby who was the apple of her parents' eyes.
And now, let us leave our beloved Alec and Vicki alone with their baby, for we are no longer needed or wanted.

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