[ilikeoldchangke]

23rd March 2015

Monday.

6am


I was back at the noodle stall, settling into my usual routine. Kate was not at the coffee shop that day. I left the house the day before around 4.30pm with my parents. The crowds slowly dispersed but Kate dropped me a message at 9pm, saying that the elders were all still in the room.


There was nothing but anger and confusion as they blamed each other for the state of the affairs.


10am


It was a pretty slow day at the stall and we were getting ready to pack up when I received a call from Kate.

Kate : I would meeting Tracy for a while today… you want to join me ??


Jake : Of course… I’ll love to…



Kate : It’s nothing much actually…. Just a meal , coffee and then drop her off at MBS sands.




Jake : Let me know the time and details.



3.30pm

I met up with Kate at Suntec City. We waited for about 10 minutes before we Tracy showed up with a few shopping bags in her hands.


I thought she was alone until I saw her men loitering a distance away. They carried a few bags as well and they looked bored.

Tracy : Hi Kate…


Kate : Hi Tracy…

They shook hands and Tracy turned towards me.


Tracy : Is he your….. bodyguard ?? or your boyfriend ?? poor thing….. he’s stuck with you ?? He should be with Ollie and Leonard….. and wherever your brother and Andy is bringing them to… hahaha…. You know… those naughty places…haha.. who is he Kate ??



Kate laughed and looked at me.


Kate : Just a friend…. He’ll double up as anything if I need him to… haha..

Tracy : Good… can he help to carry my bags too ?? haha…


Tracy passed me her bags and upon closer inspection, I realised why her men stayed so far away.



Tracy had bought lingerie from La Senza and they filled up 2 big bags. With the huge brand name plastered on the paper bags, it’s no wonder her staff stayed away.


I could see them sniggering at each other when the bags landed on me.

Tracy and Kate walked on in front and somehow I just followed them a few steps behind.


I’m not too near that it would make them uncomfortable to talk, but I’m still close enough to catch bits of their conversations.


Tracy’s men were close by, the 6 of them shopped and bought snacks along the way as well, just like any other visiting tourist but at any point of time, at least 3 kept their eyes on their boss.



Tracy : It sucks…. Really does…

Kate : What do you mean ??


Tracy : Being who I am ….


Kate : Why is that ??



Tracy : Don’t you sometimes wished you are just a normal girl in the street ? With none of these burdens to bear ?


Kate kept silent as Tracy went on.


Tracy : I can’t choose which family I’m born into…. And I’m thankful for the material comforts my family has given me…. but sometimes….all we girls wanted… is just to be loved… and have that freedom to do what we want…. No ?



Kate : Are you unhappy ?


Tracy : Should I be happy ? …… there are death threats for my dad back home…. My elder brother is in jail….. people tried to kidnap me…. I get rape threats back home too…. Hahah…



Kate : May I ask how old are you Tracy ?


Tracy : I’m turning 29… … no man…. Dared to come after me…. haha… not after learning who my dad and my brother is… hahah…


She chuckled playfully and nudged Kate on her arm as they walked down the shops in the mall.


Tracy : I like Singapore…. It’s safe…. I feel safe…. There’s just….. order….amidst all the things that is going on.


Kate : Taiwan is safe too… it’s one of the safest in Asia as well no ?



Tracy : Not if you are walking in our circle Kate… haha…


Tracy walked into a clothing shop, flipped a couple of dresses around before picking one up and holding it against herself to look in the mirror.

Tracy : I wished I could do what Gabriel and Andy wanted to do…. To slowly steer the family towards proper and decent business….. but there’s just so much barrier….



Kate : My brother believes that for the family to survive, we all need to move on. …. Technology is improving leaps and bounds everyday…. The old ways… have to go…. We know it’s impossible to remove the stain from the family but as we head into the future…. Perhaps we can redeem ourselves… once we are in a position to do so…




Tracy : I want to do that too…. But you know what… it’s a different ecosystem altogether… some things will work in Singapore, but they won’t work back home…


She put the dress back and they continued walking down the mall.

Kate : Well, if given a chance… what would you really want to do ??


Tracy : Me ? hahaha ? I don’t know…. What do girls my age do if they’re not out bribing people and trying to put your competitor out of business ?? haha…

Kate : I’ll love to travel…. Just work and travel…. There’s so many beautiful places in the world….



Tracy laughed and pointed behind her.

Tracy : Yah… I got to bring them along when I travel… it sucks…. …


Kate laughed.


Tracy : And you know what… it might seemed I have a lot of people catering to my whims and fancies but it’s a terrible pain in the ass…. I can’t even get them to buy me my pads if I needed them…..look … they don’t even dare to come near me after I bought my lingerie…


She turned around on impulse and snapped at her men.


Tracy : You pussies… !...


Then Tracy came over to me, grabbed a handful of bras out from the bag, she laughed as she walked in a threatening manner towards her man and they scattered in all directions like rats seeing a cat for the first time.

Tracy : Hahaha…


Kate : Haha…

Tracy : See…. !..



Tracy passed her lingerie back to me and I took them and kept them in her bags.


Tracy : Jake right…. Hmmmm….. not too bad…. How much you hired him for ??

Kate laughed and said I’m not very expensive.


Kate : Quite cheap… about 3k odd….. has a degree… speaks and behaves well..

Tracy : Oh… not bad… can I borrow him sometimes ?? hahah… oh wait.. wait… he’s not your boyfriend right ?? haha



Kate shook her head and said no.

Kate : but he likes me though I think… haha…


I gave Kate an irritated look and she stuck out her tongue at me.


Tracy :What about me Jake…. Do you like me ?? haha..


I looked at Tracy, the way her facial features stand out against her shoulder length hair. She is pretty, definitely prettier that Kate if I were to be honest. She’s taller too, about the same height as me, and her smile, Tracy did not just smile with her lips, she did it with her eyes too.


She tilted her head sideways and raised a sweet seductive eyebrow at me.

Tracy : need to consider that long ?? haha…


Jake : haha.. Yes… I like you too…


Tracy laughed and brushed back her hair behind her ears, looking every bit like a sweet girl in a Taiwanese drama.


Tracy : will you go out with me ?? hahaha.. if Kate allows that is…

I turned towards Kate and she folded her arms and pretended to consider her request.


Tracy : I can pay….. I’m richer that Kate and her brother you know..hahahah…

I just smiled shyly without giving a reply.


Tracy : This is what I like about Singaporean men…. Like to pretend to be shy.. ahah…


Kate : Oh please… I don’t know about the others… but this one…. This one is definitely not shy… haha..


Tracy twitched a side of her upper lips and paced around me, stroking her chin.




Tracy : Ok… ok… I’ll consider… haha..


We came to a café and the girls took a seat while I get their orders