Jasmine sighed, disappointed by Mark's decision to leave. The restaurant was already falling apart, and Mark's eventual department would only bring additional pressure.
"While you and Derrick had your holidays, I haven't even taken one for the past few months!" Jasmine lamented as she set the pot into the sink and turned the tap.
"I will be back whenever I can to help out I promise." Mark said, not wanting to carry on the subject.
Back at home at night; Lucius was lying against the floor scribbling on a drawing pad with her legs up in the air while Patricia had her eye glued on the television, watching a show with her grandmother and the maid. The door opened and the girls screamed as Jasmine got home. Both Patricia and Lucius then got off the sofa and ran towards her to give their mom a hug.
"Aiyohhh, the both of you still watching TV so late? What's there to watch?" Jasmine remarked, tired from work.
"They finish homework already?" Jasmine asked the maid, Joan.
"Yes mom"
"There's dinner on the table, quickly go take a shower then eat already." said Mrs Chong to her daughter.
“What did you all cook tonight?” Jasmine said as she walked into the kitchen.
Later on, Jasmine was lying on the bed staring at her phone as her family was sleeping. Just then the message tone came on.
"Oei sister, our wedding dinner will b at Holiday Inn Atrium at 18th November dun 4gt hor and tell James also!" wrote the sender, Angie.
Jasmine smiled, it was news from her good friend and she replied, "Dun worry lah, I will be dere. Lucius birthday coming soon btw."
Then Jasmine began sending another message that wrote, "Dear, Angie wedding dinner coming soon, you be my partner okay?" The recipient was addressed to James.
Putting aside her phone, Jasmine gazed at her daughters and patted Lucius as she slept, before she too, fell asleep.
The next afternoon, Mark was out shopping for gifts at an Arts shop in Takashimaya. He had decided to pick something different instead of getting some soft toy for Lucius, after all the kids must have a lot of toys at home. He took awhile before stopping to take a look at the stack of drawing pads and crayons lying at the bottom of his feet, something he loved when he was just a four year old. Mark stood there, hand rubbing his chin in deep thoughts. He looked at the box of Crayola crayons and looked at the box set with the sketch pad, then finally, he bent down to pick up the box set and made his way to the cashier.
“Can you wrap this up for me too?” Said Mark as he paid for the items
“Of course, but there’s a one dollar charge, just pick the paper at your left.” Said the counter assistant.
Mark looked towards his left and saw the rolls of wrapping papers neatly laid on a rack and briefly picked a bright green colored wrapper with fancy patterns and Happy Birthday printed all over and waited as Lucius’s crayons and sketch pad box set was wrapped.
“Thanks a lot!” Mark smiled, picked up the bag from the friendly assistant and later on made his way to Far East Plaza.
When he reached there, Jasmine was already at work, staring out at the counter as Mark entered the kitchen. There were little customers and the kitchen remained clean and shiny along with the silence. Jasmine smiled as Mark walked in, then she noticed the gift.
“Oh erm, guess what? I bought something for Lucius.” Said Mark.
“Aiyohh, you didn’t have to, don’t waste your money lah.”
“It okay you know, not like she has a birthday everyday.”
“Okay lah thanks anyway.” Said Jasmine, smiling as usual.
Mark then walked to the backroom and laid the gift right beside Jasmine's brown and pink LV bag on the metal racks.
"How much did it cost?" Shouted Jasmine as Mark changed into his kitchen attire.
"Doesn't matter, it was less than $30!" Mark said and emerged after awhile.
"Okay my turn to go home." Chirped Jasmine, walking pass Mark as he took over and the kitchen was alive again as Mark set to work.
The day passed and eventually set into the night, Mark was all alone in the restaurant sweeping the floor when his phone rang. It was Jasmine.
"Yes darling? Looking for me?" said Mark.
"She opened up the gift already, so anxious when her birthday is tomorrow."
"Ohh alright, hahah! I hope she likes it."
"Fighting over it with the sister."
"Aiyoh.. Patricia also. Should share with her sis."
Then suddenly Lucius's innocent voice came into the conversation chirping happily,"Hello, the present you buy for who?"
"For you lor, you like?"
"For me? Really?"
"Never thank uncle Mark?" said Jasmine in the background.
"Orh! Thank you uncle Mark!" chirped Lucius over the phone.
Mark smiled, his entire day brighten up with the call. It was as though his own daughter had called to thank him for getting her a birthday gift, and for him it was a step into Jasmine's life.
"While you and Derrick had your holidays, I haven't even taken one for the past few months!" Jasmine lamented as she set the pot into the sink and turned the tap.
"I will be back whenever I can to help out I promise." Mark said, not wanting to carry on the subject.
Back at home at night; Lucius was lying against the floor scribbling on a drawing pad with her legs up in the air while Patricia had her eye glued on the television, watching a show with her grandmother and the maid. The door opened and the girls screamed as Jasmine got home. Both Patricia and Lucius then got off the sofa and ran towards her to give their mom a hug.
"Aiyohhh, the both of you still watching TV so late? What's there to watch?" Jasmine remarked, tired from work.
"They finish homework already?" Jasmine asked the maid, Joan.
"Yes mom"
"There's dinner on the table, quickly go take a shower then eat already." said Mrs Chong to her daughter.
“What did you all cook tonight?” Jasmine said as she walked into the kitchen.
Later on, Jasmine was lying on the bed staring at her phone as her family was sleeping. Just then the message tone came on.
"Oei sister, our wedding dinner will b at Holiday Inn Atrium at 18th November dun 4gt hor and tell James also!" wrote the sender, Angie.
Jasmine smiled, it was news from her good friend and she replied, "Dun worry lah, I will be dere. Lucius birthday coming soon btw."
Then Jasmine began sending another message that wrote, "Dear, Angie wedding dinner coming soon, you be my partner okay?" The recipient was addressed to James.
Putting aside her phone, Jasmine gazed at her daughters and patted Lucius as she slept, before she too, fell asleep.
The next afternoon, Mark was out shopping for gifts at an Arts shop in Takashimaya. He had decided to pick something different instead of getting some soft toy for Lucius, after all the kids must have a lot of toys at home. He took awhile before stopping to take a look at the stack of drawing pads and crayons lying at the bottom of his feet, something he loved when he was just a four year old. Mark stood there, hand rubbing his chin in deep thoughts. He looked at the box of Crayola crayons and looked at the box set with the sketch pad, then finally, he bent down to pick up the box set and made his way to the cashier.
“Can you wrap this up for me too?” Said Mark as he paid for the items
“Of course, but there’s a one dollar charge, just pick the paper at your left.” Said the counter assistant.
Mark looked towards his left and saw the rolls of wrapping papers neatly laid on a rack and briefly picked a bright green colored wrapper with fancy patterns and Happy Birthday printed all over and waited as Lucius’s crayons and sketch pad box set was wrapped.
“Thanks a lot!” Mark smiled, picked up the bag from the friendly assistant and later on made his way to Far East Plaza.
When he reached there, Jasmine was already at work, staring out at the counter as Mark entered the kitchen. There were little customers and the kitchen remained clean and shiny along with the silence. Jasmine smiled as Mark walked in, then she noticed the gift.
“Oh erm, guess what? I bought something for Lucius.” Said Mark.
“Aiyohh, you didn’t have to, don’t waste your money lah.”
“It okay you know, not like she has a birthday everyday.”
“Okay lah thanks anyway.” Said Jasmine, smiling as usual.
Mark then walked to the backroom and laid the gift right beside Jasmine's brown and pink LV bag on the metal racks.
"How much did it cost?" Shouted Jasmine as Mark changed into his kitchen attire.
"Doesn't matter, it was less than $30!" Mark said and emerged after awhile.
"Okay my turn to go home." Chirped Jasmine, walking pass Mark as he took over and the kitchen was alive again as Mark set to work.
The day passed and eventually set into the night, Mark was all alone in the restaurant sweeping the floor when his phone rang. It was Jasmine.
"Yes darling? Looking for me?" said Mark.
"She opened up the gift already, so anxious when her birthday is tomorrow."
"Ohh alright, hahah! I hope she likes it."
"Fighting over it with the sister."
"Aiyoh.. Patricia also. Should share with her sis."
Then suddenly Lucius's innocent voice came into the conversation chirping happily,"Hello, the present you buy for who?"
"For you lor, you like?"
"For me? Really?"
"Never thank uncle Mark?" said Jasmine in the background.
"Orh! Thank you uncle Mark!" chirped Lucius over the phone.
Mark smiled, his entire day brighten up with the call. It was as though his own daughter had called to thank him for getting her a birthday gift, and for him it was a step into Jasmine's life.
No comments:
Post a Comment