Fan Fiction |
by YukLing
After dinner on the boat, someone started to play several slow songs for Ron and Myolie as they danced under the sunset. Eventually everyone who had a couple began to join the romantic couple on the small dance floor. Ray was with Lynda. Mr. Ng and Mr. Wu were with their wives, etc. Mostly everyone was out on the dance floor in the front deck, except for one person -- Qian. She had been sitting in the back of the boat gazing into the horizon watching the sunset come down.
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After a long day at the sea, Qian discovered that her body was full of aches the next day as she was woken by the sound of the telephone.
“Hello?” Qian yawned sleepily.
“Hi, I’m looking for Qian.” Said a male voice.
”This is she. Who is asking?”
“Qian, this is Ray. I meant to tell you yesterday that I’ve reschedule for you a 2nd interview on Monday morning at 9AM.” Ray stated.
Qian was surprised to receive a phone call from Ray, but she was much more surprised that he took the initiative to give her a 2nd chance at the interview.
“Are you serious? Or are you playing games with me again?” Qian asked suspiciously.
“No. I am serious. You WILL show up this time and not walk out, right?” Ray asked sarcastically.
Qian couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Maybe she was still sleeping?
“Hello? Are you still there?” Ray asked again.
“Yes, yes. I’m still here. Yes, I’ll be there 9AM sharp on Monday.” Qian replied.
”Good, I’ll see you then.”
“Hey…”
“Yes?”
“Thanks. I really appreciate you giving me this 2nd interview.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We haven’t approved of your manuscript yet.” Ray replied with indifference.
“In any case, thank you. See you on Monday.”
Ray hanged up his phone and jotted down the appointment time and date on his planner. But then he changed his mind and scribbled out the appointment and picked up the phone again to dial another number.
“What are you calling me for on a Sunday morning, Ray?”
“Morning Jess, listen I’ve just scheduled you an appointment with that author you wanted to talk to. It’ll be on Monday @ 9AM. Is that good for you?” Ray asked.
“Since when does Mr. Ray Lam become my personal-weekend-secretary?” Jessica asked sarcastically.
”Hey, I’m just doing this favor for a friend.” Ray replied.
His telephone conversation was interrupted when Lynda came walking into his office wearing on a thin silky robe. “Anyways. See you at work on Monday, Jess.”
“What are you doing up so early, Ray” Lynda asked as she wrapped her arms around him while sitting on his legs.
“Just some phone calls I gotta make. How come you’re up early too? I thought you’d be tired from yesterday’s trip?”
“Nah. Speaking of yesterday’s trip, isn't it awfully romantic of Ron and Myolie to have their dance under the sunset after dinner? When are we gonna do that?”
Ray was surprised at Lynda’s question. Hopefully, he was hearing her wrong. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…when are you gonna be serious with me, Ray?”
“I thought you wanted an open relationship” Ray asked.
“Well, I am not sure I want this on-and-off again relationship anymore. I want to know if we’re going somewhere with this, Ray?”
“Uh…Why don’t you go take a shower first….I have a few things I need to finish up first.”
“OK, fine ignore my question then.” Lynda said angrily, and then she stood up and walked out of his office.
Thinking to himself, “Maybe it’s time for him to call it quit with Lynda. She was beginning to get too many ideas. There's no way in hell was he gonna be tied down like Ron.”
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{Monday: 9AM}
"Miss Li, please follow me." said Suzanne, the front receptionist.
If Suzanne still remembers Qian as the person who was in Ray's office last week crawling on the floor, she didn't seem to show it as Qian followed her. Qian was surprised when Suzanne knocked on the door next to Ray's office instead of his.
"Miss Hsuen, Miss Li is here." Suzanne said as she opened the doorway for Qian to enter.
Jessica looked up and smiled brightly at Qian. "Good morning Qian. Please have a seat".
"Good morning, Miss Hsuen", Qian replied. From the first moment Qian stepped into the room and met Jessica, she knew she was gonna like her interviewer.
"Please call me Jessica. Everyone here does." Jessica said. "I apologize about last week for having missed the appointment with you. Thank You for coming back."
Qian wasn't sure what Ray had told Jessica, but it seem as if Jessica was ignoring the fact that it had been her who walked out on the interview.
"Let's get started on this manuscript, shall we? Qian, as someone who really admires and support women authors, I was thoroughly impressed with your book 'Single Moms'. I think it'll be a great sell for Novellie Production and Metromedia. However, there are some points I'd like for you to take into consideration first before we publish your book. If you don't mind, I'd like to offer some opinion and suggestions."
Qian shook her head, "No. Not at all. This is just the rough draft of my book, I'm sure there are bound to be more editing and proof readings. I am very open to your suggestions,Miss Hsuen...I mean Jessica."
"Good. I like people who have an open mind. OK. First comment, although your writing offers a lot of insight on how single moms deal with every day life and outlooks of society; it seems to lack ....hm...How should I say this....love??"
"Love?" Qian asked with confusion.
"I don't mean love, as in mother-to-a-child since you very well much covered that topic in your writings. What I mean is you seem to neglect the entire subject of love. How does this person who is a single mom deal with love before and or after? I think many women who are single moms in real life do have to deal with this topic too....but it seems as if you have ignored it completely in your writing....Are you understanding what I am saying?"
"So you want me to focus more on what a woman needs in terms of love before or after being a single mom?"
"Exactly. Your book will be geared towards women who are in the same situation. Many women I know, who are either single moms or widows or divorced face this topic sooner or later in their life. If you could write more insight about this area, then I think your book will be a very good seller and a positive influence."
Qian understood Jessica's meaning and expectation but she wasn't sure if she could deliver it as she really did not have any experience or been in that situation. Sure she wrote the book base on Michelle and what Qian knew of everyday life and problems as a single mom. But she had never really given any thoughts as what Michelle needs or wants -- in terms of love.
"I'm gonna give you a bit more time to think about this and then we'll go from there. Of course, we will start paying you on monthly basis until you're done with the revision. There will be a deadline though."
"Yes, I understand. I will reconsider your opinion. Thank you Jessica for your insightful suggestions."
"Well, I'm glad you'll be joining our women author list, Qian. I'm sure you'll be able to deliver a good book for us."
"Thank You, Jessica. I will send you the new revised version when it's ready."
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{Setting: First floor at Metromedia Building}
"Michael, stop running.....No no...Don’t touch that!!!"
"But mommy, I wanta go up the elevator!!" Michael cried.
"No, we're waiting here for Auntie Qian to finish her interview." Michelle said.
Michael started to cry and squated right there on the elevator floor.
"Shshhhh...Please Michael, please don't cry."
"I wanta go up the elevator!" Michael said as he cried.
"Ok Ok, just one time ok?"
Michael had stopped crying as he knew he was gonna get to ride the elevator.
Upon entering the elevator, Michael started to press every single button on the wall.
"Michael, stop that!"
Michael stuck out his tongue at Michelle and continued to press on several buttons at one time. Soon, the elevator door stopped and Michael started to run before Michelle could stop him.
"Michael!! Come back!" Michelle yelled and ran after him, but by that time she had already lost sight of him.
Somehow Michael had managed to run pass the front receptionist and entered one of the rooms in the hallway.
"What the heck? Whose kid is that?”
"Probably someone's kid who got lost." Ron stood up from his desk and came toward the little boy and picked him up. "Come here little boy. Are you lost?"
Michael started to cry at the sight of the two strangers.
Ron started to panic as he didn't know what to do with a crying kid. "Shh...shh...please don't cry." He quickly went back to his desk and went thru some paper then grabbed the nearest thing he could find. "Here. Here's a pen. Please, stop crying."
But Michael threw the pen down on the floor and continued to cry "I want my Momie...hic hic hic hic...I want my Momie. hic hic hic waaaahhhhh.."
Ray, who had been sitting still, found Ron's sight rather amusing.
"Stop laughing and give me a hand would yah?" Ron yelled at Ray angrily.
Ray stood up from his chair and gave Ron an amusing questioning look "Hey, I don't know anything about kids. Don't ask me."
Michael started to wiggle his way out of Ron's arms and was about to fall when Ray caught him in time. Michael looked up at the other stranger who was holding him now and started to cry again.
Now it was Ray's turn to be anxious and nervous as he held Michael in his arms.
"Stop crying kid." Ray said.
Ron laughed, "Yah that one will really works. Let me call Betty in and find out whom this kid belongs to." Ron walked over to his desk and pressed the receiver button, "Betty, would you come to my office. There's little boy who's just lost his mom."
"Yes Sir, I think I see his mom looking for him. She's right here."
"Bring her in then." Ron released the button and looked up to find that Michael had stopped crying. "How did you get him to stop crying?"
"I told him if he didn't stop crying I'd eat him." Ray replied while still holding Michael in his arms.
Of course, Ron knew Ray was only joking but he was surprised that Ray was able to make the boy stop crying. Michael was laughing merrily when Michelle and Betty entered Ron's office.
Michelle was embarrassed to find Michael bouncing off of Ray's arms and giggling. "Oh I'm so sorry. Michael, stop bouncing and come to Mommy."
Michael refused to let go of Ray and yanked onto his collar tightly.
"Michael, stop it! I'm sorry Mister, my son is ruining your collar. Michael come over here or else I will tell your Auntie!" Michelle yelled.
Finally, Michael stopped bouncing on Ray's arms and extended his two little arms towards Michelle.
"Michelle?" Ron finally spoke.
Michelle turned around to face the second stranger who had been standing in the same room. At first, Michelle didn't recognize Ron but soon she did. "Oh my gosh, Ron ?? What a surprise!!"
"Hey, I'm gonna head back downstairs I'll talk to you later. Ron." Ray and Betty both left the office, leaving Ron, Michelle and Michael to themselves.
"It's been so long since I've seen you." Michelle exclaimed.
"Yeah, how are things with you?"
"I'm doing OK. This is my boy, Michael....OMG, Qian would be so happy if she knew I bumped into you! She's just downstairs doing interview." Michelle said with great enthusiasm.
"Actually, Qian and I bumped into each other too last week. We just came back from a boat trip this weekend too."
"Really? Qian never told me!! That girl is so secretive." Michelle thought it was so great that Qian and Ron finally got to see each other again. She knew that Qian had always been in love with Ron, hopefully with this second meeting again -- Qian would not miss her opportunity. Michelle would make sure that her friend's happiness will come true this time.
"You said Qian was downstairs?" Ron asked.
"Yes, she should be done any moment. I should be going downstairs to meet her or else she won't know where I am......Hey, how about going to lunch with us? If you're not busy, of course."
"That sounds great. I'll meet you girls downstairs. I need to make a quick phone call first."
After Michelle and Michael left his office, Ron punched some numbers on his phone.
"Hi Honey."
"Hi Myolie. Listen, I've just ran into an old friend. I won't be able to make it to lunch with you and your parents this afternoon. Are you OK with that?"
"That's fine. Actually, I already told my parents we won't be joining them because I have to make a few quick errands."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, the florists wanted me to come down to the store and pick out the flowers for the wedding."
"Oh OK. Well, I'll see you later then."
After Ron hanged up the phone, he dialed Ray's number.
"Hey, are you coming to lunch today?" Ron asked.
"No, I have plans with Lynda. I need to talk to her."
"That sound way too serious, so unlike you. What’s up?"
"Well, I'm gonna break up with her, is that serious enough?"
"I thought you like her?"
"I like her well enough, but I don't want to marry her!"
"Tsk tsk. You're one cold-hearted-guy, Ray."
"Whatever, stop preaching me. I gotta go. Bye."
Ron hanged up his phone and went downstairs to join Michelle, Michael, and Qian.