Fan Fiction |
by Mimosa
What happened at HK airport resembled some Holywood action movies. As the Boeing taxiing into the gate, police cars zoomed into the view with their unsettling lights and siren. Follow them were two units of ambulances. Then just a little further away, I spotted a helicopter waiting with its propeller spinning at full speed. Whoever this little Kelly was, she was certainly the daughter of someone powerful. Or rich!
But who Kelly really was certainly was not my immediate concern. What I needed to find out was how to get out of this plane unobserved, how to get through the custom unseen. By Doctor-whatever-his-name-is! I prayed for him to accompany Kelly in the ambulance, or on the helicopter. Whatever! Dear Lord, please just never let him cross my path again.
“Due to a small medical case, we would like to ask all of you to remain in your seats for just a few minutes while the medical workers are on duty. We appreciate your cooperation. Thank you!”
I sunk myself deeper into the seat, trying to make myself invisible. But it was obviously not working.
“Miss Chan!” The same flight attendant spotted me with no effort whatsoever.
“Huh?”
“They would like you to accompany her to the hospital!”
“But I’m not a doctor!” I protested “What do they possibly need me for?”
“Kelly wants you to go with her!”
Little brat! Just because she wanted me to go with her, then I’d go?
“Er… I have some rather important thing to take care of!” I hesitated as I recalled the sweet look on the little girl’s face. Such a trusting way she had looked at me earlier “Why don’t you ask him, Doctor…er… what’s his name?”
“Doctor Lo. Gallen Lo!” The flight attendant nodded “It’s just too bad you can’t join her. How about I’ll tell Kelly you will visit her later?”
“Yes, please!”
The flight attendant rushed off to convey the message. From the window, I caught a glimpse of Kelly on the stretcher as they pushed her toward the waiting helicopter. A busy team of white blousers surrounded her. Among them stood out the dark blue shirt. His dark blue shirt! Such a relief! Bye bye little Kelly, and just be careful next time you eat your cake.
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I soon found myself getting out of the plane, moving slowly down the terribly long line to the custom, waiting for my suitcases for what seemed to be forever, and finally locking embraces with Ada.
“You cut your hair!” She yelped in horror the moment she released me from her arms.
“What’s so bad about it?” I pouted “I like it this way!”
“No, you look cute as always!” She giggled… “Only I think Kevin would have a heart attack! He’s obsessed with your hair, girl!”
“And I thought he's in love with me!” I rolled my eyes “Now I know the truth!”
“Oh no!” Ada gasped dramatically “Have I just given him away?”
Kevin looked a bit lost when he found us in our fit of giggling. Then, as Ada had foretold, his eyes protruded from his head.
“Flora!”
“What?”
“Your hair!” He cried.
“How do you think?” I twirled around “Cute? I think it suits me!” Ada tried hard to stiffle a laugh.
“What have I done to offend you?” Kevin winced as if he was in pain.
“Grow up, please, Kevin! It’s just hair” I patted his head as he bended down to fetch the suitcase. “They’ll grow right back!”
“This is all you have?” Kevin asked, indicating the sole suitcase in his hand
“I’m not Ada, Kevin!”
“What about me?” Ada pretended to sound offensive. She knew where we’re getting at.
“Traveling with a truckload of clothing and what-not!” Kevin laughed, and dodged with no success. Ada got him easily into a playful headlock. In spite of her seemingly slim and delicate figure, Ada was mad strong. Kevin yelped like a little boy.
“Say sorry, Kevin!” Ada knuckled the top of Kevin’s head “Say it!”
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Kevin took Ada and me back to his house for a homemade dinner. Auntie Mary, Kevin’s mother, was still the greatest cook in the whole world. We often teased Kevin that he shouldn’t be thinking of getting married. Just enjoy the life of a worried-free Mama boy!
But Ada didn’t really think so. She claimed to have concrete evidences that Kevin had been having a crush on me, since the last of our undergraduate years.
“A crush on my hair!” I corrected her. “My old hair!”
“Let’s just wait and see.” Ada propped her feet up on the sofa’s and reached for a slide of chilled orange. “So, how long could you stay?”
“Two weeks!”
“That’s it?” She jumped back up on her feet “Why?”
“I can’t really stay here that long. See, my budget…”
“Flora, you’ll stay with me. I won’t ask you to share the rent. And we’ll come here for dinner. Free dinner!” She winked mischievously “How’s that?”
“No way!”
“Yes way!” Ada spoke with an air of authority and finality “You can’t just volunteer for 2 weeks!”
“Who said so?” I objected
“Well, you can!” Ada tasted the orange “But we won’t get anything done in two weeks!” She took the whole piece in her mouth and spoke with a mouthful “Plus, I already told my advisor that we will have you for the whole summer!”
“What?” I cried
“Hold on!” Ada swallowed and strained her arm trying to get the tissue box. “I said I told my advisor…”
“I heard that!” I interrupted her “But why did you tell him so? I didn’t promise!”
“Come on!” Ada smiled sweetly and slid over next to me “Didn’t you say you miss us, that you want to spend time with us, here in Hong Kong?”
Ada could be very persuasive when she wanted to. I found myself rolling my eyes and thinking about calling my Mom for a loan.
“It can’t be two months” I told Ada “I have to be back before August 20th”
“Aww!” Ada drew me into her hug “Love you!”
Kevin reappeared and immediately sat down next to me
“Time for huggies?” he asked eagerly “Can I join?”
“Sure” Ada pushed me over “She’s all yours!”
“In your dream!” I squeezed myself out and threw the pillow I’d been holding on Kevin “This is for you!”
Kevin hugged the pillow, pouting. Ada laughed.
“So, how long would you stay?” he asked
“Two months!” Ada took the words out of my mouth
“Splendid!” Kevin’s eyes brightened. He got up and ran into his room. Ada and me looked at each other.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yeah!”
We both knew Kevin was rushing to his organizer. In a few minutes we would have the exact detail of my two months here, where we would go, what we would eat, whom we would meet, and so on!
That was our Kevin. The meticulous Kevin, who loved everything to be spic-n-span, everything carefully planned. Kevin hated changes, and he didn’t really appreciate surprises. He wouldn’t understand my mood swing. And he couldn’t stand Ada’s sloppiness.
Yet we remained best buddies since the second year of our undergraduate career in Princeton. Ada the tomboy, Kevin the perfectionist, and me, Flora the dreamer!
People dream only when they sleep. I dreamed around the clock. Maybe I dreamed a little too much!
For I saw him in my dream that night! In his open-neck dark blue shirt…
…and eyes that told tales!
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