FORTUNE: A FREENBECKY STORY

Chapter 28 🕴️

-RING RING RING-
Freen's phone was ringing again. She had been deflecting calls all week but this time it was Heng and she always picked up Heng's calls.

[OVER THE PHONE]
🕴️Hello, Speedy?
🖤 Heng
🕴️I got a call from your secretary, she doesn't know what to do because she hasn't seen you in the office all week. What's going on?
🖤 That snitch. Nothing, I have things to do at home
🕴️Things to do? Like what?
🖤...
🕴️Well I'm outside. Come open the door!
🖤Outside? When did you get back?
🕴️This afternoon, come and open the door Speedy!

Freen jolted herself out of bed and looked around at her messy room. She tried to tidy her close vicinity but didn't try too hard.

Freen opened the front door and sure enough it was Heng. He was holding a single laptop bag and some Japanese takeaway. Heng barged past Freen.

"Oh speedy, it stinks. Haven't you showered today?" He asked
Freen picked up her shirt under her nose to sniff it. Freen closed the door behind him and turned around.

Heng was already in the kitchen laying out the sushi on serving plates he'd already rinced. "I'm going to have a quick shower" Freen said before running up the stairs into the bathroom.

"Hey Speedy! Where's your chopsticks?" Heng shouted from the kitchen
"It's in the middle drawer" Freen answered
"And your glasses?" Heng asked
"They're in the far left cupboard" Freen exclaimed

Freen shook her head at all the fuss. As Heng settle down Freen has some time to think. They say the most peaceful minds in made under a shower head and that was definitely the case for Freen. She thought about her mothers face. Today was one of the days she had become consciously aware of the fact that she was forgetting her mothers face. Anytime this happened Freen would consciously try to visualise it and pin it to her memory.

The image of her mother in her head felt safe and warm and hopeful. It was a welcomed and peaceful thought. The first of which she had received all week. Perhaps it was because Heng was around and Heng look especially like their mother.

Freen turned the shower off, patted herself dry with a towel and put on a housecoat as she headed into her closet.

When she swung the closet door open she was startled by Heng who was snooping around in her closet. He turned around and was holding the blue perfume bottle she had place on her dresser with all the other perfumes she had. That was her favourite bottle because it was the perfume her father had given to her the day they died and she had never used it.

"Hey Speedy! I poured some soy sauce on my shirt do you have anything I could wear?" Heng asked
"Not really" she said looking into the back of her closet, "try this!" She said tossing and oversized flannel in his direction
"Thanks" Heng said as he placed the bottle back on the dresser and exited the closet

Freen straightened up her perfume collection. She grabbed the blue bottle and placed it in the first drawer then took out some comfortable clothes to change into.

Once comfortable, Freen jogged down her stairs into the kitchen where Heng had everything prepared for her. He'd separated out the sushi, set the table and poured them both a cup of bear. Freen smiled at the gesture and sat down.

Heng picked up some salmon sashimi, dipped it in soy, put some wasabi on top and placed it in Freen's plate. "Eat up!" Heng said.

Freen was quiet the entire dinner and Heng did not like that at all. He was used to his bold and outspoken sister. He was not familiar with a quieter more self conscious and timid Freen that had been birthed from heartache.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Heng said
Freen continued to eat her sushi.
"That's okay, I can guess" Heng said

Freen continued to chew.
"Grandmother made and unreasonable request or gave you unsolicited advice?" Heng asked
Freen did not answer
"No?" Heng continued

"You're conflicted about marrying Non because you've fallen in love with the new girl Becky?" Heng surmised
"that's not it?" Heng continued
"Ah wait, you love her but she doesn't love you back?" Heng concluded

Freen looked up at Heng as her face softened and her brows furrowed.

Heng knew instantly that was it but immediately regretted saying it in such a carefree manner.

"Hey. Speedy?" Heng said "come with me to Singapore for a week."