Bed Partners

Best Laid Plans

Tape 19, Side A

After dinner, I joined Ato as he went on the smoking zone. Not to smoke but just to let Qing and Kim have some privacy as they tackle the issue of their marriage.

"I wish I can convince them to think of another way, but for years, the four of us had tried..." Ato said as he lean against the corner wall of the smoking lounge.

I frowned, "The four of you?"

"We have another friend. He is in the US, finishing his studies there..." Ato said.

"Ah yeah, I remember now. Qing said he has another friend aside from the two of you. Why is he in the US?"

"He got a scholarship there. Before we graduated in high school, their business got ruined and they declared bankcruptcy. His father killed himself and his mother died of heart attack because of it. Our senior year was full of heartache for Pete. We call him Pete because that is his American name. The three of us, Qing, Kim and I, gather all our resources to get him to the US. Away from the people his father owed money to, including his own family. It almost leveled all our bank accounts that time but in the end, Pete showed that he will not give up. He has been living there for eight years now and he is doing well. Everytime one of us will go to the US, we stay in his studio apartment. It's cramped but he owned it and he is proud of that place." Ato smiled as he remembered his friend.

"You sound so proud of him," I said in observation.

"Because what Pete had gone through, I don't think I can survive that. He was the one who discovered his father's corpse. He was there when his mother died when her heart gave out. He was on rock bottom at time. He said he wanted to die too. But he won't because that's not what his parents want. So he forged on, even if he is hurting so bad that even breathing is hard." Ato looked at me. "We just send him to the US but he never asked for anything else. He won't let us send him money. He survived there on his own, we just call him from time to time and visit him. Before Kim went to the Europe, she flew there to see him. Pete also doesn't approve of Qing and Kim marrying but like us, he can't think of any other alternative. This is our life, we may have money but we are also tied down to our family."

"But you support them," I said.

"What can I do? Kim loves her parents. I know they may sound cruel because they won't acknowledge our daughter but aside from that they never mistreated Kim. They even let her be an actress and a model, as long as Kim follow on that rule that she has to marry Qing. Once Kim married Qing, the Tiu's fulfilled their part of the deal and they will have the support of the Wangs for eternity because they are now related by marriage. Qing wanted to be the President of this country. He never had any other dream but that. Since primary school, that's what Qing always write as the answer in what is your dream questionaire." Ato chuckled a little. "I envy them, they can dream."

"You don't have a dream?" I frowned at Ato.

Ato nodded, "Before. But when I fell for Kim two years ago, I started dreaming. I know, it's laughable. Kim and I had been friends for over fifteen years but I only fell for her two years ago. Kim and Pete used to be childhood sweethearts. But when Pete left, Qing got closer to Kim. I thought they will fulfill their families wishes and fell in love but nope, they kept things on the strict friendly level. I ended up falling for Kim and she, by some miracle decided to love me back. Now, I dream of giving her and our daughter a happy life. How? I don't know. Qing said we all need time. Marrying Kim will give us all time. Qing has a plan and if we follow it, give or take three or four years, he and Kim can get a divorce and I can marry Kim."

"So we have to wait for three or four years before we can get the people we love?" I asked in amazement.

"Or more." Ato nodded. "Or I can plot to kill Kim's grandfather, Qing's grand parents and my father and we can all live happily ever after," He grinned at me.