Tangled Dreams

CHAPTER 7: THE HAPPINESS OF A FAMILY (Part 2) | Siti Nuraini

A week ago, I was at Heathrow Airport, waiting for my children to meet me. My flight had arrived 30 minutes early. So, I relaxed in the waiting area. I took out a novel from my bag and started to read.

"Nur!" shouted a woman's voice. I looked up and saw Juliette. She was a 22-year-old Canadian girl who worked part-time at Makan Café. I put the novel aside and we hugged as she kissed both my cheeks.

"You're back from Malaysia! Great! We've all missed you at the café," she continued. A cheery smile was on her face. A Chinese girl of about the same age stood by and watched us. Juliette reached out to grab the girl's hand and then introduced us.

"This is Eunice. She's my friend. She's also just arrived from Malaysia." Juliette sounded excited and happy. I shook Eunice's outstretched hand and welcomed her to London. She smiled a little. Perhaps she was shy. That was the first time I met Eunice.

We met again at Makan Café. Every time Juliette came to do her shift, Eunice followed. Eunice would sit in the far corner of the café with a magazine as her constant companion. She did not bother anyone. While waiting, she would study the pages of the magazine or observe customers who entered or left. She would wait patiently each day. One morning, when there were few customers, I took the opportunity to have a chat and get to know her better.

"Eunice, would you like another coffee?" I tried to break the ice. She shook her head, so I sat down in front of her. I tried to provoke her into chatting with me by asking, "What are you reading?"

"A magazine about cafés and restaurants," she replied. I noticed her open note book. Inside were notes in neat handwriting about magazine articles she had read.

"Do you have any tips I could use for this café?" I asked in an interested tone of voice. "Such as how to open up a tap?" Eunice began to share information about café and restaurant matters. She had many ideas running through her head. We exchanged opinions and experiences. I was amazed by her interest in the subject.

"Actually, I'd like to open my own café. A café similar to Makan Café, but with authentic Chinese food and a welcoming, warm and comfortable ambiance. That's my dream," admitted Eunice as her eyes glanced appreciatively at the interior décor. Replete with tradition and a touch of Malaysian craftsmanship was the style I'd chosen. I was gladdened and vindicated to see her approval of my café with a sense of admiration.

"Oh, you're planning to compete with me in London?" I teased her. She immediately denied it.

"Oh, no. Of course not. If possible, I'd like to open my café in Malaysia," Eunice was quick to clarify. She was wary of offending me. I smiled at her considerate nature.

"So, you came to London to learn? And gain new ideas?" I probed further. I reached out for a curry puff on the plate and bit into it with new-found appetite. It was interesting to discuss matters with the younger generation. They were full of energy and creative ideas.

"I... Actually, I ran away from home," she said gently. Each word conveyed a burden from the very depths of her soul. Suddenly, I felt only pity for her although I had yet to know the full story. Eunice gulped down her coffee in utter silence. I waited patiently.

"My dad's dream was for me to be a pilot. Initially, I was interested. However, after realising that I had a fear of heights, I simply let go of that dream. But my dad was insistent. He did not understand. He enrolled me in a flight school. There was too much pressure, I fled," Eunice told her story as tears started trickling down her cheeks. I passed her a tissue.

"I couldn't bear to leave, actually. Ever since my mum passed away, my dad has been my only family. But I could not live up to his expectations. I had no other choice," she blurted as she cried. I sat closer and put my arm around her shoulders.

"You can't imagine how difficult it was for me to leave home. My dad is a wealthy and powerful man. It would have been easy for him to find me. I purposely dumped my car at a shopping mall. Then I took the first bus that came along. It stopped at Ampang. I took a taxi to KL Sentral, followed by an express train to KLIA. I did all this to make it more difficult for him to track me down. I feel as if I've been so rebellious and disloyal," she exclaimed. She sobbed as she attempted to stop more tears from flowing. I understood how she felt and the pain that she was going through. I had gone through the same in the past.

From that day onwards, Eunice started working with me. I offered her the opportunity to learn the ropes and gain experience at Makan Café. One day, she would help to prepare ingredients in the kitchen, while the next day, she would take customers' orders behind the counter. On another day, she would take care of café hygiene. She was a determined and fast learner. At work, she was never reluctant to ask questions whenever she was unclear about anything. I was happy to help her along her way.