Nanyang Butterflies - Chapter 8
Su Zhen was on her way home when she bumped into Ibrahim. He has grown taller and fitted better in his hand-me-down Superman T-shirt. He held something in his hands and was looking fondly at it.
“Ibrahim! I haven’t seen you for so long? Where did you go?” She asked lazily.
“Mr Moe came and said he cannot pay me, so I haven’t been at Ocean for a while.” Ibrahim replied.
“Really? So what are you doing now?”
“I found this uncle who was a carpenter and he was willing to teach me how to make stuff. I was making all sorts of stuff. It was so fun! Last week we made a chair and sold it for $30. I gave the money to my Mama, she was so happy!"
Su Zhen smiled and asked, "What did you make this week?"
"See, I made this!” Ibrahim said excitedly.
He passed a small exquisite emblem carved out of wood to Su Zhen. It was very intricately done. A beautiful letter S surrounded by Islamic designs.
“What is it?” Su Zhen asked.
“It’s a sign of hope. I modelled it after Superman’s logo. I found out yesterday it was not an "S" but a sign of hope in Superman’s home language. Cool right?”
“That’s really nice.” Su Zhen smiled. Hope, that was also what she needed. She had not fully recovered from the incident. It left a big scar in her young heart. She wondered if she would ever be the same again.
"Can I keep it?" Su Zhen asked blatantly. She really needed it.
Ibrahim hesitated and then said, "Ok lah, I give you. I can always make another one."
"Thank you so much! You are my super hero. Really." Su Zhen was delighted.
“Ok I gotta get going, see you!” Ibrahim shouted joyously.
Su Zhen waved Ibrahim goodbye. She secretly wished upon the emblem that she will overcome this someday and Brian and her would still be together. She held the file she was holding across her chest more tightly and carried on walking.
* * * *
Brian was waiting on Orchard road. The place they first met. They haven't met for some time. Brian was busy with school and Su Zhen didn't really want to meet her boyfriend after what happened. But Brian was just happy to be able to see his girlfriend again. He smiled at Su Zhen lovingly and held out his hand but Su Zhen was apprehensive. She clasped her emblem in her hand.
“Zhen, are you okay?” Brian asked with concern.
Su Zhen held out the file in both hands to Brian. Her face looking down. She was trying to control herself. Her mother told her when she was young that girls shouldn’t cry on a last date.
“I drew this for you. As promised.” She said without looking up.
It was a large and beautiful pencil drawing. There was a big sun in the middle that took up half the picture. It was elegantly drawn. The sun was as magnificent as the symbols found on temples of ancient civilization. She had seen them on a TV show before. At the bottom left, a small Monarch butterfly was caught in a web. But only ever so slightly. If she could flap her wings in the right direction strong enough, she would be free to join the sun.
“You are the Sun” Su Zhen said.
“And you are the butterfly in the spider web?” Brian asked.
“The butterfly can join the sun if she is good enough.”
“Can the sun help?”
“I don’t know” Su Zhen choked a bit.
Brian saw her sadness. He was puzzled. What happened? But now was not the time to ask. Gently, he pulled Su Zhen closer and hugged her tightly. Time stopped for the two of them.
The sun today wasn't like the one in Su Zhen's picture. It glowed dimly in pale orange, tired but sombre. The butterflies shared the sentiment and were nowhere to be found. Brian and Su Zhen had dinner, took a walk in the park and were about to head home.
Su Zhen took a deep breath.
Su Zhen took a deep breath.
“Brian, I cannot see you anymore.”
Brian sensed that throughout the night. He knew something was wrong. A sense of sorrow filled his chest. He knew he represented something important to Su Zhen. He was her hope and dream and she completed him. But tonight, she lost hope in their future. It was as if a part of his soul was drifting away.
“Some things happened.” Su Zhen stopped, not to let her emotions get the better of her.
”You are going to music school and I have to focus on my job. It's a new Line and it's tougher. Besides, you know my mum...”
Brian nodded. This was not the time to ask questions. His shut his eyes tight and he bit his lips hard. He felt small knives piercing his heart.
Pain x 10.
Pain x 10.
The hardest breaks are those without any intruders.
“I owe you a song.” Brian said, almost crying.
“I owe you a song.” Brian said, almost crying.
“It’s okay. The first song you played here. I remember it by heart. I sing in the shower sometimes” Su Zhen managed to chuckle.
“Is this just a time out?” Brian asked.
“A long time out. If you meet other girls, you are free to…”
“No...” Brian raised his voice a little.
Su Zhen held up Brian's hands tenderly. She imagined those fingers moving on the guitar and forming different guitar chords effortlessly. She finally said, tears filling up her eyes.
“Brian, this isn’t easy for me.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
They kissed. For that moment, Su Zhen felt her pain disappeared. The butterfly took off, leaving the spider web behind.
* * * *
Mr Moe finished the last sip of his Black Label. Yes, he had to downgrade from Johnnie Walker Blue Label to Black Label. The samples had been sent to the prospective clients a week ago. He had done his best. The seamstresses worked really hard. Mrs Tee helped apologetically after she realized her part in tormenting the girls who went to work for her husband.
The Tees had a big fight and nearly ended in tragedy if not for Mr Tee who went on his knees begging for forgiveness and promising to completely revamp his business. Mrs Tee then went back to Ocean to improve the quality of work for securing the all-important orders. When her work in Ocean was done, Mrs Tee was nowhere to be seen.
Mr Moe was just worn out by all the troubles and all he could do now was to wait.
Finally, the phone ranged.
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