The Language of Light by Kathleen Brady

Author:Kathleen Brady [Brady, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bywater Books
Published: 2022-01-05T19:54:23+00:00

“My god, Elizabeth, this suite is so swanky. I’ve never been in such a place.”

“Pretty spiffy eh, Lu?”

“Yeah, I think so. It’s so much fun to be in a really ritzy hotel.”

She tipped the bellhop and I looked into the bathroom.

“Elizabeth, this bathroom is bigger than my room in Beijing. Is that a bidet? How do you use it?”

“I’ll tell ya later mate, it’s easy,” she said leaning against the door, watching me explore our room, and laughing as I landed on one of the queen beds.

“Let’s open the curtains,” I said. I found a big green button, and when I pushed it, the floor to ceiling wrap-around drapes slowly opened to a sunset view of Victoria Harbor. We stood there, me with my mouth open, watching traditional junks, ferries, cruise ships and even oil tankers navigate the waters.

“Lu, slide a couple of chairs over here to the windows. Let’s sit in comfort for a bit. And let’s have a cocktail.”

I opened the minibar and stood there, frozen by the modernity. Had I forgotten the simple convenience of refrigeration so quickly?

“Lu, get your nose out of the fridge, will you? And sit down.”

Handing her a small bottle of Glenlivet and a glass, I sat down and poured mine over ice.

“A toast to you, dear friend, for giving me this gift. It’s really generous of you to pay for all of this.”

“Lu, you are most welcome. We both needed to get out of town, especially you. You are a dear mate, ya know. Glad I could do it.”

“Is this level of living, I mean this elegance, just normal for you?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she answered quietly.

“Do you miss your ranch?”

“I miss riding my horses, driving a car, having proper furniture, good food, and my family and mates.”

“I bet the difference between your ranch and China is huge,” I said taking a sip of my drink. “For me, the real difference is the hardness of life. I am kind of poor, so the difference between my American stuff and China, like cars and furniture, isn’t as great as yours.”

“Don’t let my wealth come between us, Lu,” she said looking at me.

“Well, there is a difference. Maybe you’ll want to do things I could never afford, or want me to return this gift in kind.”

“No, I don’t want anything back. I admire you, I like laughing with you, and want to be your friend.”

We both fell silent. I wondered if she really meant it, paying my way and not expecting anything in return.

“My mom was without means when she married my dad, so she knows both sides. She taught my sisters and me that money can come and go, but true friends last forever.”

“I want to take care of the tips then, just so I feel more comfortable. Okay?”

“You got it, mate.”

We were quiet, watching the vessels track around the harbor and the city lights brightening as the sun went down. I missed Ming terribly. I wanted her to see this with me. I had to blink back a few tears to clear my vision.

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