had seemed like a great idea. They were both swept away with the notion of becoming parents and taking responsibility for a whole other life. Their joint enthusiasm carried them easily through the intensity of the home study. They were approved without reservation.
Now, though, after two years of red tape and bureaucracy, Paula’s excitement seemed to have fizzled. More often than not, when he called her during the day she wouldn’t bother to pick up the phone. In the evening, she seemed distracted and aloof, occasionally trying to cover up her mood by being abnormally sweet, only to drift even further away from him in no time.
Then there was her behaviour at the airport restaurant. The other wives were brimming with excitement as they anticipated becoming mothers. By contrast, Paula’s attitude exuded only boredom. She barely spoke to the group over lunch. In Vancouver she swallowed a handful of pills and slept through the entire flight.
Guy had studied the other couples on the plane with envy. They read, watched movies, spoke to each other in hushed excitement, quietly sharing with each other the joy of a life-altering journey. Meanwhile he stared out the window for hour after endless hour, alone with his growing doubts.
What could he do? When Paula got like this Guy became a helpless observer, waiting for the inevitable train wreck. Despite his growing sense of desperation, he still loved her.
In the end, it was his love for his wife that would determine his actions. He would have to hope once the baby was in their lives, Paula would come to understand what was really important.
At around midnight he got up to use the toilet. Paula jumped when he opened the bathroom door, quickly minimising the window on her computer screen. Her action told him he was right – she was up to no good.
It was funny, but knowing the worst gave Guy a strange sense of comfort. At least he no longer had to wonder. He climbed into bed and was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.
**
Paula stared at the numbers on the screen, hoping to discover a miraculous mistake that would make everything all right. She rubbed her eyes. The intense concentration was giving her a headache, which was exacerbated by withdrawal symptoms as the tranquillisers eased their way out of her body.
Through the hotel bathroom wall, she could hear a faint sound coming from the next room, but it didn’t disturb her. It was some kind of Chinese melody, not loud enough for her to recognise.
She minimised the computer screen. A strong cup of coffee would knock the headache out of her before it got any worse. Not wanting to wake Guy, she opened the door a little and slipped through, using the sliver of light that escaped the bathroom to help her find the hot water dispenser and make the coffee.
She carried the cup back into the bathroom and eased the door shut. Setting the mug on the counter beside her laptop, she sat in front of the monitor. She was about to re-open her spreadsheet when a sudden noise from the next room made her jump out of her chair, upsetting the hot coffee onto the counter and her lap.
Paula cursed and grabbed some toilet paper from the roll, quickly mopping up the liquid before it could reach her computer. At first she thought the noise was Guy – maybe he was having a bad dream. She was about to go and check on him when a burst of male voices erupted from the adjacent room. It sounded as though they were speaking in Chinese. OK, she thought, at least it’s not Guy. She sat back down.
The voices got louder. Paula considered calling the front desk, asking security to come and settle things down. Before she could react, the shouting gave way to a horrified wail accompanied by the unmistakable sound of something crashing through glass.
Then everything went quiet.
ELEVEN
While Fa-ling slept in room 606, Tang continued his fevered chanting in the next suite. Neither of them heard the footsteps in the hallway.
The intruder looked
Now, though, after two years of red tape and bureaucracy, Paula’s excitement seemed to have fizzled. More often than not, when he called her during the day she wouldn’t bother to pick up the phone. In the evening, she seemed distracted and aloof, occasionally trying to cover up her mood by being abnormally sweet, only to drift even further away from him in no time.
Then there was her behaviour at the airport restaurant. The other wives were brimming with excitement as they anticipated becoming mothers. By contrast, Paula’s attitude exuded only boredom. She barely spoke to the group over lunch. In Vancouver she swallowed a handful of pills and slept through the entire flight.
Guy had studied the other couples on the plane with envy. They read, watched movies, spoke to each other in hushed excitement, quietly sharing with each other the joy of a life-altering journey. Meanwhile he stared out the window for hour after endless hour, alone with his growing doubts.
What could he do? When Paula got like this Guy became a helpless observer, waiting for the inevitable train wreck. Despite his growing sense of desperation, he still loved her.
In the end, it was his love for his wife that would determine his actions. He would have to hope once the baby was in their lives, Paula would come to understand what was really important.
At around midnight he got up to use the toilet. Paula jumped when he opened the bathroom door, quickly minimising the window on her computer screen. Her action told him he was right – she was up to no good.
It was funny, but knowing the worst gave Guy a strange sense of comfort. At least he no longer had to wonder. He climbed into bed and was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.
**
Paula stared at the numbers on the screen, hoping to discover a miraculous mistake that would make everything all right. She rubbed her eyes. The intense concentration was giving her a headache, which was exacerbated by withdrawal symptoms as the tranquillisers eased their way out of her body.
Through the hotel bathroom wall, she could hear a faint sound coming from the next room, but it didn’t disturb her. It was some kind of Chinese melody, not loud enough for her to recognise.
She minimised the computer screen. A strong cup of coffee would knock the headache out of her before it got any worse. Not wanting to wake Guy, she opened the door a little and slipped through, using the sliver of light that escaped the bathroom to help her find the hot water dispenser and make the coffee.
She carried the cup back into the bathroom and eased the door shut. Setting the mug on the counter beside her laptop, she sat in front of the monitor. She was about to re-open her spreadsheet when a sudden noise from the next room made her jump out of her chair, upsetting the hot coffee onto the counter and her lap.
Paula cursed and grabbed some toilet paper from the roll, quickly mopping up the liquid before it could reach her computer. At first she thought the noise was Guy – maybe he was having a bad dream. She was about to go and check on him when a burst of male voices erupted from the adjacent room. It sounded as though they were speaking in Chinese. OK, she thought, at least it’s not Guy. She sat back down.
The voices got louder. Paula considered calling the front desk, asking security to come and settle things down. Before she could react, the shouting gave way to a horrified wail accompanied by the unmistakable sound of something crashing through glass.
Then everything went quiet.
ELEVEN
While Fa-ling slept in room 606, Tang continued his fevered chanting in the next suite. Neither of them heard the footsteps in the hallway.
The intruder looked
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