A few days later on a Saturday, 9 o’clock a.m. at Louis and Jessica’s mansion
DING DONG, DING DONG, DING DONG, DIIIIING DOOOOOONG!!!!!!!!!
The sound of the doorbell reverberated loudly throughout the house as Stephen continuously pushed the button at the outer main door with impatience.
Jessica: Louis, get the door! I forgot GiGi’s feeding bottle in the kitchen!
Louis: OK, I’m coming!
Louis hastily ran down the stairs, holding in one hand, GiGi’s favorite teddy bear, while carrying the baby’s bag with the other.
Louis (opening the door): Why are you always so impatient??? Can’t you just leave that poor button alone!
Stephen : Why are you guys so slow? How long does it take to open the damned door? Cecilia’s probably asleep in the car by now!
Louis (shaking his head, he laughs and turns around): Hurry Jessica, your brother is grumbling at me again!
Jessica (carrying GiGi in her arms, she runs towards them): OK, OK! I’m here!
Louis: Everything’s all set? You sure you put everything in this baby bag?
Jessica: Why do you never trust me?
Louis (playfully reproaching her): It’s because even with me reminding you, you always forget something at home.
Jessica: Yeah Mr. Perfect, I’m sure that I have everything with me here. Alright SIR?
Stephen (laughing at the couple, he takes GiGi from Jessica): Here, let your uncle carry you. We’re going to ditch your Mom. She always forgets about you when your dad’s around. Remember their wedding anniversary? She was literally on her knees begging me to baby-sit you so that she could have a little more fun with your dad at home. I had to be the good uncle and stay at home to watch you for them instead of going out with Cecilia.
Jessica elbowed Stephen hard in the arm.
Stephen: Ouch! (to Louis and Jessica) I’m taking her with me to the car. Do me a favor, don’t take another century to lock the door, alright?
As if wanting to avoid another one of Jessica’s dangerous stare, Stephen immediately walked to the car with GiGi in his arms.
After locking the door, Louis and Jessica turned around to walk to their “reserved for vacation” mini-van when a car pulled right in front of their house.
Casually dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, Nic stepped off from the company’s Mercedes.
Jessica looked at Louis with questioning eyes.
Louis: He’s my new bodyguard.
Nic (respectfully): Hi Mrs. Koo.
Jessica (smiling): Nice to meet you.
Louis (to Nic): You don’t have to come with me today. It’s a private family outing.
Nic (matter-of-factly): For all we know, you could be murdered right in the middle of the beach without anyone noticing just as you can be anywhere else. It’s a public place, much harder to control. I know I have no right to ask you not to go. So the least I could do is going with you. Sir, I hope that you could let me do my job properly.
Jessica (turning very concerned at the thought): He’s right Louis. Better safe than sorry. (she said as she looks up to Louis, her eyes almost pleading.)
Stephen (curious as to what Nic was doing here, he had gotten out of the car and approached them and in terms had heard the whole conversation): Yeah Louis, they’re right. Also with him, we wouldn’t have to drive. I’m tired out of mind from waking up so early already.
Louis (to Stephen): Lazy bum! (and then casually to Nic) Let’s go then. (his eyes masking a certain annoyance despite the casualness of his reply)
They comfortably settled inside the car with Nic in the driver’s seat, Stephen and Cecilia in the middle seat and Louis, Jessica and GiGi in the back seat.
They were heading to Tai Long Wan Beach in Sai Kung Country Park.
Inside the car, the two couples chatted happily while Nic just kept silent during the whole ride, his eyes staying focused on the road ahead of him.
At Tai Long Wan Beach
Louis, Stephen and Nic were still in the parking lot busying themselves in unloading the goods off from the van as Jessica and Cecilia walked to the beach to find a good place to settle their things down.
When they finally found a good spot, Jessica held the baby in her arms while Cecilia spread out a large white sheet on the hot white sand.
A while later the guys came back with two bags of charcoal, many cans of soft drinks, beers and numerous plates of already prepared steaks, lobsters and crabs…
After Louis and Stephen had helped Jessica and Cecilia organize the food and everything, Stephen took two cans of beer from a cooler and threw one at Louis.
Stephen: Louis, come and have a guy-to-guy chat with me. (he walks to the left section of the beach far from where Cecilia and Jessica are)
Louis (catching the can of beer): OK. (following Stephen)
While Stephen and Louis sat down on the sand drinking beer and talking, Jessica and Cecilia took turns in barbecuing the yummy food.
Louis looked at Stephen waiting for him to talk. After hesitating for a few seconds, Stephen finally decided to ask what he thought was necessary.
Stephen (gulping down the beer): So, how are things going for you and Jessica?
Louis (a little uncomfortable with the question): Everything’s alright, we’re fine.
Stephen (also feeling uneasy): You know, it’s not that I want to be nosy…it’s just that I really care about my sister and after all that she’s been through for you and…
Louis (cuts in): Ok Stephen, I know. I’ll take good care of her.
Stephen (smiles and nods): I trust you.
Louis (wanting to change the subject): I reviewed your detailed plan for the GRII project.
Stephen (turning excited): Oh really? So???
Louis: You did a reasonable good job. I discussed the details with their representative yesterday. If all goes well, we’ll be signing the contract with them tomorrow.
Stephen nodded in satisfaction as a proud smile spread on his face.
Not only was he happy to know that Louis had put enough trust in him to even consider the project but what most thrilled him was that Louis is actually agreeing to take the risk. Stephen has known Louis for a very long time, so long in fact that they’ve been almost like brothers. What he has always admired in Louis was his unrelenting willingness to always try and risk, never bowing before anything, be it to power or fate. But in these past years he couldn’t help but notice that Louis seemed to have found comfort in taking the safe and easy route. Not only that, Louis seemed to have changed also. Maybe it was because of Jessica and the baby, maybe because he’s grown older…Stephen didn’t know. But the only thing that mattered is that everything’s going smoothly for all of them now…that everyone is happy. But one thing was still bothering him…
Stephen: Louis…
Louis: Stephen, just say it. Staggering is so out of your character.
Stephen: Sunny Chan. I understand that he once saved your life but that doesn’t mean that he can do all he wants in the company. His incompetence is impeding on most of our important projects.
Louis (turning serious, he frowns): I think I know what is right for the company and how to make a decision. Are you now questioning my professionalism?
Stephen (a bit frustrated): You know that’s not what I meant.
Louis (standing up): Look it’s a family day today, let’s not talk about work and spoil the fun.
Stephen (though he’s a bit frustrated with Louis about Sunny, he agrees that today should be a fun family day so he nodded in agreement with Louis and stood up): Alright. I’ll go rent a sea-doo now. (then smiles in a defiant way) What do you say about us having a race?
Louis (smiling back): I’m certainly up to the challenge.
Jessica observed Louis from afar as he made his way to the “sea-doos for renting” stand with Stephen. He was smiling and she could tell just from the way he walked that he was genuinely relaxed and happy today. Usually in the week whenever he returned from work, as much as he would try to hide it, she would still feel that he was totally tired out as if somebody had placed a huge burden on his shoulders, a burden so heavy that it seemed to always be hanging on the back of his mind.
Jessica’s gaze then shifted from Louis’ face to come landing on the baby that now sat on Cecilia’s lap. Louis and her have been through so much already… she just prayed that they could maintain their present happiness forever. Looking back, it was also at the beach that she had first met him.
***************FLASHBACKS*************************
It was a calm and breezy night. It was also Stephen’s “welcome back to Hong Kong” party on the beach. Stephen, she and a lot of his friends were sitting in a circle right in front of the beach talking animatedly, eating…and simply having a good time.
And among all of Stephen’s friends, Louis was the one that was the most quiet and also the one that immediately caught her attention right from the moment she laid eyes on him. There was something in him that struck her as being extremely different from the others. Apart from the fact that he was probably the most handsome man among all of them, she was obviously attracted to the mystery that always seemed to surround him at all times.
At the time because she was very rich and also considered by everybody as the prettiest one among “the upper-class rich girls” in Hong Kong, she always had guys chasing after her and falling over her. And most of the time, she just hated it all. The attention, the guys and the annoying press always following her... She didn’t really feel like coming to the party that night but Stephen had insisted that he wanted his sister to be there. It’s been four years since he had gone to London for his university studies and she just couldn’t deny his invitation.
That night while all the guys kept themselves busy in pampering and stalking her, Louis just quietly sat in front of her drinking his can of beer seemingly lost in his own thoughts, clearly disinterested in befriending and socializing with anyone.
John (handing a piece of grilled chicken to Jessica): Hey Jessica, I grilled this especially for you.
Jessica (taking the food): Thanks.
Just as the other guys continued to bombard her with questions, Louis stood up from where he was sitting and took a walk along the beach. Moments later, he was out of her view.
David (handing her a concert ticket): Jessica, I lined up for hours just to get the first-row ticket to this Jacky Cheung Concert. Can you come with me?
Jessica: Oh sorry, I’m busy that day.
David: It’s okay. What about the day after?
Jessica: I…
Paul: Jessica, want a coke?
Jessica (trying to smile): No thanks.
Martin: Jessica, do you want ice cream? I’ll go buy it for you.
Jessica (she’s desperately trying to be polite): No thanks. (to all of them) Would you excuse me for a minute, I have to go to the restroom.
Louis was quietly sitting on the cool sand of the beach observing the waves rhythmically crashing on the beach shore when the cries of a boy attracted his attention.
Not too far from where he was sitting, a woman was taking her weeping son by the hand.
Boy (looking up to his Mom): Mommy, Mommy, I really want ice cream. I want ice cream!
Woman: If you stop crying, I’ll buy one for you.
Boy (stops crying immediately and smiles): I want chocolate.
Woman: Alright.
They walked together to the ice-cream stand. The woman then handed the chocolate ice-cream cone to her son who smiled widely.
Louis gazed in their direction with obvious admiration as unshed tears formed in his eyes.
Just then Louis heard the sounds of footsteps approaching him from behind. He turned around. Holding two vanilla ice-cream cones, Jessica was now standing beside him.
Jessica (offering one cone to Louis): Vanilla.
Louis (a little awkward): No thanks.
Jessica (sitting beside him): If you don’t take it now, it’s going to melt.
And for the first time in the night, Louis smiled at her as he took the ice-cream cone and thanked her. And till this day, that first and almost childish smile remained an imprint on her mind.
**********************END OF FLASHBACKS************************************
Cecilia (yelling): JESSICA!
Jessica (snapping back to the present): Huh?
Cecilia: The chicken!
Jessica: What chicken?
Cecilia (approaches Jessica and takes the chicken out from the barbecue): Your chicken, it’s burning! Where on earth were you?
Jessica: I was…(she smiles) sorry…
Just then Louis approached them.
Cecilia: Hey Louis, where’s Stephen?
Louis: He’s playing sea-doo now.
Cecilia: Why didn’t you go with him?
Louis: I wanted to have a race with him but there was only one left and I didn’t feel like sitting on the back so I let him go first.
Cecilia: Oh ok. I’m going to watch what he’s doing now. (she runs ahead)
Jessica: The food is ready now. Where is Nic?
Louis: He’s on the other side of the beach.
Jessica: Why don’t you go ask him to come over here and have lunch with us?
Louis: He’s probably tired from the long drive. Don’t disturb him, I think he’d rather be alone.
On the other side of the beach
Nic was sitting on a rock absentmindedly staring ahead at the beach. He had been surveying the surrounding areas, never forgetting to keep an eye on Louis. This part of the beach was left vacant because there were too many rocks and the waters started too deep. It was too rough for swimmers and too cold for romantic couples but somehow he felt that it was perfect for him. Even the sun shone brighter on the other side where people always preferred to be. Strong currents of wind blew hard in Nic’s face as they send his hair fluttering in the chilly air.
Nic eyes traveled on the other side of the beach. There were so many people over there…mostly happy families and close friends gathering together…so much love reunited in one place. Nic then observed Louis, Cecilia and the baby. Where was Mrs. Koo, he wondered.
Just then, Jessica approached him.
Jessica (holding a plate): Nic.
Nic (a little startled by Jessica’ voice): Mrs. Koo.
Jessica (smiles): Just call me Jessica. I brought this for you.
Nic: It’s not necessary, I brought my lunch. (motioning to the sandwich bag right beside him) Thanks anyway.
Jessica: Don’t tell me you want me to carry this plate back to the other side.
Nic: I…(he’s touched that she had thought about him. He takes the plate and bows her a thank you). Thank you very much.
Jessica: Louis can sometimes be very hot-tempered so if he did anything that might…
Nic: Don’t worry Mrs. Koo, it is my duty to watch over him.
Jessica: It’s now time for GiGi to have her lunch. I think I should be heading back. Why don’t you come with me to the other side?
Nic (shaking his head): I’d rather be here. (sincerely) But thank you.
Jessica nodded in reply and then walked to the opposite direction.
Back to the sunny side of the beach
Jessica immediately noticed that a very large crowd had just gathered in front of the beach. What was happening, she wondered. She then spotted Cecilia standing in the front of the crowd. Cecilia was crying and shouting something.
Jessica immediately pushed through the crowd.
Jessica: Cecilia what’s going on?
Cecilia (tears and worry render her unable to speak coherently): Stephen…Stephen he…the sea-doo…it overturned…
Jessica put her hand up to cover her mouth in sheer horror. Hot tears fell from her eyes.
Louis had noticed from afar that there was something wrong. Carrying GiGi in his arms, Louis immediately ran up to the crowd.
Louis: Jessica, what happened?
Jessica: Stephen’s sea-doo overturned and…
Louis: Now you two stay calm, I’ll go look for him.
Louis handed the baby to Jessica while Jessica looked at him with a very worried expression. He touched her on the arm in a sign of comfort and said “I’ll be alright.”
Spotting a young man coming back to shore with a sea-doo, he quickly grabbed the sea-doo and sped up from the shore searching for Stephen at the same time hoping that it wasn’t too late already.
In the water
When the sea-doo overturned, Stephen was immediately propelled into deep waters. His lifesaver vest kept him on the surface but the strong waves kept pushing him back and back, further and further from the shore…Stephen struggled, both his hands and feet kicked hard hoping to take hold of a good position so that he could swim back to the shore. But the waves kept pushing and pushing...and he was more and more exhausted. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. Just as he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, a hand suddenly took hold of him and pushed him back up and out of the water.
Louis looked in every direction hoping to find Stephen. His heart beat loudly in his chest as he searched on. He had seen how distressed Cecilia and Jessica both were. He was worried sick about Stephen but at the same time he was also scared that if…what if… Stephen couldn’t be found, that both Jessica and Cecilia wouldn’t be able to handle the loss. No matter what, he had to find Stephen.
Just then, Louis discerned from afar that a pedal boat was coming back from the deeper waters. Renewed hope rose up in his eyes.
He sped towards the boat. To his immense relief, Stephen was on the boat, only that he was unconscious.
Louis turned around and hurried to shore.
As the pedal boat landed on shore, Louis and one of the men who was on the pedal boat carried Stephen off from the boat and laid him on the sand. Cecilia rushed to his side, tears of worry streaming down her cheeks.
Louis repeatedly pushed on Stephen’s chest.
Moments later, Stephen spit out water and slowly awakened.
The crowd, which had been gathering around the scene with interest was now slowly dispersing, leaving only behind, the people concerned: Louis, Jessica, GiGi, Cecilia, Stephen and Nic. Nic had run fast to where they all were when Louis left the shore to go in search of Stephen.
As Stephen opened his eyes, the first person that was in his view was a tearful Cecilia.
He reached up and brushed the tears away from Cecilia’s cheeks as he slowly sat up.
Stephen: I’m okay now. Don’t cry.
Cecilia leaned forward and hugged him tightly, unable to blink back her tears. She had been so worried…what if…what if he was to leave her, what would she do? They’ve been together for four years… she knew that he was the one that she wanted to spend her life with.
Cecilia: Promise me, you’ll never leave me.
Stephen: I promise. You would have to stick with me for the rest of your life.
Cecilia smiled through her tears and hugged him tighter.
After a while, they pulled away.
Louis: What happened Stephen? How come your sea-doo overturned?
Stephen (turning to Louis): Speaking of that, it’s actually very strange. At the beginning it was fine but out of the blue, the engine just stopped. And with the strong waves coming, it overturned, sending me in the water.
Cecilia (to Stephen): Promise me one more thing!
Stephen: What?
Cecilia: No sea-doo from now on!
Stephen (smiles): You are not serious are you?
Cecilia: Sure I am!
Stephen (smiles playfully): No you aren’t!
After Stephen’s incident, nobody really wanted to stay at the beach anymore so Jessica proposed that they quickly ate and then head to the Enchanting Wishing Tree that was in Lam Tusen near Tai Po.
Both Jessica and Cecilia marveled at the elderly Giant Tree that solidly stood straight and proud before them. The tree was covered in deep crimson flowers and filled with bright red papers. Legend has it that whenever a person wanted to wish for something, he or she just had to write down that wish on a specially designed red slip of paper and tie it onto an orange with a string and toss it in the air. If it catches on the tree, it would mean that the wish will be granted.
Jessica and Cecilia both came to the bright red papers’ stand and bought four red papers while Louis and Stephen just stood under the tree shaking their heads at them. Nic just stood aside observing all of them.
Jessica (handing Louis a piece of red paper): Here Louis, write down your wish.
Louis: I don’t believe in these kinds of things.
Jessica pouted her lips.
Louis (taking the paper): OK, OK.
The four of them all scribbled something on the red papers and tossed them in the air. Luckily, the four bright red papers were all caught on the tree.
Meanwhile, the clouds in the sky had turned darker and darker. Heavy drops of rain suddenly poured down on them. As they turned around and hurried to their car, Louis took off his coat to cover GiGi and Jessica. As their happy family of three walk off, a combination of strong wind and heavy rain started to blow hard against the Wishing Tree. One slip of bright red paper, that from the start, had been weakly perched on the tree, fell down to the ground.
Inside the car
After the long day, everyone was asleep except for Louis and Nic. Nic was concentrated on his driving while Louis seemed too preoccupied to sleep. His mind was racing with thoughts about what had happened today.
Outside, the rain was still pouring hard, blurring Nic’s vision. He drove slowly and carefully. Just as Nic was about to change line, a car suddenly hit him from behind. Everyone woke up from the disturbing collision. Louis, Nic and Stephen quickly got out of the car. As they stepped outside, the BMW that had hit them from behind sped up and drove past them before they could do anything
Stephen: Bastard! What kind of day is today?
Louis (shrugging): Guess today is just an unlucky day.
If there was one thing that Louis has never believed in, it was coincidence.
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