There was no point in wasting the wine so Alvin polished it off although it went badly with his steak. The sirloin felt rubbery and tasted bitter as he chewed it with tears streaming down both cheeks.
Nothing mattered anymore. He had thought he would be able to at least equal his father’s life and save his marriage. But then again, his father had not actually done anything to win his mother’s affections back. His affections had been reserved for Alvin alone and even then it was more because of his obsession for an heir.
Alvin wondered if things would have been different if he had come clean with Brenda about his past and his supposedly impending future. Would she have even believed it? He himself had difficulty reconciling the realities of his past and his present. It had been easier to escape into child-rearing and then into Brenda’s bosom.
Since there was nothing left to save, Alvin said that he would seek solace from genies in bottles. Sickened by the crowds thronging every pub and bar in the city area, Alvin hailed a cab to take him back to an old haunt in Sembawang. Out near the old British Naval Base, not far from his childhood home. He knew that the simply-named Sembawang Pub would have its regulars but no crowds. Traditional haunts always lost out to trendy nightspots on special occasions such as that day.
Stepping into the bar, Alvin found his nose assaulted by the misplaced smell of smoke. The ban on indoor smoking was clearly not being enforced by the management. As he waved his hands in a futile gesture to fan the scent away, Alvin saw her sitting at the bar.
She wore a long red qipao which had a high slit offering a generous view of her slender legs. The rest of her figure was slim as well. The curve of her waist and her bosom was accentuated under the form-fitting traditional Chinese dress. She had a generous amount of light-coloured foundation upon her face.
Did he know her from somewhere? He couldn’t be sure. She was a calendar girl come to life. In front of her was a cocktail glass holding what looked to be a Bloody Mary or some other crimson cocktail which matched the qipao. Her pupils were focussed on her drink. They looked unnaturally big, though Alvin had seen many young girls wearing the same look with the help of contacts to replicate an animated ideal look.
Alvin’s slinked his way to the empty barstool next to the young lady. She had to be local, maybe in her late twenties to early thirties. It was hard to tell with his dulled senses and the poor lighting. But from his limited vision, she looked good enough to eat. And more.
He ordered a double shot of Jack Daniels on the rocks. The bartender acknowledged the order and reached for the bottle from the shelf behind him. As the bartender set a glass down before him, Alvin decided to play it cool. It would be a tragedy if his slurring turned her off. He muttered a quick ‘Hello’, and noticed her turning her face towards him. She smiled before her gaze returned to her drink. She remained silent. Alvin decided he’d wait for her to warm up. He started chatting with the young man who had served him his drink instead.
As the world went by and patrons shuffled in and out of the Sembawang Pub, Alvin and the silent nymph beside him were the only constants. He wasn’t sure how many hours had passed when he decided it was time to go. He was planning to head home to his apartment as the suite would have reminded him too much of his failed plan. However, as he stood up, he felt a tug on the sleeve of his shirt. The young woman’s slender fingers were pinching a sliver of his shirt. She whispered softly, “Take me with you.”
The suite would be useful after all.
…to be continued
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