The Voice in the Wilderness: Chapters 5 & 6

Torn Between Two Lovers

"Darling, its Melissa here in Dallas, boarding, shall reach 2.30 a.m. tomorrow, care to pick me up?"

"Oh sure honey, in a meeting, sorry, see you!" I got to rush for lunch and shop for a birthday gift for tomorrow is 8^th Aug. Just in time for her 26th birthday present!

How time flies, Melissa was only 20 when we got together and now time had took the toll on her. Though still sexy, charming and sweet; I'd grown to witness how time treats and torture a woman! And there she'd aged!

"Vibration" of my handset signaling an incoming sms. "C U 2nite Sweet" from Kelly. "Or, don't see me no more!" This bloody bitch must have overheard my conversation with Melissa.

"Gary, got a minute to spare?" came Chairman Charles and my indecision on tonight's rendezvous was temporarily interrupted. "Yes sir, come on in Sir, and let's talks inside." Replied Gary ambitiously..

"( I was ) just thinking, can you check whether any business opportunity pertaining to the newspaper report of the ancient city in Malacca River thing? After all we in the antiques business, aren't we?" He continued.

"Right sir. I'll spare time to visit the Malacca River banks this afternoon."

.....................Standing at the TKS bridge, once bombed by the Allies to prevent Japanese from advancing during WWII; just wonder how the hell (for me) to know where the ancient underwater city is? Anyway, let's take a walk along the riverbank.........

Take a stroll upstream by this riverbank, where traders from afar converged, its was also this bloody waterway that we had the Malacca Port in the 15^th century that could cater for 2000 ships; including ships up to 200 tons.

History had it that people here used more than 80 languages to trade. How amazing! But what really brought them here? The spices, the gold, silver and tin? Or the underwater city??????

Suddenly.....a pad on my shoulder from my back "Oup! Hai Kelly, Pat why are you here? I hesitated.

"Chairman said I could fine you here. You forgot to take along your hand phone." Pat replied. "So I just send it over, in case there were messages for you!"

This smart bloody bitch must have glanced through my sms already..........

"Since here, come walk with me on the lookout for an cave somewhere.....i think here, this area, as according to the newspaper report." Gary tried to change the subject relating to handphone and sms.

"Come Hon..e.y Kelly, this must be it!" Gary shouted with excitement. "But..... it's with security guards and...... it's locked!" Kelly said while trying to catch her breath.

" I am dead hungry, let's talk it over dinner at Herren Grill Café then" Gary took Kelly by then hand, not knowing it bloody broad day light still...... Or he knew this ought to be done after all those handphone and sms crabs...........

"I have a better idea......." Pat smiled as she lead me to her car nearby........

Chapter Six

Your Partner's Enemy is Your Friend

"Pat's enemy - Melissa; is my friend?"

"Melissa's enemy - is she ever aware of my relationship with Kelly Pat?

Would she ever know?

Ha! I guess 'Dry Hay While Sun Shine', or do I have a choice ?" Still wondering...

The sounds of fishes being fried in the kitchen and those candle-light arrangements on the dining table caught me by surprise upon entering our suite.

"Miss Pat, dinner's ready. Oh Hello sir!"

"Come Gary let me introduce our suite-keeper untie Mary."

"Hai! Untie Mary!"

"If there's nothing else, I'm on my way Miss Pat."

"OK then, na take this to buy some snacks for your little kids back home; see you!" Untie Mary leaves as she closed the suite door.

"You sure it's ok to let others into our relationship as of now?" Gary fumed.

"What then, right here waiting? For the rest of my precious lives?" things got heated up......

"Not young anymore, you know?"

Gary turned away from the dinner table; going straight towards the icebox for a can of cold beer; relieving him temporarily of his hunger........

Pat instead threw her handbag and keys straight to the cough and she said no more.

How things turn out the way we least expected! And the rest of the night was anti-climate all the way. Foods lying idle on the dinner table, almost intact; if not for the burning of the two lonely candles........

It must have been quite a couple of beers that the door was shut from within and Gary'd left the suite without uttering a single word. What follows were the sounds of plates smashing by who else but the tormented Pat.

"My friend's enemy is my tormented partner!......... Well said, well said." Gary mummer sarcastically as he drove away