It was a beautiful day in Pattaya. The sky was clear and blue. The air was hot. The beach was crowded. People everywhere. All of them sunning themselves, swimming in the sea. “Just Another Day in Paradise” could be heard wafting over from the beach bar, Phil Collins never sounded so right.
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| Wan |
Angus watched them. Smiled at them. Then he turned. Walked off the beach. He headed up the street towards the bar where he was supposed to meet Wan. She’d asked to meet him there. To talk to him. To tell him something.
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| Wan |
Angus walked into the bar. Wan was sitting there, waiting for him. He walked over and sat down next to her. ‘Hi,’ Wan said. ‘Hi’, he replied. Wan stared at him. Then she said, ‘I have some news.’ ‘What is it?’ ‘It’s about me and you.’ Angus frowned. Stared at her. Waited for her to go on.
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| Wan |
After a moment, Wan said, ‘This is the last day we can spend together. I’m going to Ireland.’ Angus’s frown deepened. ‘Ireland?’ he said. ‘But why? I thought you were staying here. In Thailand. I thought this was your home.’ Wan shook her head. ‘It is and always will be. But I’ve met someone now. Someone I want to be with and he can help me, it’s a good move for my future. I want to go live with them. In Ireland.’
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| Wan |
Angus felt stunned. ‘Who is he?’ Wan stared at him for a moment. Then she said, ‘You don’t know him. But he’s nice. I really like him. And he really likes me. He has a company that does recruitment and he can get work. He says getting a visa won’t be a problem.’ Angus shook his head. Tried to understand.
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| Wan |
He didn’t want Wan to leave. He wanted her to stay. With him. ‘I don’t want you to go,’ he told her. Wan reached out. Took hold of his hand. Squeezed it gently. Then she said, ‘It’s okay, Angus. This is what I want. This is what I want to do.’ Angus stared at her hand. At the way she was squeezing his. Then he sighed. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘If this is what you want, I won’t stop you.’
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| Wan |
Wan smiled at him. ‘Thank you. But there’s something else.’ ‘What?’, he looked puzzled. ‘Someone else’ Wan corrected herself. Angus looked at her. Frowned again. ‘Someone else?’
Wan nodded. Then she stood up. ‘Wait here,’ she said. She turned. Walked out of the bar.
Angus sat there. Staring after her. Waiting. Wondering who this other person was and what else this day would throw at him. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.
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| Ying |
Wan came back into the bar. There was a young girl with her. She looked a lot like Wan. A younger version of her, maybe. ‘Angus,’ Wan said. ‘This is my sister. Her name is Ying.’ Angus smiled is a confused way. ‘Nice to meet you.’ Ying didn’t say anything. She just stared back at him. Wan sat back down. She took hold of Angus’s hand again. Squeezed it. Then she looked at Ying.
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| Ying |
‘Ying is from Sisaket but she’s going to stay here, in Pattaya.’ Angus frowned. Looked at Ying again. She was staring at him. ‘Is she?’ he said. Wan nodded. Smiled. ‘Yes. She’s going to stay with you.’ Angus stared at Wan. Then at Ying. ‘With me?’ Wan nodded again. ‘Yes.’ ‘Why?’ asked Angus, now completely perplexed. ‘Because I want her to’ smiled Wan, and because Ying wants to and soon you will realise that you want her to.’
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| Ying |
Angus kept staring. ‘Oh,’ he said. Then he smiled at Wan. ‘Okay.’ Wan smiled back at him. Then she stood up. Kissed Angus on the cheek. ‘I have to go now,’ she said. ‘I’ll write you.’ Angus nodded. Watched Wan turn and walk away. Then he looked at Ying. She stared back at him silently.
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| Ying |
Then Angus held out his hand. ‘Would you like to go get something to eat?’ he asked her. Ying smiled and took his hand. “Just Another Day in Paradise” could still be heard in the distance, and probably would be for a long time.
