Falling Leaves: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter (33 page)

’Just a minute,’ Bob intercepted firmly, ’are you sure of your facts? Have you read Niang’s will? Has James read it?’

’No, neither of us has actually sat down and read the will,’ Mr Lu explained, ’but we are absolutely certain of the major items. Believe me, I wouldn’t have mentioned anything, except that I don’t see the point of Adeline going to the will reading tomorrow afternoon and being hurt unnecessarily.’

The rest of that afternoon and evening passed in a daze. We all attended the Catholic mass which Susan had arranged. I couldn’t wait to go back to the hotel and get the whole truth from James. I telephoned him as soon as we returned. His maid informed me that Louise had gone to bed, but James was with his brothers at the New Asia Hotel. Bob and I took the lift down to Gregory’s room.

The sounds of merriment hit us as we approached his door. Inside we found my three brothers, my sister Lydia and Mr Lu. They were still wearing their black mourning clothes. On the coffee-table stood a half-empty bottle of whisky and some glasses. A party was in progress. Niang’s stepchildren were in the highest spirits, celebrating their windfall. Obviously, Niang’s will had been known to them for some time.

An unnatural silence fell upon the room when we entered. I looked across at James, who was flushed from whisky and still grinning from the memory of their last shared joke. ’Excuse me for interrupting your party,’ I said directly to him, ’but may I speak to you in private for a few minutes?’

The smile faded from James’s lips. ’Actually,’ he replied, ’I was just about to take Mr Lu home in my car. It’s getting late.’

’Bob and I will ride with you, if we may?’

’Come along then,’ James muttered. ’Let’s go now.’

During the ride through the cross-harbour tunnel to Mr Lu’s flat in Kowloon, Bob held my hand in the back seat and we said nothing. It was almost eleven and traffic was light. Against the

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background of Mr Lu’s constant, nervous chatter, my mind returned to a long-forgotten incident.

It was a blistering summer day during the height of a Shanghai heatwave. I had just completed my homework and was lying on my bed, blissfully re-reading my latest report card. Father and Niang had gone away for a few days. The entire household was feeling lazy, relaxed and carefree. We were luxuriating in their absence.

The maid came in and said that my brothers wanted me to join them in the diningroom. They had a special treat for me. I sprang to my feet when she reassured me that James was there too. To be beckoned by all three of my big brothers was mysterious and exciting. I ran downstairs. On the diningroom table was a large jug of orange juice surrounded by four glasses. Three were empty. One was full.

Edgar spoke first, grinning from ear to ear. ’Seeing it’s such a hot day, and the fact that you have received so many honours in your report card, we thought you should be rewarded with a glass of orange juice because Father is not here to praise you himself.’

’Why ?’ I asked suspiciously. ’You’ve never been kind to me before.’

’Drink it!’ Edgar ordered, giving me a shove.

’I don’t want it. Why must I drink it? Why don’t you drink it yourself ?’

’It even has ice in it, see?’ Edgar held up the glass and the ice cubes tinkled temptingly. ’It will cool you down at once.’

I eyed the juice longingly before turning to Gregory. ’Is it all right to drink it, ge (Big Brother)?’

’Of course it is. We made it ourselves, from this bottle of orange concentrate here, see? We made this glass of juice especially for you to celebrate your star performance at school.’ They laughed hysterically.

The room was hot and muggy. The ice floated enticingly in the orange coloured liquid.

I lifted the glass and appealed to James, knowing that he

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would never deceive me. ’Is this all right to drink, -=” San ge (Third Elder Brother)?’

’Yes,’ James replied. ’This is your prize for doing well in school.’

Satisfied, I took a big gulp. Immediately I spat it out. My three older brothers had mixed their urine with the orange concentrate and duped me into drinking it. As I burst into tears, what troubled me was not Edgar’s malice or Gregory’s treachery, but James’s betrayal.

Now when Mr Lu was dropped off, I moved into the front seat as James started on the return trip back to the hotel. I could tell that he was under great strain. Despite his repeated denials, how could he possibly not have known what Mr Lu had just told me? Worse, he must have been in collusion with Niang to deliberately keep me in the dark.

James paid the ten-dollar-toll charge, rushed through the tunnel and emerged on Hong Kong island. I was grateful for the darkness as he drove at breakneck speed.

It started to rain. James turned on his windscreen wipers. ’Mr Lu informed me,’ I began quietly, ’that I had been cut out of Niang’s will. He said that I would get nothing.’

James made no reply as he turned a corner and manoeuvred the car on to Wong Nai Chong Gap Road. For once, he voiced no denial. All pretences were dropped for the moment. With another turn we were parked in front of the hotel. We had arrived and still he would not speak.

’Say something!’ I pleaded. ’Is Mr Lu telling the truth?’

Without turning the engine off, James looked straight in front of him, mesmerized by the whoosh-whoosh of the windscreen wipers swinging to and fro before his eyes. ’Yes,’ he said.

’And Father, what about Father? Was I cut out of his will also?’ Tears ran down my cheeks. I thought of my white-haired Father, lying mute and motionless year after year in Room 52.5 of the Hong Kong Sanatorium. Had he also rejected me?

’I’ve already told you that I haven’t read Father’s will,’ James snapped irritably. ’How am 7 to know what Father wanted?

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Besides, Father’s will is irrelevant. It’s useless. All his assets were in Niang’s name.’

’But why did Niang cut me out? How did I offend her?’

’Look,’ James replied, quite harshly, ’I don’t have all the answers either. Niang formed a very bad impression of you when you stayed with her in 1987. She claimed that you wished to put Father in an apartment in Kowloon. Also that you weren’t grateful for the medical education she gave you in England.’

Tut Father in an apartment in Kowloon? That’s so ludicrous that it’s laughable! Why would I want Niang to do that? And you believe that’s the reason?’

’I don’t know who or what to believe. I’m merely repeating what Niang told me. I loathe confrontations. Though I hate to admit it, I’m getting on and life doesn’t go on for ever. I don’t want a fight that goes on and on in the law courts. It’s important to me to enjoy in peace whatever years I have left. Remember,’ he added, Til be the executor of the will. If you decide to file a lawsuit you’ll be fighting me. If you should go to court I’ll be your adversary.’

As he spoke, I felt a chill that penetrated into the marrow. I was listening to a cautiously prepared speech. This was not the spontaneous outburst of a concerned brother.

Bob, who had been sitting silently in the back seat, leant forward and put his hand on my shoulder. ’Don’t you see that this is breaking her heart? At this moment she feels deserted, cheated and violated.’

’Don’t give me all those fancy words!’ James burst forth violently. ’It’s money you’re after, isn’t it? Money I can help you with. Tell me, how much money do you want?’

I glanced at my brother slumped behind the wheel, tense and unhappy. His face was flushed and swollen with embarrassment. ’You and I, James, we have gone through so much together. Has it come down to this? Surely you, of all people, should know that it’s not about money. It’s about family and fair play and our common journey in search of a mother.’

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Neither James nor Bob said anything. ’I still can’t understand why Niang disinherited me while playing me for a fool. Tomorrow,’ I continued, ’I shall go to the funeral in the morning. But the will reading at four o’clock … that will be unbearable. I shall wait for you in my hotel room. Will you come and tell me when it’s all over? And please bring me a copy of her will.’

The will was read at four o’clock and at six thirty James arrived with my copy. There was drink on his breath and he was in a tremendous hurry to get away. They had gone directly from the solicitor’s office to the Mandarin Hotel’s Clipper Lounge to celebrate. A dinner was planned later that evening at the Shanghai Club. Susan, I and our spouses were not invited.

’I am a man of my word,’ James announced. ’This is your copy of Niang’s will, but I can’t stay very long. They’re all expecting me for dinner. I’m the host.’

’What does it say?’

’Gregory and Edgar each get 2.0 per cent. I get 50 per cent. Lydia gets 10 per cent. Susan gets nothing. You get nothing.’

I flipped through the papers, scanning the pages rapidly until I found my name. ’Adeline Yen Mah,’ I read aloud to Bob. ’In no event is my daughter, Adeline Yen Mah, to receive any portion of my estate.’ My voice cracked. ’Why, James, why? Why did she loathe me so? ”In no event”, it says here. ”In no event”\’

James, who had remained standing all the time, suddenly walked over to our mini-bar and poured himself a large whisky. He drank it in one gulp.

’Don’t take it so much to heart,’ he began. ’Look, let me give you something. What about Niang’s flat? Why don’t you take that? Remember, if you go to court, only the solicitors will win. Besides,’ he added, ’you’ve got enough money already .

10 or 20 per cent more isn’t going to alter your lifestyle. Look, I’ve got to go. Dinner is at seven thirty and I still have to come back here and pick up Lydia. She wanted to telephone her children and tell them her good news.’

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’Isn’t it incredible that Lydia, whom Niang hated and didn’t even want to see four years ago, receives 10 per cent, whereas I, who bought the airline ticket for Lydia in 1986 so that the two of them could be reconciled, should be left out in the cold?’

’That’s how the Old Lady wanted it in the end,’ James said. ’Who knows why? In any case, tomorrow morning everyone is invited to go up to her flat and divide up her furniture, antiques and jewellery. Give me a call if you’re coming. I really have to go now. See you tomorrow.’

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Headless and Clueless Case

Susan saw the matter more clearly than I did. ’What!’ she exclaimed. ’Lydia gets 10 per cent and you get nothing? What sort of justice is this?’

’You inherited nothing either, ’b-fa Xiao mei (Little Sister).’ I was moved by her outrage on my behalf when she had suffered the same fate.

’She has disowned me since 1973. I expected nothing and didn’t want anything from her! But you, what did you do to deserve this? How devious she was! Why should she punish you like this?’

I thought Tiow sad it must be for Susan to have to admit that such a person was her gu rou (bones and flesh). Then I remembered her fortitude in daring to walk away from Niang seventeen years ago, something the rest of us were never able to do.

’James said it’s because I wanted to put Father in an apartment in Kowloon and wasn’t grateful for my medical education.’

’What absolute rubbish! So they must have discussed the will between them … and if that’s the case, why didn’t James defend you?’

My little sister had placed her finger on the exact aching spot. ’I don’t know the answers but before I leave Hong Kong, I must find out what was in Father’s will. James did offer to give

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me Niang’s flat. He has also invited all of us, and you too, to go up to Magnolia Mansions tomorrow to divide up the contents.’

’He’s got to be joking!’ Susan laughed. ’No way am I going up there. Niang’s personal effects would give me the creeps and bring me bad luck. The last thing I want is to be reminded of her! As for her flat, don’t be taken in by that! Prices have fallen drastically and are still depressed because of Tiananmen. James is trying to buy you off as cheaply as possible. He’s probably scared that you’ll challenge the will, which you have a perfect right to do.’

That night my sleep was agitated. At four o’clock in the morning I was wide awake, tossing and turning. Bob held me for a long time. Unable to go back to sleep, we went for a long walk around the racecourse in Happy Valley, ending up like homing pigeons at James’s and Louise’s flat. It was eight and they were having breakfast.

Soon, Gregory and Edgar arrived; the latter left the instant he saw me. Gregory settled down comfortably next to me and accepted a cup of tea.

’Niang’s will bothers me,’ Gregory began. ’It’s so unfair. It isn’t right that you should get nothing. What do you think we should all do to make Niang’s will more fair and to make you feel better? I suggest that each of us give you 10 per cent of our share so that you would end up with 10 per cent of the estate.’

His words brought tears to my eyes. I swallowed hard and waited until my voice came back to me. ’I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I think your offer is more than generous …’

’Since I have the largest share,’ James interrupted, ’my 10 per cent is equivalent to 5 per cent of the total estate. This will include Niang’s flat.’ He glanced at Louise, who remained silent with her eyes downcast. No one said anything. ’As I’ve said before, I’m too old for any legal battles. I want to enjoy my money. So, the answer is yes.’

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’That settles it then,’ Gregory added, ”i’ll speak to Edgar and Lydia.’

Looking at her watch, Louise exclaimed, ’We told Ah Fong that we would be there at ten o’clock. It’s almost nine thirty. We still have to pick up Lydia and Edgar. We should be going.’

’I think I’ll just go to the hairdresser’s. I’m not interested in Niang’s jewels or her furniture. All I want is to find Father’s will.’ Turning to James, I asked, ’Will you give Bob and me permission to go to Niang’s flat this afternoon to search for it?’

’I think you’re wasting your time,’ James replied. ’By all means, go there and look for it. Take any document you wish! Mr Lu and I went over Niang’s papers very thoroughly and were unable to find it.’

After a shampoo and blow-dry, I returned to my hotel room refreshed. Immediately there was a knock on the door. It was Gregory.