My Favourite Wife (46 page)

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The plan was that Tiger would drive them to the airport in his new BMW. But the BMW was reclaimed by the loan company when Tiger’s business collapsed, and so the plan changed.

Down in the courtyard of Paradise Mansions, Holly adjusted herself in her father’s arms as she contemplated Tiger emerging from an old red VW Santana.

‘Is Tiger a taxi driver now?’ she said, gesturing with the yellow plastic pony she held in her fist.

Tiger laughed with embarrassment, looking from Bill to Becca, and then down at his shoes. ‘Too many people with same idea,’ he said, turning to Bill. ‘Now too much Chinese furniture in China.’ He looked shyly at Holly. ‘Yes, old Tiger a taxi driver now.’

‘It was still a good idea,’ Becca said.

Bill placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘You’ll think of something else.’

Tiger cast a mournful eye at the red Santana. ‘But should be a better car. Should be a limo, boss. Like the one you came in on.’

Bill placed Holly on the ground and hefted the first of the suitcases. ‘We’re grateful for the lift,’ he said.

‘And limos are overrated,’ Becca said, getting into the passenger seat. The phone in her bag rang once and then again and it was ringing for a third time as she turned it off.

Bill sat in the back of the cab with Holly on his lap and as the city slipped away from them the child slept. He turned his head to look at the Bund, and a single black star seemed to fall across the sky. As they crossed the river his daughter stirred in his arms.

‘Are we home yet?’ she said sleepily, and in the front of the car Becca laughed, turned to look at her, and at her husband. One day their beautiful daughter would stop saying these things, he thought. But not for a while.

Bill pulled his daughter close, his arms wrapped around her, her head nodding against his chest. She was still gripping the yellow
plastic pony. The old VW turned on to the highway and the last lights of Shanghai were lost to him.

‘Just rest your eyes,’ he said, so quietly that only his daughter would hear. ‘That’s the big secret. You just rest your eyes and then you’re home before you know it.’

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

Man and Boy
One For My Baby
Man and Wife
The Family Way
Stories We Could Tell