Unmarriageable(38)

Alys glanced at Jena. Surely she’d caught Hammy’s scorn. But Jena was too busy assuring Bungles her ankle was in a comfortable position.

‘The Pakistan Embassy School was quite all right,’ Alys said. ‘However, we attended an international school.’

‘I went to an international school too,’ Darsee said. ‘In Bangkok.’

Alys feigned disinterest, though she wanted to ask him about his experiences.

‘How was your experience?’ Darsee said. ‘Do you miss it?’

‘I miss California,’ Hammy said.

‘Your parents still live there,’ Darsee said. ‘Going to school-in-transit, so to speak, is different. Would you agree, Alys?’

‘Yes,’ Alys said. ‘I’ve lost touch with all my friends.’

‘I wish,’ Darsee said, ‘there had been a better way of staying connected back then, instead of just letters.’

‘Technology makes it easier these days,’ Alys said. ‘There is the email thingy.’

‘The email thingy?’ Darsee smiled.

Alys gave him a cold stare. ‘You should read Reader’s Digest and Good Housekeeping. Keep you updated on technology.’

‘Babes,’ Hammy said, ‘Val is a tech genius.’

‘I take it, Alys,’ Darsee said, ‘you believe I’m not impressed by these two publications that have impressed you.’

‘Have you ever read either one?’

‘Nope,’ Darsee said. ‘The covers—’

‘The covers!’

‘Covers don’t lie,’ Darsee said.

‘That’s not true.’

‘A risk I’m willing to take,’ Darsee said.

‘Of course you are,’ Alys said, and seeing Bungles rip himself away from Jena in order to send his driver to pick up the Chinese takeaway, she took the moment to flee Darsee for her sister’s bedside.

When Bungles returned to the room, he was carrying a bouquet of narcissuses sold by flower hawkers outside the clinic. A nurse followed him with a glass of water. Bungles put the flowers in and placed them by Jena’s side. A delicious scent pervaded the room.

‘My favourite flowers,’ Jena said, caressing a yellow centre surrounded by cream petals.

‘I know,’ Bungles said. ‘You mentioned it at NadirFiede’s wedding.’

‘Bungles is so thoughtful to everyone,’ Hammy said, an exasperated smile on her face as she turned up the volume to Pretty Woman.

In ten minutes, the driver was back with the food. Alys and Bungles took out the containers and paper ware. Bungles leapt to fix Jena a plate. Hammy was eager to serve Darsee, except he dashed her desires by helping himself. Alys took a bowl of chicken corn soup.

Everyone ate in silence – except for Bungles, who kept asking Jena if she needed anything. Finally Hammy said, in a saccharine tone, that Jena had sprained her ankle and not her mouth and that if she required his services, she would no doubt ask him. Bungles sheepishly distributed the fortune cookies.

‘Jena,’ he said, ‘what does yours say?’

‘A new beginning is on the horizon.’

‘Mine is so stupid,’ Hammy said. ‘Karma is a witch.’

‘You don’t believe in karma?’ Alys asked. She put her fortune cookie into her bag to give to Qitty, who was creating a food-and-word sculpture.

‘If you don’t remember anything from a past life,’ Darsee said, ‘then how can you avoid making the same mistakes in your present life?’

‘I don’t know,’ Alys said, taking some lo mein. ‘I suppose some people will be born with the same flaws, such as pride, and therefore be prone to repeating history.’

‘Pride isn’t a flaw,’ Darsee said.

‘It’s just another word for smug,’ Alys said.

‘Pride is a strength. Smugness opens one to mockery.’

‘Sometimes,’ Alys said, ‘one can be mocked through no fault of one’s own.’

‘If you don’t give cause, you will never be mocked,’ Darsee said.

‘Let me guess – you’ve never given cause!’ Alys turned to Hammy and Bungles. ‘You need to mock him; otherwise, he really will think he’s perfect.’

‘Oh my God, babes,’ Hammy said, ‘Valentine is perfect.’

‘I’m not perfect,’ Darsee said to Alys. ‘Far from. My biggest flaw in this day and age is that I don’t suffer fools gladly. I hate sycophancy, nepotism, cronyism. I don’t care to be diplomatic.’

‘You can afford to be undiplomatic,’ Alys said. ‘People let people like you get away with anything.’

‘You know what your glaring fault is?’ Darsee said.

Alys glared at him. ‘Do tell.’

‘You take great pride in hearing only what you want to hear, and then you’re smug about your interpretation.’ Darsee scowled at his watch. ‘We should leave.’

‘Yes,’ Hammy said eagerly. ‘Jena’s been yawning away.’

‘Jena, are you sleepy?’ Bungles asked. ‘Should I go?’

Jena, far from being rude enough to say yes, hesitated, and Bungles beamed.

‘Val, you and Hammy go,’ he said.