4) You Still Angry At Me For That?
“How can you go on leave in such a critical period?” Seth asked Kate, in his office, when Kate submitted her leave application form for his approval.
“I would arrange all the needed before I go on leave.” Kate reassured her boss. Japan, has been the country that Kate wanted to visit, thus far. Finally, she has this trip planned and it was about time to make it come true. She was so excited.
“No, you can’t do this, Kate. The company is in critical situation, and how can you being the pioneer team go on leave?” He shown his disapproval through his annoyed facial expression.
“Well, if that’s the case, I can bring along my laptop. You can call me anytime; I can respond with hotel’s internet access when I am in Japan then.” Kate made the offer after considering Seth’s worries on the business investment from potential investors. She has been working in this company for almost eight years now; right from the beginning of this start-up company. She, literally, can be called as pioneer team.
“No. I won’t approve it.” He threw back her leave application form.
Kate took it and returned to her office.
Kate wasn’t given up yet. She kept thinking of what else that she can prepare upfront and arranged among her colleagues, in order to smooth the business’ needs during her four-day leaves. She made calls to corporate secretary; she discussed and arranged the tasks among her colleagues. “No worries. Just four days.” They all asked Kate to rest assured. They would back up on the needed.
On that day of her departure at 9 p.m. in the evening, Kate, again, walked into Seth’s office. She told him that she has arranged all the work with internal colleagues and external professional firms. If needed, she would work from vacation in Japan (although she hated it).
Seth looked at Kate, quietly, without even taking on the form she handed to him. “If you go on leave, I would leave a negative comment on your HR record.” He said to Kate, his long-service staff, in monotone.
Kate was so shock to hear such words from her boss. (WHAT?!? A black dot on my HR record? You’re threatening me here, aren’t you, Seth?) Her eyes were wide opened but she didn’t blurt a single word.
“You’d better come to work tomorrow.” He smirked to Kate instead.
(Bloody Mary… How could a CEO blurt such low EQ words. Shame on you!) Her respect to her boss all these while smashed to below negative point. She took the form and walked out from his office without second word. Her colleagues saw her black face that clearly expressed that “Kate is angry.”
“Hey, you okay? What happens?” Her colleague asked.
“What?!? He said that?” “You just go on your vacation! Don’t care about that.” Her colleagues were all shocked to hear what their boss said to her.
“No way… I’ve worked properly and for me to get a bad reputation on my HR record just for this. Nah…” Kate said it with disappointed voice. She can’t cancel her flight; she can’t cancel her hotel reservation that she has paid; she can’t get the refund from the Kendo class that she registered with Japanese coach from samurai generation. All her money was spent in vain.
Kate reported to work on those four days that she was supposed to be used in exploring Japan. That four work days, NOTHING has happened at all! No incoming emails or phone calls from the said potential investor.
(You Piece of Shxt!) Kate ran amok in her mind. Her face was black and didn’t even bother to show a tiny smile at all, at work.
But one thing that Seth didn’t know was that Kate started to search for job offer. She tendered her resignation over a phone call to Seth, during his vacation home for Christmas. She called when he was having family reunion dinner with his family. “I’m resigning from my post with effective from today. I’d serve my notice and xx/xx/20xx would be my last working day.” She announced it to Seth, loud and clear, over the phone.
“What? Come on, Kate. Don’t do this to me. On Christmas holiday? I’m having dinner with my family.” Seth said.
(What does that have to do with me. Huh!) She smirked but he can’t see her facial expression.
“Please don’t do that, Kate. Wait for me, let’s talk when I am back in office, okay?” He suggested, shamelessly.
“No. I’m firm on my decision. Please arrange the needed.” Kate replied. (I don’t see the need for me to work for one with low-EQ, such as you, Seth. There are many entrepreneurs out there that I could render my assistance to and/or those that really appreciate my supports as their employee.)
“Are you still angry at me on that incident?” Suddenly, Seth asked her this.
(Huh! Whatever it was. I have no intention to work for a low-EQ boss, like you. Bye!) She stayed silence for a while then said “I’d send you an official resignation email. Thank you. Bye.” She hung up the call and walked out from meeting room.
Three year later, one afternoon Kate received a phone call from Jenny. (This is so unusual, for her to contact me. I cut her (same goes for Seth) off ever since I resigned.)
“Hello?” Kate greeted.
Jenny started with curtesy chat a little. (She sounds so fake. Anyway, I’d just play along.)
“Seth asked me to check with you if you’re interested in the new post in the company… bla blah blah…” <
(Ha-ha!! You must be kidding me. Go back to work for him. Get out of here.) Kate laughed out loud in her mind. “Thanks for the thoughts. But I like my current job. My colleagues are all good. No plan to have career change.” “How about we have a meal together somewhere?” Jenny persistently carried out the task assigned by Seth onto her. “No. Thanks for asking. All good here. You guys take care. Bye.” Kate wanted to end that no-value-added call.
Some people commented that Kate was a cold-hearted person.
(Well, say what you want. I don’t care. My warm heart and my care were meant for those who deserves it. Why putting my heart on people that simply crushed it to ashes, like a rubbish? I’m no robot but a human with flesh and emotions.)
5) You Would Get High Returns, Monthly!
“Is this safe?” Kate asked her friend, Tony.
They were on the phone call. Tony was a businessman in car repairs, for years. They got to know each other through a chat forum. A group of them happened to meet up for gathering meals.
Somewhat, everyone in the chat group were working adults and businessmen background. Throughout the past two years, they have met in person for about three times. Other times, chat forum and WhatsApp were their communication tools.
Kate felt the good vibe with this group of friends.
One evening, Toby dropped her a call asking her if she is interested in a good return investment.
The work ‘investment’ alerted Kate, right away. “What investment?” She asked.
Tony explained to her in details. He has a side career in giving loan to those in needs. In short, loan shark.
“Isn’t that illegal? Kate asked. For one to have been working as accountant and audit background, Kate was reluctant to get involve in any illegal matters.
“We are licensed company. We lent people money and most of them are office workers; they repay us on time. All we want is the repayment in monetary; we won’t go get their live like you seen in gangster’s movie. No, no, no…” He explained. “We are looking for more funds to cover more borrower’s needs. And in return, you’d get 7% of the interest, the rest would belong to me and my team.”
(Wah… 7%?!? That’s high return.) Kate thought but continued analysing the info she heard.
“I’d get my man (his team member) to bank in into your bank account on monthly basis. You don’t have to worry. You have my word.” Tony declared it proudly for his business ethics in this line for many years.
Kate was shaken and tempted to join in this investment. “I need a black and white agreement for such investment. Give me your ID copy and I’d draft something for this.” She needed some security.
“ID copy, sure. I’d send to your email. We don’t have any agreement in place. You draft then. We can sign it when we meet. Is that okay?” Tony replied without any hesitation.
“Sure. Give me some time to consider as well.” She said before hung up their phone call.
“Okay. The agreement looks good. Can you give me the softcopy? We can use this for our customers as well.” Tony smiled and put down his signature on the agreements, on the day they met which was a month later.
“Sure, no problem. Here, the money.” She banked in into his bank account via ATM machine. A receipt came out from the cash deposit machine, ‘Twenty Thousand Ringgit’ deposited into a/c number xxxxxxxxx on this date xx/xx/20xx. Kate took a photo of it, shared the photo with Tony. She’d keep the receipt as a proof.
All went well. Toby complied to his promise; he deposited the interest income to her bank account on monthly basis. This was the fifth bank-in transaction notice. After that, no more news from Tony. No more messages update on this side business. All Kate heard from him was business wasn’t doing well. Many office workers being retrenched and they can’t repay their loan. Therefore he delayed the month income that Kate entitled to receive.
Since then. Years passed. No matter how and what rude or warning messages Kate sent to Tony, Tony will just reply “Yes, wait for me. Trust me. I’ve deposit to your account.” But no action taken by Tony at all.
(It was all blank promise. Or it was actually a scam act to begin with…) Kate said to herself. (Twenty thousand ringgit. Not a lot, but not small amount too… It can be downpayment for a new house or a new car. Those were my hard-earn money and savings… It was all boiled down to the GREED in me that led me to this situation.) Kate didn’t mention to anyone about this failed investment. She can’t even lodge a police report with that agreement as this deemed to be an illegal business, after all. She couldn’t take the risk to be in jail for being part of the investor.
(Dear Gods, can you help me do something that could make Tony to repay me the money on his own will? I can’t get back my investment. Just the principal part, forget about the interest? It that too much to ask?) Kate prayed at temple and took a ‘reply’ note from the drawing bottle.
(Oh gosh… It was something like – since you knew and willing to be part of the fun entertainment, bear the entertainment consequences.)
(Wrong decision made back there; so need to take the consequence from it.)
(Lesson learnt. A pricy one…)
(How long did it take me to save up that twenty thousand ringgit, from my slim monthly salary? All gone, just like that. And I don’t see any chances to get it back. Got to start savings, to replenish back the money lost. No more indulgence in yummy food; no more clothes shopping; no more travelling plan, in short future…)
“Sigh…” Kate walked in the park, with heads down and frown.
6) Our Future
“I need it urgently. Help me, please.” He said to Kate over the phone. His voice can’t hide his panic mode.
“What happened?” Kate asked her boyfriend, her first love, in 30+ years. It was an encounter during her travel. She met him at overseas. They started as messaging friend and then slowly developed into long-distance love relationship.
Half year after their relationship, Kate made another trip to see him. Her boyfriend, Dave, was a full-time hotelier assistant, who earned just enough for his living, who can’t spend too much on travelling. But throughout their relationship of two and a half year, he did travel two trips to visit Kate, in her country.
One evening, during the first year of their long-distance phone call conversation, Dave voiced up his difficulties and concerns to Kate.
“My brother in-law is inviting shareholders to join into their next new hotel business in Taiwan. This is a good opportunity for me to build a passive income. I can’t forever be the hotelier earning this flat salary. We need more income for our future.” He said.
Kate kept listening to him, without interrupting the conversation. “I need money to invest. Would you lend me some money for this investment? I’d repay you every month. I promise. Please, Kate. This is for our future. I plan to bring you over and we can start our life here in Taiwan. This is the best opportunity for us to generate more income.” He continued to persuade Kate, for the sake of their future.
“How much are you talking about?” Kate asked.
“Thirty thousand. I’d pay you back every month. I swear.” He swore in the phone.
“Thirty thousand?!?” (Wow! That’s a lot of money, almost all my savings… What to do now…?) Kate started to worry.
“You’ve met my family members. Next time, when you’re here, I’d introduce my brother in-law to you and show you the new hotel’s whereabout. It is within the same area to the current hotel, just a few blocks away. As you know, this area is tourist spot. More and more hotels businesses are set up here and competing every day. With one more hotel, shareholders can receive the dividend on monthly basis.” He explained.
Kate could sense his enthusiastic in this new business. He has been wanted to do something to boost his income at his age of thirty-four.
Sometimes, Kate could even sense his anxiety and panic in his concerns of still not successful as any men at his age. His income wasn’t come with thick pay slip; he didn’t have any property on hand and much savings. How to get more income for him now having an intention to build a family.
“Let me consider. Send me all the information about this hotel first.” Kate replied.
“Kate, please. This is for our future.” He pleaded.
“I’m not promising anything. I’d need to see more information first.” Kate made her stand firm.
“Okay, okay, I’d send you now.” He ended the call and a few email attachments sent to Kate’s email mailbox.
(What should I do? I can never discuss with dad. Sure he’d object. How far are we going in this relationship? I love him. He seems serious on our relationship too. He brought me to meet with his widowed mother, his two elder sisters, niece and nephew. Almost everyone in his family except for his brother in-law as he was on duty at the hotel when we had dinner elsewhere. It’s good to have passive income. Since they already have one hotel in operation; then next one shouldn’t be new to them. Lower risks.) She analyzed one after another, after viewing all the information about the new hotel business that Dave sent over.
(But thirty thousand…Never in my life had I spent so much money in one go. If I continue to save more money from my monthly salary… I can get back to a level that I could feel secured… at least?)
She thought a lot that night.
She transferred the money to Dave’s account. Dave quickly entered himself into the shareholders’ agreement for this new hotel’s business. All went well. Dave felt relieve. From time to time, he would go and supervise the renovation progress of the said new hotel, during his lunch break or after work. He shared photos with Kate too.
Months passed, no signs of the so-called monthly repayment from Dave as he has promised. Kate started to worry. One day, she can’t help but voice out to Dave. “Hey, you said you’d repay me every month. No action so far?” She asked.
“I save the cash. No worries. Trust me, baby.” He replied. “Next time when you’re here, I pass you the cash; don’t waste money on bank charges on each overseas funds transfer transactions. Okay?” He said.
(That’s rational. But… is he really saving the monthly repayment to repay me? I can’t tell, at all.) Kate kept silence.
Another few months passed. This topic was never mentioned in their long-distance conversations. But the new hotel has really launched and started its operation in that area. Kate can see it from their newly build website. All looks good. But she wasn’t part of it at all. Investor’s name was Dave and her name wasn’t there.
“Dave, I’d draft an agreement for you to sign for that loan amount.” Kate said to Dave, one evening. Dave went silence. “I would write it in English wordings. Simple one. You can read and understand the content right away. Could you sign and email me the signed copy?” Kate said. “Okay. I’d look at it.” Dave replied, almost in monotone.
(Maybe, he was shocked to have his girlfriend to really put down in black and white on their deal. Somewhat hit his ego as a man, badly.) Kate thought so but she must do something for her one security. That was a huge amount that she has saved for many years.
Two days passed. “Have you read the agreement yet? Send me sign copy?” She reminded Dave once again. She has no confident in Dave. (If he was seriously responsible person, he would have emailed her the signed loan agreement within the day or next day. No sign of it so far.) Therefore, she has to be ‘thick face’ and bluntly follow up with her boyfriend.
“Okay, I’d send you today.” He replied. All his cheerful tone gone the moment Kate brought him back to this loan agreement topic. He signed and emailed to Kate. That evening, no phone call from Dave, after his working hours. That was the usual time they could chat a little; for a short conversation. Sometimes, it only last five minutes.
Lucky enough, their relationship still continued thereafter. He flew over to meet Kate, as he has some extra income to make this travel trip happen. But no ‘extra income’ pass over to Kate, at all.
Two years plus, now. Kate started to sense the low-passionate period in their long-distance relationship. Their phone calls, not much topic that they could chat about. Daily phone calls have become 5-minute call, every two days. Kate’s anxiety was building up.
“Dave, have you ready with the cash that you’re going to repay me yet?” She tried to ask in a lighter tone. “Yes. Wait.” Dave on the video call, went out from his room for a while and returned with a stack of cash in his hand. “See this? I’ve saved it all. I’d pass to you when you next visit me.” He proudly said.
(Whoof… A huge relief in Kate) “Wow, you keep the cash? Why not bank in first? Was it save to keep so much cash in your room?” She asked. “No worry, I put in the safe box. I have the key to it. No one else.” He reassured Kate.
They went back to lovey-dovey conversation as usual. Sometimes, cold, sometimes, lovey-dovey vibe. (What else to ask further when they are maintaining a long-distance relationship. There’s a lot of things like conversation in person like most couples do, they can’t have those.) This was Kate’s first love. She has nothing to compare with. This wasn’t a puppy love for a late thirty woman. She treasured it and planned her future with Dave, in long run.
Dave invited Kate to join him back to his home country, the Philippines. Kate got to meet his relatives and spent a week in village life. His mother has been sending money to their relative, for them to help monitoring the house renovation on their behalf. Their house would be having three-storey. They temporarily occupied the ground-floor during their stay.
(Luckily, there are fans. How to survive in such a hot weather? Dave didn’t want to waste money on hotel stays.) So, Kate joined him, in their family house.
“Later on, you give some money to uncle A.” Dave said to Kate. Kate stunted by his word. (Why me? Shouldn’t you give him instead?) But Kate still handed over some cash to his uncle who volunteered to send them to city area, with his tricycle.
“We can invest in this village a pig farm. Automate it with the latest technology and we make it big. Fully occupy this land that my mother has.” Dave said this to Kate, one afternoon when he showed Kate the paddy field behind their family house. (Huh? A huge pig farm? Do you know how much you need to invest?) The accountant, Kate, already had an idea of the cost. (And this piece of land wasn’t that huge. What’s more, just now you mum said, she can let you use PARTIAL of her land. Didn’t you hear that?) Her monkey mind was busying challenging her boyfriend. “Where are you going to get the money?” Kate asked. We can use our money (meaning tapping onto Kate’s savings as well) and invite investors to join us. (What? You intend to use my money without even asking for my permission? Do you think you have control over my savings, excuse me?) She smirked without replying any to his big dream.
“We can buy an apartment in Taipei. Then I work and stayed in hotel every night, to save travelling money. You come to Taiwan.” Dave said this in their phone call, one of those evenings.
“Err… I might have difficulties in getting an accountant job in Taiwan. You guys still using traditional Chinese characters in your daily paperwork. I learnt simplified Chinese in my studies. How am I going to survive?” She asked.
“You come here. We can survive with our daily expenses.” Dave simplified everything, in his blank talk. (I do have my monthly commitment, you know? Can you be a bit more mature in your way of thinking?) From their conversations, Kate can gauge the maturity level in her boyfriend.
“When are you guys going to marry?” His mother asked Kate, in the subway, on their way to restaurant for dinner. (Your son is not ready to have a family yet… Auntie.) Kate returned her with a smile. Dave didn’t even bother to reply to his mother’s question. He was busy looking at females around us, in this subway ride. Kate noticed this side of him, many times now. She was annoyed. But he acted lovey-dovey to Kate whenever Kate shown her anger at his behaviour. Behaviour wasn’t a subject that can be easily changed. Dave, would even flirt with other women in front of Kate. Her jealousy ignited but she can’t do much about Dave’s behaviour. But this factor was taken into her consideration about his man’s trust worthiness in building a family together.
Most women’s instinct would alert them on certain situation. It was something science can’t explain until this day. Kate started to sense the passion in Dave has somewhat subsided. He didn’t talk much although he still called every other evening. Their conversations were mostly about ‘How was your work? Dinner yet? You’d better go to sleep now.’ The ‘less than 5-minutes’ phone calls was what this couple has.
They sometimes, quarreled; sometimes, joked around. But Kate has decided to fly over to ‘see’ the situation herself. She bought a ticket and departed to Taiwan, without telling Dave. She surprised him by laying next to him on his bed, in the early morning. She has the password to enter his place. Dave told her about it before.
Dave was so shocked to see her being next to him, when he opened his eyes that morning. Kate can’t see the excitement in him. The excitement in a couple that finally meet in person. Kate kept her cool and continued observing.
In fact, before Kate enter his room, she was so worried that ‘what if there’s another person on his bed?’. But luckily, she didn’t have to experience such scene.
Dave planned a two-day-one-night trip to seaside area with Kate. He rented a car and they drove out from the city area, during the weekend. Never had Kate thought that she would see something that would break her heart into pieces that evening.
When Dave went to get something for Kate. from the convenience store around the hotel… From the backpack that Dave left opened in their room, Kate saw a young lady’s ID sized photo in his wallet. Never once Dave put Kate’s photo in his wallet. Although they have many photos taken together. She broke down in tears. Her instinct was on point. (Was this lucky or not?) She thought to herself while tears still running down her face.
Dave took nearly an hour to return to their room. (Was he making phone calls to his new girl?) She has tidied up and acted as if nothing has happened during her wait in the room. Kate purposely did it as if it was all happened naturally… She put the items back into her luggage and moved his backpack a little, and ‘caused’ his wallet to ‘accidentally’ drop out from his backpack. She then picked it up and the wallet ‘happened’ to flip open. And she then saw the photo.
Dave noticed Kate’s silence. He turned over and saw she looking at the photo in his wallet. He quickly grabbed his wallet from Kate’s hand. “That’s the gym receptionist.” He said to her. “Oh… Receptionist?” Kate repeated his answer in a doubting tone. “You keep a receptionist’s photo in your wallet, huh?”
Dave sensed the red flag. He quickly took the ID photo and tore it into pieces in Kate’s face. And then threw all into the dustbin. “She is nobody. Don’t think too much, okay?” He started to calm Kate down. That evening, Kate didn’t talk much. A huge contrast to Dave who tried to please her in every way.
“Do you want this BBQ, babe?” Dave held on to her hand and asked her passionately. “This is my wife.” He declared to his old friend who he met at that same tourist’s spot. Kate just smiled to his friend; didn’t talk much. Chaotic emotions ran wild in her mind.
Not to Dave’s knowledge, this trip to Kate was actually for her to observe and see the situation, before she breaking up with Dave. This trip was to end their ‘no longer having a vision of future’ long-distance relationship. She just needed a proof to convince herself to take the action.
And she had the proof. Next, she gotten back the cash from Dave. Safely put into her luggage.
“Where’s the necklace? You didn’t wear it much, huh?” She asked. Dave took it out from his drawer and handed it to Kate. Kate looked at it and kept it to her pouch. Dave thought she was going to put it on for him. He didn’t say much; he just walked out to continue on his hotel work.
(Okay, money and gold necklace are with me now. The loan interest, let it be. As long as I get back the principal money is more than enough, now.) Kate felt relief but can’t deny about the heaviness in accepting the fact that he has new relationship, in this town, in this country that is far away from where Kate stayed. Her tears dropped. She cried in his room, alone.
They had dinner the night before she departing back to Singapore. She met her future mother-in-law (but that won’t happen anymore, auntie…) and his family members, including his brother in-law. After dinner, they slowly walked back to his place. Not much conversation between them. Dave can somewhat sense Kate had become more quieter after the dinner, but he let it be.
At his room, she packed her luggage; she washed and prepared to bed. Dave was watching TV show. No conversation, at all. Kate gotten onto the bed, watched TV shows with him.
“Dave, let’s break up.” She broke the silence.
“What?” He finally shifted his gaze from the TV and looked at her.
“Let’s break up.” She repeated.
Dave was speechless. He tried to clear up his mind and search for things during this trip that might trigger this decision from Kate.
“Then, you can say so over the phone. Why are you here then?” He asked. He has no clue at all.
“I wanted to see you, for one last time…” Kate wasn’t able to hold her emotion anymore, she caressed his face with her fingers, and cried. Her cries echoed in the room. The sound from the TV show, somehow, can’t be heard anymore.
Silence, between them. Dave looked to the TV but his mind wasn’t on it. After a while, he turned to Kate and laid her to sleep. “Sleep now. Don’t think too much. Don’t cry.” He too, lied down and wanted to sleep. End this topic and conversation, just like that. As if nothing has happened.
Kate still cried softly next to him. He then started to kiss Kate. And they had sex that night. Kate sensed the difference in Dave in their sex this night. (So, without emotion investment, one can still have sex…) She sensed zero passionate or loving sensations from both of them; it was more like a ‘let us just get it done and get back to sleep’ session. (Why did I do this with him? For this would be the last? Or I just wanted to have sex after our last meet up?) A farewell act that carried ‘Thank You’ and ‘Good Bye’ to her first love; her first man. Kate was not into having intimacy with man outside of a committed relationship.
“Wait!” Dave told the taxi driver. He reached out to kiss Kate before she took up to airport, the next day. “Don’t think too much. Give me a call when you landed. Okay?” He said. She nodded.
She cried, silently, in the back seat, while the taxi driver drove her to the airport.
They still ‘connected’ after a month, through phone calls. Still, quarrels ignited in between the calls. She even complaint to his mother via messages about his bad behaviour as a man. (That has gone too far. No mother could stand anyone talking bad about their children.) Long after, Kate learnt this wisdom knowledge. How terribly wrong her action was.
Soon, their phone calls only happened after a few days, a week, and then, to none…
Their relationship has ‘officially’ ended that way.
(Thank goodness, I wasn’t gotten pregnant with him. Else…) Kate dared not imagining it.
Kate’s next love relationship only happened two years later. But… that long-distance relationship broke her heart, once again, for it was merely a love scam act. She was smart enough to spot it and losing a single penny to him.
(But can anyone tell me how much it cost me to have my fragile heart torn in pieces?) Kate’s tears wet her pillow for many nights. (How much does my tears cost?)
(Dear Gods, enough of this? Please?) Kate begged with her broken voice, alone, in her bedroom.
7) Tell Them This
“If anyone come to me asking me to lend them money, I’d tell them this – Just go ask from bank! Now adays, tele-marketing team of all banks are begging people to take loan from them. Go to bank. They even offer zero-interest loan.” May said this to Kate, months ago.
“Ha-ha…” Kate laughed out loud. “That’s a good idea. I must learn this.”
“Precisely, if they could repay you monthly in their promise, sure they can repay bank too. So, get it from bank then. If they still treasure our friendship, they should go to bank. Whether bank approves their loan application or not, not my concerns.” May laid her rational behind this message.
May, was an elder friend that Kate respects. She was like a mentor to Kate. Kate got to know this wise business woman from a business seminar. They clicked and became friends despite the ten-year’s gap between them. Friends have not age factor.
(If I get to hear this from you years back, guess, I wouldn’t have lost my savings and lend anyone my money. ‘Money’ topic has broken the relationship I had with others, in the blink of eyes. Perhaps, that’s the life path that I was fated to go through. For me to give all my first to a person in foreign land; to see the real colour in people around me; for me to bang on the walls, fall down, and learn through the painful outcomes from each decision I had made.) Kate thought to herself.
“Kate, you have put up a high barrier… with people around you. I can tell. Perhaps consider lowering your boundaries a little and try to trust others a bit more? You have been too hard on yourself. Find a way to relax yourself a little? Of course, at your own will. You don’t have to follow what I said.” Kate’s close friend, May, said this to her, during their quarterly meet up for an afternoon tea.
“Thanks, May.” Kate returned her with a smile, sincerely. She drank her flower tea and then looked to the garden view in front of them. She skipped this topic. May didn’t mind that at all as she understood that everyone has their own reasons and their own ways of handling things.
(May, thank you so much for your advice. But, I’m sorry that I won’t tell you about my past encounters. Even if I did, no one can really understand the pains that I had went through. No one has the right to tell me to do this and that. I have my reason to set up boundaries between me and others. I have to protect myself. Who else can protect me? Should I wait for my parents? My siblings? Lover? Friends? Colleagues? The only I can fully trust is Myself, for now.)
(I have concluded and reached an answer if anyone ever asks me, verbally, to trust them. How about this? If anyone who wants my trust, he or she should demonstrate and ‘earn’ the trust from me through their (a series of) actions and way of doing things. One should ‘earn’ it, not just simply asking others to trust them, just like that. Right?)
(And, once the trust is broken, it’s hard to bring it back…)
(Oh, one more thing. Don’t talk to me about money. I’m not from rich family and my money that I have was accumulated from my relentless determination in savings them. If you want to tap on my money, “GET LOST!”)
Kate said this loud and clear in her mind. She smirked a little and then took another sip of her tea.
“Would you like to try to their new desserts? They look yummy.” Kate suggested and shown May the photo in the menu.
“Add one more, the one with red bean paste.” May said.
“Roger that. Excuse me~” Kate placed the order to the waitress. They enjoyed their afternoon tea in that 5-star hotel’s restaurant, with any conversation topics that friends would usually have.
(Life goes on.)