Orm's pov
- Miss Kwong? I'm sorry to disturb you. - I turn around in the lobby of the hotel we're staying in here in Macau when I hear a voice calling for Ling.
I see that it's one of the staff, who has a distressed look on his face and is clasping his hands together. I stop walking and watch from where I'm, Ling's expression changes from serene to incredulous. I approach her and Dew, who is now by her side, to try to understand what is going on.
- But how is this possible? Only in my room did this happen?
I see her frowning eyebrows and I'm agonized not knowing what's going on.
- Yes, miss. We're sorry about that, but one of our chambermaids quickly noticed the problem and removed all your belongings from the floor. None of your things were affected or damaged.
Now I'm the one with frowning eyebrows waiting for someone to give me answers. I hear Ling sigh deeply as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
- Well, the lesser of two evils. We're just going to have to work to move you. Unforeseen things happen. - Dew says, putting her hand on the arm of the woman next to me.
I notice that she relaxes when Dew comes up with a solution and I do the same, imagining that things have already been resolved.
- So... With regard to that... We have another problem. - Oh no. Here it comes again. - Unfortunately our hotel is full, we don't have any rooms available, just like the others in the area.
- What do you mean? - I intrude on the conversation when I hear what he says. - You have to have a room! It was your fault what happened. - I feel a hand on my back and look away to see Mae's worried face.
On the other hand, the main victim of the story is static, paralyzed, motionless. Her eyes are wide and her mouth is dry. I know she's trying to say something, but she can't. In this situation, who could?
- This is unacceptable! I'm going to file a complaint against you and the management of this hotel! - I hear Dew talking and I turn my attention to the situation. - What are we going to do now? Is she going to sleep on the street? Paying to sleep on the street?
I see the frightened look on the employee's face, probably lost because it's not his fault and he's just taking orders, but Dew is right.
- It's all right! Don't worry, Ling, you're staying with me and Mae tonight. - I hold her hand and she interlaces our fingers without saying a word.
- Unfortunately, this is against our hotel's rules...
- Don't talk to me about rules when you don't even fulfill your own obligations! - I raise my hand to interrupt the employee's speech, losing what little patience I still have. - You'll be lucky if you find this hotel open next week because I'm very willing to sue them and make them pay dearly for it. Let's go. - I take Ling by the hand and walk towards the elevator.
That's all I needed after hours on my feet, a bad night's sleep, rehearsals and a concert, Ling couldn't rest.
As soon as we got into the elevator, Dew and Mae got in behind us while we stayed at the back.
- You see? Leaking pipe... As well as almost having to sleep on the street, she almost lost all her belongings that were on the floor. Clothes, suitcase, shoes, everything. - Dew is talking to my mother and I can't take my eyes off the woman next to me, who now has her eyes closed and is taking deep breaths.
- It's all right, Dew... Never mind, it could have been anyone's room, but it was mine. Too bad. - She opens her eyes and I continue to hold her hand, wondering how someone can be like that even at times like these.
- No, Ling! I won't let it go. This is unacceptable, a terrible mistake.
The elevator beeps on my floor and I follow Mae out. I notice Ling staying and look at her in bewilderment. I know I was impulsive when I said she would stay with us in our room, however I didn't do it with ulterior motives but because I wasn't going to leave her on the street or in the lobby all night. She seems to notice the look on my face because then she says:
- I'm going up to my room to see the damage and get my things. I'll catch up with you. - Oh, I'd almost forgotten. I nod and watch the door close again.
I walk towards my bedroom door where Mae is opening it with a smile on the corner of her lips. What the hell?
- Mom, what are you laughing at? Ling is going through something very serious. - I say as I close the door behind me and walk into the room.
- I know, I'm not laughing at this, of course not. In fact, I thought it was very brave the way you stood up to that employee... You even talked about a lawsuit. - She sits on her bed while she takes off her shoes and I throw myself on mine with my back on the mattress.
- So what?
- I can just imagine your reaction when you realize what's about to happen. - I sit on the bed while looking at her. What is this woman talking about?
Oh my God.
No.
Mae starts to laugh deliberately, probably at the expression I'm making.
- Ling is coming. - I get out of bed and start walking around. - Lingling is going to sleep here with us. Lingling is coming to meet us.
- No... She just said in the elevator that she's coming to meet you... She didn't say anything about me. - My God, she can't stop smiling. - Besides, she's not going to sleep in my bed... You know I only sleep with your father, I can't sleep with someone else next to me.
Mae is a liar. We always share a bed when necessary and she sleeps peacefully. Besides, I know she wouldn't have a problem sleeping with Ling, who sometimes seems to be more of her daughter than me. But she's doing it on purpose, she wants Ling to stay in my bed. With me.
- Well, while you're lost in your thoughts, I'm going to take a shower before your visitor arrives. - Woman, stop laughing, I think before she disappears from my view and enters the bathroom.
I start to pick up the clothes I've left lying on the floor, throwing them into my suitcase in an unsuccessful attempt to hide my mess. A few minutes later, I thought about texting Ling since she's taking so long to arrive. Has she changed her mind? Did she prefer to stay with Dew? Well, that's to be expected since she's alone in her room and my invitation was a bit awkward.
- Orm... I'm talking to you. Wake up. - I see my mother wearing pajamas and snapping her finger in front of my face. I didn't even notice when she came out of the shower.
- I don't think she's coming anymore. Of course she isn't. Why would she come?
- Honey, go take your shower because she's coming, but she won't stay if you're dirty. Let's go.
Mae pushes me into the bathroom and I take the most tense shower of my life. I can't relax knowing that Ling will come and I can't calm down knowing that she might not. As I'm wrapping myself in the towel, I hear a knock on the door and I'm paralyzed, not knowing what to do. Is that her?
- Come in, darling, make yourself at home. Orm is in the bath. - God, God, God. Come on, Orm, don't be a coward.
I open the bathroom door and when I come out I see Ling standing at the foot of my bed, which is the first one against the wall, holding her suitcase. She looks so tired that I feel like squeezing her when I see her face.
- Hi...
- Hi... I thought you weren't coming anymore...
- Oh, I could see the extent of the damage. Fortunately, the water didn't reach any of my things, just the bedroom, which looks like the Titanic. It looks like a pipe from the bathroom sink burst and that's what happened.
- Don't worry, darling, they'll sort everything out soon. Come on, leave your things there and take a shower. It's been a long day, you two need to rest. - I step out front of the bathroom door and realize I'm still in my towel.
- Thank you for taking me in... I don't want to disturb you two.
- You'd think so, Ling... - I nod to her as she opens her suitcase and grabs what looks like pajamas and a towel, heading for the shower.
She didn't seem to notice that I was only wearing a towel, and if she did, it didn't show. As soon as I hear the sound of falling water, I run to my suitcase and grab my pajamas, ignoring my mother's mischievous smile when she sees the outfit I've chosen.
- Kind of short in those pajamas, isn't it? - She says suggestively, looking at the shorts that cover a little more of my ass and then at the thin top, which I'm wearing without a bra, because I'm going to sleep, it's totally acceptable.
I choose to ignore her comment and sit on my bed, while Mae sits on hers, yawning. When Ling comes out of the bathroom, I almost faint at the sight of her wearing pajamas as short as mine, except that the blouse has short sleeves and buttons. God have mercy on me tonight.
She approaches me calmly while I'm still stunned by what I'm seeing.
- I think someone has already lost the war against sleep. - She says quietly and I look at the bed, which is almost 3 meters away from mine, to see my mother asleep.
- We should do the same. - I smile at her and get up to turn off the lights.
Ling stands waiting for me to tell her she can lie down. So cute. I lie down first and soon feel part of her arm touching mine. The bed isn't that big, but it's not that small either. We're both on our backs on the mattress and I pull the blanket over our bodies. The weather is cold here.
The smell of her intoxicates me. If I could, I'd live clinging to her neck like a koala.
- Were you upset by what I said today? About the car story. - Ling whispers so as not to disturb Mae's sleep.
I nod, indicating that everything is fine, and indeed it is.
- Thank you for helping me today. - I hear her whisper again and this time I turn my head to her side, seeing that she's already done it.
- You'd do the same for me... - I reply in the same tone.
- Yes... But you defended me while I was paralyzed. If it hadn't been for you, I'd have had to sleep on the hard chair in the lobby. - She tries to laugh, but can't. - You saved me.
- You save me every day. - I say, looking into her eyes, which I can see through the dim light reflecting from the window.
I can see from the shadow that her lips are curving into a shy smile. I wanted to kiss her so badly right now. I wait for an answer that doesn't come in words, but with Ling's arm, which is now lying on its side on the bed, slipping around my waist. I feel a wet kiss being placed on my cheek and my nipples stiffen instantly. For God's sake, Orm, getting turned on by a kiss on the cheek? Pathetic.
- I hope I can keep doing that then. - I hear her whisper right next to my ear and I shiver. This woman is going to kill me. - Good night, Orm...
- Good night, Ling. - I put my arm over hers and hold on, as if I'm afraid she'll run away in the middle of the night.
I see her closing her eyes and I try to do the same, but I know I won't be able to sleep. Not because of the position, but because Lingling Kwong is lying on my bed, hugging me and breathing next to me from a totally insecure distance. But even if I can't sleep, I know that this will be the best night of my life.