As Uncle Chu was rushing to the dining table for breakfast prepared by Dexter, he received a surprise phone call from Sam.
"Haiyo, this boy is calling. Something must be wrong…" He mumbled to himself as Dexter smiled and urged him to pick up while serving the last bit of side dish for their plain porridge breakfast.
"Yes, boy." He said, putting Sam on loudspeaker.
"Dad… have you been well?" Sam asked nervously, with Jade holding his hand by his side.
Uncle Chu chuckled at his question, knowing something was wrong, as he took a sip of his milk coffee.
"Not dead yet… I have a new son who looks after me better than my biological kids. What's going on at your end?" Uncle Chu savagely answered, knowing it must be something serious.
"Uhm…" Sam hesitated nervously as Jade tried to not laugh. He was drawing a deep breath to try again when Uncle Chu interrupted.
"Quick. What do you want? Is it you or your sister? You two never call unnecessarily. Forever so busy. What is the problem? Don't uhm ohm ah. Amitabha!" He scolded as Dexter laughed and heard another lady's laughter from Sam's side.
"Who is that? Is that Vi, ah? Ah, you ah, don't laugh, laugh. Tell me, since your brother lost his voice!" Uncle Chu continued his comical jokes as Jade greeted him.
"It's me, Uncle. Jade Ting. How are you?" Uncle Chu raised an eyebrow as he harrumphed.
"Shh, let me speak." Sam quickly hushed Jade as Dexter teased Uncle Chu with his curious look.
"Ah, what is it? Speak, boy, or I'm hanging up. I'm very busy!" Uncle Chu impatiently rushed him.
"Ah, wait! You're going to be a grandpa. I'm going to register my marriage with Jade when I get back to Lagospool after Violet recovers from her fall a few days ago." Sam winced and grimaced at both good and bad news he conveyed at the same time as he was nervous.
Jade gently patted his back to comfort him. It caught Uncle Chu and Dexter by surprise. They had no idea which to address first.
"What? What happened to Vi?!" Uncle Chu exclaimed at the bad news.
"Congrats bro and sis!" Dexter conveyed his congrats at the same time.
It was comical that Uncle Chu and Dexter both paused and looked at each other as Dexter suppressed a laugh.
"Alright, good that you know how to be responsible. Now what happened to your sister? How serious is it?" Uncle Chu praised Dexter before asking what happened to Violet as Jade chuckled.
"Alright, one by one, Uncle…" Jade said.
"Uncle? Shouldn't it be Dad?" Uncle Chu huffed as the couple was surprised at how nonchalant he was about their announcement.
"Dad… Violet had an accident at the filming place a few days ago. She was protecting the actors from heavy injury when a tower plank broke. She's recovering now with a huge bruise behind her back. Don't worry. She's discharged today, and Sam's business partner, Sebastian, whom Violet protected, has offered to have his mother look after Violet as the rest of us would be busy with work." Jade explanation satisfied Uncle Chu and eased Dexter's worry, but it was not the end.
"Working? You're pregnant, and you're still working in the harsh entertainment show?" Uncle Chu complained as Jade became nervous, trying to appease him.
"No, no. I announced I quit showbiz recently, but Sam needs help with the new agency he set up while Violet is down. It's just some light overseeing jobs. Nothing to worry about." Jade quickly explained, but it was not satisfying.
"I'm coming over. Give me your address, you rascal! How can you leave all the explanation to your pregnant wife, huh?" Uncle Chu scolded Sam, who pouted at his miserable failure.
Jade kissed his forehead to comfort him.
"You don't have to come, Dad. It's very far for you to come alone." Sam persuaded.
"Who said I'm going alone? My second son will accompany me. Didn't you say that you wanted to pass to Violet the finalised divorce papers?" Uncle Chu asked Dexter on purpose to have an excuse to go. Dexter, caught by surprise, choked a little as he nodded.
"Ah, yes… But it's not urgent." Dexter fumbled before mumbling the last line as Uncle Chu glared at him.
"Ah, but best to pass to her as soon as possible!" Dexter quickly appeased him.
"You hear him?" Uncle Chu questioned Sam.
"Yes, Dad… I will text Dex the address in a while." Sam obediently obliged, knowing he had no choice as Uncle Chu hung up, satisfied with the arrangements.
"Silly boy! I know you're worried, yet I give you a chance to go see her; you don't want to?" Uncle Choo scolded Dexter, who chuckled.
"Worried only. She's fine now. That's all that matters." Dexter said nonchalantly, though he still wanted to have a glimpse of Violet, whom he had not seen for months.
He missed her a little, but as long-time best friends. Uncle Chu knew their love had been gone for a long time, but he was doing him a favour by being a good stepbrother. It was also part of his scheme to visit his daughter and ease his own worries.
Sebastian could not be with Violet when she was discharged at noon. Instead, Mrs Lu gave her a very warm welcome.
"Violet! Aww, you poor thing. Must have been harsh on you." Mrs Lu greeted Violet, who was pushed in the wheelchair by Jade.
"Hi Mrs Lu, how have you been doing? This is my sister-in-law, Jade Ting." Violet introduced as she quickly took her luggage away from Jade, but Jade stopped her.
"Put it down. It's too heavy for you. You're pregnant." Violet scolded Jade as Mrs Lu instantly helped out, which made Violet equally guilty.
"I'm so sorry to bother you, Mrs Lu…" Violet apologised as Mrs Lu shook her head. "Don't worry about it… Come, come on in…" She invited before noticing a tiny baby bump on Jade.
"Congratulations… How far long are you?" She asked as Jade blushed.
"Nearly three months."
"That must be the reason you left the entertainment industry?" Mrs Lu asked as Jade nodded.
"Sam is such a lucky boy… Oh, dear! Congrats again. Here, come, have a seat. Make yourself at home." Mrs Lu invited, but Jade was having a rather busy schedule.
"I shall make a move first, as there's work to be done in the studio…" Jade excused herself as Violet waved goodbye to her with a pout. Jade giggled before waving her goodbye.
"We shall have tea together another day then. Take care." Mrs. Lu said before sending her off to the door.
"Careful on the road! You're pregnant!" Violet reminded Jade, who nodded and chuckled.
"Now, let's get you rested, Violet. Let me show you your room first," Mrs Lu said as Violet nodded. Mrs Lu pushed Violet over to a room by the far right.
"Hope you don't mind us leaving you on the ground floor. This is actually the maid's room. But it's all quiet and cosy. All the guests' rooms are on the first floor." Mrs Lu apologised as Violet shook her head, trying to turn around to face her, only to grimace in pain.
"Oh, oh… Careful now. You can't turn much." Mrs Lu reminded her as Violet smiled with a little sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Mrs Lu…" She wanted to continue, but Mrs Lu stopped her.
"Call me Auntie Nancy, please." Violet smiled and nodded.
"Thank you very much, Auntie Nancy… I appreciate all of this." Violet told her as she held Violet's hand and gently patted it.
"I should thank you very much, Violet. Without you, I might have lost my baby boy…" Mrs Lu lamented as Violet smiled sadly.
"Don't worry. He will be fine." Violet tried to comfort her.
"And so would you…" Mrs Lu excitedly showed her to the dining hall.
"Come, wait a while. He has been telling me nonstop about how you taught him about cooking for the show. Blame me… I should have let him into the kitchen more often. He cooks so well. Let me fetch you the chicken soup he made in the morning before he left." Mrs Lu rushed to the kitchen and returned with a pot of fragrant soup.
"Aww, sorry to trouble you again, Auntie Nancy…" Violet guiltily said as Mrs Lu smiled warmly.
"Not an issue. The maids are busy, and I have nothing to do usually. Here, come try what your student cooked for you." Mrs Lu fed Violet the first sip as Violet shyly took it.
To her amazement, it was very refreshing. He even knew how to filter away the oil; coupled with the ginger and spring onion aromatics in the lightly clean chicken broth, she was proud of him.
"Are you sure you didn't help him?" Violet teased as Mrs Lu laughed. "I wish I did. But no. All of it was by him. Even I was wondering if the maid helped him, but the maid was late today." Mrs Lu explained as they both chuckled together.
"Later, you could watch his old movies and dramas in the mini theatre. I will make us some good tea and dinner…" Mrs Lu announced while Violet enjoyed the bowl of soup.
"It's alright. Simple dishes would do. No need to trouble yourself." Violet said as Mrs Lu helped her to wipe her mouth with a tissue.
"No trouble at all. Anything for you, my little saviour of my son! Would you like to watch a movie now or maybe tour the house?" Mrs Lu asked as Violet felt very embarrassed by the hospitality.
"It's alright. I will watch a movie." Violet decided and spent the whole afternoon binge-watching some good mystery dramas of Sebastian instead, being grateful for a refreshing, unexpected break, though she did fall asleep a couple of times and still awoke by her nightmares.