6.15am, Saturday. The morning was warmer than mornings should be. The air was dry and stiff. Near the jetty, the sea was kept calm and asleep under a thin blanket of haze. Crows squawked from above the lamp post. Beckoning for the coming of day. I sat on one of the concrete benches lined along the elevated platform. A few of the other benches were occupied as well. We were sandwiched between two railway tracks. Aged and rock-hard timber ties the rusty steel together as they lie on the crushed granite underneath. I did a quick time check and yawn simultaneously. Hadn’t had too much sleep. The night before was unkindly hot and unsettling.
Or perhaps it was just me.
I was early. Like I promised to be.
It has been a month since distance had denied me from the privilege of living my days under the warmth and care of the woman I love. A month? Surely it must be longer than that. Those last kiss, they felt ancient and remote. A small part of me felt abandoned. Marooned. Like a sinking ship. But none of that matters now. She is on her way.
As the orange tinged ray illuminates the far horizon, I saw a flickering of brilliant white lights coming towards me. From where I’m sitting, they bare the resemblance of a round cut Tanzanian diamond. Bright and glorious. Steels and stones shuddered and groan as the metallic beast approaches. Emme is here.
My palms were involuntarily sweaty. Not uncommon. Nervous and ecstatic. A minute battle was raging inside of me. This happens everytime. And I always lose. One way or the other. People poured out from a small opening at the side of the coaches. They looked tired and worn out. It’s a long journey from where they came from. I sliced through the crowd from the opposite direction. Half frantically giving a keen glance on each faces. Looking for that haunting smile. Then, I saw her. She wore a black sweater and a tiny yellow leather shoes. Her tan khakis covered her legs just below her knees. Her enormous backpack towered from behind her. My heart skipped a beat. We moved briskly towards each other. My face was beaming with pure joy. We hugged and at that instant, every inch of my body tells me to never let go. This is my destination. It has been a long wait. And now the wait is no more.
As soon as we got in the car, I pulled her close and kissed her weary lips. My hands caressing her cold cheek. She closed her eyes. We got lost in the moment. We got lost in each other’s arms.
Morning was still a blue juvenile when we board the ferry. From the inside, the ferry looked majestic and resilient. Huge steel beam intertwined and formed a rigid knit on the walls and ceiling. We stood on the front deck. As close to each other as permissible. I always like to watch the foam form as the salt water slushes under the ship’s bow. The dense South Channel breeze gushes through her long hair and they in turn brushes against my cheek. Leaving a lingering scent of jasmine and patchouli.
The hotel room was modest at best. A small 14inch TV greeted us as we opened the door. The wall shows signs of being recently painted. The carpet was Prussian blue and it mimicked the shades of the curtains. The walls near the bathroom were half covered with white tiles. A two bulbs chandelier hung from the white ceiling. The room is old yet dignified. It carries a lot of history and you can feel it all around you.
I rolled down the curtain. Emme stared at me from the white linen bed. I joined her under the sheets. I rubbed her tired shoulders and back. We claimed our overdue affections and slept away the afternoon. Contented.
When we finally woke up, it was already 2pm. A durian hunt was scheduled on that day. After a quick hot shower, we headed to Balik Pulau. Emme sported a blue spaghetti top and a blue striped ¾ pants. Exposing her shoulders and collar bones. She looked so fragile and small in them. Demanding protection. The season was near the end. Evident from the empty stalls that dotted the road side. By the grace of God, we found our durian. A succulent D24 infamously nick named the “Musang King”. I promised Emme that we are going to have the durian with some sticky rice and coconut milk. The way both of us like to have our durian. So equipped with some sticky rice that I brought from home, we made our way to Batu Feringghi for a small picnic. We sat on a flat boulder that also served as our table. On the branches, crows waited for some incidentally unattended food like a small-size American Black Vulture. The weather was scorching but somehow we were eating and laughing like it does not bother us at all. And everything was delicious. I think I did a second helping. No, third. And so did Emme.
When we got back to the hotel room, we were burning inside out. The heat from the durian was really kicking in. Full and exhausted we fell asleep in each other’s arm as soon as our heads hit the pillows.
Emme and I got up in a daze. It was dark and quiet. How long have we been asleep? 12 midnight. I have to look at my watch twice just to be sure. We stared at each other in disbelieve. We must be so tired to have been sleeping that long. We decided to go for a late supper at our favourite joint just 5 minutes away. Emme had on an exquisite cotton blouse the color of riped raspberries. They echoed her shimmering crimson lips. The blouse hugged her waistline and rest there. She always looks good in red. That night, she looked like the most beautiful woman in that restaurant. She invited curious glance from other patrons, men and women alike. But she didn’t seems to notice them. Her eyes were fixed on this girl, sitting right in front of her, talking and babbling about silly happenings and ridiculous doings. She was staring, adoringly, at me. No, I’m not lucky. I am blessed.
Morning came uninvited but not unforeseen.
Emme kissed me as soon as she opened her eyes. “Morning Sayang”, she uttered softly. I smiled an returned her kiss. She buried her head on my chest. I kissed her hair and held her close. God I love this girl so much. Please don’t let her leave.
The traffic down below was muffled by layers of old red brick building. Making them sound like they were miles away from us. We climbed to the 5th floor for a breakfast at the Sky Garden. It had the most magnificent view of Georgetown. Old shophouses and cafes laid rows upon rows. Lining the streets and alleys. Komtar stood in the midst of everything. Like a loyal guard. We sat by the pool table. Emme toasted some bread for me. We had a chat by the balcony. Under the splendid Sunday sky, she looked so lovely. I wished a kiss was possible there and then.
We checked out from the hotel and drove to Ropewalk. The weekend drew a lot of people coming looking for a bargain. We always come here for its cheap and abundant stock of used books. At 2 bucks a piece, we’ll be filling up our library in no time. After picking up some promising reads, we had a light breakfast of hokkien noodles at a Chinese Muslim stall just across the street. Is it just me or everything is just so delicious in Penang?
We arrived at my house that late afternoon. We laid silently on the bed. Wishing that there is some way that time could be stopped or prolonged. I promised Emme that I would come to her as soon as I could. She nodded yet tears started flowing from her sad eyes. She asked me to never let her go so I didn’t. Not until it’s really time to go.
It was drizzling when I sent her off to the station. The waiting area was surprisingly full with travellers. We were chatting and laughing. Trying to rub off the fact that she’s about to leave me. Then I heard that familiar sound. The train is here. We looked at each other. I forged a smile and reassured her that this is only temporary. I’ll get to her every chance I get. She took me into her arms and I told myself to be strong for her so I held my tears. This girl gave me so much happiness. She gave me feelings I had never felt before. Yes, we might not be able to see each other as much as we want to but her presence sums up years of relentless prayers – To love, and be loved in return.
kapitan