“I respect every god,” she replied softly.
Victoria rolled her eyes derisively. “My grandfather Shang Loong Ma’s people were Buddhists, Taoists, Quan Yin worshippers, all that mishmash of religions…you know, in that old-fashioned Chinese sort of way.”
The bishop adjusted his collar, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Well, Victoria, we really can’t force your mother to be baptized, but perhaps we can pray that she will allow Jesus Christ into her heart. We have to let Jesus come into her softly, gently.”
“I don’t need Jesus to come into me,” Su Yi said agitatedly. “I am not Christian. If I’m anything, I’m a Jain.”
“Mummy, what on earth are you talking about? What is a Jane? Are you confused and talking about your friend Jane Wrightsman?” Victoria asked, looking up at the IV machine to make sure her mother wasn’t being overdosed with some crazy opiate.
“Jainism is an ancient religion that is an offshoot of Hinduism—”*3 Bishop See began to explain.
Victoria stared at her mother in horror. “Hinduism? You can’t possibly be Hindu. My goodness, our laundry maids are Hindu! Don’t say you are a Hindu, Mummy—it would absolutely break my heart!”
Su Yi shook her head wearily and pressed the buzzer in her right hand. Moments later, her lady’s maids entered the room. “Madri, Patravadee, please show Victoria out,” she ordered.
“Victoria, come, we can say a prayer together outside,” the bishop urged, glancing up at Su Yi’s heart rate monitor nervously.
“Mother, you can’t just order me out of your room like this. Your soul is in peril!” Victoria shrieked, as Alix entered the bedroom amid all the commotion.
Su Yi glanced up at Alix pleadingly. “Please tell Victoria to leave. She is irritating me to death!”
“All right then,” Victoria said in a quiet voice, as she turned swiftly and stormed out of the bedroom.
Patravadee turned to Su Yi with an attentive smile. “Madame, your usual porridge this morning?”
r /> “Yes. And tell them to put an egg in it today,” Su Yi instructed. As soon as her lady’s maids left, Su Yi let out a long sigh.
“She means well, Mummy,” Alix said diplomatically.
“Why does she always have to be such a nuisance? And I can’t stand that fat little lan jiau bin*4 See Bei Sien. You know he only wants money for his cathedral building fund. Victoria writes him so many checks every month her account is always going into overdraft.”
“Victoria may have her irritating ways, but she has a good heart. She is the most generous person out of anyone I know.”
Su Yi smiled at Alix. “And you are always the peacemaker. Even when you were a little girl, you were always the one to heal the rifts between your sisters. Will you be sure to keep the peace after I’m gone?”
“Of course, Mummy. But don’t worry—Prof Oon assures me your heart is improving every day. Even Malcolm said he’s so pleased with your progress.”
“That may be the case, but I know I can’t live forever.”
Alix didn’t know what to say. She simply busied herself by straightening her mother’s bedsheets and smoothing them out.
“Alix, you don’t have to be afraid for me. I have no fear of death—you have no idea how many times I’ve stared it in the face. I just don’t wish to be in any pain, that’s all.”
“Prof Oon is making sure of that,” Alix said matter-of-factly.
“Alix, will you do me a favor? Will you call Freddie Tan and tell him to come over?”
“Er…Freddie Tan, your lawyer?” Alix asked, unnerved by the request.
“Yes. It’s very important that I see him as soon as possible. His number is in the address book on my dressing table.”
“Of course. I’ll go and call him right now,” Alix said.
Su Yi closed her eyes, attempting to relax for a moment. She was still trying to forget the look of hurt she had seen on Victoria’s face after she had snapped at her. Stupid girl! The words came echoing back to her, from a memory far back in time…
“You stupid, stupid girl!”
Her father had snarled angrily when Su Yi had appeared in the basement of the shop house at Telok Ayer Street. “Do you know the fortune I spent, the number of favors I had to call in, just to get you safely out of Singapore? Why are you here?”