Nick and Astrid proceeded up the servants’ staircase to the second floor, following quietly b
ehind Ah Ling as she expertly guided them through the service hallways until they found themselves on the balcony outside Su Yi’s dressing room. Astrid opened the door as quietly as she could and tiptoed in. The cool, mosaic-tiled space adjoining Su Yi’s bedroom smelled of jasmine and lavender water. She stood by the doorway, peeked into her grandmother’s bedroom, and saw Su Yi’s lady’s maids silently prepping the room for the morning. Madri was spritzing a beautiful pot of orchids with water, while Patravadee was tidying up the nurses’ station.
The minute they saw Astrid, they nodded at her and pulled the curtains open. Then the two ladies slipped out of the bedroom, closed the door behind them, and stood guard diligently outside. A nurse could be heard behind the door asking, “Is Mrs. Young awake yet? Are you getting her breakfast?” One of the lady’s maids replied, “She wants to sleep a little longer today. We will send for her breakfast after eight.”
Astrid headed first to the side table, opened a bottle of Adelboden water, and refilled one of the cups. Then she took it over to Su Yi’s bedside and sat down in the chair beside her.
Su Yi’s eyelids fluttered open, her eyes hazily registering Astrid beside her.
“Good morning, Ah Ma,” Astrid said cheerily. “Here, drink some water.”
Su Yi accepted the water gratefully, and after satiating her parched throat, she looked around the room and asked, “What day is it today?”
“It’s Thursday.”
“Did you just return from India?”
“Yes, Ah Ma,” Astrid fibbed, not wanting to cause her grandmother any undue concern.
“Let me see your ring,” Su Yi said.
Astrid held her hand up to show her grandmother her engagement ring.
Su Yi studied it carefully. “I knew it would look perfect on you.”
“I don’t know how to thank you for this, Ah Ma.”
“Did everything go according to plan? Did Charlie manage to surprise you?”
“Yes, I was so stunned!”
“Were there elephants? I told Charlie he needed to arrive on an elephant. That’s how my friend the Maharaja of Bikaner proposed to his queen.”
“Yes, there was an elephant.” Astrid laughed, realizing just how involved her grandmother had been in helping to plan the whole affair.
“Are there any pictures?”
“No, we didn’t take any…oh, wait a minute.” Astrid took out her phone and did a quick google search for the paparazzi photos that had been leaked of her private moment. She never imagined how useful they would be until this moment. As she showed a few of the snapshots to her eager grandmother, she thought how ironic it was that the rest of her family was so upset by what was one of the happiest moments in her life.
Su Yi sighed. “It looks beautiful, I wish I could have been there. Charlie looks so handsome in his outfit. Tell me, is he in Singapore now?”
“Actually, he’ll be coming to town tomorrow. He comes to visit his mother every month.”
“He’s a good boy, that one. I knew from the moment I met him that he will always take good care of you.” Su Yi stared at the grainy shot of Charlie putting the ring on Astrid’s finger. “You know, of all the jewelry I own, this ring is the most special to me.”
“I know, Ah Ma.”
“I never got the chance to ask your grandfather if he bought it.”
“What do you mean? Who would have bought this engagement ring, if not him?”
“Your grandfather did not have that much money when I first met him. He was just a recent medical graduate. How on earth would he have been able to afford this canary diamond?”
“You’re right. It would have cost a fortune at the time,” Astrid said.
“I always suspected that Uncle T’sien Tsai Tay was the one who bought it, since he helped to broker the marriage. The quality of the stone isn’t perfect, but when I wore it, it always reminded me of how life can surprise you. Sometimes, the thing that at first appears flawed can end up being the most perfect thing in the world for you.”
Su Yi was silent for a few moments, and then she looked at her granddaughter with a sudden intensity. “Astrid, I want you to promise me something.”