Chapter Nineteen
On the morning of Sammi and Daley’s wedding, Mitchell stood in front of his full-length mirror, putting the finishing touches to his outfit, grateful that Tommy had insisted on an uncomplicated clip-on bow tie. Once it was straightened, he stepped back and winced. The new shoes pinched uncomfortably and would need time to wear in, time he didn’t have. He had an agreement with Tommy to showcase every item they had picked out, even though a pair of his work shoes would have provided more comfort.
During the week, colleagues had stared at his new haircut, and some in his department had passed favourable comments. A minor miracle considering the morale. All he saw when he looked in the mirror was an overdressed man in his late thirties desperately trying to regain his youth. The hairdresser had even waxed and shaped his eyebrows, removing the barely noticeable hair between them to provide more definition. Thank goodness Ellie hadn’t been invited to the wedding. His sister would most likely have choked with laughter. They would FaceTime tomorrow, and she would undoubtedly provide him with her candid opinion whether or not he asked.
Joel would have approved. Wholeheartedly. Not only at the Mitchell upgrade but also at the selfless act of Mitchell helping Tommy to connect with Alec, no matter how sombre the thought made him feel. Joel had been the one to badger a reluctant Mitchell into various fancy dress costumes for college parties. Another door that had closed with his passing, until Zane had coerced him into that ridiculous pirate costume. The thought made him smile. Hopefully, Zane would be on the call again tomorrow and would not only approve but applaud Tommy’s makeover choices.
Funny thing, but the silence of the apartment following Zane’s departure had hit Mitchell hard. Only a few times during his nephew’s stay had Mitchell yearned to have his space back. Standing there alone now, he missed asking Zane’s opinion, missed having him pad barefoot across the room to grab a bottle of water from the kitchen, headphones still in place, or join Mitchell on the sofa to watch a programme, sitting cross-legged while peeling an orange.
Mitchell gave himself another critical once-over just as his phone rang. Gemma from the recruitment agency. He stared at the display, unsure whether to take the call. The meeting with her local boss had been cordial. He’d been honest about the position they would create for Mitchell, which felt more like a sales role. The basic salary would be minimal, supplemented by the number of hiring placements he successfully completed each month. The arrangement made him uncomfortable, but Gemma’s boss had come from a similar background to Mitchell. They had left him to think about the offer while they sought a final sign-off from their supervisor. Taking a deep breath, Mitchell answered the call.
“Hi, Mitchell. Are you free to talk?”
“Go ahead. I’m getting dressed for a wedding on the front lawn of the Repulse Bay. But the ceremony doesn’t start for another couple of hours.”
“Oh, I see. In which case, this is a huge ask, but our CEO is in town from Vancouver and flies out later today. We want to offer you the recruitment position, but he’s asked if there’s any chance he could meet you in person before he heads to the airport. I’ve been showing him around Stanley, so we’re not far from the Repulse Bay. Could you jump in a taxi and pop over for fifteen minutes?”
Mitchell checked the time. Stanley was about half an hour’s taxi ride from home, and the venue was only ten minutes from Stanley. The meet-up would be doable if he could catch a ride immediately.
“Give me thirty to forty minutes. And you’d better let him know I’m going to be overdressed. Where should I meet you?”
Gemma gave directions to a bespoke coffee shop in Stanley Plaza as Mitchell locked his front door and made his way down the stairs of his apartment block. Fortunately, the door to Mrs Lau’s apartment stood firmly closed today, and he escaped undisturbed into daylight. Catching a taxi on Saturday morning proved to be a trial. Fortunately, Tommy had recommended a local taxi app, and he plugged in his details. Sure enough, a driver responded a few minutes later, and he waited for his pick-up. Tommy had also put him right on wedding gift protocols, a red envelope containing cash being the custom, and far easier to transport than the often bulky and overpriced presents from wedding lists that had become the norm at Western weddings.
* * * *
Mitchell found Gemma and the CEO at the back of the air-conditioned coffee shop. During the short walk from the taxi drop-off to the café, he had felt perspiration caused by humidity trickling down his spine. He had also garnered amused looks from people, overdressed as he was.
Gemma gave him a hug as though they were old friends, and the CEO gave his hand a firm shake. Mitchell almost laughed when she pushed a large mug of his favourite caffè americano toward him. In discussion, the man appeared more concerned about Mitchell and allaying his concerns. Mitchell took an instant liking to him as he talked about his own journey setting up the business before highlighting the success of their Asia Pacific operations. He also made no bones about the hard work and long hours involved. Time flew by, and eventually, Mitchell had to make an excuse to leave.
“Off you go, then. Enjoy your day. Just know that you come highly recommended, Mitchell,” said the CEO. “And you’ll have an offer in your inbox Monday morning. Isn’t that right, Gemma?”
“Already drafted and ready to send. Just needed your digital sign-off, boss,” said Gemma, grinning at Mitchell.
Grateful for a dose of the café’s air-conditioning and caffeine, Mitchell had to wait only a few minutes for a taxi. When he arrived at the Repulse Bay, the ceremony appeared to be about to begin. As the taxi driver pulled away, Mitchell hurried to the entrance, where an attendant checked his invitation before ushering him towards the cordoned-off area. Just before the last row of seating, a good-looking older lady in a beautiful sleeveless cheongsam of red silk and embroidered florals stepped forward to greet him.
“Good afternoon,” she said, taking in his attire with her approval plain. “I’m the grandmother of the bride. And who might you be, young man?”
“Lovely to meet you,” he said, holding a hand in greeting. “I’m your grandson’s date.”
“Tommy?” said the woman, her surprise plain.
“Sorry, yes. Tommy.”
“Heavens. He said he would bring somebody to make me proud today, but he really has outdone himself. Do you have a name?”
Mitchell laughed and introduced himself properly. The woman appeared to process his introduction before meeting his gaze and asking if he lived in a very particular block of apartments on the island.
“How would you know that?’” he asked, more curious than offended.
“Well,” she said, grinning mysteriously. “This is a strange coincidence. I’m your landlady, Mr Baxter. I know we’ve never met, but I believe you know my friend, Mrs Lau—”
“You’re Mrs Zhang? Who sends me Chinese proverbs on cards?”
Mrs Zhang put a hand to her lips and giggled like a young girl.
“I do that for all my tenants. Do you like them?”
“Mrs Lau translates them for me. My fridge door is plastered with untold amounts of wisdom you've sent to me from across the years.”
“And which is your favourite?”
“Too many to pick. But there was one you sent that didn’t mean much at the time. Right now, though, with my current situation, the words make perfect sense. It reads something like timber already being a boat and rice already being cooked. In English, I suppose, we would use the expression, what’s done is done. There’s no going back.”
Mrs Zhang nodded and spoke a few words in Cantonese. “And what about your current situation makes that one so meaningful, Mitchell? Can I call you Mitchell?”
“Of course,” he said before staring into the crowd. “Decisions have been made in my professional career that I have no control over. My job is on the line, which will affect my income, which in turn may affect my ability to stay in Hong Kong. I fear I might have to give notice on the apartment soon—”
“No,” said Mrs Zhang, placing the fingers of her right hand over Mitchell’s heart.
“I’m sorry?”
“That will not happen. You’ve been an exemplary tenant over the years, so if you have short-term financial concerns, you let me know. Besides, your story is not yet told. I can see this in you, even though we have only just met. You have a good heart and more to give. Just be patient and positive.”
“We’ll see,” he said, amused and touched by the sentiment. “But thank you for those kind words.”
“Now go and take a seat. The ceremony is about to begin.”
A member of the serving staff offered flutes of champagne and soft drinks. Bearing in mind the heat and humidity of what was likely to be a very long day, Mitchell thanked the young girl and plucked a chilled sparking water from the tray before moving to an empty seat on the back row.
A sea of bare heads and a hodgepodge of colourful hats faced an archway of white flowers on a low podium with the South China Sea as a backdrop. Matching floral displays on pedestals bordered each of the rows across the lush front lawn. Some guests read from the wedding programmes while most used them to fan themselves. Agreeing to forge ahead with plans had been a serious gamble considering the threat of a super-typhoon reported in the region and heading their way, but one that had paid off because Mitchell saw barely a cloud in the sky. Daley and his groomsmen—minus Alec, the best man—already stood on one side of the stage looking out to the audience while a trio of identical-looking women opposite played Vivaldi, slowing to a stop at the nod from the celebrant.
As Michell scanned the crowd, a red-haired man sitting on an aisle seat a few rows in front caught his eye and waved. Mitchell didn’t recognise him, assuming the gesture was probably in response to Mitchell’s tardiness, but he returned a smile. After a furtive glance down the aisle, the man stood and came over to Mitchell, who moved a seat along to give the stranger space to sit.
“Cutting it a bit fine, Mitchell?” The man had an Australian accent. He dressed like most of the men, in a black dress suit. Only his flaming red hair stood out from the crowd.
“I am a bit,” said Mitchell. “Sorry, do I know you?”
“I’m Gerry, or Gez,” said the man, shaking Mitchell’s hand. “Mate of Alec, the best man. He told me to look out for you. Said you’d be here on your own. Nice togs, by the way.”
The name rang a bell. Was this the guy Alec and Tommy had wanted to set him up with? Did that mean Alec and Tommy had already gotten together? He should have phoned Tommy to check yesterday instead of working into the night.
“Thank you,” Mitchell replied. “You too. So you probably already know I’m a friend of the bride’s brother.”
“Nice.”
Mitchell scanned the crowd but couldn’t spot Tommy. Not that he expected to. Even though they would sit together for the wedding meal, Tommy had other duties to perform such as attending the pre-wedding games and participating in the ceremony. On their shopping day together, Tommy had tried to explain Chinese wedding etiquette to Mitchell and how weddings involved something referred to as door games, a set of often silly pre-ceremony challenges for the groom, devised by the bridesmaids, to demonstrate his devotion and commitment to his soon-to-be bride.
Even after the ceremony, Tommy had been enlisted to help with guests. Not-so-discreet Devon had let on to Mitchell and Oscar that Tommy would be playing the cello to punctuate the bride’s entrance, although Devon had no idea what song he had chosen.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” called the celebrant, finally silencing the crowd, “welcome to the wedding of Daley Tan and Sammi Chow. Please make yourselves comfortable and enjoy this glorious day. Before the ceremony begins, we have a small surprise for you. The bride’s brother has agreed to join the musicians in accompanying the bride’s procession with a song chosen especially by and for the couple. Please put your hands together for Tommy Chow, accompanied by the Melody Triplets.”
Mitchell hadn’t noticed Tommy until he stepped onto the small stage. Alec moved before him and placed a wooden chair in front of the three standing musicians. Tommy, holding his cello and bow in one hand, lowered himself into the chair. In a gesture that would have been innocent involving anyone else, Alec squeezed Tommy’s shoulder and whispered something to him, and was rewarded by a smile and Tommy’s free hand patting the top of Alec’s. Mitchell squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and took a deep steadying breath.
He opened them again when music began playing. Alec had moved across the stage to stand by Daley’s side. Tommy had the large cello between his legs and sat with his head lowered and hands frozen in place on the fretboard, waiting as the three female violinists played an ethereal introduction, unknown and yet at the same time vaguely familiar. Tommy wore a light purple suit with a double-breasted embroidered waistcoat and matching bow tie in deep purple. A white rose buttonhole added a further touch of elegance. He looked incredible, and—for today, at least—Mitchell felt proud to call Tommy his date. Visually, the ensemble blended beautifully together, the three female violinists wearing matching milky-peach flowing gowns.
“That him? Your friend?” asked the man, Gerry, next to him.
“Yes. That’s Tommy,” said Mitchell, unable to stop smiling.
“Alec was right. He’s a stunner.”
Gerry’s comment soured his mood only momentarily, because when Tommy began playing, swaying as he infused the main melody, raising an appreciative murmur through the crowd, Mitchell’s chest filled with pride. “ A Thousand Years ” by Christina Perri filled the air with the mournful cello picking out the vocal line. Maybe the song had been employed at countless weddings around the globe, but the outdoor setting with a gentle breeze blowing across the lawn and the sea glistening in the distance provided the perfect union. The arrangement sounded faultless, with violins plucked or playing countermelodies dancing around the central theme.
Preceded by the bridesmaids, Sammi’s father accompanied her down the centre aisle before helping her onto the stage then retreating to his seat in the front row.
The ceremony played out during the next forty-five minutes, with vows spoken, rings exchanged and finally, the kiss that had everyone applauding. In the end, the newlyweds descended the steps and strolled unhurriedly down the aisle, frequently chatting with congregation members and showered by rose petals on their way to the waiting white Rolls-Royce. Before they had reached the final row, Gerry nudged Mitchell.
“Wanna grab a cold one at the Hyatt?” he asked, standing and stretching. “Alec tells me they’re serving drinks in the lobby bar. And those taxis will soon be snagged if we don’t shake a leg.”
Mitchell stared above the sea of heads coming their way but couldn’t see Tommy. Or anyone else, for that matter. Maybe they had already left. Mitchell sighed in resignation. Getting Mitchell together with Gerry had been the plan, after all.
“Why not? A quick drink can’t do any harm. Lead the way.”