7a

The months leading up to Simon's departure was torturous for Barbara. Not only was Simon angry at her for her part in the duplicity (she hadn't the heart to tell him the duplicity was only in his head; she had been saying things in front of him but was being ignored) but Carol was all wrapped up in her newfound "friendship" to realize anyone else existed aside from Jimmy and her parents.

So Barbara spent her time going to the movies and spending time with some of her cousins. Macau in the 1950s was like a revolving door for refugees. Because Hong Kong in the past decade had become harder to get into, Macau had turned into the refugee destination point. And because other surrounding countries were starting to open their doors to the refugees since China had formally closed its door on the outside world and thereby limiting the chances of confrontation, Macau saw plenty of arriving and departing Chinese. They poured in, and they poured out.

The Chings, blessed because of their wonderful luck in securing an apartment, were also cursed by the shelter. The shelter made it much harder to convince Isaiah to move. So, they stayed, and stayed, and saw the fronts and backs of their relatives as they arrived like beggars and left as opportunists seeking betterment in other places.

For Barbara, it was perfectly fine for that meant constant excitement. When Donnie arrived, they had a wonderful year together chasing each other down back alleyways and exploring old abandoned buildings where tons of squatters lived. In fact, it was probably the only time in her recent adult life (adult meaning when she entered the university) where she allowed herself to get dirty. When her cousin Joanne arrived, she learned the wonders that was Glamour Magazine and Cosmopolitan. Much more fun than sitting at home with her father, or being around sulky, silent Simon, or listening to Carol's silent sighs.

But, Barbara was fully aware the good times were going to end soon. Within a year, she'd be out of school. Which meant one of two things: either she had to work, or she had to stay at home and look after her father. She loved Isaiah, there was no doubt about that, even adored him, but staying home with him all the time would be a slow suffocation to her. And working meant, no more wandering the city by herself or with a cousin. Working meant, no more eating stinky tofu in between meals. And worst of all, working meant no more practicing dance steps in back alleyways.

Steven, her second cousin on her father's side, had picked her up one Saturday evening and whisked her to her first nightclub. And Barbara fell in love with dancing that night when she learned how to fox trot. If Isaiah or Sarah knew that Barbara was there dancing every Saturday night after that, instead of studying at the library, she'd be in so much trouble. But she was safe. The only person to wander out past 9 pm was Simon, and he went to go sample food at the latest new restaurant.

[526 words]