Red Phoenix

with the water and I held it for her to take a couple of sips. ‘Breathe, Monica. You’ll be fine. Relax. Breathe.’
    Monica nodded, took some deep breaths, and then another sip of water. Colour returned to her face.
    ‘Everybody out except me,’ I said. ‘John, tell the Tiger to stay right where he is. I still want that photo. And Monica will need to get used to it. Now is as good a time as any.’
    ‘You sure about that, Emma?’ Leo said.
    I turned and spoke softly to them. ‘If she doesn’t see for herself that he’s harmless, she’ll be living in constant fear of what comes in the front door.’
    ‘I’ll go and find the digital camera,’ John said. ‘Come on, people. Emma knows what she’s doing.’
    I sat with Monica for a while, letting her settle, holding her hand. Her breathing returned to normal, but her eyes brimmed with tears and I gave her some tissues.
    ‘All right now?’ I said.
    She nodded, wiping her eyes.
    ‘Monica, you know that Chinese man with the white hair who comes over sometimes? Bai Hu?’
    ‘Yes, ma’am, I know him.’ ‘That’s him. He’s a tiger.’
    ‘I don’t want to know, ma’am.’ She winced and looked down. ‘I don’t want to know about it.’
    ‘You have to know, because he’s Michael’s father.’
    Her head shot up to look at me and her eyes went wide.
    ‘Yes, that’s right, Michael’s father is a tiger. Many of the people who come through here are strange, you know that. You’ll just have to be ready for it. And not be frightened, because nobody who comes in here will ever hurt you.’
    She was silent, her face full of misery.
    ‘He’s stuck as a tiger right now. Come out and say hello to him. He won’t hurt you; in fact his fur is very nice. You can touch him. You saw Simone, you know we wouldn’t let anything ever hurt Simone.’
    ‘I think I’ll just stay in here, ma’am. I don’t want to. Please don’t make me.’
    ‘If that’s what you want, then I won’t force you.’ I moved closer and put my arm around her shoulders. ‘I just don’t want you to be frightened. It would be better if you came out and saw him. I can come with you, I won’t let him hurt you.’
    ‘I can really touch him?’ she said, still frightened but becoming curious.
    ‘You really can. Come and see. You know him already; you’ve seen him come and go. He’s just the same person.’
    ‘What about the others, the blue man and the red lady? Are they tigers too?’
    ‘No. The blue man is a dragon, and the red lady is a phoenix, a big bird. Monica.’ I spoke more firmly. ‘Mr Chen is an animal too.’
    ‘Sir is an animal !’
    ‘Yes, he is. Are you scared of him?’
    ‘No,’ she said, her eyes wide. ‘I’m not scared of him. Sir is a good man.’
    ‘So is the Tiger. He’s a wonderful man as well. Come and say hello. I promise he won’t hurt you. Did you know that he can talk? A talking tiger, how about that? Come and see.’
    Monica thought about it, then nodded and rose, still clutching my hand. I kept my other arm around her shoulder. ‘Don’t be afraid.’
    We went out of the dining room together, Monica still holding my hand. I eased her slightly into the living room, and let her stand for a moment and become accustomed to it.
    The Tiger stretched out on the carpet with Simone draped casually over his back and rubbing the sides of his head. He lay with his eyes half-closed, obviously enjoying it. Leo and John sat on the couch waiting for us.
    Monica pointed at the Tiger. ‘That’s where the fur comes from. I’m vacuuming it all the time. I thought it was coming out of the carpet.’
    ‘Sorry, Monica,’ the Tiger said.
    She stiffened and clutched my hand.
    ‘It’s all right, Monica.’ I rubbed her arm and squeezed her around the shoulders. ‘He won’t hurt you. Remember, you know him already. It’s Mr Chen’s friend, Bai Hu.’
    ‘I’m sorry I scared you, Monica,’ the Tiger said, his voice gentle. ‘I won’t hurt you, I promise.’
    ‘Uncle Bai is great, Monica,’ Simone said without moving from his back. ‘He gives me rides.’
    ‘Do you want to touch him?’ I said softly into Monica’s ear.
    She remained unmoving, pondering. Then she straightened. ‘No, thank you, ma’am.’ She pulled her hand free from mine. ‘Do you need anything? Sir? Ma’am? Mr Tiger?’
    ‘Tea, tikuanyin,’ John said. The Tiger chuckled.
    ‘Off you go, Monica,’ I said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Can I ask you something inside,