White Tiger

‘Simone, you’ve been there three times already.’
    She grinned up at me. ‘But I like it.’
    Leo pulled out his phone. ‘You don’t say.’
    After a last lunch with Ms Kwan, we went out into the narrow leafy street where our van waited.
    ‘I had fun with Aunty Kwan,’ Simone said. ‘She’s my favourite.’
    Leo opened the door of the van for us. Simone raced back to Ms Kwan for one last hug and kissed her on the cheek.
    ‘Look after your father for me,’ Ms Kwan said.
    ‘Come and visit us in Hong Kong,’ Simone said.
    Ms Kwan nodded, smiling.
    Leo took Simone and buckled her into the van.
    I approached Ms Kwan and spoke softly. ‘I hope it’s all true, Ms Kwan.’
    ‘Don’t worry, dear Emma,’ she said, smiling gently. ‘Bring him back to me in about eight months; his energy will not last longer than ten. But it is best if I come to him.’ She took my hands and clasped them, and again I felt the warm sensation of comfort. ‘Look after our little Simone. She is very precious.’
    ‘Don’t worry, I will.’
    I looked down at my hands where she held them. I wanted to tell her how much it meant to meet her, what it felt like to talk to her, how special she was. I wanted to thank her. But I couldn’t find the words. I looked up at her in desperation, to find her smiling at me.
    ‘It’s all right,’ she said, ‘I understand.’
    I climbed into the van and sat next to Simone.
    Mr Chen came out of the house, stood in front of Ms Kwan, and smiled down at her.
    ‘Let me know if you see any more of them,’ she said.
    ‘I will. Go back to your garden, Lady.’
    ‘I certainly will. All of this is much too elaborate for me.’ She raised her arms and sighed theatrically. ‘Ah, the sacrifices I make for you, Ah Wu.’
    He stayed perfectly still, watching her. Then he fell to one knee before her and held his hands clasped in front of his chest in the Chinese salute.
    Leo gasped.
    Ms Kwan stamped her foot. ‘Ah Wu! If you ever do that to me again I will not speak to you for a hundred years.’
    He rose and saluted her again.
    Her voice trembled as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. ‘You are a silly old man.’
    ‘I know. I will see you in eight months.’ He climbed into the van and closed the door. ‘Let’s go.’
    I glanced back through the rear window of the van as we pulled away. She was gone.
    It was a short hop from Paris to the UK. A driver with a stretch limousine waited for us at Gatwick.
    Leo and I sat facing the rear, and Mr Chen and Simone sat across from us, facing the driver. It was a crush with Mr Chen’s long legs and Leo’s huge mass and I understood why Mr Chen usually ordered a van.
    Simone slept in the car, but Mr Chen seemed full of energy. He looked ten years younger after seeing Ms Kwan, nearly the same age as me. Whatever it was that she’d done to him, it had worked.
    ‘Leo, do you think you will be all right without me tomorrow?’ he said. ‘If you and Emma take Simone to the Science Museum?’
    ‘Should be okay, Mr Chen. There’ll be plenty of people around everywhere we go,’ Leo said.
    ‘They only come after you when there aren’t people around?’ I said.
    Both Leo and Mr Chen nodded.
    ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Good.’
    They stared at me.
    ‘Why good?’ Leo said.
    ‘Because if we always make sure there are plenty of people around, Simone will be safe,’ I said. ‘Obvious.’
    Leo and Mr Chen shared a look.
    ‘Where are you planning to go, Mr Chen?’ I went on. Leo dug me in the ribs and I yelped. I rounded on him. ‘What?’
    ‘You ask too many questions,’ Leo said.
    ‘The hell I do. You’re always keeping me in the dark. I need to know what’s going on.’ I gestured towards Simone, who was sleeping on Mr Chen’s lap. ‘For example, now I know that she’s safer with more people around, I can make sure we’re always in busy places.’
    Leo chuckled and shook his head.
    ‘I want to go to Cambridge and meet up with some of my old postgrad colleagues,’ Mr Chen said. ‘It’s been a long time.’
    ‘You studied at Cambridge?’ I said, and yelped when Leo dug me in the ribs again. I slapped his arm. ‘Cut it out!’
    ‘Leo, I think I am capable of telling Miss Donahoe if I do not wish to answer her questions,’ Mr Chen said,his eyes sparkling with amusement. ‘I have a PhD from Cambridge. I did it about…’ He paused, thinking. ‘Thirty years ago, I think. I had to rewrite the thesis six times before they’d accept it. I