Passports and Plum Blossoms

by Barbara Oliverio

  “Breccan, you are a delightful young man and a wonderful tour guide!” Auntie Lil proclaimed.

  “It truly was my pleasure,” he said.

  “Please come visit us in Denver,” she insisted. “Let us repay the favor and give you a tour of the Mile High City.”

  “That sounds like a plan to me.” He turned to me. “Do you think we can get you up on the slopes if I come?”

  “Sorry to disappoint, Breck, but I doubt I’ll turn into a skier anytime soon. I promise that I’ll find you some ski buddies, though.”

  As I said that, I pictured my own best pal. Hmm. Maybe auburn-haired Rory would be a good match for this redheaded outdoor adventurer.

  “It’s a deal then,” he clapped his hands together. “And you ladies call us anytime you’re in town. Maybe next time we’ll skateboard down Lombard Street.”

  “Maybe!” Auntie Lil said—and I believed her!

  We waved as he drove off and turned to enter the airport.

  “Well! What an adventure!” Auntie Lil said.

  “Right. Who knew?” I replied.

  “Now, how do we get back to the original adventure?” she asked.

  I looked at our instructions, and we followed them through TSA—once again, shoes off, liquids in bins, etc.—to the designated “holding pen” for our luggage. Once we were matched with our luggage and it was sent to our new plane, we traveled to our gate to await boarding.

  Within an hour, we were on our way again to Singapore.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we are making our final descent into Singapore. Please complete the customs documents ...”

  I clasped Auntie Lil’s hand, and we smiled brightly at each other as the flight attendant completed her instructions for our entry into the country nearly a day after leaving Denver. We had passed the time on this leg of the journey reading, chatting, dozing, and eating. My across-the-aisle neighbor did not speak English, but we managed to nod and smile occasionally during the trip.

  “Aren’t you tired?” Auntie Lil asked. “You didn’t sleep as much as I did.”

  “Couldn’t sleep, Auntie! Plus, I started watching that movie near the end of the flight and felt like I needed to finish it.”

  “It was based on a true story, Annalise. You knew the ending.“

  “I just like to finish what I start,” I shrugged.

  She smiled at me and patted my hand.

  “Two peas in a pod. That’s us! I saw you scribbling away as well. Were you writing in your journal?”

  “Oh, sort of,” I shrugged. “I decided to keep it as if I were writing letters to someone, like Rory, rather than just writing the facts. It makes it more interesting.”

  “Hmm. That sounds good.”

  As the jet touched down, I leaned across Auntie Lil to get a better view of the sun-drenched city-state that we would be visiting for the next few days. The bright blue sky painted with fluffy white clouds reminded me a lot of Denver, but I knew that since we were so close to the equator, the heat factor would be significantly higher than back home.

  Once we exited into the terminal of the bustling Changi Airport, we were delighted at how effortless it was to negotiate customs and claim our baggage. We made our way to the taxi stand outside.

  “My first international stamp!” I exclaimed as I pointed out the faint stamp on a page in my passport.

  “Didn’t you get stamped when you went to World Youth Day?” Auntie Lil asked.

  “Well ... yes. Maybe I should have said ‘my first international stamp that wasn’t from a country I could drive to.’”

  Our taxi driver, Murukan, was a pleasant man who negotiated the twenty-minute trip to our hotel in short order, giving us travel advice along the way.

  “Do you like spicy food?” he asked over his shoulder.

  “We sure do!” I nodded enthusiastically.

  “Then don’t leave Singapore without having chili crab. It is our national food, and you will be happy you had it.” His eyes crinkled into a smile in the mirror.

  “It’s a good thing Pop isn’t here,” I turned to Auntie Lil who nodded in acknowledgement of my father’s aversion to seafood.

  Even though Auntie Lil was a dedicated researcher of her destination before any journey, she leaned forward to ask Murukan what his favorite part of the city was.

  “Do you like to travel a bit off the beaten path, young miss?”

  “That is always the best part of a journey,” I said.

  “Are you going to Little India?” he asked.

  “Of course,” Auntie Lil answered.

  “When you get there, you need to go down to the very end of Kerbau Road to the Lucky Charm music shop. The owner sells beautiful handmade instruments—sitars and such—and will let you test them out and give you a history lesson about them.”

  “That sounds fantastic!”

  “I agree,” Auntie Lil nodded.

  “Tell them I sent you,” Murukan insisted. “They won’t attempt to sell you anything, please trust me, missus. Of course, if you do decide to purchase, that is up to you.”

  We pulled into the curved entryway to our hotel, and Murukan jumped from the car to retrieve our luggage. In a moment, a bellman loaded our bags on a cart and escorted us into the entryway past a small cafe and into an elevator up to the actual first floor of the hotel.

  “This is interesting,” I whispered to Auntie Lil. “I don’t think I’ve ever had to take an elevator to get TO the check-in desk of a hotel.”

  “It’s very common here,” she answered.

  We checked in and moved to another elevator to reach our room on the 24th floor—and it was luxurious. I dashed over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, then turned to Auntie Lil.

  “Holy cow! This must be costing a fortune!”

  “Not at all,” she waved off my comment. “I do my research, dear, and of course I collect points.”

  “Well, you must have collected points for years to get this,” I fell backward on the plump white comforter that covered one of the queen beds.

  “Not to worry! I’ve told you before, this is a treat for both of us.” She began to unpack her bags with efficiency.

  I stared at the ceiling for a moment, then jumped up to unpack my own bags. We worked with an economy of movement, and I grinned at how the contents of our bags were very similar.

  “Two peas in a pod. That’s what we really are!” I referred back to her comment on the airplane.

  “I’m going to jump in the shower before we take off for the rest of the day,” I grabbed my toiletries and ducked into a bathroom that was nearly as large as the apartment I had recently vacated.

  After my shower, I changed into an outfit of capris and a tank top covered by a stylish, fluttery, thin jacket cut on an asymmetrical bias. I decided to wait downstairs for Auntie Lil as she freshened up.

  “I’ll be on the ground level,” I announced as I bounced out of the room.

  Downstairs, I settled into a cushy armchair in the corner that had a bird’s-eye view of the expanse. The decor was ultramodern with an area that would have been a fireplace if the climate had warranted. Instead of logs and flames, the sleek granite enclosed a jade horse caught in mid jump. Tucked in the far corner of the room was a small bar made of the same granite. The furniture was in shades of orange, white, and charcoal.

  A server came toward me with a small, silver plate on which rested a slim glass containing some sort of beverage.

  “Oh ... no ... I didn’t order anything,” I shook my head.

  “Compliments of the house,” smiled the young man.

  Well, how about that, I thought.

  “Thank you so much.” I took the glass and took a hesitant sip.

  It was very refreshing, but I couldn’t identify the flavor. I wanted to catch the eye of the server, but he had gone back to the bar.

  “It’s teik chia,” came a voice with a distinctive accent over my shoulder.

  I turned and looke
d up to see a man dressed in casual linen slacks and an aquamarine shirt and carrying a leather portfolio and a glass similar to the one I had.

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  “Teik chia is bamboo cane, or red sugar cane. They boil it here with water chestnuts and rock sugar to make this delightful drink. May I?” he indicated the chair next to mine.

  “By all means,” I took another sip of my beverage and glanced at this newcomer. His brownish hair was sun-tipped, and his eyes were not a very different blue than his shirt.

  “I’m Jasper,” he reached his hand out after he put his portfolio down.

  “Annalise.”

  “What a delightful name!” His smile was winning.

  “It’s a combination of Anna and Alisa, my two grandmothers’ names.”

  I didn’t bother elaborating that Anna is also for Aunt Lilliana. My family was very quirky about giving babies good, solid names after family members. You wouldn’t find anyone named Apple or Streetcar among our ranks. Some people might find it old-fashioned, but personally I’m glad that I didn’t have to go through life named after a random fruit, vegetable, or appliance.

  “Charming. Where in the U.S. are you from, Anna-plus-Alisa?”

  My first inclination was to ask him how he was so sure I was from the U.S., but who was I kidding. No matter how stylishly I might dress, my flat American apple-pie-and-hot-dog accent would always peg me as a Yankee.

  “Denver, Colorado. And you?”

  “Originally from St. George’s Hill, in Surrey?” His voice went up at the end with the unasked question as to whether I would know where Surrey was.

  “I’ve not been to Surrey, but I know where it is in proximity to London,” I nodded. “Where do you call home now?”

  “Right here. Well, not this hotel.” His smile was definitely likable. “I relocated to Singapore to work for a computer concern.”

  “I see. So if you live here, what are you doing in this hotel lobby? Just skulking around waiting to instruct American tourists on the local beverages?”

  He threw his head back and laughed.

  “Brilliant. No, I have a meeting with someone who is staying here. We have some documents to sign.” He pointed to his smooth leather portfolio. “And what brings you to Singapore, Anna-plus-Alisa?”

  “My aunt and I are vacationing. We’ll be in Singapore for several days, then move on to China.” His use of an expanded form of my name was charming.

  “Are you having fun?”

  “So far, we’ve checked into this lovely hotel and I’ve been enjoying this refreshing drink, so our experiences have been quite limited.”

  Jasper reached into the portfolio and retrieved a notepad and slim polished pen. He began a rapid scribbling motion while tossing out suggestions. He was obviously a man who was used to taking rapid and decisive action.

  “First, get a multi-pass for the Duck & Hippo bus—make sure you get a map from them. Then go to the following stops: Little India ... Kampong Glam ... Little China ... you won’t want to miss the Peranakhan Museum. I think you need to walk a bit from the bus stop to get there, but the map will show you—”

  “Jasper ... Jasper ... JASPER!”

  His head shot up.

  “I’m sorry, but you’re throwing a lot of information my way. Ducks? Hippos? Glam?” I tilted my head in a question.

  “Hmm? Oh, sorry. Let me slow down.”

  “Thank you. Oh, here comes my aunt. Hold for a moment so you can share the information with both of us.”

  Auntie Lil crossed the floor from the elevator, and her face was amused as she looked from one to the other of us.

  “Annalise, who is your new friend?”

  Jasper leapt to his feet. Manners. A good sign.

  “Jasper Pennock, ma’am. I was having a delightful chat with your enchanting niece. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”

  “Lilliana Fontana.” Auntie Lil extended her hand and sat next to me.

  “What are you young people drinking? That looks very refreshing.”

  “It’s called chia tea—wait, is that right?” I asked.

  “Close enough. It’s teik chia, Miss Fontana.” Jasper explained the beverage to Auntie Lil as he motioned to the server to bring another round. She took a long draw from the slim glass and pronounced it perfect.

  “Jasper was just making some notes for us for while we are here. He lives in Singapore.”

  “How kind!” Auntie Lil smiled.

  “Not a problem, ma’am. I entertain visitors for my company quite often, so I have gotten a lot of feedback on what people like to see while they are here.”

  He began his list again, this time more slowly, and we peppered him with questions.

  “Our taxi driver mentioned that we should eat chili crab. What do you think?” I said.

  “Indeed! That is the delicacy of Singapore. I’ll jot down the best restaurant for that. I presume you’ll want to have that for dinner?”

  Auntie Lil and I looked at one another and gave thumbs up. Finding great places to eat was always a goal of ours on vacation.

  ”Hmm.” Jasper glanced at his watch. “I have a business dinner quite near there this evening in the same square surrounding the wharf Since you will be dining at this restaurant, would you ladies give me the honor of joining me for dessert afterward?”

  “Oh, no—” I started to protest, but Auntie Lil cut me off.

  “We would be delighted! Let’s say we meet in the square outside the restaurant at about 9?”

  What was she up to?

  “Splendid!” Jasper stood. “I see the person I am to meet, so I need to take my leave of you now.

  And with a quick handshake to each of us, he joined a group of men who had exited the elevator and were preparing to leave the building. Jasper’s bright hair stood out among their dark heads. We could hear strains of an Asian language in the conversation as they exited, so our newfound friend obviously was not limited to speaking English.

  I turned to Auntie Lil, but her mischievous smile stopped me from questioning.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Now, Annalise, I know what you are thinking.”

  “Go ahead, tell me, because I don’t think I’m even sure what I’m thinking.” I leaned back on my chair and crossed my legs and arms simultaneously.

  “Well, dear, there’s a reason that Jasper was brought into our lives, so why not visit with him for a little while longer this evening?”

  “You’re not playing matchmaker, here, are you?”

  “Nonsense.”

  I tilted my head and squinted.

  “Well, in a way.”

  “Auntie!”

  “Annalise, you haven’t dated since that Dylan character, so I think you are out of practice. You were a bit reserved with that delightful Breccan in San Francisco—”

  “That wasn’t a date, Auntie Lil!” What on earth was she getting at?

  “I realize that, dear, but you need to keep in practice.”

  What! Were these words coming from my self-sufficient aunt? I could see my mother worrying that I would never produce grandchildren ...

  Then I remembered the story of the love of Auntie’s life.

  Oh.

  She just wanted me to have what she never had. We might be in the 21st century, but she understood that even though her life journey didn’t include a husband, she wanted to do everything she could to help me find one. How caring and sweet!

  “I get it, Auntie Lil.”

  She bustled about, gathering her tote bag.

  “Well, all you’ll be getting is tired from sitting on that chair if we don’t hustle out and take advantage of this beautiful day!” she said. “Let’s get a move on.”

  We made our way out of the hotel and walked the few blocks to the nearest stop for the “Duck and Hippo” tour bus. The brightly painted tour line was a hop-on, hop-off loop around the city, and passengers received a set of headphones with a paid fare. Plugging the headphones
into the jack next to our seat allowed us to find an English-speaking recording among the nine languages. As the bus reached designated stops, the recorded guide clued us in to what we were seeing.

  The tops of the double-decker buses were open, which allowed a sunny view but could potentially be scorching on a high-digit day. Luckily this day was breezy and just sunny enough to make the ride very enjoyable.

  We learned so much about the city history and architecture. We chose our stops for the day and decided to return to some of them the next day since we had purchased two-day tickets. We made sure to hop off at Little India as our first stop and enjoyed our stroll through the hurly-burly streets.

  “This must be what it’s like on some of the streets in the cities of India,” I said.

  “I suspect so,” Auntie said. “Let’s find the music shop that our taxi driver told us about.”

  We walked down busy streets toward the address, stopping along the way to marvel at the variety of shops and how the walkways, covered with overhangs to shield from the intense sun, were packed with what seemed to be not only tourists but also natives. Vivid colors and tantalizing smells mixed as we passed stores selling brightly colored materials for making saris and markets featuring glistening fruits and baskets spilling over with spices. Practically every jewelry shop displayed stacks of sparkling bracelets in the windows.

  “When a woman becomes a bride, she wears stacks of bangles to indicate that she is married,” said Auntie Lil. “The different colors and metals have different significance. I bet you feel a kinship to that tradition.”

  She lifted my arm, on which I wore a collection of gold bracelets—some antique family heirlooms and some gifts from her, Rory, and my parents, who know my love of bracelets.

  “Well, you’ll never lose me in a crowd.” I jangled my arm and smiled.

  After a few twists and turns and an impromptu stop to share an enticing vegetable Samosa from a street vendor, we found our destination and stepped through a slim door to the Lucky Charm music store. The window to the side displayed only one stringed instrument, so we were not prepared for the plethora of instruments that filled the tiny, incense-scented shop.