Priscilla noticed Leo starting to fuss in her stroller and offered to take a walk so that the baby could fall asleep. Winston fell behind us, joining John and the stroller, while Priscilla led me on an aimless wander through Jerudong Park. At first, she let me gawk at the stillness of the park during prayer time. The roller coaster, carousel, and Ferris wheel still as statues.

After a few minutes, Priscilla linked arms with me. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but our mothers weren’t the kindest of sisters to each other,” she said.

“I know.”

“Ma claimed her little sister got away with everything, that she was spoiled by Po Po. I also heard Auntie Swee Hua say the same thing—that Ma was the favoured child and got everything she wanted.”

“I never met Auntie Ah Lian. My mom didn’t talk about her often, but when she did it wasn’t flattering. She would often say that Auntie Ah Lian was the older sister but didn’t act like it. She said that our gong gong favoured her, and that she had a mean streak and bullied her.”

“Your mother, my mother. Stubborn women who both thought they were right.” Priscilla shook her head ruefully. “They had more in common than you know. Both were unloved by one parent. Both felt the other was taking something away from them. Both were unkind to each other.”

“Could it really be true, or just bad talk from them both?”

“I saw it. I wasn’t living at home anymore, but I visited when Auntie Swee Hua was briefly living with Ma. The jealousy, the yelling, the name-calling. It was as if they were children again. I couldn’t believe it. I have a sister, so I know how hard it is to get along!”

“I have a sister, too,” I said with a laugh.

Prayer time ended, and crowds of people shuffled into lines waiting for the rides to regain their momentum and awaken from their temporary inertia.

“Did you get a sense of why my mother left Canada?” I asked.

“No, not really. She kept her distance from me. I only saw her once for a couple days while I was visiting. All I can tell you is that she was very unhappy. At the time, I thought it was because she was not getting along with Ma, but it could’ve been something else.”

“Did Auntie Ah Lian ever say anything to you about why she left?”

“She just told me that Auntie Swee Hua left on her own, and that she couldn’t care less where she ended up. I told her that this was cruel and that she would not want me to treat my sister this way. She taught me and my sister differently.”

“Same here.”

“I’m sorry I don’t know more. Maybe the next generation can do better.” Priscilla smiled at me hopefully.

“Absolutely,” I agreed.

“Listen, Lily, there’s another reason I came. I have something for you.” Priscilla reached into skirt pocket and put something in my hand. My eyes widened and I gasped. It was Mother’s jade bracelet. It looked the same as when I last saw it, with a brown mark on one side.