Wow, nice place here, Mrs Fairman… So perfect to raise a family…

I had no doubts that this woman knew exactly what to say. There were a slew of questions I wanted—needed—to ask, but I did not want to seem too obvious in my suspicions. So I began indiscreetly.

So, what is the baby’s… heritage?

She took a big breath, let out a smile and spoke with a large measure of confidence.

This one is very interesting. Her mother is half Thai, half Malay, father is Nepali. That’s why she is so pretty lah…Father is a security guard, mother works in a factory. Cannot afford to raise a child, plus the father already has a wife back home, so he won’t pay. The poor girl has no choice…

Sumi was half listening as the baby had started to gurgle and smile, and immediately started cooing. Del, look at her fingers, she’s so lovely, look…ooh, ooh you’re gorgeous, yes you are…So, how do we do this, Mary? She looked up, questioning.

By this time Mother Mary had helped herself to a cup of tea with milk and sugar, and was munching loudly on a curry puff. She finished the last bits of it, swallowed a big sip of tea quickly then cleared her throat.

We will do all the paperwork, registration, everything. She coughed slightly. Sorry, the curry puff is stuck in my throat… She drank another large sip of tea.

I asked brusquely. Wait, does she have a birth certificate?

No madam, her parents cannot register her, they are not married and the mother is Muslim… so very difficult, as you know. But we can do everything… this is what my company does, don’t worry we will take care of it.

Sumi interjected, saying. We have to pay you, obviously…?

Mother Mary smiled widely. Yes, Mrs Fairman, you see the parents have to be compensated a little bit, and then of course the paperwork, you know…how it works here…

Her teeth were so white they were almost blue, startling against her dark complexion and high cheekbones. She looked like she could have been a beauty queen twenty years ago. I wondered how much those veneers cost.

So, how much for everything?

Mother Mary was quick and to the point. Only twenty thousand, Mrs Fairman, her skin is very fair, so you know lah, Malaysians, we still like to be fair, even though I am not, she tittered. So she will be very pretty when she grows up…

I wanted to gag, I wanted to shout and scream and say to Sumi, don’t do this, don’t do this, you’re buying a fucking baby, Sumi, what are you thinking? Sumi looked at me and she saw my panic, then she looked down at the baby and asked:

Is this legal? What you’re doing… is it… legal?

Mary looked at her, put a rehearsed hand to her mouth, cleared her throat again and spoke clearly, with resolution.