“You don’t have to figure out everything tonight, Sharon. Take your time.” Christina smiled as she extracted a key from her purse and placed it on the glass table. “My masseuse is waiting at room 1966. But I think you are the one who needs some healing. Consider it a little gift from me.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t.”

Christina said nothing but tapped her mobile phone and passed it to Sharon. There was a photo of a shirtless man smiling into the camera, his confidence as chiselled as his muscled physique.

Sharon blushed.

“His name is Gene Gerard, but he goes by the moniker of Genie. He comes highly recommended by the agency. He is great with his hands and will do anything you want.”

Sharon felt a sudden lump in her throat. She bent forward to reach for her cup of hazelnut latte, gently brushing her little finger against the key to room 1966.

Epilogue

Sharon could hardly see the traffic ahead. Yu Chin had switched the pair of windshield wipers to the maximum speed, yet the unrelenting torrent of rain pelting onto the windshield had reduced visibility dramatically. It was a good thing Yu Chin had insisted they leave for the airport early. There was ample time before the departure of her flight.

“Did you pack the tube of sunscreen I left on your dresser?”

“I have my own.”

“What you have is SPF30, which is hardly enough protection. I bought you SPF50.”

Sharon reached across and gave Yu Chin a loving squeeze on his knee. She had come to appreciate the qualities that made him an exceptional life partner. Not only had he volunteered to send her car for servicing, he had scheduled to retile the bathroom while she was away so that she would not have to suffer the inconvenience. As a husband, Yu Chin was one in a million.

A thunderclap caught both of them by surprise and the two jumped. Yu Chin broke out into a snigger.

“Poor Omala! So much for her candlelight memorial tonight at Hong Lim Park to mark the anniversary of the Little India riot.”

Sharon shook her head, a derisive twitch at the corner of her lips.

The woman should learn to let go already. Yes, there had been a fracas when the public first saw the video clip that the Indian Embassy released. Yes, for a while there had been an online backlash against the government for not protecting the rights of migrant workers. But that was months ago. Other events had since diverted the public’s attention. Everyone had moved on. The riot was old news.

Yu Chin stopped the car at the airport’s departure hall drop-off lane and alighted to help Sharon with her luggage. He gave her a warm hug and kissed her on her cheek.

“Have a good break in Phuket.”