My heart will go on
“Wei?” Summer sounded half asleep.
“Hi. It’s me,” Diano said. “What’s up?”
“Hi. What’s up? You called me!” She sounded irritated. “Where are you? Are you coming back tonight?”
“Were you sleeping?”
“Yes, of course.” She yawned. “Anyway, what’s up?”
“I’m at Shek O.”
“So late? When are you coming back?”
“Norman and his friends are going cycling tomorrow and they asked me to join them.”
“But you don’t know how to ride a bicycle lah.” Summer laughed.
“I know. But I couldn’t turn them down.” He’d tried but they kept on insisting until he gave in.
“Hmm. The Norman Effect?”
“You could say that. His friends are a nice bunch.”
“So?”
“I’m gonna stay over at his place tonight.”
“I know it’s none of my business but — wow.”
“It’s nothing like that, stupid. He’s gonna drive some of his friends to Tai Po. He asked me if I wanted to stay over so we can start off early,” Diano said.
“Where does he live?”
“Tai Kok Tsui.”
“Oh. Okay. Whatever.” She laughed. “Use a condom.”
“Aiya. It’s nothing like that!”
“Whatever.”
“Okay, okay.” Diano laughed.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yup. Good night.” Diano hung up and got into the car.
Norman drove to Causeway Bay and took the Cross Harbour tunnel to Kowloon. A few twists and turns later they arrived at his estate. Norman’s apartment was on the 53rd floor.
“I didn’t know you lived in the clouds,” said Diano, as Norman opened the door.
“Ha-ha. Wait until you see the view from the balcony.”
Diano put his bag down and followed Norman to the far end of the living room. Glass windows made up a good portion of that wall. As Norman slid open the door to the balcony, a rush of cool breeze hit them. Diano shivered.
“Come on out.” Norman stepped outside.
“No, I’m okay here.” Fifty-third floor was more like flying low or something.
“Don’t be afraid.”
Diano took Norman’s outstretched hand and stepped out onto the artificial grass on the balcony. The view was spectacular. He could see the western part of Hong Kong Island to the left; Tsing Yi and Tsuen Wan lay to the right. The harbour filled the space between them.
“The swimming pool is down there.” Norman pointed towards the ground below.
“I don’t wanna see it,” Diano said.
“Don’t worry, even if you fell, you’ll land in the pool.”
“No, thanks. I have no such intentions. I think my heart would fail before I hit the water.”
Norman put a hand around Diano and placed it on the railing. Diano felt as if he were in a hug from behind. Norman did that to make him feel secure, perhaps, he thought. He shivered again. Standing there reminded him of the scene from the Titanic movie which had Rose and Jack standing together with outstretched hands.
Norman surprised him by humming the My Heart Will Go On song from the same movie. Diano laughed and stretched his hands. Norman did the same, mimicking the scene from the movie.
“It’s cold. Let’s go inside.” Norman said after a few seconds. They went inside and Norman shut the door.
Norman gave him a pair of shorts, a tee shirt, and a clean towel. Diano showered first and then walked around the living room. He noted that the furniture hadn’t been laid out correctly. A little adjustment would free up a lot of floor space that was blocked out.
After Norman had showered, he called Diano into the bedroom. The lights were switched off and the room was bathed in moonlight filtering through a large window next to the bed.
“It’s never this beautiful. Looks like the moon is very happy tonight,” Norman said. “Do you like it?”
“Yes!”
“When I first moved here, I used to stay up late and look out of the window. Now, I draw the curtains to keep it out. “Is one blanket okay for you?” Norman put it down on the bed.
“Yes. Thanks.” Diano picked up the blanket. “I’ll take the sofa.”
“Don’t be silly. Just sleep here. It’s big enough for both,” Norman said. “It’s not the first time we’re sleeping together.” He laughed. “You can take the window side.”
“What time are we waking up?”
“I have set the alarm for 8 a.m. That should give us enough rest.”
“Won’t that be early?” asked Diano.
“You can sleep longer lah. We’re driving there anyway. 9 a.m. then?”
“Thanks.” Diano stifled a yawn as he stretched out on the bed.
“So tired.”
“Yeah. Good night, handsome.”
“Good night, princess.”
“Hey! I’m not a princess.”
“Then? Queen?”
“No!”
“Then?”
“Diano.”
“Lady Diano?”
Diano didn’t respond.
“Hello?” asked Norman, as he got into the bed.
Diano began to imitate a slow snoring pattern.
“Knock it off,” he said. “I know you don’t snore.”
They laughed.
