Watching. Jeff Edwards

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      ‘No, little one, you have done nothing wrong. I’m sure it is nothing.’

      Not convinced, Jade was worried. Perhaps Daddy was cross with Yee-Ling for letting Jade sleep in her bed. Worried, Jade climbed back out of bed a few minutes later and quietly opened her bedroom door. Silently, she made her way to Yee-Ling’s door, and opened it a crack so that she could look in.

      Jade’s heart pounded loudly with excitement. She did not know what to expect. Perhaps her father was going to beat Yee-Ling for some error, and, if so, Jade was determined to try to stop him.

      As Jade looked in, she saw Yee-Ling standing before her father, head bowed, as John Taylor spoke to her.

      ‘I wanted to thank you for all the help you’ve been in raising Jade. You’ve done a wonderful job,’ he said as he laid a hand on Yee-Ling’s shoulder. ‘However, my wife has decided that Jade should attend her school, in England. Ann wants her to receive a proper English education.’

      Jade’s breath caught in her throat. Her mother wanted to send her away? No! Never! They couldn’t allow it to happen.

      Yee-Ling gasped. ‘Oh, Mr John. No! I could not bear to be parted from my Jade.’

      ‘I’m afraid it must be done. I’ll be devastated to lose her as well, but it’s for her own good.’

      Yee-Ling looked up at Father. Tears coursed down her cheeks, and a look of utter dread was on her face. John Taylor touched her cheek, brushing away a tear. ‘Please don’t cry. It will be just as bad for me. Jade is the only thing around here that makes life worth living.’ He stepped closer to her, and placed his arms around her, hugging her to him.

      ‘What will we do without her?’ moaned Yee-Ling. ‘She is my child!’

      ‘I know how much she means to you. It has taken me all evening to get up the nerve to come and tell you. Please don’t cry.’

      ‘I must cry. I am losing yet another child.’

      Jade stood at the door. She too was crying. She wanted to rush into the room and hold her friend and father, but was afraid to do so.

      John Taylor gently pushed Yee-Ling away from him and regarded her tearful face. The anguish written on it was evident. It was just how he, too, was feeling. He bent toward her and began to wipe away the tears. Yee-Ling responded by turning her face, and kissing his gentle hands. Unable to stop himself, John leaned down to Yee-Ling and covered her cheeks and then her eyes and forehead with kisses, trying to comfort her, and to find comfort for his own sorrow.

      With a sigh, Yee-Ling leaned her face back, so that his kisses now found her mouth, where they lingered.

      The kisses of comfort now transformed to ones of ardour, and were returned by Yee-Ling, as her hands pressed against the silk of his dressing gown. His hands responded, cupping her face, as he drew her into a deep embrace, before sliding down her front to encircle the taut nipples beneath her thin nightgown.

      Yee-Ling reached up to his hand, taking it from her breast, she kissed it, and pulled away from him, leading him by the hand, toward the bed. She pushed him backward onto the bed, and reached down to untie his dressing gown, pushing it apart, and untying the pyjama bottom beneath.

      Standing back, she raised her silk nightdress and climbed onto the bed, lowering herself onto John Taylor. They both gave a groan of pleasure as their bodies merged.

      Jade stood mesmerised by the scene. She did not understand what was happening, but realised that both her father and Yee-Ling were enjoying the experience. She felt happy for them both, but was still worried about her being sent away.

      She heard her father give a cry, and was alarmed that he had been hurt. Yee-Ling gave a heavy sigh as well, and she collapsed on top of Jade’s father. His arms drew her to him, and they kissed deeply.

      Jade relaxed as she realised that neither of them were hurt.

      ‘Please don’t send Jade away from me,’ whispered Yee-Ling.

      ‘I’ll do what I can,’ promised Father as he kissed at her throat.

      Jade was much relieved — she was not going away. Much happier, Jade closed the door and returned to her room.

      The matter of Jade’s future schooling, became a hard fought battle of wills between her parents, and the victory to her father caused a further deepening of the rift between her parents.

      Ann was shocked that John had the temerity to oppose her plans. She had become used to having her every wish obeyed, and the resistance John expressed to her proposal was quite out of character for him. Eventually, John’s position as ‘the man of the house’ held sway and Jade was allowed to stay at the local school, with her friends.

      Soon after, Jade began to notice the changes.

      Her father was much happier. He didn’t stay out as late at night, and he seemed to be drinking less. It was difficult to tell with Yee-Ling, as she had always been able to hide her emotions from Jade. However, Jade caught Yee-Ling crooning softly to herself at odd times. She also caught her father and Yee-Ling exchanging glances when they thought no one was looking. It would have been unnoticeable to anyone that did not know, but Jade did, and enjoyed their secret, knowing that she, unknown to them, shared it as well.

      Of an evening, Jade forced herself to remain awake, lying in bed, and waiting to hear whispered voices from the room next-door. As soon as she heard the voices, she would creep to Yee-Ling’s door, eager to watch the lovers; to see, and hear their joy. It filled her with an excitement that she did not understand ... and a strange, heady joy as well.

      One evening, as Jade watched from her usual place at the doorway, a hand was placed on her shoulder, causing her to gasp in fright. ‘Why aren’t you in bed?’ asked her mother.

      Jade spun around, blushing deeply. ‘I-I was just going t-to ask Yee-Ling for a drink of water,’ she stammered.

      ‘Go to your bed, immediately, Janice.’

      ‘Yes, Mother,’ whispered Jade, as she moved toward her bedroom door, hoping that her mother would not hear the noise coming from Yee-Ling’s room.

      Her mother had not moved, and appeared to be waiting to make sure that Jade obeyed her, before returning to her own room. Quickly Jade entered her room, and closed her door, remaining just inside to hear what was happening. Jade had hoped that her mother would move on, but unfortunately, a sound had attracted Ann Taylor’s attention.

      From within her room Jade heard the door of Yee-Ling’s door open, and her mother’s scream of rage. Jade did not know what to do. She opened her door, and looked out.

      Her mother saw her, a look of thunderous anger upon her face, and screamed, ‘Return to your bed immediately, Janice!’

      Shaken, Jade did as she was ordered, laying in her bed and listening to her mother’s ranting screams, her father’s apologetic voice trying to calm her down, and Yee-Ling’s distraught crying. It went on for what, to Jade, seemed to be hours and hours.

      Eventually she fell asleep, with the voices still ringing in her ears.

      Jade awoke the next morning to a new world.

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