“Eh? Why would I have a problem with your son?” Mrs. Tan exclaimed. “Mrs. Ming, I am just spelling out what is obvious.”
“Y-You.” Mrs. Ming pointed a trembling finger at her. “Is it wrong for me to support my Chen in getting what he wants? What does age matter by the way? Mrs. Tan, watch your mouth, if not, I can also say things that you won’t like.”
“Annie, stay away from this mother and son duo. If you aren’t careful, they’ll make you go crazy.”
Mrs. Tan knew Annie was only putting up with them. This girl who was so nice and gentle, how would she have the heart to fend these people off?
Mrs. Ming was more angry when she heard the woman say that. She balled her fists and nodded. “Fine! It seems like you’re so full of yourself, Mrs. Tan. Who doesn’t know that your daughter is getting married early all because she got herself pregnant? Instead of focusing on her study, she was clinging to some stupid man who couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”
“Ah! Mrs. Ming?” Mrs. Tan’s eyes reddened. “You- how dare you? How could you say that about my daughter?”
“Am I lying? Does it hurt, Mrs. Tan? Then stop speaking like that when it comes to my Chen.”
“Mrs. Ming, Mrs. Tan, please calm down.” Seeing that the women’s normal bantering was escalating into an argument, Annie decided to pacify the situation before it got any worse.
But the women didn’t listen to her.
“I always knew you were jealous of my baby girl, Mrs. Ming. You stupid woman. Weren’t you the one who told me to not lose heart? Was you comforting me just an act? No one stopped you from getting married again and having another child. You’re stuck with that boy and you don’t even know what to do about him!”
“Mrs. Tan-“
“Since you can’t keep my secret, I won’t also keep yours. Weren’t you so clumsy that even your in-laws despised you? You couldn’t even keep a husband, Mrs. Ming. Right, my daughter got pregnant and she is still an obedient girl. But for you, you ran away from your parents, you’re not even sure if they’re still alive.”
“You, Mrs. Tan- has it gotten to that?” Mrs. Ming looked saddened immediately. “How could you poke at my old wounds? I thought you keep your mouth shut at such things.”
“From now on, our friendship is over. Don’t give me that look, you started it. Your husband ran away and your husband’s family abandoned you. You’re supposed to be pitiful Mrs. Ming, but you’re a spiteful person. I think you deserve it.”
Mrs. Tan was no less angry. In the whole apartment building, it was only Mrs. Ming she had shared her worries with. Thinking the woman could be trusted, Mrs. Tan was taken aback that she would let out the secret about her daughter.
Mrs. Ming only said those words, however, because she didn’t like the way Mrs. Tan looked down on her son. In this whole world, her Little Chen was the only family she had.
It wasn’t that she didn’t go back to her family, they simply didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Because she had disappointed them by not being able to protect her marriage, they thought the best thing to do was to abandon her.
Her Chen was only an infant then and they didn’t even take pity on the boy. Mrs. Ming had a hard time finding balance in life.
If the heavens hadn’t smiled upon her, wouldn’t she have committed suicide?
“Mrs. Tan, you are despicable. Right, I was only angry when I spoke about your daughter. How could you say such words about me?” Mrs. Ming’s tears were falling freely.
“It is okay, Mrs. Ming. Mrs. Tan, both of you should calm down.”
“Then can you take back what you said about my daughter? The damage is already done, Mrs. Ming. Now, everyone in this apartment building knows that my daughter is pregnant all thanks to you. Even if you apologize, I’m not going to forgive you.” Mrs. Tan couldn’t hold back her tears too.
The woman was so angry that her body was trembling.
“Who said I’m going to apologize? Do you think I liked it when you spoke of how my husband left me and my family abandoned me? You’re right, Mrs. Tan, this friendship is over. Just like my husband, everyone else is a hypocrite. At least, those people I think care for me. Ah! How unfortunate I am.”
“Mum, why are you mentioning that man!?” Chen was just returning with the spatula when he heard his mother mention her husband.
He hadn’t taken in the scene to see what was happening yet.
Mrs. Ming’s heart was so heartbroken that she no longer had the desire to sell the pancakes. “Chen, let’s go inside. It seems in this apartment building, only a few people truly like us.”
“What are you talking about, Mum? Mrs. Lin and Pretty Ann like us a lot, and Mrs. Tan is your best friend.”
“Mrs. Tan is no longer my friend.” Mrs. Ming shook her head. “It is hard to find loyal friends in this world, how can I forget about it.”
Seeing that his mother was sad and also crying, Chen pursed his lips and stared at Mrs. Ming including the neighbors who had gathered around.
“Pretty Ann, I’ll have to disappoint you again. Don’t worry, I’ll buy you cola later.” He held his mother and helped her up the stairs. “Don’t cry Mum, do you want us to lose face in front of these people?”
“Stop acting like the victim, Mrs. Ming!” Mrs. Tan called out as the woman left with her son. “I should have known all along that you weren’t a worthy friend.”
Mrs. Tan no longer had the desire to go back to her saloon also. She dabbed her nose with a hankie and strode up the stairs.
The neighbors all sighed at once.
Anyone who told them Mrs. Tan and Mrs. Ming would fall out someday, they would have laughed and told that person it was a lie.
The women bantered a lot, but they were also the closest in the apartment building.
Definitely, people were always unpredictable.