Beyond the Skyline

by Lise Gold

  “So did you sleep after that movie? Because I didn’t.” Her husky voice sounded sexy in the quiet room.

  “Of course I did,” Sophie lied, looking up from the jersey dress she was measuring. If only Mel knew that it hadn’t been the movie that had kept her awake. Mell giggled.

  “Don’t get too excited. Our next movie night will be dance movie night, in case you forgot and I’m going to make you sit through the whole two-and-a-half hours. No breaks.”

  “Can’t wait,” Sophie laughed. But the truth was, she really couldn’t wait to spend another evening in bed with Mel. She watched her work methodically, as she stood up and put the blouse on the mannequin. A textile pen was tucked behind her ear, and a roll of seaming tape decorated her wrist. It dawned upon Sophie that for once, she wasn’t bored at a factory visit. She had something far more interesting to focus on besides her garments, and it felt like a welcome break. Whenever Mel would look at her, she’d quickly bow her head, pretending to be consumed with her notebook.

  “Miss Johnson?” Lemon, the stern director’s assistant who had let them in, stuck her head around the corner. “The factory team would like to meet you. Do you mind if they come in?”

  “Of course! That would be lovely,” Mel said. “Please call me Mel.”

  Lemon nodded and read from a piece of paper.

  “At Ho Manufacturing, we pride ourselves in excellent working relationships. It is important for our employees to know the people they work for. It enables them to produce star quality garments with passion and flair.” Her voice sounded monotone as if she had no idea what she was saying. Sophie pursed her lips together and looked at Mel, who was trying her hardest to keep a straight face too.

  “Passion and flair. I like that,” Mel said.

  “Yes.” Lemon nodded, her face stripped of emotion. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Is she always this serious?” Mel asked after Lemon had left the room.

  “Yeah.” Sophie sighed. “I made it my mission to make her smile years ago, but I’ve never managed. Maybe you should take on the challenge.” The door opened again, and seven women entered the room. Sophie waved at them.

  “Hi, guys, nice to see you again!” They waved back, smiling. Mel stood up, and Sophie watched her in amusement as she held out a hand to greet Idy, who went in for a hug. It resulted in an awkward clash, in which Mel ended up holding Idy’s limp wrist while their heads collided. If either of them was in pain, they didn’t let it show. Sophie tried not to laugh as Mel pulled her self together and decided to give the next person whom she was introduced to a hug instead. However, Fairy, who had already observed the first faux pas, held out her hand last minute, punching it into Mel’s breast. Mel laughed, jumping back.

  “Now that’s what I call an intimate introduction.” She glanced nervously at the other people in the room.

  “Hi, I’m George,” a younger girl with pink hair said. “Print technician.” She held her arms out wide, indicating that she was going to hug Mel.

  “Nice to meet you, George. I love your hair.” Mel seemed relieved to have some clarity, but with George being only half her height, she had to bend so far down that she almost lost her balance in the process. Sophie had seen this happen many times, but it never failed to amuse her. When the painfully confusing ritual was over, and everyone had left the room, she finally allowed herself to laugh. Tears were running down her cheeks, and she was unable to stop. Mel laughed too.

  “You could have warned me about that,” she giggled. Sophie struggled to catch her breath.

  “Now what would be the fun in that?” She shook her head. “Physical interaction should be prohibited when being introduced to people from other cultures. It’s just too confusing for everyone. We’re trying to do it their way; they’re trying to do it our way.” She pointed at her face. “I once had a black eye from a nose poke.” Mel burst out into laughter again. “I’m not joking, Mel. I even had someone kiss me on my neck once. Now that was confusing.” Her eyes wandered down to Mel’s chest. “How’s your boob? Does it hurt?” Mel shook her head, still laughing and Sophie walked around the table to put an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry; it gets easier. Next time, just wave.”

  10

  It was dark when their taxi stopped on the drive in front of the hotel. Mel struggled to get out of the car with all her bags and files.

  “Oh that’s nice,” She said, facing the fountain that functioned as a seating area for the taxi stand. Sophie closed her eyes and sighed. The wind was blowing cool mist into her face. It felt great after a long drive and a two-hour wait at the border. “I wouldn’t mind jumping in there and soak for a while. Mel nodded towards the roof.

  “I’m going for a swim upstairs. Do you want to join me? If you’re not bored of me yet, that is?” Sophie chuckled.

  “I was going to ask you the same thing, but I figured you would be sick of me by now.” They both laughed, and Mel gave her a playful push with her shoulder.

  “No way. How could I turn down a hot chick in a bikini?” Sophie blushed. Although it was intended as a joke, she sensed that Mel regretted saying it because she looked away and shook her head as if cursing herself.

  Sophie rushed to beat Mel to it. She didn’t want to be the last one walking into the pool area half naked. She had quickly thrown on a black bikini and wrapped herself up in the cozy hotel robe before going up to the roof garden in her flip flops. But Mel was already there when Sophie arrived, sitting on the edge of the pool with her feet in the cool water. She was facing the skyline, staring into the night. The purple glow of the pool lights illuminated her face. Sophie walked over to her and gazed in the same direction. Mel didn’t look at her when she spoke.

  “I love it here. Don’t you? All I can see is chaos. So many people, so much traffic, so much movement, it’s like they never sleep. But up here it’s quiet. You can see life moving below you like a nest of ants on fire, but you can’t hear them.” She slid the robe off her shoulders, revealing a low cut white swimsuit and slowly lowered herself into the water. “Come in, it’s nice.” she swam to the other end of the pool, beckoning for Sophie to join her. Sophie dove in and shivered as her body hit the water. She quickly got used to the change of temperature and dipped her head in, wetting her hair. It felt good after a day in the humid and polluted air of the factory. They both leaned on the edge of the infinity pool, looking down on the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. Large cargo ships shared the waterways with ferries, yachts and the iconic dragon boats. Behind the boats was Hong Kong Island, lit up like a funfair.

  “I wouldn’t mind staying a week longer,” Sophie said quietly. “I’m having fun.” She turned her head to Mel and rested it on her forearms. She couldn’t have imagined a more perfect way to end the day if she tried. The roof garden was deserted and, apart from a loved up Japanese couple on the sun loungers in the back, they had the pool all to themselves.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” Mel said, her green eyes piercing right through her. Water was dripping from her hair, tracing her forehead, nose, and lips. She licked them slowly, sending Sophie into a sudden frenzy of excitement. Did she do that on purpose?

  “Like what?” Sophie asked, fighting to keep her voice steady.

  “I don’t know. Anything. What’s your biggest fear?” Sophie laughed.

  “Heavy subject, Mel. Are you sure you want to go there?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. Tell me.”

  “God, I don’t know.” Sophie paused, looking up at the sky for an answer. “I suppose my biggest fear, apart from the obvious things like dying or getting sick or losing people I love, would be turning out like some of my friends.” Mel cocked her head.

  “Why is that?”

  “Well…” Sophie frowned. “We all come from families with money. Families where expectations are high. Most of my friends have great degrees from renowned universities and speak at least two languages. They’re wealthy and good-looking.” She laughed. “Apart from me. I w
ouldn’t call myself wealthy on my designer salary. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is when it comes to relationships and significant life choices, they’ve all settled. Take my friend Cat, for example. She used to be so much fun until she decided to marry her boyfriend. She stopped working as a broker because she could. Now she’s twenty-nine and in a passionless relationship where everything evolves around material things. She’s bored out of her mind, and the only person she can be herself around is me. Her husband and family expect her to have children soon and although she’s not ready, she doesn’t want to disappoint them either.”

  “That’s sad,” Mel said. “You don’t strike me as the type to settle, though.” Sophie shrugged.

  “I know. And I hope I never will. It’s just the pressure. It’s driving me crazy. Everywhere I go, people either ask me if I’m dating or they’re trying to set me up. I’m happy alone, but apparently, that’s not good enough.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m dreading the dinner on Friday, and I’d definitely cancel if you weren’t coming along.” Mel winked and moved closer.

  “But I am coming.”

  “Yes, you are and thank you for that.” Sophie blushed. “But now it’s your turn. What’s your biggest fear, Mel? Besides the obvious?” Mel dipped her hair in the water and combed it back with her fingers.

  “Falling for a straight girl.” They both laughed.

  “What do you mean?” Sophie asked. “Is that your thing? Straight girls?” She made quote marks in the air.

  “Yeah, that’s my thing, unfortunately, and it always ends badly. The last one wasn’t straight though. I thought I’d broaden my horizons with my ex and try it the mature way, but I wasn’t madly in love with her.” She turned on her back, looking up at the sky. “I want something real, something all consuming. I want to drown in her eyes, swim in her skin, and I want to love her so much that it hurts when she’s not around.” She paused and grinned sheepishly. “I know it sounds stupid, but I also know it exists.” Sophie would normally laugh at such a statement. But she didn’t.

  “I can see that,” she said, lowering her voice.

  “I’m glad you can see that,” Mel said in an amused tone. “You didn’t seem like you were remotely interested in romance when we spoke about it the last time.” She grinned as if she was on to Sophie. “Has something changed your mind?” Sophie shook her head, trying to keep her cool. Mel seemed to be hinting at something, and it made her so nervous that she could feel her hands shake under water. She took a deep breath. At least she was in a pool. There would be no sweat marks under her armpits, and the rash that would soon spread to her neck wouldn’t be visible in the dark.

  “No,” she stammered. “Maybe I haven’t experienced romance or the one true love, but I still want to believe there’s someone out there who will blow my mind. Just like everyone else, I guess, right? I just don’t know what I want.”

  “Right,” Mel said, smiling. “I’ve got the feeling you’ll find out soon enough. Anyway, I’d better get myself to bed if we’re doing this early morning tourist thing tomorrow. Call my room if I’m not there, okay?” Sophie nodded as her gaze followed Mel, who stepped out of the pool with the grace of a goddess. She looked like a dream in the dimly lit surroundings, her hips moving sensually as she walked. Before putting on her robe, she squeezed the water out of her hair. It ran down her back, tracing her bottom and her legs. Sophie forced herself to look away, to act like she was perfectly fine spending some more time on her own in the pool. She leaned into the ceramic tiles again and turned her attention back to the city.

  11

  “Hi Mum, how are you? How’s your back?” Mel had her phone on loudspeaker while she was painting her toenails.

  “I’m good, Melzinha. Cherry came over for a coffee today. You know, my friend from the community center. She brought me some lovely flowers. How is Hong Kong? And how is the job?

  “It’s great,” Mel said, shifting her concentration to her left foot. “I’m glad to hear you had some company. Hong Kong is incredible, although I haven’t seen much yet. It’s busy, and I’m tired, but the job is going well. I haven’t had any significant issues, so I think I’ll get used to it pretty quick. Sophie, my new colleague, is nice too, so that’s a bonus. We just went for a swim.” She hesitated for a moment. “I think you would like her.” Her mother was quiet on the other side of the line. “Mum? Are you still there?”

  “Yes, I’m here, sweetie.” She laughed. “Just listening to your lovely voice. So you two are getting along? That’s nice. And is she…?”

  “Is she what, Mum?”

  “Well… does she like girls?” Mel rolled her eyes.

  “Mum, you have to stop doing this. No, she’s not gay. And even if she was, she’s not my type, and we work together.” She took a deep breath. “I just said she was nice. I didn’t say I’m going to marry her and have babies so you can be a grandmother.”

  “Calm down Melzinha,” Isabella laughed. “I will stop pestering you about babies if you get me a nice souvenir, okay? I was thinking maybe a kimono or a handbag? Cherry told me they have this fake market where you can buy branded bags for a fraction of the price. And if you can find me a nice silk kimono, I can wear that in the hospital when I’m in for my operation. At least I’ll look good for the doctors.” Mel smiled as she screwed the top back on to her nail polish bottle and studied her feet.

  “That sounds like a good deal. I’ll bring you a snazzy handbag and a beautiful kimono, and you stop talking about babies for at least another two years.” They both laughed. Mel stood up, looking for her moisturizer. It had been a long time since she had gone through the trouble of looking after herself to the extent that she was now. There was no point of kidding herself; she knew Sophie was the only reason for her sudden attention to her appearance. She studied herself in the long mirror on the closet door, draping her hair over her shoulders. She wasn’t quite sure what to think of herself, and that was a first.

  “Oh, and one more thing,” Isabella said. “Cherry asked if you could bring her a little something back too.” Mel laughed.

  “Sure. Typical Cherry, always fishing for presents. What does she want this time?”

  “Well…” Isabella paused. “She asked me if you could bring her a fluffy pink Hello Kitty toilet seat. Only if you happen to stumble upon one.” Mel took a sip from her tea and almost choked on it.

  “Are you serious? She wants me to bring a toilet seat back for her? How does she imagine I would just stumble upon a toilet seat while I’m working? And how does she expect me to bring it back? Sitting on it?” Isabella laughed.

  “I told her it was too much to ask, but I’m just passing on the request.”

  “Hell yeah. That’s too much to ask; you can tell her that.” Mel laughed along. “And her husband, what’s his name again?”

  “Bernie.”

  “Right, Bernie. What is she going to do when Bernie refuses to put the seat up, and he pisses all over the pink fluff?” Isabella laughed even harder now.

  “Alright, alright. Forget about the toilet seat. What’s the hotel like?” her mother asked, changing the subject.

  “Oh Mum, you’d love it. I’ve got a lovely room with an office, a king-size bed, a Jacuzzi and a toilet that talks to me in the morning. And the view is fantastic. I’m looking over the Hong Kong harbor. And there’s a spa, a garden and a pool on the rooftop. It’s great.”

  “Sounds like you hit the jackpot with this company.” She sighed. “I’m so happy for you, Melzinha.” Mel moved back to the bed, looking for her tweezers in her toiletry bag.

  “Hopefully you’ll be able to travel again too, Mum. When your back gets better, we can go to Brazil together to visit your sister.”

  “Yes, I’ve been thinking about that,” Isabella said. “That would be wonderful.” She paused. “I’m not going to keep you any longer. I’m sure you’re tired. It’s just good to hear your voice.”

  “Take care, Mum. I need to get some clothes together for
tomorrow morning. We’re leaving early to go to Lantau Island for a bit of sightseeing.” She could picture her mother smiling at the other end of the phone.

  “You go and have fun, Melzinha. I’m going to finish my book now and make myself some lunch. I love you, sweetie and I’m glad you’re fine. Be careful out there.” Her mother had hung up before Mel had the chance to reply. She rummaged through her suitcase and found the bottle of moisturizer, which she applied with care. She stared at her reflection for the second time, turned to the side and held in her stomach. Then she put the clothes she would wear the next day on the chair by her desk before crawling under the crisp white sheets. Stop thinking about her.