anybody.’
‘ You’re sure?’
‘ Of course I’m sure. Anyway, with Stuart and Jack gone you’ve lost your two co-directors. What does that mean for you, for us?’ There was more laughter from outside and Christina craned her neck to check that the children weren’t too close to the pool edge but she was pleased to see Ah Ho, the live-in amah, was outside with them. Ah Ping, their cook and wash amah, hadn’t yet arrived.
Joseph sat down and gave a big sigh. ‘I don’t know, Chrissie. Jack and Stuart were the brains behind the company. I certainly won’t be able to do three men’s work.’
‘ Is there nobody?’
‘ Not anyone who’s ready for such responsibility, no. With Stuart, Maggie, Jack and Laura gone, we’ve lost so much. Young Adam is all that’s left. I don’t want to rush into anything but I think it might be best if I put the company up for sale. We’ve had so many offers in the past. As soon as some of our competitors get a sniff that it might be for sale they’ll be knocking at our door.’
‘ Is it ours to sell?’
‘ Yes. It was in the Company charter that if any one of the three of us died then their share would automatically go to the remaining directors. None of us ever expected that two would go together.’
Joseph wandered over to the veranda doors next to Christina, pulled back the net curtain and looked out at the children playing with Ah Ho only a few yards away. ‘Little Adam may one day ask me why I even contemplated doing such a thing, but at the moment I don’t think I have any choice.’
‘ And what will you do if you do sell?’
‘ Not me, Chrissie. Us. What will we do?’ He sat on the arm of the chair and picked up his wife’s hand. ‘What about something you’ve always wanted to do.’
‘ And what’s that?’
‘ You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re probably one of the best chefs in Hong Kong and what a combination - Sinhalese and Cantonese cuisine. I’ve even thought of a name for your first restaurant - SinCan!’
‘ I don’t think so, Joseph. A name like that will put people off. But are you serious?’ She gripped her husband’s hand not really believing what she was hearing.
‘ Never more so, Chrissie. I couldn’t run the company on my own. I provided the local contacts and kept the Triads at bay. What good will that be without Stuart’s selling and marketing expertise and Jack’s business acumen. No, selling has to be the right thing to do. Afterwards it’ll be your turn.’
Christina moved over so that Joseph could slip into the chair next to her. ‘You really are serious, aren’t you?’
‘ I am and I bet you already have a name to replace SinCan, haven’t you?’
‘ Yes,’ she said mischievously, ‘I have.’
‘ And what is it?’
‘ Colombo Dragon,’ she said with a smile.
* * *
Adam’s and Lucinda’s birth dates were only days apart so it was decided to have a joint celebration. It was the fifth year of celebrations after Adam was legally adopted by the Yongs, and as each birthday occurred they looked forward to them more and more.
This was therefore their tenth birthdays and they were already inseparable.
The legal aspects of adoption had gone remarkably smoothly. Neither set of grandparents suggested Adam should return to England. Although he was their flesh and blood he was a child they had each only met for a couple of days when he was less than three years old. Stuart’s parents never forgave him for moving to Hong Kong in the first place and Maggie’s parents also never forgave him for luring their daughter to the other side of the world, and neither did they forgive her for agreeing to go with him. When Stuart and Maggie died in such tragic circumstances both sets of parents grieved for a while but wanted nothing to do with the product of a relationship that was conducted out of their reach. They eventually went to their graves still believing they had been in the right.
So
‘ You’re sure?’
‘ Of course I’m sure. Anyway, with Stuart and Jack gone you’ve lost your two co-directors. What does that mean for you, for us?’ There was more laughter from outside and Christina craned her neck to check that the children weren’t too close to the pool edge but she was pleased to see Ah Ho, the live-in amah, was outside with them. Ah Ping, their cook and wash amah, hadn’t yet arrived.
Joseph sat down and gave a big sigh. ‘I don’t know, Chrissie. Jack and Stuart were the brains behind the company. I certainly won’t be able to do three men’s work.’
‘ Is there nobody?’
‘ Not anyone who’s ready for such responsibility, no. With Stuart, Maggie, Jack and Laura gone, we’ve lost so much. Young Adam is all that’s left. I don’t want to rush into anything but I think it might be best if I put the company up for sale. We’ve had so many offers in the past. As soon as some of our competitors get a sniff that it might be for sale they’ll be knocking at our door.’
‘ Is it ours to sell?’
‘ Yes. It was in the Company charter that if any one of the three of us died then their share would automatically go to the remaining directors. None of us ever expected that two would go together.’
Joseph wandered over to the veranda doors next to Christina, pulled back the net curtain and looked out at the children playing with Ah Ho only a few yards away. ‘Little Adam may one day ask me why I even contemplated doing such a thing, but at the moment I don’t think I have any choice.’
‘ And what will you do if you do sell?’
‘ Not me, Chrissie. Us. What will we do?’ He sat on the arm of the chair and picked up his wife’s hand. ‘What about something you’ve always wanted to do.’
‘ And what’s that?’
‘ You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re probably one of the best chefs in Hong Kong and what a combination - Sinhalese and Cantonese cuisine. I’ve even thought of a name for your first restaurant - SinCan!’
‘ I don’t think so, Joseph. A name like that will put people off. But are you serious?’ She gripped her husband’s hand not really believing what she was hearing.
‘ Never more so, Chrissie. I couldn’t run the company on my own. I provided the local contacts and kept the Triads at bay. What good will that be without Stuart’s selling and marketing expertise and Jack’s business acumen. No, selling has to be the right thing to do. Afterwards it’ll be your turn.’
Christina moved over so that Joseph could slip into the chair next to her. ‘You really are serious, aren’t you?’
‘ I am and I bet you already have a name to replace SinCan, haven’t you?’
‘ Yes,’ she said mischievously, ‘I have.’
‘ And what is it?’
‘ Colombo Dragon,’ she said with a smile.
* * *
Adam’s and Lucinda’s birth dates were only days apart so it was decided to have a joint celebration. It was the fifth year of celebrations after Adam was legally adopted by the Yongs, and as each birthday occurred they looked forward to them more and more.
This was therefore their tenth birthdays and they were already inseparable.
The legal aspects of adoption had gone remarkably smoothly. Neither set of grandparents suggested Adam should return to England. Although he was their flesh and blood he was a child they had each only met for a couple of days when he was less than three years old. Stuart’s parents never forgave him for moving to Hong Kong in the first place and Maggie’s parents also never forgave him for luring their daughter to the other side of the world, and neither did they forgive her for agreeing to go with him. When Stuart and Maggie died in such tragic circumstances both sets of parents grieved for a while but wanted nothing to do with the product of a relationship that was conducted out of their reach. They eventually went to their graves still believing they had been in the right.
So
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