Another thing that happen about two weeks after the fight with Fay was Michael telephone me and say he want talk to me. That never happen before. Michael never summon me like that before and I didn’t take to it. I go see him anyway because we still not get over the business ’bout Mui and the catechism classes.
When I get to Bishop’s Lodge he tell me to come walk with him in the garden. He walk ’round a long time without saying nothing, and I just follow on next to him. The garden full of poinsettia and bird of paradise and them little wild banana plant. It beautiful and peaceful. It remind me of the botanical garden up Old Hope Road except Michael garden not got no bandstand.
After some long time he say to me, ‘We have known each other for many years, Pao, and in all of that time I have made it a rule not to discuss Fay with you. Or you with her for that matter. But she came to see me two days ago and, well, her face is very badly bruised and her left eye is black and turning yellow. She told me her version of what happened and I wanted for us to talk to see how we can find a peaceful resolution to the situation.’
I didn’t say nothing at first because I not sure that he come to a stop. And then I didn’t say nothing because I didn’t know what to say to him. I just walking along and asking myself which side he on. And then I look at him walking so slow with his hands clasp in front like he praying, and wearing this long black cassock and I think well maybe he not on any side. Maybe he just genuinely trying to sort this thing out.
‘There nothing to resolve, Michael. Fay decide to leave and that is what she done. I feel bad ’bout her face though. I really do. I regret it the moment I do it. But you have to understand it was some brawl that went on there that night.’
‘I understand that. It is not my intention to reproach you about it. Fay admits she was equally responsible for what happened. The problem is that as long as you have the children the situation is not resolved.’
Right then I just stop, because I suddenly realise that is she put him up to this. And him only get me come over here so he can plead for her and get me give her the children. Well, Xiuquan for sure anyway.
‘I not going give her the children, Michael. So if that all you got to say to me I think I will be going about me business.’ And I turn and walk off.
I get halfway down the path when him shout after me, ‘Pao, I know there is something you want to resolve otherwise you would not have come here today.’
I turn ’round, and I walk back to where he still standing.
‘I still angry with you, Michael, over all this thing with Mui.’
‘I am a priest. I want everyone to find God and share in His glory, including you, Pao.’
‘You got no right doing it behind my back like that. If Fay bring Xiuquan to you so as you can turn him into a Catholic then that is one thing. But I didn’t bring Mui to you for that.’
Michael just look at me like he got no idea what I am talking about.
‘When you ask me that day at Port Royal about her, you get me wondering ’bout all the time you spend with Fay, and all the hours of day and night at Lady Musgrave Road, and how Miss Cicely not happy ’bout whatever she think going on between the two of you. So I think maybe, when it come to Mui, you have your own personal reason for being interested in her.’
And then something happen that I never seen before. Michael blush. I didn’t know before that a black man could colour up like that. Even though he a bit on the light side. Right then the back door of the lodge open and when me and Michael turn ’round we see the housekeeper come out and start walk towards us.
Then Michael say to me, ‘A long time ago, before Mui was born, Fay asked me to write to Rome to request special dispensation for her to divorce you. They declined and without a divorce she cannot file for legal custody of the children.’
I dunno why him telling me all this right now. I dunno if Fay know him telling me or if he just decide himself to go for broke trying to get me to give up the children.
When the housekeeper get up to us she say the archbishop on the telephone. I tell Michael is OK, go get the phone. We finish this another time.
And another thing since the fight with Fay is that Henry Wong start spending all him time down Chinatown. Him sitting in Barry Street from dawn till dusk and playing mah-jongg till all hours. When I ask him what going on him say him can’t stand it at Lady Musgrave Road no longer. Since Fay come back she and Miss Cicely do nothing but argue morning, noon and night. Argue, argue, argue. Anything they find they can argue over. They can even argue over the fact that a couple hours pass and them no cuss. Henry say it bad.
‘All I do is leave the house before Fay get up and stay out till after Cicely gone to bed. And even then it not always work out, because sometime when Fay come in early morning Cicely get up out her bed and they get started. If the neighbours closer I sure they call the police by now.’
So I wait for Ethyl to come tell me what going on up there. Because even though I been paying for shorthand and typing lessons all this long while Ethyl can’t pass the test yet so she still the Wongs’ housemaid. I tell her is OK, we can just keep carry on till she get there. And she happy with that because she like the idea that one day she going work in a nice cool air-condition office.
‘Mr Philip, it like a war zone in that house up there. Every day Miss Cicely playing the piano and singing at the top of her voice. Her favourite one at the moment is “Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die?” I know it by heart myself now because Miss Cicely play it a hundred times a day, especially when Father Michael visiting. She thump down on them keys, because she play it loud but she no play it too good, and she sing, Dead, already dead within, Spiritually dead in sin, Dead to God while here you breathe, Pant ye after second death? She play it over and over. Will you still in sin remain, Greedy of eternal pain? O you dying sinners, why, Why will you forever die? She sing all fourteen verses of Mr Wesley’s song just like she learn it when she was a Methodist before she turn Roman Catholic, so I dunno what Father Michael make of that.
‘Then all the time Miss Cicely quoting the Bible like she say, He that soweth to his flesh shall of flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting . She love say things like that when she know Miss Fay can hear her. So they argue ’bout that and how Miss Fay running to Bishop’s Lodge all the time and how Father following her from one end of town to the other. And when Miss Fay tell her Father Michael her counsel Miss Cicely say, You should let the word of the Lord be a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path .
‘But truth is I never see nothing going on with the Father. I never even see him stand close to Miss Fay or touch her or anything like that. He just always got his hands clasp in front of him or resting in his lap. And he always keep so still. You never see him like make no sudden movement. None of the help say they notice anything so I dunno what go on but for sure Miss Cicely not happy ’bout it.
‘Then when they not arguing ’bout the Father Miss Cicely say it not seemly for a married woman to be constantly running between her husband and father and dragging the children with her, and going out with her friends every night, going to every nightclub and party in town.’