Colin nodded, poured a glass of whiskey for Nina and placed it in front of her.
Herring picked a girl, as well, and the rest were asked to leave.
"Treat Mr. Li and Mr. Huo well. Got it?" The manager cautioned the girls, and walked out, closing the door behind him. Herring took out a stack of cash and gave it to the girls.
The two girls divided up the money excitedly, and placed them aside. They had to tend to the men. Nina wrapped her arm around Colin's shoulder and held her whiskey glass upto Colin's lips, "Mr. Li, please."
"Go away." Colin refused, swatting away her gesture. Nina cowered away, confused. What's his problem? She thought to herself.
"Hey bro, how about getting a room? You can get your needs met in private." Herring winked.
Colin waved his hand, "Not now." He continued nursing his whiskey glass as Nina sat beside him with a confused expression on her face.
A few minutes later, Colin's personal phone rang. He thought that it was Sophia, but his stomach sunk and his heart began to beat faster when he saw the Caller ID. It was his mother.
It was almost 11pm, and usually his mother was preparing to retire to bed at that time. So it came as a shock when he saw that she was calling him.
He paused the music and motioned for everyone to be silent. Then, he slid the answer key.
"Hi mother. What are you doing up so late? Is everything okay?" "My son, are you still at work?"
"No, I'm out with Herring."
"Doing what?"
"Drinking."
"Is anyone else there?"
"...No!" Colin hesitated. Colin thought that his mother sounded as she usually does.
Without a goodbye, the call hung up. Colin stared at his phone, baffled. Just as he was about to place his phone back in his pocket, his mother called back, this time as a video call.
A shiver run up his spine, as his fears came true. He had no other choice but to answer the call. Colin knew all too well that she wasn't going to stop calling. He slid the answer key, and his mother's face appeared.
She was wearing her reading glasses, therefore Colin knew that she was looking for something. The expression on her face confirmed it. "Let me see where you are Colin."
"Mother, why do..." Before Colin could finish speaking, Wendy interjected.
"I said show me where you are!" Her rage spilled through the video connection. "Mother, I'll call you later." "Show me now! Even if you hung up, I will keep on calling until I see where you are."
Colin had no choice but to show her. He flipped the screen, and moved his hand, covering 180 degrees.
When he flipped the screen back, his mother had hung up the video call. Seconds later, she called back; this time a phone call.
"What's wrong with you Colin? What are you doing in the presence of half naked women and you are married? Is this how I raised you?" Wendy was angry and embarrassed. She couldn't believe that this is how her son was acting.
He was bringing shame to her and the family. If ever the neighbors were to find out about his "extra-curriculum" activities, they would be the talk of the town.
Her reputation as a respectable and well-cultured member of the society would be ruined.
Colin lit up a cigarette. He needed something to calm himself down. He was tired of being on the "perfect-son" pedestal.
"Mother, don't pretend that you didn't know what I was doing. Sophia told you, didn't she?" "Does it matter that she told me?" Colin sighed heavily as he puffed out a cloud of smoke. Sophia had gone too far by involving his mother.
Meanwhile, Herring simply sat there, gloating at what was happening in front of him.
He motioned to the girls to leave. They left without hesitation, with the money in their hands.
Herring sat there and fiddled with his glass as he listened to the conversation.
It was mostly Colin giving one-word answers, with long spaces of silence in between. Herring knew that Wendy was biting his ear off about the whole situation. Ten minutes later, Colin hung up the phone. "Let's get out of here." Colin spoke, more words than he had in the last ten minutes.
They walked out of the bar and headed to the cars. Herring asked the chauffeur to drop Colin off Sophia's place.
"Thanks Herring, sorry about cutting our night short. After an earful from the mother, my mood was ruined."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Cosset You Forever