Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

curtains open. She’ll be pleased to see you, and then you can tell her that Nicky is outside
waiting to see her. This way she won’t get a shock if she wakes up and sees Nicky standing
right there.”
“Good thinking,” Nick said.
“Madri and Patravadee know about the plan. They are stationed right outside her door
in the sitting room. Usually the nurses will check on her every fifteen minutes, but today
they will block the nurses from entering. Professor Oon usually does his first check-in at
seven thirty. Now, Astrid, I am counting on you to be outside Su Yi’s bedroom at seven
thirty to intercept him. I’ve seen how he defers to you.”
Astrid nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll deal with Professor Oon.”
“The other thing is Eddie. These days he likes to be the first to visit Su Yi in the
morning. But I got Ah Ching to make his favorite crepes with Lyle’s Golden Syrup this
morning, so I will tell him he needs to eat them while they are hot. I’ll try to keep him at
breakfast as long as possible.”
“Maybe you can slip a sedative into his crepe batter,” Nick suggested.
“Or something to give him explosive diarrhea,” Colin said.
They all laughed for a moment, and then Ah Ling got up from her chair. “Okay,
everyone ready?”
Nick and Astrid proceeded up the servants’ staircase to the second floor, following
quietly behind Ah Ling as she expertly guided them through the service hallways until
they found themselves on the balcony outside Su Yi’s dressing room. Astrid opened the
door as quietly as she could and tiptoed in. The cool, mosaic-tiled space adjoining Su Yi’s
bedroom smelled of jasmine and lavender water. She stood by the doorway, peeked into
her grandmother’s bedroom, and saw Su Yi’s lady’s maids silently prepping the room for
the morning. Madri was spritzing a beautiful pot of orchids with water, while Patravadee
was tidying up the nurses’ station.
The minute they saw Astrid, they nodded at her and pulled the curtains open. Then the
two ladies slipped out of the bedroom, closed the door behind them, and stood guard
diligently outside. A nurse could be heard behind the door asking, “Is Mrs. Young awake
yet? Are you getting her breakfast?” One of the lady’s maids replied, “She wants to sleep a
little longer today. We will send for her breakfast after eight.”
Astrid headed first to the side table, opened a bottle of Adelboden water, and refilled
one of the cups. Then she took it over to Su Yi’s bedside and sat down in the chair beside
her.
Su Yi’s eyelids fluttered open, her eyes hazily registering Astrid beside her.
“Good morning, Ah Ma,” Astrid said cheerily. “Here, drink some water.”
Su Yi accepted the water gratefully, and after satiating her parched throat, she looked
around the room and asked, “What day is it today?”
“It’s Thursday.”
“Did you just return from India?”