Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

“My grandmother used to take me to afternoon tea as well. One of my earliest
memories, I think, is of having tea with her at the Raffles in Singapore. But soon after
that, she stopped going out.”
“So she became a recluse?” Isabel asked.
“Yes, and no. She didn’t go out much, but that’s because she felt that the standards had
slipped everywhere. She had very exacting standards, and she didn’t much care for
restaurant food. So she only went to friends’ houses—the ones that she knew had good
chefs—or she entertained at home. She liked to have people over all the time, and she was
very social up until the end of her life.”
“Sounds like quite a character. All the women of her generation, like my grandmother,
were characters. My grandmother was known as the hat lady. She had the most incredible
collection of hats, and she never left the house without one.”
The waitress came over and took their orders. After Astrid ordered the cream of
asparagus soup, Isabel looked across the table at her with an almost embarrassed look.
“You know, I have to confess I’ve been so nervous all morning about this lunch. I am still
so mortified over what I did when I was in Singapore.”
“It’s fine, really. I’m just happy to see you so well again.”
“Those women whom I scalded. Was one of them a nun or something? Is she okay? I
have such a strange memory of that day. Because I remember everything, you know, but I
just had no control over my actions.”
“A nun?” Astrid didn’t know what she was referring to.
“I remember the look on her face when I threw that soup. Her eyes got so huge, and she
had Tammy Faye levels of mascara on. She was wearing a nun’s habit.”
“Oh! You’re talking about the Dowager Sultana of Perawak—she was wearing a hijab.
She was fine, the soup hardly touched her. Don’t worry, it was probably the most thrilling
thing that’s happened to her in decades.”
“Well, I appreciate your understanding, and I really must thank you for taking such
good care of my daughters during that difficult time.”
“Don’t mention it. Chloe and Delphine are lovely girls.”
Isabel paused for a moment and looked out the window at the view of the hillside park.
It was apparent to Astrid that she was going through a spectrum of emotions. “Soon, you
will be their stepmother. You’ll be spending much more time with them, and I’m…I’m
actually glad they will have you in their lives. Not just their crazy mother.”
Astrid reached out and put her hand over Isabel’s. “Don’t say that. You’ve done such a
great job raising them. You’re their mother, and I’m not going to try to be any sort of
substitute mother. I only hope that in time they will come to see me as a friend.”
Isabel smiled. “Astrid, I’m so glad we are having lunch together. I feel like I finally
know who you are now.”
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