Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

“He’s on holiday with his family. Skiing in Switzerland! Can you imagine? I happened
to be in Switzerland too, attending a very important conference with the world’s most
important businessmen, political leaders, and Pharrell, but I dropped everything and flew
straight to Singapore the minute I heard you were ill!” Eddie looked up at her heart
monitor and saw that it was accelerating from 80 to 95 beats per minute.
Su Yi let out a brief sigh. “Who else is here?”
“Our whole family came down from Hong Kong. Even Cecilia and Alistair.”
“Where are they?”
“Everyone’s at the zoo right now. Fiona, Constantine, Augustine, Kalliste, Cecilia, and
Jake. Ah Tock got them special VIP tickets for that River Safari thing, but they will be
back by tea time. Uncle Alfred gets in later tonight, and…um, I’m told that Nicky is
arriving tomorrow.”
“Nicky? Coming from New York?” Su Yi muttered.
“Yes. That’s what I hear.”
Su Yi remained silent, and Eddie observed that the heart rate number on her monitor
was rising rapidly: 100, 105, 110 beats per minute.
“You don’t want to see him, do you?” Eddie asked. Su Yi simply closed her eyes, a lone
tear streaming down the side of her face. Eddie glanced uneasily at the monitor: 120, 130.
“I don’t blame you, Ah Ma. Showing up here like this now, after all he’s done to betray
your wishes—”
“No, no,” Su Yi finally said. Her heart rate suddenly jumped to 145 beats per minute,
and Eddie looked at her in alarm. When the number hit 150, the heart monitor began
emitting a high-pitched beep, and Professor Oon rushed into the room along with another
doctor.
“She’s elevating too rapidly!” one of the doctors said in alarm. “Should we defibrillate?”
“No, no, I’m going to give her a slow bolus of digoxin. Eddie, please clear the room,”
Professor Oon ordered, as two nurses rushed in to assist.
Eddie backed out just as his aunt Victoria entered the sitting room. “Is everything
okay?”
“Don’t go in now. I think Ah Ma’s having another heart attack! I mentioned Nicky and
she began to freak out.”
Victoria moaned. “Why on earth did you mention Nicky?”
“She wanted to know who was here and who was coming. I can tell you one thing,
though—Ah Ma does not wish to see Nicky. She does not even want him to set foot in this
house! It was the last thing she told me.”
*1 M.C. is an abbreviation for Mom Chao, which translates to Serene Highness and is the title reserved for the
grandchildren of the King of Thailand. Since King Chulalongkorn (1853–1910) had ninety-seven children by thirty-six
wives and King Mongkut (1804–1868) had eighty-two children by thirty-nine wives, there are several hundred people