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“You must be looking forward to going home tomorrow,” Neil said, his tone shifting to a more serious note.
I paused, my chopsticks hovering over my plate. “Why do you say that?”
“This trip turned out to be more… eventful than I expected. I’m questioning if bringing you here was the right decision.”
I reflected on the whirlwind of events we had experienced. “Well, it’s been an interesting few days, to say the least. It was challenging, but I feel I rose to the occasion. I’m just glad I could be here to support you.”
“You’re much more capable than I sometimes give you credit for.”
“You know, I think this trip was worth it just for this moment, sharing a meal like this.” As soon as I said it, I worried I had overstepped my mark and wished I could reel my words back in and lock them away, but to my surprise, Neil leaned in, appearing to mirror my sentiment.
“I agree.”
By the time we finished eating, the hawker centre was even more packed than when we had arrived. As we navigated the sea of people, I was worried I’d get separated from Neil and get lost. I instinctively clung to his arm. Then, realising what I had done, I dropped it, conscious about crossing the strict bounds of our relationship. To my surprise, Neil reached out, took my hand in his, then placed it back on his arm where it had been. “It’s crowded. Stay close.”
I held on to him, the gentle bulge of his bicep evident through the thin fabric of his shirt. He was warm beneath my fingertips.
We emerged from the heart of the hawker centre and into an open space with thinned-out crowds. I let go of him.
“Are you ready to go back? Or do you want to walk around a bit?” Neil asked.
An opportunity to prolong the evening was more than welcome. “Let’s go for a walk.”
We walked side by side along the picturesque Singapore River, its shimmering waters reflecting the multicoloured hues of the city lights. I relished the long periods of comfortable silence between us, the sounds of the city, and the lapping river in the background.
“Do you go for walks much in Auckland?” Neil asked, hands in his pockets as he strolled along.
“No. Not much. It’s not very pleasant to walk around the area where I live. Sometimes I make it out to the Domain, though. You?”
“Every day. I usually alternate. Running one day, walking the next day.”
“Sounds like a good routine.”
“The Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter are perfect for it. Once you move, you’ll be able to make the most of it.”
I had been so caught up in the trip and all it entailed that I hadn’t given much thought to my impending move, but now that Neil had brought it up, I felt a rush of anticipation. “I can’t wait.”
“Are you still aiming to move next weekend?”
“Yes. Saturday morning.”
“Do you have much stuff to move?”
“No. Not really. I’ve already sold as much as I can. But I’ll maybe need to rent a car for a couple of hours. I haven’t sorted that part out yet.”
“You can borrow mine, if you like.”
“The Tesla?”
Neil nodded.
“I wouldn’t know how to drive it.” The prospect of operating a top-of-the-line electric vehicle was more than a little daunting when I had only driven petrol-chugging clunkers in the past.
“I could give you a quick lesson. Or, if it’s not going to take more than one trip, I could pick you up from your place. It wouldn’t be much trouble.”
His suggestion sparked hope in me. I clasped my hands together in front of my chest. “Could you? That would be so helpful. I don’t think it’ll take more than one trip. There’s nothing big to move.”
“Just let me know what time you need me, and I’ll be there.”
