11 THE LONELY TREE
It was Sunday, and the entire Chen clan sat at the table to have breakfast. This was a tradition of the family for as long as the Senior Chen could remember. He recalled his father saying, "Family is of utmost importance above all else. Always find time to have a meal with your loved ones. No matter the crises, your family will always be your backbone and you theirs. They are your strength in your deficiency, your cure in sickness, love you when you don't care for yourself and they will be your sanctuary when society's danger comes thumping at your door."
Senior Chen has continued this tradition and instilled the same words in his sons, so this action soars out of their hearts and not out of duty. However, it is the universal truth that maintaining a family is an obligation but; like all tasks, it's done efficiently when the heart is involved.
He felt a little more light today like he was shoulder height of cloud nine. Thanks to having his granddaughter and great-grandson in the household. He looked at the faces at the table and wished he could add two more faces to the table.
'I will reunite this family soon and make it whole. Adele and Gabe will shine their light upon us and make it all possible,' he deliberated.
"Dad, eat more," Pamela interrupted him from his thoughts and placed a preserved egg in his bowl.
"Yes. Yes," Senior Chen said with a vague smile.
Lucas was sitting in his high chair being spoon-fed by Eva. He had such an enormous appetite. When Ally had a low supply of breastmilk, she would have to back up with the formula and within six months he was strictly on formula. This is music to the ears for some mothers, but it was thunder on a rainy day with no umbrella for Ally. She felt like an incompetent mother, not being able to produce for her own.
Staring at him now reminded Ally of those times. He was so happy and laughed every time Eva would make the airplane motion with the spoon. She fed him the same way back home and now he doesn't seem to notice her. It used to be just them and occasionally, her mother. Present, he's in a house full of warm bodies, and it's what she wished to give him, but she's afraid he will forget her when she gets busy with work. She was all he had then, and he is all she has now and forever. She reminisced with a doleful countenance.
She had been staring at Lucas and Eva for some time and everyone noticed her expression. The only person who understood everything about Ally is her grandfather and uncle. They were the guardian angels in the darkness. Their responsibilities were stretched far and wide out of the house and the company.
"What happened to your hand, sweetie?" Pamela asked.
Ally didn't hear a single word spoken at the table and they couldn't understand what was on her mind. Alexander was the closest to her, and he gently touched her shoulder with a nod to his mother. She looked at them, then bowed her head slightly to hide her readiness and asked, "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"It's okay, sweetie. I just wanted to know what happened to your hands?" Pamela repeated with a gentle smile.
"Oh, um... I just fell last night. It's nothing serious," she said hesitantly.
"I'll call the doctor to have a look at it, just in case it gets infected."
"Mom, she already saw a doctor," Lexi said.
Pamela dubiously looked at the two girls and her eyes landed on Ally, "Is she telling the truth, sweetie?"
"Yes, Aunty." Ally really didn't want to continue talking about her hands, and she was afraid Lexi would bring up last night's events.
"Why do you doubt me? We took her there personally?" Lexi said to justify her story.
"Who are we?" Pamela went on to drill Lexi for information.
The three men at the table ate their meal silently and didn't meddle. They too were eager to know what actually transpired last night. They doubted the girls would wrangle with each other, so there was perhaps more to the story.
Lexi gave a playful smile and said, "Toby and Ethan."
Everybody looked astonished at the table. Ally continued to eat and crammed her mouth so they had no chance to ask her anything. Last night was a bizarre night for her, from wanting to unwind to getting into a fight and hounded by a pervert.
Pamela broke the silence, "Why was Ethan there? I thought you guys went out separately?"
Ally shook her head slightly at Lexi, and she understood. She only told them half of the story. She excluded the fight and dancing. Ally was really thankful.
"Oh okay, well, I'm glad the boys were there to help you girls out. The clubs are not safe anymore. Men like to prey on weak young women there. I hope you were not scared, sweetie," Pamela said.
Lexi smiled amusingly and mused, 'If you all only know that Ally is not a Lamb but a Tigress. A Tigress who was simply drunk last night.'
"Ehm...," Damian cleared his throat to change the topic. He knew his niece was a private person and they would have to approach her gradually with their affection.
"When your hands heal, you can start working. Alexis will take you to get whatever you need," Damian said as he looked at Ally.
"Okay, thank you," Ally said gratefully.
"Do you have a specific department you will feel comfortable in?"
Ally looked at him straight in the eyes. She was reclusive, but always eager to learn. No matter what she pursues, she always does it to the best of her ability. When she thought of her uncle's question, she had the urge to choose something challenging, but then she thought about Lucas and recognized she knew nothing about the family business.
"Can I know more about the company and then I can decide?"
"Okay, we will have a family meeting after this," Damian said as he looked at his father for permission.
Everybody finished their breakfast and headed to the living room. Grandpa sat in his throne like a chair, Damian and Pamela to his right and the grandchildren to his left. Ally kissed Lucas before she put him to walk around with Eva looking over him.
"My grandfather, who was a Doctor of Traditional Medicine, lay the first stone to Paramount Pharmaceuticals Company. He knew medicine was expensive, so he did his best to help the people who were not so fortunate. He formulated the herbal medicines into caplets and liquid forms but most hospitals rejected them. Back then there was no FDA approval. However, he didn't give up, and he opened a small shop and sold those medicines very cheaply while treating patients. Within a few years, he built a warehouse, extended the shop, and hired people to work for him. One of these was a young 12-year-old boy, whose mother had passed away. Without having a home for shelter, my grandfather adopted him and acknowledged he had gifted hands. He became his apprentice. A year after, the boy's aunt came in search of him after finding a settlement and work in the new village, but she ran into my grandfather at the entrance. It surprised her. This was the man her sister was in love with. She told him everything then. That boy was the man's love child. That boy was my father, your great grandfather," Senior Chen said with a smile on his face.
He continued, "This was bittersweet news to my Grandfather. He had gained a son but lost the love of his life. Although they hadn't seen each other in year's she was the only woman in his heart. My father was truly gifted with his hands. He graduated Meds school and started his journey on getting approval through all the right channels. They build the conglomerate to what it is today."
Damian continued when his father stopped, "This is the foundation, though we are also a Pharmaceutical company with Health care facilities. My mother Adele was the heiress and only legitimate child of the Tan Corporation. She left your father and me this when she passed. We merged the two companies and called it 'Tan & Paramount Corporation'. The company and the hospital in this city are close by to each other, which is a bonus. On the Board, Dad is the chairperson and each family member is an executive. Your father's space is still open, and it's up to you to decide if you want to take that role. You will also still need to head a department."
Ally listened intently to this information and was calculating her decision. 'This industry is new to me, but they must be some way I can contribute to the family business,' she pondered. As she was thinking, the others looked at her, anticipating her answer.
"It sounds like a lot, but it's not. Lexi manages the Human Resources Department, Alexander manages the Finance Department, and we have other trusted people in the other departments. So however you think you'll be able to help, let us know." Damian said.
Ally thought carefully and said, " I am fluent in several languages and good at organizing. I've emailed you my CV. I've worked at Unicorn as a specialist and volunteered with other organizations but I'm not familiar with this industry."
"Yes. Your CV is quite impressive but I want you to be comfortable working, so I will send you our organizational chart and handbook. You can do some research and decide for yourself," Damian said.
"You'll have a week to think about it, so don't stress yourself right now," Grandpa said.
Ally assured them with determined eyes and said, "Okay I will inform you when I make a decision."
The family dispersed to their pastimes after the meeting, and Ally took Lucas to walk outside in the garden.
The weather was pleasant; the sun was out, but the breeze was cool. She walked with a blanket and some small snacks. She wandered with him for some time admiring the flowers, but Lucas's little feet got tired and he pulled on her dress and muttered cutely, "Mum, up...up."
She picked him up and smooched his forehead. He's like the typical Chinese baby, except for the color of his eyes. He had her striking green eyes and his cheeks were chubby and pink. He was the loveliest thing in the world.
Ally walked out of the garden and onto an open field on the other side of the house. She walked a bit further on the freshly grazed grass. She saw a 9m tree in the middle of the field. This panorama was so mesmerizing with the contrast of the blue sky, the green open field with that lonely brilliant leafy tree anticipating the closeness of someone or something.
She spread the blanket under the shade of the tree and put Lucas to eat the bento box. She got up and took her phone and snapped pictures of him from the distance. He left the container and ran to her giggling and she took photos of that too. He was not strong on his feet so he stumbled. Ally approached him calmly and dusted his clothes. She checked his body for any bruise, but he had none. "Woah, that was a crazy backflip. I have such a tough cookie! High five," she said and he reciprocated with giggles.
She sighed and took him back to the blanket and they lay there looking up at the sky and Lucas fell asleep there.
Ally took some more pictures of him sleeping and attached, "Your grandson has adapted quickly to his environment."
She sat up and discovered they were on a hill. Overlooking the city, she saw the houses below looked very tiny with a few exceptions. Then she remembered Toby saying 'Oakland Hill Mansion' last night, and she figured this was probably the name. Her phone rang then, and it was a video call from her mother.
"Alyssa, my Luc looks so adorable in those photos. How are you guys doing?" Regina said with a graceful smile
Ally's soft-spoken voice said, "Mom, everything's hunky-dory here. Lucas has so many people around and hardly notices me, so I took him out for a stroll."
"Okay, well he is going to be curious and it's a good thing that you will have people to rely on when you get busy or want to go anywhere," Regina said reassuringly.
"I know, I'm trying to adjust to it. I mean, it's only been a day," Ally said.
Regina could sense the discomfort in her daughter's voice. "You want to know something?"
"Hmm, sure."
"Your father and uncle planted that tree. Every year when the tree grows, they would carve something on it. You'll probably need a ladder to check every carving," Regina said.
"Okay, I will talk to you soon," Ally eagerly ended the call.
She got up roaming around the tree and saw countless half post-it sizes, assorted shape stainless steel sheets nailed into it.
