Dream meetings (3)

"Good girl," the old woman chuckled and caressed the ring on my finger. "Found our old ancestral ring, did you? Did you enjoy the secret behind it? My husband found me the same way, suddenly appearing in my dreams and seducing me off my feet. Once he found out where I lived, I was married and pregnant before I knew it. Pity my stupid daughter lost the ring while playing with it before I could pass it on. I'm glad you've found it. Really gives me peace of mind. A-Jun really needs a companion."

"What? What's wrong?" Mr Wen turned to look down at where I was cowering in his arms and shivering with alarm.

"G-g-g-ghost," I stammered.

"Ghosts. Plural," corrected the voice of an older man, likely in his forties or fifties, stepping into my view with a woman by his side. Beside them was another elderly couple, walking around me and clearly checking me out. "There's more than A-Jun's great-grandmother here."

"Ghosts!" I exclaimed, correcting myself as the older male ghost had suggested. "Lots of ghosts."

"Where?" Mr Wen asked.

"All around us," I said in a trembling voice, hiding my face in the man's embrace. "You-you can't see them?"

Ghosts didn't exist, so why was I seeing them?

"Describe them to me," Mr Wen said.

I did so, meanwhile listening to the old ghost folks commenting on the size of my backside, hips and breasts.

"She should be able to give birth to many sons," the other elderly woman said with satisfaction, "and not starve the children."

"That's right," said the oldest old female ghost. "It's a pity she's a bit old. I was fourteen when I had my first child, you know. By her age, my first five children were already so big."

"Young people these days marry late," said the youngest of the female ghosts. If I wasn't wrong, she might have been Mr Wen's mother. "It's healthier for the mothers. Less women die of childbirth when they have children after physical maturity."

"Have you children had the wedding ceremony yet?" asked the younger male ghost - likely Mr Wen's father by the similar facial features - the same one who had corrected my speech earlier. "Don't tell me you both went straight to the marriage room without any of the proper ceremonies."

"Yulu-ah, Yulu," someone shook me gently by the shoulders. "You can see them? Quick. Tell me what they're saying."

Feeling even more in a daze, I repeated verbatim what I heard the ghosts around me saying. A red wedding veil was draped over my head while I was repeating the concerns about the wedding ceremony not having taken place yet.

"I wanted to do it here," Mr Wen told me, covering my head carefully with the ancient red bridal veil. With it on, I couldn't see anything. "Let's have the wedding and tea ceremony here. I've already prepared everything."

"Oh, oh, I'll call the bowing ritual!" The ghost of the oldest female ghost jumped up and clapped her hands.

"I'll write our family's new daughter-in-law into the genealogy book," said the older male ghost.

"That's Great-Grandma and Grandpa," Mr Wen told me after I had had told him what was happening. "You repeat the instructions so that I can hear," murmured Mr Wen in my ear, putting an arm around my waist and turning me around to face the door.

"First bow to heaven and earth."

Mr Wen nudged me and using his strong arm, had me bow together with him toward the outer doors. Then he turned me around to face the many tablets.

"Second bow to the main hall."

"The main hall is where the parents and ancestors sit. We bow to the parents and ancestors to show our respect, and give our thanks for their blessings as they brought us up," Mr Wen whispered the explanation to me and had me bow with him once more, just in case I didn't understand what was going on. It was kind of him to explain, because my family weren't traditional and didn't cling to the old culture at all.

"Husband and wife bow to each other."

Mr Wen bowed to me and stayed in a bowing position while I hesitated, not wanting to bow and complete the ritual.

"It's alright. Take your time. I'll allow you to make this choice," Mr Wen told me, while I listened to the ghostly whispers around us urging me to hurry up and complete the marriage ritual.

In the background, his great-grandmother was asking me why I was hesitating.

"Just bow already," she told me. "You won't regret it. Our A-Jun is a good catch. The best."

"No matter what you choose, I will respect your decision," Mr Wen seemed to be sweating. It was dripping down the back of his neck. Was he nervous? "You can choose to take off that ring and return it to me, and walk out of here. Otherwise, we are bound as husband and wife until death do us part. Yulu-ah, you choose."

Whoa. That was a big change. Suddenly calling me so intimately. Yulu-ah - when was the last time someone had called me like this? When had anyone ever wanted to get close to me? As far as I could remember, no one had ever - ever - ever spoken to me in this way.

I froze, thinking for a long moment. I thought back to all those times when I was younger when neighbours and so called family friends used to tell my foster parents that they would never find anyone willing to marry me and that I was unwanted as a child and would remain unwanted as an adult. A jinx, they called me. A bringer of misfortune. The cause of the deaths of my entire family as the sole survivor.

If I didn't accept Mr Wen now, I might never ever be able to find another man who was willing to have me.

"I had my assistant look you up discreetly, the moment I recognised you by the ring," Mr Wen said, still in a ninety degree in my direction but with his face pointing to the floor. "Yulu-ah, I just want you to know, your parents didn't name you as a well of favour, kindness and grace for no reason. This is their genuine blessing for you and your life. You aren't a star of misfortune or loneliness. You aren't a jinx. You are you. Unique, beautiful and wanted. Loved by your parents and now by me."

My, but his assistants must have had to rush to look me up this morning before the meeting. The man must have been busy from the very moment he had opened his eyes. I felt for his hard working assistants. Only an assistant would know what the life of any type of assistant is like. Your time and work is not your own. The praise and thanks belong to the one above you. The impossible is asked of you in unreasonable timeframes.

At the same time, my heart twisted and my eyes welled. My throat constricted. I couldn't speak and nobody could see my face through the veil. Only I knew how touched I was by his words.

Pushing down the rush of intense emotions stuffing my chest full, I swallowed and then gave a deep bow. This was my answer and my reply. This was my decision. I'd give it a go, no matter how improbable and unlikely last night and today's unreal events were.

Maybe I was still dreaming.

I heard all the ghosts cheering.

Mr Wen slowly helped me stand back up straight and then lifted the veil. He cradled my face in his hands. His trembling voice showed how strong his emotions were as well.

"You chose me," he said, looking into my eyes with a myriad of mixed emotions, including relief, disbelief and excitement. "You chose me. You can't go back on your word."

And then he kissed me so passionately and deeply that I nearly fainted and my knees went weak. His arms hugged me tight.

"Now the tea ceremony," he said, half carrying and half leading me over to the side of the hall where there was a tea table. An electric kettle was put to boil and Mr Wen made the tea, pouring out one cup. He gave the cup to me. "The first cup is for Great-Grandma."

I took the cup and faced the oldest ghost present. She beckoned me toward her plaque.

"Pour it out here in front of my tablet," she instructed.

"Great-Grandma," I called and poured the tea out onto the table in front of her name tablet.

"Mm. Good child. I give you and A-Jun my blessings to be healthy and happy," the old woman reached out to stroke my hair and gave me a peck on the cheek. Then she turned around and disappeared.

"This next cup is for Grandpa," Mr Wen refilled the empty teacup I brought back to him.

Pouring out that cup of tea, the old man patted my head.

"Good grandaughter-in-law. Be good to our A-Jun. He's suffered a lot. I give you both my blessings to have find favour in the eyes of other people and prosper. Tell A-Jun to hurry up. We're running out of time and I need you to check and confirm the writing of your name into the family genealogy book."

I related the message to Mr Wen who beckoned me over and quickly poured the third cup.

"This cup is for Grandma."

"Grandma," I greeted the old lady.

"Clever girl, don't let A-Jun get carried away with thought of avenging our deaths. We have made our peace. He should too. I give you both my blessings for many healthy, happy children. Give our family many sons."

"This cup is for Dad," Mr Wen's voice shook.

"Dad," I faced the ghost who had corrected me earlier and then poured the tea out in front of his tablet that he pointed out.

"Good girl, be bold and courageous," the ghost of Mr Wen's father instructed me while I repeated his blessings. "Both of you, take my blessings for safe and smooth travels in business and finances, in work and promotion."

"The last cup is for Mama," Mr Wen's voice cracked and his hands shook as he poured the tea into my teacup.

"Ma," I said, facing the last and youngest ghost.

"Good girl. I'm really happy we got to meet you. We all are. We weren't sure whether we'd be able to stay until we saw this day. I give you and A-Jun all my love. All our family's love and all the inherent blessings of a parent to her children. As long as you are all safe, healthy and happy, we are satisfied. Don't let my son live in hate. Help him to walk in love and stay walking in the light, not to do anything he might regret. You, my new daughter-in-law are now a daughter of our Wen family. You are now my child as much as A-Jun is our son. Understand?"

"Hurry up and check the genealogy book," snapped Grandpa's voice.

While I was still relaying the messages, I pulled Mr Jun over to the big book on the big stand at the side of the hall.

"That's my name," I looked at the latest entry in the book, written in fresh ink. "It's correct."

There was a golden flash of light and a warm wind that swirled, blowing out all of the incense sticks in one go.

Turning toward where the golden light had rested, I saw a golden doorway in the midst of the hall out which light spilled.

"I see them," said Mr Jun in a low voice, clutching my hand and squeezing it so tight that it made me sweat.

We watched his parents, grandparents and great-grandmother enter thought the doorway with smiles, air kisses and waves. They disappeared into the light.