[Fala’s apartment]

“Cheers, for Niki’s promotion” The girls clinked their glasses of wine together.

“Today I am so happy, so, I am going to shout you guy’s dinner.” Niki shouted

“By the way, what’s with the candles?”

“Building maintenance, so there will be a power cut at 8pm sharp, it’s not my fault Niki said it had to be my place.” Fala complained.

“It’s your turn anyways,”

“It’s nearly eight anyways so let’s start lighting the candles”

“But why aromatic candles, birthday candles, church looking candles and even fake torch candles that you got from the showcase in Ocean Park?” Janice asked

“Do you sell candles?” Linda asked as the girls cracked up laughing,

“Yeah, laugh all you want, I was expecting to go to a karaoke club, BTW where is Charlene? I told you to bring her.”

“Studying, with her boyfriend or something”

“Hey girls, come look at this one, its Myolie and Bosco’s wedding candle,”

“HAHA! Thanks for coming to our wedding, Myolie and Bosco?”

“SHUT UP! You know you’ve got to use those gifts some day, if you don’t they will just be a waste of space?” Fala explained

“Fala don’t say it like that, they gave it to you so you can remember their wedding.”

“I don’t want anyone remembering my wedding.”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to divorce already?”

“UHHHH! I was just joking!”

“Let’s wait for our dinner over here; the atmosphere is so calming, look at the shadows on the wall.”

“It seems rather romantic, if only Billy was here” Fala sighed

“Billy?!” Fala and Janice asked.

“New”

“Boyfriend”

“Got it,” they pointed at each other.

[Flashback]

“Coming,” Raymond shouted as he ran to the door

“Delivery is here,”

“Sorry miss but I think you got the wrong address”

“Well alright, I’ll check with my manager.” Linda said casually as she turned.

“I was joking, I gave you keys for a reason, you know?”Raymond laughed as he pulled the hand of his girlfriend stopping her from leaving.

“Well guess what sir, I don’t have enough hands to turn the key or use fingerprints,”

“Call me next time, before you come, I’ll pick you up”

“I wanted to give you a surprise-ish, and I have my license too.”

“What’s on the menu tonight then, my love?”

“Italiano! Which includes: an entrée of Bruschetta, penne Bosciola, Italian style chicken parmigiana and pre-prepared tiramisu, (which I made yesterday), plus a bottle of ’82 merlot, as your beverage sir.” Linda acted all professional.

“Wow, should I go and grab a romantic CD as well as candles and maybe a bouquet of roses?”

“Dude, it’s just a casual dinner, I don’t want everything so overwhelming.”

[Kitchen, Lam Fung’s apartment]

“Fung, do you ever go home?”

“This is my home, what are you talking about?”

“No, I’m serious.”

“I don’t really want to see my sisters, you remember Charmaine right? I’m fine with her but she is helping my father persuade me to drop my pilot career, and take over Neway. I really don’t want to” Raymond explained. Linda nodded slowly listening very intently.

“But because of this, Tavia, my second sister, thinks that I am a threat to her holding of shares.”

“It’s the first time you told me that,”

“I didn’t want my family background to scare you.”

“Will you ever drop your flying career in Cathay and fly Neway towards the karaoke?”

“I have a contract with Cathay, besides, with such an attractive magnet in Cathay, I can’t go anywhere?” Raymond laughed and hugged Linda.

“Watch out, the pan’s spitting everywhere!”

“If I let Miss Chung to be my Kitchen maid, I really need to drop flying and become a fire fighter.”

“You want to die Lam Fung?”

“Maybe in your arms,”

“Go outside,” Linda pointed Raymond outside, pretending to be serious and angry. Raymond laughed at how easy to tease Linda was.

“Actually, wait,”

“What miss me already? Do I get a kiss?”

“You wish, the Bruschetta, bread in the oven looks ready, take it outside.” Raymond pretended to be disappointed and pecked Linda on the cheek before leaving for the oven.

[Dining room, Lam Fung’s apartment]

“Entrée is served Mr Lam,” Raymond wrapped his arms around Linda’s waist from behind.

“Wahh! Will you let me put this down first?” Linda protested.

As Linda placed down her dish, suddenly the lights flicked off without a warning. Darkness wrapped around the atmosphere swallowing the couple. This made Linda scream automatically turning around and cling to Raymond.

“I think the fuse went out.” Raymond responded.

“Did you forget if it was maintenance? Lucky everything is ready”

 “I’ll just go and check the fuse, I won’t be long Ka Yan , sit here and wait for me.” Raymond gently lifted Linda’s hand off in a way that was trying to tell her that it was going to be alright”

“Fung, take me with you, I’m scared of the dark.”

“Miss, if you’re not scared of our job, why are you scared of the dark?”

“Just please hold my hand, can you please show me your serious side in a situation like this?”

“I won’t run away”

“Just promise me you won’t let go until we find proper lighting.”

“Fine, I promise you.” He sighed and smiled although, Linda couldn’t see, she could feel it making her feel comfortable and relieved. From here, she allowed Raymond to lead her through the darkness as she felt his security and protection.

“Linda, Do you trust me with all your love and heart?”

“If I don’t trust you, who would I trust?”

“I thought I might lead you to a cliff and fall off, dying romantically together,” Raymond laughed once again, as Linda slapped him lightly on the arm.

“Let’s get a torch”

“This way or was it that way?” Linda asked with concern. Raymond felt her concern and tension that he suddenly yelled, scaring Linda into a shriek.

“I was just trying to scare you.”

“It’s not time to be playing games,”

“Found it, Oh dear, out of batteries? I don’t think I have any left.”

“What kind of apartment do you live in?”

“I don’t prepare for those things,”

As Linda watched her boyfriend checking the fuse with his serious and focused, face in the glow of his phone, she found it charming just like when she fell in love with him.

“I’ve always wondered how he would look when he was concentrating on flying” Linda thought to herself.

“They look perfectly fine,” Raymond assured, turning to see Linda gazing at him lovingly.

“I guess something is wrong with the power, By the way, why are you staring at me?”

“I wasn’t staring at you, I was just wondering why your lock screen isn’t a picture of us?”

“Because you are in here,” Raymond whispered, pulling Linda towards his chest, holding her, in a way so that she could feel his security and love for her

“I feel like you won’t let me go, I won’t lose you right?” she whispered

“But wait, do you have candles?”

“Maybe in the cupboard to the right?”

“Look outside love, the building opposite is all dark too, but the weather looks fine.”

“Raymond I can’t find any proper candles, except for the scented aroma ones,”

“That’s all I have”

“Why though?”

“Secret”

“Fine, don’t tell me then.”

“I was going to confess to you with those, like make a love heart but I ended up doing it someplace away from home.”

“Oh… so you did plan for it”

“Wow it’s so romantic, I can smell the lavender and frangipani, the floral scents”

“Lucky you, you have a handsome vice captain sitting opposite you.”

“I’m eating, don’t make me want to lose my appetite” Linda mocked.

“Miss Chung is scared the dark.”

“Shut up! I bet you’re scared of something too”

“Seriously I am, I’m scared of losing you.”

“Stop that sweet talk of yours”

“Oh does that mean you shouldn’t of added sugar to this tiramisu?

“It doesn’t require that much extra sugar, its got chocolate and mascarpone cheese, coffee and marsala.

“Anyway, I never thought that your cooking was this good since you grew up rich, can I hire you as my private cook?”

“You wish, I am under contract with Cathay Pacific, my dream job”

“Why though?”

“When I was little, I was taught at home to be a lady-like person, but I wanted to see what the world was like so I decided to work in an airline.”

“I have a good reason so you could drop that though…Because I love you!”

“I love you too!” As Linda said this, the lights, switched back on,

“Oh it’s back on”

“But Linda, I want to keep the lights off so we can complete this romantic evening in the candlelight.” Raymond said sincerely with a charming smile on his face, as he turned the lights off.

“Sit next to me, you play that side, and I play this side”

“What duet though?”

“I never thought of which song but I always wished to play the piano in the candlelight with my other half.”

“I have a song request…Fly me to the moon!”

“Sing along alright?

“ready? One to three”

“Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars

Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars

In other words, hold my hand

In other words, darling, kiss me

Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more

You are all I long for all I worship and adore,

In other words please be true,

In other words I love you” The harmony of their love melody and tune of their voices was truly breathtaking. The lovebirds stared at each other lovingly in the eyes.

[End flashback]

“Linda, come eat dinner, Pizza is here, they managed to climb the stairs.”

“Coming,”

“Four leaf clover shaped pizza?”

“It’s from the new café down the street.”

“Who’s flying tomorrow?”

“Me and Linda” Fala shouted enthusiastically.

“Lucky, I’m flying the day after,” Janice sighed.

“Anyways Cheers to Cathay Pacific and to those who fly with them”