Junebug

(continuation of 'short story'):

June was a simple nobody. Well, at least to her. As a secretary-of-sorts to a so-called 'wealthy independent politician', her nosy cousins and several of her rumour-mongering aunts had her up on a pedestal for supposedly having climbed a higher level of social class. Oohh, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous in town now, are we? they would say. And June will just give a half-shrug to blow off their question.

If they only knew, she sighed. That she did the most ridiculous of things at the behest of her boss. For instance, she often had to play interceptor - receive calls on her boss's secret hand-phone to intercepting calls from this one handphone, where she often takes cryptic messages for her boss, *Datuk R. From scheduling his forays with girlfriends to so-called 'business partners', June also finds herself sucked in more and more into Datuk's messy life, especially when his wife calls, a quiet little thing, to ask for Datuk's weekly schedule. This happens when Datuk doesn't pick up his regular official phone, the only number privy to the wife. When this happens, a made-up 'schedule' comes up magically out of nowhere per instructions by Datuk, of course.

Frankly, June was sick and tired of getting involved with her boss's phones and life, even though she doesn't draw a bad salary from being in the middle of all of that. But this time, and on days like these, on bad days, she didn't have the extra energy to remain calm and submissive to her boss's beck and call. To be honest, June actually pities Datuk for his many indiscretions. June shakes her head in recollection - how many times has she caught Datuk's clients and business partners smirking and exchanging sly glances amongst themselves when all three of Datuk's hand-phones will ring.

At 39, June was well aware that while her many female cousins think her as this successful career woman, they also feel sorry for her love-less and childless state. One time, she overheard a cousin whisper about at a family gathering, "How is she (Jane) ever going to feel fulfilled in her life, not having a family of her own? You know, a woman feels complete when she experiences pregnancy and childbirth". That voice so thin and shrilly yet soft had the effect of the scratchy nail scene where teachers would do that to intimidate students.

Needless to say, June although having comfortably lounged around with other cousins and aunts in the living room would suddenly develop a case of stomach cramps. A little while later, June would concoct up needing to leave the party in order to attend to some extra work at the office. She would then make her escape in her tomato red Mini Cooper, a company car that Datuk got just for her, for 'being such a loyal secretary all these years', he said. With Il Divo or some classical music playing loud and strong as she'd drove, June would seek to empty her mind of any negative thing. Then drop by the nearest KFC for a whole bucket of fried chicken and as many cheesy potato wedges she could eat, and proceed to hole herself up at home, eating and watching Astro till late. So late that the feel of the almost get-together with her relatives would become minute, become a non-feeling, a nothing to care about.

*Datuk : honorific title given as a sign of respect for leadership and contribution to society.