Family Breakfast

Chong sat back in the chair, his face buried in the newspaper. It wasn’t that there was anything in it that particularly absorbed his attention. He did it idly. He just wanted a respite from the view in front of him.

Shusan sat opposite him. She had finished her thosai. She sat staring at the empty banana leaf on the table in front of her. The place was noisy, with crowds of people having their thosais and rotis canais while in animated conversation. Shusan looked ruffled. She always looked that way. Her face was often frozen in a scowl. She looked up and seeing her husband behind the paper irritated her even more.

“Listen, how long are you going to read that paper?” her voice was loud enough to make those at the next table turn to look at them.

Chong put down the paper and folded it. He got up.

“And where are you going now?” Shushan snapped.

“I’ll go settle the bill.”

Shushan looked at Liza, sitting next to her, nibbling at bits of the roti canai, while she dreamily played a game on her phone.

“You are taking ages to eat that roti! Come on. Put the phone away. Finish the roti. It’s just a small piece and you are taking forever.” Shushan thought her voice was a low whisper, but it had practically half the people in the restaurant looking at Liza.

“It may be a small piece for you, but its big for me.” Liza answered defiantly.

“Shut up and eat. Don’t answer back at me.”

“Mom, its still early…” Tom started.

Shushan turned on him, “Now you shut your mouth. I know when it is early or late.”

She glowered at him for a while. Then she saw Chong walking back and looked up at him, ready to snap at him.

“Do you have change for a 100 ? The guy doesn’t have change.” Chong held the RM100 note.

“What’s wrong with you ? Don’t you use your brain? You mean you just brought the RM100 note, and no small change ? How idiotic.”

“Well give me some small notes.”

“I don’t have my purse with me. Go change the money somewhere else. Serves you right.”

Liza looked at Tom and rolled her eyes. She continued nibbling at the roti canai. Tom sipped the Milo.

Chong sauntered away.

Shushan sat muttering under her breath.