Let's do dinner...

"Let's do dinner, coz I have something to tell..."


Where have I heard that line before...?


Maybe it was back in 1998 when I was in the midst of finishing my final assignment for my first semester in uni. The day's drama is still fresh in my mind...


I was staying at the apartment that the uni had rented for us due to the shortage of hostels on campus. It was in Serdang Raya, Sri Kembangan. We were all struggling to find a printer to print out our assignment report that day. The printer in our apartment suddenly has a mind on its own and refuse to print out accordingly. Hence, off we went in search of a cyber cafe around the Serdang area.

After 2 hours of scouting for a cafe, we have found one in the heart of Serdang that charges us minimal cost for the whole report. Pheewh..!

However, during the chaotic ordeal, I didn't realised that I've left my handphone on silent mode in the car. Imagine the shocked I received after discovering that there were over 20 missed calls within that 2 hours.

"You have 10 unheard messages.. "

Msg #1: "Binx.. call home please.."
Msg # 2: "Binx.. where are you? Call home ASAP..."
Msg #5: "Hei.. where are you girl.. why are you not picking up your phone?!!"
Msg #8: "Binx.. call home...!"
Msg #10: "I hope you are ok.. please call home.. urgent!"

"Beeeep....."

Panicked stricken, I dialed home and heard Lil' Sis's shaky voice...

LS: Where have you been?
B: Sorry.. I left the phone in the car tadi.. What's up?
LS: Can you come back tonight? Something came up..
B: I'm in the middle of finishing up my assignment.. Napa nieh?
LS: Ayah called.. He asked us out for dinner tonight..
B: Dinner? Napa?
LS: He has something important to tell the 3 of us..
B: 3?
LS: Mama's not coming with us...
B: OK... I'll be back in time for dinner...


At 8.30 p.m Ayah arrived in front of the house to pick us girls up. We were very anxious about the whole ordeal. Before we left, Mama had told me that things were a bit messy at home. Hence, I kinda sense what is going to be discussed during dinner. My heart goes out to Mama at home, who was at that time recovering from a fibroid operation.

The car we were in suddenly made a right turn at the traffic light. And suddenly we were heading towards on of the 5-star hotel in the neighborhood... It was typical of him to pick out such glamorous place to have dinner to avoid any outburst and unwanted scenes...

Ayah was in a jovial mood, which was a total opposite of what the 3 of us felt at that time. I didn't know how to react at that moment. I can't pretend that I didn't feel any resentment towards the man, whom I looked up to and respect.

Ayah: So.. how are my girls?
Ayah: Akak.. how's work? Good?
KN: Ok...
Ayah: Binx, how's your study?
Binx: Ok...
Ayah: Baby ayah... amacam sekolah? Banyak bf ke?
LS: *silent*
Ayah: Why the silent treatment nieh?
All: *silent*
Ayah: Ok fine.. Since none of you seems to want to talk, I have something to tell you..
Ayah: From today onwards, I no longer will be living in the house...
Ayah: I am releasing your mother...


*Gedebab*


That's how I felt when my heart sank that night.



And that is why I hate it whenever I receive a dinner invitation with a "I have something to tell you..." message attached to it.