Back home, I could hear my mother complaining about her missing flip flops. None was heard about a missing daughter and that affirmed that my disappearance had not been discovered and that the ladies had just come back.
Quickly and quietly, I slipped back into my bedroom. I laid down on the bed with my legs dangling down its side. I did not want to dirty the spotlessly clean bed sheet with my soiled feet. Just as I was about to get up and reach out for the rag on the floor to clean the dirt off, my mother walked in.
Staring at her goggle-eyed, I was lost for words for a few seconds but somehow , I managed to think of an excuse quite quickly. I explained that I was actually thinking of sitting down on the cool cement floor and that the bed had become too hot to bear. I was hoping that she had not seen my feet and much to my relief, she had not.
She told me that the cold floor would not be good for me. Instead of scolding me, she rewarded me with two coconut candies and commented that I had been a very good girl! I opened one of them to eat and kept the other for Ah Peng. Wait till she sees this, I thought to myself. Indeed Ah Peng was delighted to receive such a precious gift from me!
My mother put her palm on my forehead and was happy that the temperature had gone down. On seeing that I was perspiring a lot, which was a good sign, she decided to clean me up. This was the first time after nearly a week that I was brought to the bathroom. I felt excited as she filled a bathtub of cold water and then, mixed it with some hot water. She tested the water with her hands and when she thought the temperature was right, she soaked a towel in it.
By then I had undressed myself. My mother brought the wet towel towards my tender body and just as she was about to touch me with it, I yelled because I could feel the heat. I pushed away her hand and the water splashed on her face and clothes. My mother was so angry that she smacked me on my legs.
The session continued with me wailing and my mother grumbling. If I knew it was going to be like this I would rather have the sponging. It was for my own good , so said my grandma. My body was not ready to take any coldness yet.
Quickly and quietly, I slipped back into my bedroom. I laid down on the bed with my legs dangling down its side. I did not want to dirty the spotlessly clean bed sheet with my soiled feet. Just as I was about to get up and reach out for the rag on the floor to clean the dirt off, my mother walked in.
She told me that the cold floor would not be good for me. Instead of scolding me, she rewarded me with two coconut candies and commented that I had been a very good girl! I opened one of them to eat and kept the other for Ah Peng. Wait till she sees this, I thought to myself. Indeed Ah Peng was delighted to receive such a precious gift from me!
My mother put her palm on my forehead and was happy that the temperature had gone down. On seeing that I was perspiring a lot, which was a good sign, she decided to clean me up. This was the first time after nearly a week that I was brought to the bathroom. I felt excited as she filled a bathtub of cold water and then, mixed it with some hot water. She tested the water with her hands and when she thought the temperature was right, she soaked a towel in it.
By then I had undressed myself. My mother brought the wet towel towards my tender body and just as she was about to touch me with it, I yelled because I could feel the heat. I pushed away her hand and the water splashed on her face and clothes. My mother was so angry that she smacked me on my legs.
The session continued with me wailing and my mother grumbling. If I knew it was going to be like this I would rather have the sponging. It was for my own good , so said my grandma. My body was not ready to take any coldness yet.
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