Wishing You a Happy Mother's Day!

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There are all kinds of mothers in my books. The intelligent and hypercritical Elsie Tham, the bitter jilted Har Ping, the overprotective Stella Soong …

There are also mothers in Joss Paper, my collection of horror short stories inspired by Southeast Asian folklore. An unconventional relationship can be found in “Legacy.” The story revolves around a woman, Emily Conti, who travels to Singapore to claim her inheritance, including the luxury condominium that her late father left her. 

I won’t say more for fear of spoilers, but here’s an excerpt ...




From the story “Legacy”

Emily took off her shoes. The marble floor felt like heaven under her sweaty, cramped feet. She poured herself a glass of water and wandered around the condo. There wasn’t much else to see. There were two bedrooms in addition to the living room and kitchen/dining room. The master bedroom had a picture window similar to the one in the living room, as well as an attached bathroom. There was a second bathroom off the living room. 

She opened the closets in the master bedroom and was relieved to find them empty. Liew had kindly removed all her father's clothes and personal belongings. The bedroom was now as impersonal as a room in a luxury hotel.  

The guest room was quite a bit smaller than the master bedroom. It wasn’t furnished except for built-in storage. Emily opened one of the drawers and was surprised to find neatly folded clothing inside. She picked up the top piece and shook it out. It was a T-shirt, stiff and new, that probably could fit a toddler. She opened another drawer and found it full of plastic trucks and cars and other toys. 

She would have to ask Liew about the clothes and toys tomorrow. Did Keith Conti have a son, or perhaps a girlfriend whose son sometimes stayed over? But if so, why didn’t the room have a bed? 



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