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Three Books. One Woman.

On marriage, motherhood, family, food, airports, driving and the impossible work of holding a house.

The Collection by Lai Yin.

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Koh Samui

On room service, Phat Thai, papaya and hotel linen crisp and white.

Koh Samui
Photo by Kate Branch
Published:

By the time I checked in at my suite in Koh Samui,
he was working and sleeping in the office.

By the time I unpacked,
I had:
funded our startup,
run our household,
tended our two baby daughters.

By the time I unpacked
my toiletries,
my bras,
my dress from Sydney, cobalt blue,
the sun was dropping behind the horizon.

I stood there,
not speaking to myself.

Do I belong to him?
Does he belong to me?

By the time I got back to Hong Kong,
I had slept long,
swum,
eaten Phat Thai and papaya sweet,
dreamt.

By the time I got back to Hong Kong,
I had asked him to come back to the house.


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Faye Wong - Dreams (cover) - Chungking Express
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Lai Yin 麗賢

Lai Yin 麗賢

She writes about marriage, motherhood, family, food, airports, driving and the impossible work of holding a house. She lives in Europe with her husband, their three daughters and two dogs.

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