"What am I doing?" squawked Lulu. "I''m trying to get past. Why are you getting the way?" Lulu focused her disapproval on Ang and slipped two pairs of disposable slippers on the ground for her and Nita.


    Ang tried to mellow her painful arm by rubbing it. ''Take it easy, '' she reminded herself. ''She''s only Arvin''s sister. Don''t get mad. Take a breather.''


    When the entry was sealed shut, Lulu stood in front of Ang, browsing her pajamas up and down. "It boggles me why you think you could ever hold a candle to Nita. You''re a little girl. When I see Arvin I''m going to ask him, ''Why let this riffraff in?''


    Ang pulled a resentful face. "Riffraff? Little girl? Well, you''re a little girl too! Go ahead and ask your brother if you think you''re so great."


    Lulu couldn''t believe in her ears. "My god! How arrogant you are! Do you know Who I am?"


    "Of course, I do! You are Arvin''s sister, Lulu!"


    "And yet you still behave so rudely! The insolence!" Lulu''s vision was red with fury. In any other situation, she would have weed Ang, and Ang would in turn bestow ttery on her with an air of pomp and parade. But the opposite was true. It was a moment of bem.


    "You''re not the only princess!" caterwauled Ang. "You have no right to query me and it''s really impolite for you to talk to me in this way!" Although Lulu was the little princess of the Gu family, Ang was the apple of her parents'' eye!


    Arvin sensed something wrong outside. He turned off the faucet and heard the hubaloo. He dried and dressed quickly.


    He held the doorknob, but decided to listen quietly first. He smiled as he listened to Ang''s dissonant mor.


    Actually, he changed his mind, and decided to let the histrionics y themselves out.


    "Wow!" said Lulu, eyebrows raised in stupefaction. "Then, tell us, whose princess are you?" The cornered expression returned to Ang''s face.


    All this was Nita''s doing, she supposed. But she had no proof.


    Nita, as it turned out, had tried to get some dirt on Ang by hiring someone to tai


    When her sister ran away from the wedding, Autumn was forced to marry Charles.


    His name had been linked to innumerabledies.


    He had different girlfriends for every day of a year.


    Autumn had never thought that she would fall in love with him.


    ask casually.


    "She disappeared for seven years." Maybe he did have a foot in two camps. After all, he was Rosa''s fiancé.


    She looked into the middle-distant pensively. ''Disappeared... for seven years. Arvin must be overwrought. He must feel very sad. So...he did have a foot in two camps.'' Of course, Ang could only specte as to the ramifications of his mind. She couldn''t truly know its depths, and she would have to be satisfied with whatever answer he gave. But...how could she?


    Her only sce was to say, "Of course, I can''t say you have a foot in two camps. Because...we are just friends."


    He loved her dearly and hugged her into his arms tightly.


    Ang had kept her distance before, but she nestled in the crux of his arms. Gradually she faded into unconsciousness, breathing low and softly.


    Touching her face, Arvin was lost in thought. He came to a decision.


    ''Ang, '' thought Arvin from his inmost heart, urging her to hear his prayer in her dreams, ''Wait for me.''


    The next morning, Ang turned over in the bed, and hugged against his strong chest.


    Under a spell, Ang rubbed her eyes and found the handsome face. "You''re up...it''s so early."


    Arvin enveloped her in his arms. "I''m used to it."


    Ang kissed his. "Good morning, Big Wing!"


    "Good morning, Ang!" He lowered his head and kissed her coral-colored lips.