Chapter 1: Lizzy and George
"James Francis Chen you got an audition!" Lizzy exclaimed.
Lizzy jumped from the sofa and hugged her 11 year old son as he walked in through the door one Wednesday afternoon in September after school.
Spring had sprung after a cold winter in Sydney. The wattles were in bloom and Lizzy had been working from home when an hour beforehand she had heard the postie deliver the mail.
Lizzy and James lived in a two-bedroom flat in the sprawling Western suburbs of Sydney. Lizzy was a single mother since her fiancé, James' father George Chen, died just before James was born. Her family had disapproved of the relationship.
Lizzy came from a well-to-do middle class Anglo-Celtic family in Sydney's northern suburbs. George's Chinese-Malay family had arrived from Malaysia a generation ago and like most immigrant families, had struggled to find a footing in their new homeland. However, George's parents' work ethic instilled in him the value of studying hard and contributing to the community they lived in.
George was a 22 year old fourth year medical student and had met 20 year old Lizzy at RPA hospital during one of his medical student hospital shifts. She had gone in one Friday night at ED with her friend Charlotte. They had been clubbing at the Cross when suddenly she felt ill. Charlotte had gone into protective mode and took her to hospital concerned that someone had dropped GHB in one of her drinks.
George was passing by the bed in the ED ward when he was accosted by one of the nurses to help Lizzy sit up. It was lightning at first sight on George's part. It was not on Lizzy's side. She was drowsy and her speech was slurred.
George stayed as long as he could with her and Charlotte until he was called to another patient. By the time he had finished his shift at 6 a.m., her bed was empty and she and Charlotte were gone. They were ships that passed by the night.