PE, finally!

I had a good feeling, a really good one.

I ran downstairs, two steps at a time, to collect the mail, something I only do once a month if I can be bothered.

There, I saw the magic red words: Professional Engineers Board.

These are the words I have seen, annually, for the past four years.

I bounded upstairs, waved the letter around, KK’s eyes widened and he retreated straight to the kitchen.

I couldn’t bear it either. I cut the letter open and passed it to Day who had just come out of the shower with the words: Don’t say anything, Day, don’t say anything!

Day, green bath towel wrapped around his wet body, unfolded the two sheets. He read. And read.

Jo joined in the letter party. She read and read.

I finally mustered the courage to whisper: Did Papa pass or fail?

Both looked up. “I don’t know,” both said.

I grabbed it. I still couldn’t bring myself to read it. I got up and went into the kitchen. I handed KK the letter. He took it and stared. He looked at me.

Only then I read.

Oh my God.

We hugged each other and started jumping like kangaroos in the kitchen, squealing away. Kids must have thought we were mad.

Four years, nearly $2000 in exam fees and months and months (every year) of hard, hard study, KK has finally passed the Professional Engineer’s exam. Fourth time lucky.

He’s not quite one yet. He still has to pass the interview hurdle to become Er Loh (Er is the honorific for professional engineers), but he’s passed the paper!

He snapped out his daze to industriously bathe the girls and brush their teeth. “I feel like crying,” he said.