A Love For Keeps

Meet Up

(DAYU)

As we got closer to the hotel restaurant that will serve as the meeting place for this important and crucial event in my life, I felt my heart pounding harder against my ribcage.

I am so nervous.

I stole a glance on my mother who I am escorting as we walked on the lobby of the hotel. There is a hotel restaurant here that Qing rented for the whole luncheon time so we can have this meet up with our families.

My mother looks beautiful and classy in her cream colored pantsuits. The fabric soft and flowy. Is flowy a real word? I am not so sure.

I am so nervous.

I want to loosen the tie on my neck. We are all dressed a bit formally. My Baba and Grampy even opted to wearing their business jackets. I ditched that one. I don't think I can take the suffocation.

The set up will be simple. Qing will arrive at the venue first. Then he will welcome me and my family. Once I introduced him to my family, and maybe calm my mother and Grampy down a bit, then Qing's family can enter and we will all sit down like adults to discuss our relationship.

It's so simple.

Fuck! Why does this feel like detonating a bomb? One wrong move or word and it will explode on my face.

"Yu, are you okay?" Mama stopped walking to gazed up at me. "You are sweating,"

"I am nervous," honesty is the best policy. That is my motto today. Today, I will stop lying. Today, everything I will say is the truth.

My truth.

"It will be okay. I am thrilled to know that you are dating someone. Don't worry...I will do my best not to judge her and I will put efforts to like her," Mama patted my left cheek affectionately.

I don't know if I will laugh or cry at what she said. Because those two things can possibly happen today. Someone will laugh and someone will cry.

Will it be me, doing both? Fuck, I don't know.

I look at my Baba is standing behind us and walking with my Grampy. He nodded at me. We stopped at the entrance of the hotel restaurant. I took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

"Welcome, Sirs. Madam," the host greeted us. "Your table is set," he guided us inside the dining room of the restaurant. Into a partition where a private dining room is.

When the host opened the door, the first thing I saw is Qing standing by the table. His arms on his sides. Standing tall and proud. Looking extra handsome in light blue suits. When our eyes meet, he smiled at me.

"That will be all," I heard my father said to the host who guided us to this room. I also heard the door closing.

Then silence.

As my family and I, with Qing, stood inside that private dining room, a telling silence reigned. Until my mother broke it.

"Who is he?" She asked in a confused tone.

I turn my body towards her. "Mama..."

"Yu ah, is he your date's brother?" Mama frowned at me.

I look at my Baba then at Qing who nodded at me. I turned back to ny mother and shook my head. "He is not my date's brother, Mama. He IS my date." I said.

My mother's face smoothened first before utter shock register on her lovely features. "W-what?"

I turned to Qing who held out his hand for me. I moved to reach his hand and let Qing pull me gently to get beside him. We stood together, hand in hand.