Chen's POV
They haven't stopped arguing all morning. What starts like a jab from mom meant to somehow reprimand him always escalates to shouting battles. The bottom line is Kai and mom don't get along.
I faced outside through the glass windows I have been cleaning. Dad says that it has to be so clean that he walk right through it because he didn't notice it's glass. I can't get sit for the day he will walk through it. But till then, I drowned out Kai and mom and focused on the man practicing tai chi in a pair of shorts only. It's a morning routine for him. Every day at 6am he is out there in front of the ocean practicing tai chi. For a man his age, he looks good. He takes fitness and health seriously. While he's eating a salad, the be rest of us are eating fast food. My mother doesn't have a morning routine. She drags herself out of bed looking like a zombie. She doesn't talk to anyone until she has two cups of coffee which I must mention she did not make and then she begins to gradually function. I adore my parents but mostly my father. He's the calmest most serene human being I know. He married a hot head who goes off like a volcano. That hot head bore him two hot headed children. In a chaotic morning like this, he's the only one who maintains a steady heart beat.
Their argument trickled closer.
Again I ignored them. I keep hearing Kai dragging my name into it. I'm trying not to be sucked in.
I want to let dad know that I'm leaving the island and this time it's going to be a while because I volunteered for doctor's without boarders. He did it when he was my age and I'm motivated to follow his steps. He will be dad to see me go. We get along so well. I can't say the same for him and Kai. That is a whole other relationship that needs help. While mom doesn't restrain her words, dad seals his lips shut and he lets his fierce eyes do the talking. He will truly be sad to see me go. I was about to open the glass doors to go outside when my idiot little brother plastered his palm on the glass I have been cleaning all morning.
"Kai!" I smacked him and just like that the three of us went at it arguing loudly. We went on and on bringing up mistakes from the past as if it helps anything. I glanced outside and I can't see him anymore. My question as to where he went stood close by. When I stopped arguing and looked at him, the rest noticed him too. He makes eye contact and holds it quietly asking for silence. After the three of us obeyed, he walked away. I think he just got tired of talking.
I followed him after hurling the cleaning towel at Kai Lin.
"Daddy."
"Yes sweetheart." He answered. "Pass me the pineapple." I brought the diced pieces to him. "What's on your beautiful mind this morning?"
He smiled at me.
When daddy smiles, he makes everything alright without saying it. He's not a man of many words. The men in my family aren't except for Kai who never shuts up.
"I'm twenty four!" I clapped my hands.
"Indeed you are. Your nai nai wants you to visit her."
My face dropped.
Nai nai is looking for a match. She wants to find me a Chinese husband from a good background also known as old money. I know all the Asian rich boys. It won't work out. I have my sights set on someone else.
"Why?" I pretended not to know.
"Like you said, you're twenty four and you have matured into a fine young woman." He winked at me.
"Do you support this?"
"We agreed on college. It's done. You're out of my hands now."
Nai nai wanted to marry me off when I was eighteen but my mother fiercely objected. They didn't speak for four years. Daddy didn't have an objection but he asked me what I wanted and when I said I want to go to college, he backed me. I want to disappear before nai nai presents a husband.
"Daddy, please don't agree to anything she says!"
"She wants to find you a good husband." He put some more fruits in the blender. "She never got to choose my wife so trust me, you and Kai are her projects. Especially Kai."
"Kai is twenty one. He won't make a good husband. He's the most selfish person I know. Tell me how he will make a good husband. She will be selling lies!"
"It's the family name that counts." He stated a sad truth. It's not even the person's character but the family name. Our family name is prominent. My mother never uses it unless it's absolutely necessary. She simply goes by Vivi or Red. Never Mrs Zhang. Our family name gets things done. I glanced at the idiot who is supposed to be someone's husband and I cringed. I pity the poor woman who will be stuck with him. Kai Lin needs a century to grow up. Translation: he will never grow up.
He turned to search for something in the most disorganized fridge in the world. Mom and Kai throw things in there without organizing. Dad grumbled in Chinese as he searched for whatever it is he wants. I observed the dragon tattoo stretching through his entire back. I wanted one like it it he said it's only the men in his family who get this particular tattoo. He got his when he was seventeen.
"Isn't it time for Kai to get his?" I asked.
He set the orange juice on the counter. "Get what? Married no. I refuse that because he will have reckless sex and i am not prepared to raise children."
"The tattoo daddy." I laughed.
When he smiles his eyes become narrow slits and his cheeks dimple. He stopped dying his hair black. Now he has grey hair on either side of his head. He's a handsome man. It must kill nai nai that she never got to pair her m off. Nai nai better line up the handsome ones. I'll have shallow reasons to overlook their lack in character.
"He has to earn it. He hasn't." He told me with a serious expression. "Do you want some orange juice? We better drink it before Kai and Vivi finish it."
He split it with me.
As payback I filled it with water and out it back in the fridge.
"Promise me that you won't allow nai nai to set me up with a prick."
He leaned on the counter. "I won't. I promise. I'll scare the pricks away. You won't even have to do anything. It will be between nai nai and I. But promise me you'll let her have her fun. Who knows, she may just find you a good man."
"Alright. I'll go to Beijing but she better not marry me off when I'm there!"
"She won't do it without my permission."
"I want to talk to you about something else. I'm leaving."
"Me too! I have to go to town for supplies. Last time I sent Kai he came back with nothing. He said he lost the money." He chuckled.
"Daddy." I took his hand into mine. "I mean I'm moving out."
The expression on his face broke my heart. He pulled his hand out of mine. "Did someone offend you? Is it Kai?'
"I'm not offended."
"Where are you going?"
"Doctors without boarders." I answered. "Just like you did when you were my age."
He closed his eyes for a moment. He pulled out a stool to sit beside me. "Chen, I understand."
There was no speech. I waited but he only smiled at me and wrapped his strong arms around me.
"I love you."
"I love you more sweetheart. I can't believe you have grown up."
Vivi's POV
"He got switched at the hospital." I complained. "That is not my son! He gives me nightmares during the day! He's destructive and unreasonable! He's more difficult than..."
I can't find anything to compare Kai Lin to.
My husband closed his book.
The Chinese triad boss reads books on the hammock every Tuesday afternoon. He doesn't look like a boss. His father commanded an air of authority. People feared him. Before he passed away, Wang was convinced he will be the heir but we were all surprised when Li Jie was named his successor. It didn't sit well with Wang. They were at war for months after that. Li Jie eventually had Wang Lei executed for going against the triad. It came after multiple warnings but it wasn't easy for my husband. He spared his children and his wife.
"Than you?" He completed the sentence.
I joined him on the hammock. "He's impossible!"
"It's your blood." He spoke softly. "Our other child is leaving."
"Did your mother find her a husband?"
"No. If anything she didn't go to Beijing as we agreed. My mother is pissed. She's having her hunted down."
"And what are we doing about it?" I immediately got on team offense.
"Nothing. It's between them. She joined doctors without boarders."
"Why?"
"Because she's passionate about saving lives. I used to feel that way but I signed up for the opposing team."
"A team that is fun!" I cupped his face.
Meeting Zeke in that warehouse is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I discovered a world I fit into rather well. It hasn't been a smooth sail but it's better than being the bored trophy wife of a billionaire. Sacrifices have been made but it all worked out.
"Only you find this life fun. I don't. I would rather be a doctor."
"Fine. Let's play doctor. You can be the doctor." I took a pose feigning dizziness. "Oh Doctor Li... I don't know what's wrong with me! I'm feeling light headed all of a sudden! It must be your good looks!"
That had him laughing.
That's what I like to see; my husband laughing until there are tears at the corner of his eyes. He's a wonderful man. It's my mission to make him happy.
"It's my turn. Okay... I need a script!"
"Say something about your good looks."
"I'm not vain." He laughed.
"But I am." Kai wiggled his eyebrows at me. "I'm Doctor Kai. I'm much younger and hotter! What's your name baby?"
"They call me Red!" I sighed.
"Ditch the old man and I'll show you the world." Kai carried on with our show. Zeke is trying not to laugh.
"But I feel so faint!"
"I evoke that feeling in women." Kai carried on.
"And scene! Go away!" Zeke gave him a playful shove. "Making moves on my wife..."
We often have little fun moments like this. It makes life bearable.
"I know you'll miss Chen but you did set an example she wants to copy."
"I know I did. Have you seen Theo this month?"
"A few days ago. He was a drunk mess. Let's just call him an older Kai without the humour."
"Hmmm... You know him better. When are you revealing yourself to him? He's old enough to understand what happened."
"I don't have the strength. When I do, I will."
I hope he will forgive me.