Mama called Baba home. I don't know what emergency she told Baba for Baba to rush home to the mansion but she did it and I think I already told you all that this woman, Qing's mother, is almost unstoppable.
Minutes after Baba entered the house, Qing's car stopped at the entance driveway. I welcomed him at the receiving foyer. I stopped him from fully entering the mansion so I can brief him first about the war that has started.
Qing: (looking worried) What happened? Did Mama's blood pressure act up again?
Me: Oh! I forgot about her blood pressure. Well, that's not what happened. Although it could happen. Her blood pressure spiking.
Qing: (turning confused) Wait...what? The hell, Dayu ah...you are confusing me. What is wrong with Mama? Weren't you supposed to have tea with her and Auntie. How was that?
Me: Oh, that's a nice question. How was that tea? Uhm...should I say eventful? (nodding) Yeah, it was pretty eventful. The tea was nice, but I don't think it will happen again on the foreseeable future, though.
Qing: (groaning) What happened now?
Me: (wringing my hands) They had a fight. Right in front of me and matcha macarons. You and Zhu Gege were mentioned. Why did Zhu Gege beat your ass before?
Qing groaned. He closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose.
Qing: (sounding frustrated already) Please tell me that Mama didn't mention that time I landed in the hospital when Gege kicked my head when I was eight.
I clamped my lips. Qing opened his eyes and frowned at me.
Qing: Why aren't you saying anything?
Me: You told me not to tell you that your Mama mentioned that time you landed in the hospital...
Qing: Oh for fuck's sake!
Mama: (from behind me) Language. And what are you two doing there? Aren't you going to come in?
Me: (grimacing) I was just briefing Qing, Mama. So he'll have an idea about what happened...
Mama: (stern) What happened was that I learned that you two like to go and wrestle each other when you have some free time, enough to have bruises. We will talk about that. Follow me. Both of you...
Qing looked at me. I winced apologetically at him.
Me: They saw the bruises on my arms.
Qing closed his eyes again. I feel for him. Poor guy.
We followed Mama inside and went to the study where we saw Baba on the phone talking to someone. That someone turned out to be Uncle. We are in Code Orange. Everyone has to be alerted. I am sure, Zhu gege already knows about what happened.
Baba: (on the phone) I will talk to her. Okay. See you in the office...
Baba put down his phone after the call. Mama sat regally on a solo highback chair. She already has a defensive look on her face. Baba sighed.
Baba: (to Mama) Your temper really. Qing got his temper from you. When will you forgive Zhu for putting Qing in the hospital when they were children? Do you always have to mention that when you are cross with your children's aunt?
Mama: She started it.
Baba: She started it? Are you seven years old? Why are you pointing at someone else?
Mama: She came after our son. She almost accused Qing of beating Dayu up just because she saw some bruises on Dayu's arms and she talked to some victims of marital abuse...(scoffing) And she had the gall to call me a snob? She is the snob!
Baba: And why does Dayu has bruises? (turning to us) What happened?
Qing: Dayu got it when we had a wrestling match a few days ago. It was a playful match.
Baba: A playful match of wrestling?
Me: (raising my hand) I challenged Qing. I usually do that. To...you know, have a win against him.
Baba: (studying us) I see. (nodding) Yes, I can see that. (to Mama) What do you have to say about that?
Mama: (annoyed stares at us) Can't you two think of another way to be playful to each other? Why do you have to play a game that will give you both bruises?
Qing: Because we are men and we are stupid like that? Ma...Dayu and I are active people. We like playing and sometimes, it could get physical and rough. But we will never hurt each other.
Me: And I easily get bruised, really. I was like this even before. Even when I was a child.
Mama: That is why you two have to be careful. Dayu ah, you are smaller than Qing. The impression it could give if people saw you with bruises.
Qing: (irritated) The fuck I care for what others will say.
Mama: (angry) Well you should if they are calling you a violent brute who beat up your smaller partner!
Baba: Honey! You know Qing will never hurt Dayu like that.
Mama: I know that. But what about other people? Will they give our son the benefit of the doubt when they notice Dayu's bruises? She is Qing's aunt yet she has no problem assuming that our son is a forceful brute who hit people. She should've have not worried about my son and Dayu when her own son has a smaller partner and Zhu was a gangster before...
Qing: Okay, stop right there. Don't make Zhu Gege sound so cool. First, he was not a gangster. So he and his friends has reputation for being tough back in highschool and college but Zhu gege was never violent. Now, about him kicking my head when we were kids, we were playing then...
Mama: I don't care. I saw you falling down when he kicked you and you passed out. I had to rush you to the hospital to get your head in a CT scan...
Qing: Mama...
Mama huffed angrily and her lips turned thin again. There are three men in this study room with her but I know none of us will win against her.
Baba: You should talk to Auntie again...
Mama: No. I will not.
Baba: Honey!
Mama: (glaring at us) If any of you force me to talk to that woman again...that person could walk out of my life permanently.
Mama stood up from her chair and walked out of that study. The three of us were left there, feeling a tad helpless on how to deal with this situation.
I mean, since Qing brought me home to his family, this is the first time I am witnessing Mama and Auntie this angry with each other.
Baba: They are both sensitive when it comes to their children. I mean, who could blame them...?
Me: No one because they are loving mothers...
Qing: (shaking his head) No, Love. Its not that sentimental. Believe me, its not about them being loving mothers...
Baba: (nodding) True. This is about you and Zhu ah. You both failed your mothers because you used to ignore them when you were both growing up. Now, they don't even know how to defend you both when people are attacking your flawed personalities and your mother, and aunt, has to resort to anger and being offended because they have no ground to stand on when it comes to defending their sons' characters.
Qing: I think Zhu gege and I grew up well.
Baba: (scoffing) I cannot believe you said that with that straight face of yours. Think about what you two had put your mothers during your teenage years and then come back to me and say those words again. I dare you. (sighing) I have failed your mother. Maybe instead of letting Zhu discplined you, I should have beaten your ass while you were growing up.
Qing grumbled something under his breath.
Baba: You two find another game to play. Stop grappling each other and wrestling. For goodness' sake, Wang Qing!
Me: It's my fault.
Baba: Yes, share the fault Dayu ah...why not? (sighing) For now, let your mother be. She will need to calm down first...
Me: Her blood pressure...
Baba: We will monitor it. I think we should all buckle up and brace ourselves to weather this storm. It has been too long since they had a spat. Why should the reason for their fight now be you and Zhu ah? This will be tricky.
Qing: Should I talk to Mama?
Baba and I stared at Qing. He winced at us. I nodded at him.
Me: (patting his arm) A for efforts, Love.
Qing: Thanks.
Baba: If you talk to your mother, she will just be more defensive. You know how much your mother loves you, Qing. You have always been her sore spot. For some reason, your mother won't take criticism from other people on her son.
Me: (frowning) That's weird. I always criticize Qing and Mama laughs with me.
Qing: You are not other people for her.
Baba: (nodding) That's true. For Qing's mother, she knows you love Qing as intensely as she loves him. She feels a kinship with you, Dayu ah. For her, no one will love Qing the best aside from you and her.
Qing: That's why for her, the only two people who can criticize me are her and you. If it comes from other people, she raise the whole armada.
Me: Ah, I think I understand. We love you completely, flaws and all, that's why we are the only ones who can troll you. I get it.
Qing: (sighing) She is impossible. She knows I am not perfect, right?
Me: She knows. But so what? For her, you are still better than everyone and that's why no one has the rights to be critical of you, especially in front of her. (chuckling) Huh? See, I truly understand Mama.
Baba: (smiling) And that is the reason why she loves you so much, Dayu ah. For her, no one understands her stance and feelings for Qing better than you. You get her. She loves Qing and you love Qing and you have that in common together.
Qing: (eyeing his Baba critically) What about you, don't you feel the same about me?
Baba: (scoffing) I am your biggest critic. I irritate your mother on the daily basis by complaining about you and your choices in life. She thinks I am the enemy. But what can I do, I can only complain. Its not like you listen to your poor Baba.
Qing: (rolling his eyes) Please...I listen to you...(wincing) every once in a while.
Baba: (waving his hand) (grumbling) It is what it is. Just let your mother be for now. I will try to talk to her. You talk to your Zhu Gege. Don't bother JiJi, she is busy. Raising a child takes all her time and really, she doesn't need this drama.
But...
When we got home and JiJi called me, she proved Baba wrong.
JiJi: Are you kidding me? Give me this drama. Quick, what happened?
Me: Are you sure? Raising a child takes all your time...
JiJi: JR has a nanny. We take turns preventing him from jumping down the stairs to his death...
Me: Jesus H Christ, what the hell?
JiJi: (laughing) He is active. My son will one day pour water into an electric socket and we will all be electrocuted.
Me: Oh my...are you serious?!
JiJi: No. That's a joke about an active child. Our sockets here has covers. And there are eyes on JR when he is awake. But chasing him around is exhausting now that he can crawl into any space available and stand up on his own. Hey, does Nushi has a son or a daughter?
Me: Why? You want a trade?
JiJi: Yes. If its a girl she has, yes. Boys are demons from hell.
Me: Well, bad luck. I have a godson. And he is one heck of a headache too. That's why Meng is also tired when its his turn to play with his son.
JiJi: (disappointed) Oh. Well, I don't think anyone will trade with me anyways.
Me: You are such a weird mother. I will tell JR about this when he grows up. That you tried trading him off.
JiJi: Tell him. And I'll also tell him all those times my heart dropped to my intestines everytime he will try to slip himself between the spaces on the balustrade.
Me: Shit. Tie him down already.
JiJi: (sniffing) I want to. I might. No wait, I'll probably will. One day I will just tie him up on a chair and I will have a peaceful several hours of afternoon nap.
Me: Gosh, you love him so much.
JiJi: I do. He is my beloved son. So tell me what happened when Mama tried to defend her own beloved son.
So I told her. JiJi groaned.
JiJi: You should ask Qing why Zhu gege beat him up when he was fourteen. They won't tell us the reason why but I think Qing will tell you.
Me: Really?
JiJi: I hope so. And once you know, tell me okay?
Me: No.
JiJi: Spoilsport. I will call Mama later. Sorry you spent your afternoon between a hard place and a rock. You must have been shocked.
Me: It was an experience for sure...
JiJi laughed again. We ended the call on that high note. Then I went looking for Qing to ask him.
Me: Why did Zhu gege beat you up when you were fourteen?