Note: In Chinese culture, friends or strangers are addressed as "uncles" or "aunties" even though they're not blood-related.
~~~
"Good afternoon, Mei," Dai-Tai's mother greeted as she seated down on the restaurant's chair. Her daughter, who was dressed in a tacky flowery dress, followed her mother behind. "Say hello to auntie, Dai-Tai."
"Hello, auntie," Dai-Tai replied as she timidly looked up at Mei Leung, the long-haired, attractive woman whom looked younger than her mother. She was wearing a black dress that reached to her knees, and it revealed her long legs which were clothed in transparent stockings. To the right of the woman seated a little girl Dai-Tai's age. The girl just looked like her mother. Two pink Hello Kitty hairclips kept the bangs out of her face exposing her small forehead. Her large eyes gazed curiously at Dai-Tai's dress and then moved towards the girl's slightly round face. Dai-Tai quickly looked away and stared down her hands. She couldn't help but think that the girl looked like a princess in the lacey pink dress.
Mei smiled friendly at Dai-Tai.
"You don't have to be shy. This is my daughter Victoria."
"You are a very beautiful girl," Dai-Tai's mother said to Victoria.
"You really look like your mother."
Victoria smiled widely at the compliment. "Thank you, auntie."
In the corner of her eyes, Dai-Tai peeked at Victoria. Victoria caught her staring at her and smiled. Dai-Tai's eyes retreated again embarrassingly, and she fidgeted with the hem of her dress. She didn't know why, but she felt a certain discomfort in her stomach. It felt like she had butterflies.
"Beautiful?" Mei scoffed. "Your daughter is more beautiful than mine, Fei Yen."
"You must be out of your mind," the woman replied.
"Your daughter is obviously prettier because she looks like you. Just look at me, I'm old and…."
The two mothers continued to argue. Dai-Tai grew bored and stooped lower into her chair. Every time she was with her mother, she would always compare her to her friend's children. The girl didn't understand why it always happened, but she had gotten used to the tired bantering.
Dai-Tai was especially not in a good mood. Her mother forced her to wear a 'girly' dress. It was too colorful and flowery. If Chenglei saw her in a dress right now, he would burst into laughter and call her names that would make her cringe.
"Dai-Tai?"
Dai-Tai quickly looked up at Victoria. She didn't look directly at her eyes.
Victoria smiled since she finally got her attention. "Your name is Dai-Tai, right? My name is Victoria, but you can call me Vicky."
Dai-Tai nodded. "You have an English name," she remarked silently.
Vicky nodded.
The two remained quiet for a while. Dai-Tai didn't know what to say; she didn't know if there was even anything to say. It felt awkward since both of them didn't know each other. Victoria on the other hand managed to continue their conversation despite Dai-Tai's nods and quiet responses.
"I want you to be my friend," Vicky said.
"Your friend…?" Dai-Tai asked hesitatingly. She could be her friend, but she couldn't replace Chenglei. Chenglei was her first and only best friend. Besides, Vicky was a girl.
Vicky's lips curled into a frown as if she had been hurt. "You don't like me?"
Dai-Tai forced herself to look into Vicky's eyes. "No, I do like you…."
"Then we're friends from now on, okay?"
"Okay." Dai-Tai slightly smiled, and Vicky grinned at the resolve. Dai-Tai didn't know what changed her mind to be friends with a girl besides not wanting to hurt her feelings. But maybe it was because she was no longer able to see Chenglei for the rest of summer. It would give her something to do.
Mei greeted a waiter as he poured steaming green tea into each teacup. Dai-Tai wrinkled her nose at the herbal smell. She stared at the empty cup he was about to pour until her mother began, "She'll drink soda instead."
"Pepsi or Coca-Cola?" the waiter asked.
Dai-Tai's mother glanced at her daughter.
"Coca-Cola," Dai-Tai said.
"Ma," began Vicky, "may I drink Pepsi?"
Mei nodded her head. "Get a can of Pepsi too."
The waiter soon returned with two cans of soda and straws. Opening the cold can, Dai-Tai slipped the straw inside and began to sip the cool drink. The sugary fizzy drink stung her throat. She was glad that her mother never forced her to drink the tea and always ordered soda for her.
After the waiter took down the mothers' orders, Mei said, "Wait until you try our steamed pork buns. We have the best around here."
Dai-Tai's mother smiled politely.
"We really appreciate your invitation. I have to owe you for your kindness, so I'll be paying—"
"No, no, no," Mei interrupted as she waved her hand off.
"It's all on me. I'm the one who invited you anyway, and also since I own this restaurant, I'll be paying."
"But—"
Mei chuckled and shook her head.
"It's all right, Fei Yen. Maybe some other time." She turned to glance at Dai-Tai and her daughter.
"Dai-Tai, would you like to come over to Brooklyn tomorrow and play with Vicky?"
Vicky's face beamed happily by her mother's words. She glanced back at forth between Dai-Tai and her mother hoping that they would agree to it.
Dai-Tai glanced at her mother for permission. She had been to Brooklyn before to visit her grandparents before they passed away; it had been probably three years ago or so.
Dai-Tai's mother frowned.
"I would like to, but Brooklyn is too far. I won't have enough time to bring Dai-Tai to your house since I have work."
Dai-Tai felt as she had been crushed. She glanced at Vicky shamefully whom was equally saddened as she was.
"My husband drives me to work and home every day," Mei said.
"If you want, you can drop Dai-Tai off at my restaurant in the morning, and he'll drive her to our house. He doesn't begin work until the afternoon."
"Are you sure?" Dai-Tai's mother asked skeptically. "Won't that be troublesome?"
Mei shook her head. "Of course not. It would be good for our daughters."
"Well… I guess."
The waiter placed down a platter of steamed pork buns along other plates of food, and they began to eat. After they finished eating, Dai-Tai and her mother thanked Mei Leung for the lunch.
~~~
Dai-Tai's mother woke up her daughter at 8:30 am. After they ate breakfast, they headed outside.
Dai-Tai held her mother's hand as they walked silently to the restaurant. Although it took approximately ten minutes to get there, it felt forever to the girl. She observed the crossing guards blowing their whistles, early tourists exploring the area, and people going to work.
Crossing the street, Dai-Tai spotted a man doing parkour in a distant park. He stood on top of a metal fence like a bird and steadied himself. Leaping from the fence, he landed on top of the nearest bench five feet away. Dai-Tai watched in amazement as he leaped back on the fence with perfect balance. Elderly people, who usually took morning strolls in the park, also stopped to watch the spectacle.
For some reason, the man looked familiar. When Dai-Tai tried to get a better look at his face, her mother dragged her to the sidewalk. Dai-Tai took one last look at the park before she turned to face her mother.
"Stop lagging behind," her mother scolded.
"I saw a man jump on top of a fence," Dai-Tai said excitedly.
"He didn't fall down! He's like Jackie Chan!"
Her mother turned to look toward the park, but a large truck blocked her view. "He's probably those crazy street performers," she remarked.
"Come on now. We're almost there."
It appeared they were early when they reached the restaurant. The restaurant was not yet opened. Dai-Tai was still awed by the man's reflex skills in the park. All she wanted to do was to go to the park now and forget about Vicky's house.
"If they don't show up in ten minutes," Dai-Tai's mother began, "you're going to wait for them by yourself, okay?" She had to go to work soon or she would be late.
Dai-Tai snapped out of her thoughts when she realized her mother had spoken to her.
A hunter green van stopped in front of the restaurant. The van's door slid open, and Mei stepped out. She was wearing a formal suit, and Dai-Tai glanced at the noisy black heels she was wearing. The girl wondered how the woman handled those shoes. She once found a pair of old heels in the closet and tried to walk in them. Dai-Tai almost sprained her ankle from the attempt.
Mei waved her hand towards them. "Over here!"
"Good morning, Mei," Dai-Tai's mother greeted as she led her daughter to the van.
"Good morning, auntie," the girl copied her mother. She disliked greeting people in general, but it was rude even though it caused her discomfort.
Mei smiled.
"Good morning. The nanny will watch over the two, so you don't have to worry."
Dai-Tai's mother nodded, and Mei stepped aside to let Dai-Tai go inside. Before Dai-Tai went in, her mother said, "Be a good girl, Dai-Tai. And don't make a mess inside auntie's house." She revealed the key out of her pocket and handed it to Dai-Tai. Her mother had taken it off the necklace.
"Here's the key just in case I'm not back home yet. Don't lose it."
Dai-Tai grinned as she placed the key in her pocket. If she got home early, she would be able to visit the park. If she was lucky enough, she would be able to watch the man again.
When she entered the vehicle, she felt suffocated by the old leathery smell that most cars had. She took the seat in the last row by the window.
"Remember to fasten your seatbelt," Mei said as she poked her head inside the van. Clipping the belt on, Dai-Tai thought about her father. She hadn't ridden in a car for a long time since her mother told her that he went to China. She didn't miss him much; they never spent time together. However, Dai-Tai wondered why he never returned to the United States from his 'long vacation' as her mother coined it.
Mei slid the van's door back.
Dai-Tai turned to face the driver whom was Mei's husband. He turned his head back to face the girl. Black sunglasses hid his eyes, and a smile stretched on his chubby glowing face. "You must be Dai-Tai," he said with a chuckle. "Vicky has been chattering about you."
Vicky? Dai-Tai wondered why she would talk about her. Was it good or bad?
The man sensed Dai-Tai's anxiety. "Don't worry," he said with a laugh. "She really likes you."
"She does?" Dai-Tai asked timidly.
"Yes," he replied. "Do you get carsick?"
Dai-Tai shook her head.
"Good. Vicky gets carsick all the time, so we always have to carry plastic bags inside the van."
He turned his attention back forward and started to drive the car. Meanwhile, he asked all sorts of questions that ranged from school to family life.
Dai-Tai answered the questions to satisfy his curiosity and even lied a couple of times to impress him. When the van passed the park that Dai-Tai had saw, she immediately tried to find the man doing the stunts. Unfortunately, her high hopes disappointed her for he was no longer there.
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