“Oh yes, I’m fine. After Li left I was lonely at first, but then new friends came to keep me company.” She pointed toward a basket by the fire.
“Grandmother, are those kittens?” Li shrugged out of his coat and strode across the room to get a better look. I followed him, pretending to be curious but knowing already of the two balls of fluff curled together. They were from a litter from our cat Miss Kitty, named by Delphia. I’d left the basket on the porch the day after Li had left, hoping Mrs. Wu would be delighted by the cats instead of horrified. It was a gamble, but from the look of things, my plan had worked nicely. I peered into the basket. One was an orange tabby and the other black with a white bib and paws. “Where did they come from?”
“They showed up on the porch one day,” Mrs. Wu said. “I looked around to see if they had a mother, but it was only the two of them. Someone left them purposefully. They were in that basket. Only smaller. They’ve grown a lot in one month.”
Mrs. Wu’s shoulders curled inward. She’d always been small but seemed to have shrunk over the last few years. No one had any idea of her age, not even Li, but we thought she must be in her seventies. My mother had finally persuaded her to retire from our kitchen, where she’d helped Lizzie prepare all our meals. She’d agreed at last and was now settled into the cottage with Li after spending almost twenty years in the downstairs servant quarters at our house.
“Do you think someone chose you specifically?” I asked, feigning innocence.
“I have a feeling someone did,” Mrs. Wu said. “Or someones.”
It was true. I’d brought Addie and Delphia with me when we delivered the basket. We’d tried to be quiet, leaving the car at the end of the driveway so she didn’t hear the hum of the motor. “Are you enjoying them, Mrs. Wu?”
“They like my lap in the evening,” Mrs. Wu said. “Poor things have nothing but my bony lap to sit on. It’s good Li’s home, isn’t it?”
“I know I’m happy to see him,” I said.
“You’re an interfering young lady,” Mrs. Wu said to me. “You remind me of your father.”
“Thank you,” I said, smiling. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As you should,” Mrs. Wu said, returning my smile.
We had our tea and heard stories about Li’s trip. His eyes sparkled as he described the recording event and all of the characters he’d met during the process. “It was a good thing to do. One of the most rewarding of my life.”
“Are you sad to return to life as usual?” I asked.
“Not at all. I’m glad to be home.” He smiled at me, and my stomach did a sudden double-time twist, as if I’d lost the right beat.
I thanked them for the tea and told them I needed to get home but would swing by to get him later for our gig at the club.
“I’ll drive myself tonight,” Li said.
“Oh, all right then.” Why did this hurt? It was silly. He often drove himself. I’d hoped for a little more time alone with him.
He walked me out to the porch. I told him not to come out to the car. “I’ve had to take care of myself these last few weeks. Without you to keep an eye on me. My brothers seem to think I’m a helpless child. I don’t need you to always be by my side, you know.” I wanted him next to me but not to save me or keep me safe. Just to be.
“Miss Fiona, all grown up.” He smirked, teasing me.
“I am, you know. If you haven’t noticed.” I lifted my eyes to look at him before stepping away. Halfway down the steps, I heard him utter something under his breath. “What did you say?” I called out to him from the car. Had he said, “I noticed?” No, surely not?
“Nothing, just that I’ll see you later.” He gestured for me to get in the car. “It’s cold. Get home.”
“Yes, yes.” Someone in my life was always telling me what to do. I didn’t mind, really. It’s just sometimes I wondered if everyone thought me incompetent. That wasn’t the truth, and they would know that if they ever really analyzed things.
As I drove away, he remained on the porch, watching me.