Chapter 45: Chapter Twenty One-2

“Yes, Madam Jin! Please?” Madam Jin looks around, her eyes passive and thinking. She starts chewing on her index fingernail and I can see her mind slowly changing. I grin even wider. She sighs. “Fine.” I almost lung at her like an animal but stop myself because I don’t want to break her bones. I still hug her with a lot of force though. Enough to get oomph! out of her. As I hug her, her clothes feel so silky – but tight. “Thank you so much! I promise you’re going to love tonight.” “As you say so,” she smiles. “First thing’s first,” I say. “Let’s get you in comfortable clothing.” Madam Jin gives me a strange look. “But I am in comfortable clothing – not to mention the most updated fashion look of the week. I just bought this dress from Europe a couple of—” I  drag her up with me and I hear a “Woah!” as I run up the stairs to my mother’s bedroom. She’s barely catching up with me but I’ve just always wanted to do with an aunt, or a grandmother, or anyone else. My mother is always working away in her studio and the only time I really see her is meals and when I get in trouble. I can feel my body shaking with excitement. In Mom’s room, I dig through her closet. There’s always a pile of clothes to the side where Mom puts her old t-shirts, oversized or too tight, or out of fashion clothes. She never throws them away because she always thinks it’s a waste of money. Usually, she ends up using them as towels to wipe her hands after working on some painting. “Ivory, what are you doing?” Madam Jin asks. “Hold on, just a moment,” I say. I put to the side all her jackets and pants. I don’t know why but with Madam Jin here, I feel like Mom is going to be all right. “Found it!” I take the clothes and hand them to Madam Jin. “The bathroom’s down the hall. Try these on.” She holds the clothes to her eyes and examines them. “You want me to wear these clothes?” It feels like deja-vu. And then I remember. Lee reacted exactly like this before. I scoff. Rich people. “Yes, Madam Jin.” I turn her around and push her out the door. “Now go!” I hear her heels clacking down the hallway. She’ll need some proper shoes, too. As she enters the bathroom, I head to my room and go through my closet. I know I had thrown some slippers in there the other day. Finally, I find my pink pig slippers that feel like you’re walking on clouds and go wait outside the bathroom for Madam Jin to finish. “Are you sure this is okay?” she asks from the bathroom. “Yes,” I say, “it’s fine, Madam Jin! Nobody is here that will take a photo of you and post it on some website.” I tap my foot as I wait. “I’m sure you look just fine.” The door clicks open. Madam Jin walks out in an oversized pink shirt and neon sweatpants. Her hair is still in the bun, and with the heels that she is wearing – the whole outfit looks hilarious. I bring a hand to my mouth, but small giggles escape. She puts hands to her hips. “Are you laughing at me, Ivory?” I make a muffled laughing noise. “What? No, of course not. You look simply… amazing.” I grin. “I think you really work this look.” “Hush now, child,” Madam Jin says, faking anger. “Okay, okay,” I say. I pass her the slippers. “Here. The heels can’t be that much comfortable either. These are really good for your feet. Not to mention they totally fit with your outfit.” She takes the slippers and steps out of her heels. I see the surprise on her face when she wears the slippers. “Wow,” she says, her mouth agape. “I’ve never felt something so soft.” She brings her fingers and touches the pigs’ heads. “Where do you get these? They must be expensive. Forty thousand? Fifty? This must be imported silk from China.” That causes me to laugh. I clutch my stomach, “No, actually. I got it from Dollar Tree.” Madam Jin arches an eyebrow. “It’s a store where everything’s cheap.” She still looks confused. “Nevermind,” I say, “let’s go downstairs. The boys must be setting up dinner.” Madam Jin nods. “Yes, let’s go.” We make our way down the stairs. “So,” she asks slowly, “how are you and Lee, dear?” I stop dead in my tracks. Facing her, I try to compose myself. “U-uh, Lee?” I say. I scratch my neck. “H-he’s – we’re fine. We’re wonderful, haha. Why wouldn’t we be? We’re wonderful.” “Is he proposing anytime soon?” “Proposing?” I shout. “Yes, dear,” she says calmly. “Of course not!” I reply. “Madam Jin! I’m only eighteen! Well, I’m turning nineteen soon, but it’s still too early to get married! Why would you think that?” Madam Jin shrugs. “I don’t know. I mean, you two seem lovely together. You might as well finish the deal now. Get married, do everything while you’re still young. Have children. Oh, it’s wonderful. And too young? This country has many people that are getting engaged at nineteen.” “Name one.” “Oh heavens, I don’t know. They’re all famous.” “They don’t count.” We get to the bottom of the stairs eventually. All I hear in my mind is marriage, Lee, marriage – marrying Lee. I wonder how that would be. I’d probably never find out. Eventually, we’d stop our dating façade and he’d go off with Penny and the newspapers would forget about the middle class, average girl and just move onto beautiful, model Penny. Though, I still wonder what it would be to wake up to Lee’s face everyday – to eat his cooking everyday, to kiss him goodbye when he leaves for work. All I ever got was a rude and cold attitude with random kisses that never meant anything. Lee could be such a little— “Ivory!” Suddenly, Lee’s in my face. He’s holding up a whisk covered in dough, and his other hand is holding a bowl. There is flour all over his face – still attractive, maybe even cute, I might add – and he’s yelling at me. Too bad I’m not even listening. I take in his messy hair, which somehow managed to get eggshell in there. He still looks amazing. “Ivory!” he shouts. “God damn it, are you even listening?”