Page 5 of No Summer Hotter than You

She was reminding me to come home for dinner tomorrow and about how her college friend was arriving later tonight for a month-long visit. I made a quick mental note of how much I was going to dread this entire month. Thank god it was an amazing Monday because I wasn’t going to feel this good for a while.

“Anthony, make sure you bring flowers for Sue tomorrow when you come home for dinner,” my mom said. “Make sure you get a colorful bouquet, all right? Sue hates white flowers.”

For the last few years, Aunt Sue and my mom would alternate and visit each other for a month during the summer. It all started after Aunt Sue’s divorce when she desperately needed an anchor and my mom offered to be that for her. They were good friends in college when they were the only two Hmong students in their French language program.

Aunt Sue and my mom’s summer visits is usually a month-long stay at one another’s home. They spend that time catching up with each other and spending time together. This year was supposed to be my mom’s year visit her in Minnesota. But Aunt Sue insisted on visiting Sunset Valley again.

I have nothing against Aunt Sue, and it wasn’t her I was dreading. It was the fact that she had been on a decade-long mission to matchmake either my twin, Andy, or me with her daughter.

“Okay, okay. I won’t get the same white roses as I did last year,” I mumbled.

My mom almost chucked a plate in my face when I showed up for dinner with plain white roses for Aunt Sue when she visited last year with her daughter, Evelyn. I didn’t think much of it when I grabbed the flowers since I was exhausted and in a rush. I was late to dinner, and I knew my mom would be on my ass for it. Because of that, I literally gave my mom’s friend some dying bouquet of roses that she clearly hated but was too nice to say so.

To make matters worse, Aunt Sue absolutely despised white flowers and I didn’t know this. Apparently to her, flowers should be “bright and full of color.” I learned of this only after I handed her the bouquet as Evelyn raised her brows at me. She found an offense in it, although I meant no harm.

“Ask Shoua to go with you to pick out a nice bouquet. She always has great taste,” my mom said.

“Mom, that’s too much of a hassle. Can’t you just trust me with this?” I asked. My face still heated up from my careless act last year. What happened embarrassed me to hell and back.

She sighed heavily.

“Remember what Evelyn said to me after you left that day? She remarked that you’d have a great eye for the wreaths for her mom’s funeral.”

“I’m sure she meant that as a joke,” I countered. Or maybe not. This was Evelyn we were talking about.

“Regardless, just get a nice bouquet. Please, Anthony?” She used her pleading, gentle mom voice. My mom always knew what to do or say to get the best of Andy and me.

“Fine, I’ll ask Shoua to go to the grocery store later to help me pick out something nice.”

“Thank you, baby.”

“Mom—”

“I know, you’re an adult, sweetie. But I can’t help still call you and your brother this when you two make me happy. You’re both still my babies, all right?”

I let out a long breath. With a softer voice, I answered, “I know.”

“I’ll let you go now.”

“Okay. Talk to you later. Bye.”

Once I got off the phone with my mom, I immediately called Shoua.

“Hey, do you have time later? My mom’s asking you to help me pick out a bouquet for Aunt Sue. I don’t want to deal with this tomorrow when I’m rushing to my parents’ place for dinner. It’s already a hassle that she doesn’t trust me.”

“Can you blame her? You literally gave her friend a death bouquet last year and those roses were ugly too.”

“Hey! They were . . . nice.”

Shoua’s light chuckle came through the phone like a soft wind chime. “No, they weren’t. They were dying.”

“Shuddaup! It was an accident!” I groaned, my cheeks still burning. “Are you helping me or not?”

“What happened to you being little miss sunshine today?” I could practically hear the smug, little smile I knew she was wearing through the phone.

I shook my head. “Just answer the question, Shoua.”

“Do you really need me to come with you? I think you’ll do fine without me. It’s just flowers.”

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