Page 75 of Dangerous Rhythm

“What am I doing?” Curtis frowned.

“You’re taking the shots for me, so I don’t have to explain about my absence.”

“Is that what I’m doing?” He grinned. “Huh. I should’ve thought about that.”

“Thank you.” Lina squeezed his hand.

“I’d take any shot for you, Lina.” Curtis kissed her hand.

Before Lina could respond, Ed suddenly called out to Curtis, “You said you needed a new outfit for the new year? I know a guy who can fix you right up.”

Curtis laughed. “I bet you do, Ed.”

thirty

Lina looked at her reflection in the fitting room mirror. Her mother, Agnes, had picked out a bright redcheongsamwith gold embroidery at the seams. It wasn’t as embellished as the other selections in the store and was actually rather understated. But it still made her feel awkward to wear something so bright.

“Is there anything a bit more muted?” she asked.

“This brightens your natural complexion,” her mother said. “More suitable for you than your usual black get-up.”

“I wear black because it’s convenient and doesn’t attract too much attention,” Lina retorted.

“Well, it will tomorrow. Everyone will wear a variation of red,” Aunt Siu Lin said. “You look beautiful and elegant, Lina. It suits you and your name.”

Limeant beautiful andNameant elegant, but she never really felt she was. Though lately, Curtis had made her feel beautiful.

Thinking about him, Lina wondered how he was doing.

“Aunt Siu Lin, can you check if the boys are doing okay?” Lina asked.

“He’s in good hands.” Siu Lin smiled. “Your uncle won’t let your dad and brother chase him away.”

“I’m not worried about that.” Lina rolled her eyes. “Papa and Daniel can lay off him, though. It’s not like I’m marrying him.”

“Why not?” Agnes asked, while she adjusted the hem of the dress. “Don’t you love him?”

Lina almost choked on her own spit. “What? We’re not…” Her knee-jerk argument died as she saw the expectant looks on her mother’s and aunt’s faces.

“I can’t think about that right now. I’m still dealing with…” Lina sighed heavily.

“With the reason you avoided us?” Her mother finished for her.

“No.” She shook her head. “I mean, yes, but no.”

There were so many emotions and things she needed to think about. Being with Curtis was something she’d just admitted to herself this morning. She couldn’t jump from that to what her parents were expecting.

“Why did you stay away, Lina?” Agnes asked gently. “We missed you so much.”

Lina looked at her mother in the mirror. “I missed you all terribly.”

“Then why didn’t you come home? We don’t understand.”

Lina saw her aunt discreetly backing out of the room, leaving her alone with her mother.

“Mama, I made a mistake not coming home.” Lina sat on the bench in the small room. “I felt so undeserving of the life I had after I lost one of my team members.”

“Honey, what happened?” Her mother sat next to her and wrapped an arm around Lina’s back.

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