Page 98 of Happy Endings

“You have changed.”

She motioned for Trixie to turn in a circle. After a couple of turns, her mom stopped her.

“I think you’ve finally found your way. This store makes you happy.”

“It does, Má.” Trixie nodded. Finally, her mom understood. “It’s what I want to do. I wish Ba would understand that.”

“He worries about you. As the youngest, you were more American than your brother and sister. It’s harder for him to understand why you’d want a job that didn’t guarantee to earn a good living. He doesn’t want you to worry about money like we did. When we came to the United States, we didn’t have the luxury of taking a job that made us happy. When we had the three of you, we worked harder to provide for you.”

Trixie blinked the tears out of her eyes. This was the most intimate conversation she’d ever had with her mom.

“You and Ba sacrificed so much for us—for me. I want to make you proud, but I’m not book smart like Binh or Lucy. I’m not cut out to be a pharmacist.”

Her mother clicked her tongue. “Who said you are not smart? You are.”

“But I flunked out of school and—”

“How could you not be smart? You’re my daughter.” Her motherpatted her chest and grinned. “Most important, you want to help people, like your father.”

Trixie nodded. Her father was generous with his time and energy. What he lacked in money, he gave in his skills. After Katrina hit, he helped neighbors and friends rebuild their homes.

“I do want to help people,” whispered Trixie. Then more confidently, “I am helping people right now.”

“What you’re doing is important. Sex makes people happy and helps them stay married.” A girlish giggle escaped her mom’s lips.

“Má!” Trixie couldn’t believe her mom was talking about sex. “That’s oversimplifying it, but yes. That’s what I do.”

But it was a start. That’s all she needed to talk to her mom about the work she was doing at Bedroom Frenzy. What she wanted to do when Happy Endings opened. Her mom reluctantly accepted a hug from Trixie.

“What about Ba?”

“I have given your father more than enough time to come around. It’s time to make some changes. If he doesn’t try to understand what you want, I’ll stop cooking, and he’ll have to eat ramen every day.” Her mother laughed at her own joke. Her father hated packaged ramen, because it reminded him how little he’d had when he came to the United States.

“You talk about me like I’m already dead.”

“Ba!” Trixie grabbed his hand. “How are you feeling?”

“My chest hurts,” he whispered.

“Because you had a heart attack—now you know why you need to eat brown rice instead of white rice.” Má softened her tone. “You’re not allowed to die on me yet, old man.”

“Have to tell you something.” Her dad tried to squeeze her hand.

“You should rest. I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re a good daughter, Trixie.”

“Ba.” Trixie was at a loss for words. He was talking to her again! “I’ve been a terrible daughter. I should have come home sooner.”

“No, you needed to find your own way.” Ba squeezed her hand. His grip was weak, but he didn’t let go. “You are so much like me. That’s why I’m harder on you.”

“How?” Trixie looked at his weathered face, dark from his years working odd construction and fishing jobs until he found a permanent position managing a seafood processor.

“My parents didn’t want me to come here. They knew if I left Vietnam, they might never see me again.”

“But you came anyway.” This was all new to Trixie. Ba didn’t talk about his family very often.

“I wanted to make my own life. Not the life they wanted for me.”

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