Page 25 of One True Loves

“Digestive issues,” Mr. Lee cuts in, nodding knowingly with wide eyes.

“That’s a nice way of saying he was letting the bugle play all dinner long. I don’t know why the ship bothered to hire a band when he had it all covered!”

Mom and Dad laugh, which I scrunch my nose at. Usually they’re too highbrow for fart jokes.

“So, y’all are old pros at this, then?” Dad asks.

“Well, that was only our second cruise,” Mrs. Lee continues. “We like to travel in tour groups, too. Two summers ago we walked along the Great Wall, and then the summer before that, we spent a month in South Africa....”

My parents are engrossed in the Lees’ excited retellings of their travels, Etta is zoned in on the kid menu’s puzzles that she turned up her nose at just a moment ago, and Wally is back to his phone. So, I guess Alex sees this as his opening to talk to me.

“I’m sorry. For earlier,” he says, leaning in so close that I can feel the warmth of his breath on the side of my face. I want to throw up. Well, I already felt like I was going to throw up, but this isn’t helping matters. “I wasn’t thinking clearly. The breakup, between Natalia and me—let’s just say it wasn’t easy, and—”

“I don’t need to hear your whole life story.” I keep my eyes on the empty gold charger in front of me.

“I know what I did was wrong,” he continues, and his voices sounds so full of repentance that I almost turn to look at him. Am I being too harsh? “But, also... you don’t have to be so rude about it.”

No, definitely not too harsh.

I whip my head around, and a few of my locs hit him the face. I wasn’t planning that, but serves him right for getting so close. “How do you expect me to react?” I whisper-yell, so my parents don’t hear.

He holds his hands up in defense, which makes my blood boil. “Listen, I know it wasn’t ideal. But really, if you think about it, it was maybe even a little bit flattering? I mean, I picked you out of every girl in that room.” His full lips pull into a half smile, his dark brown eyes sparkling. I’m sure that look is foolproof on all the girls, but not me.

“Oh really? Is that so? I didn’t think about it like that, but now that you put it that way.” I laugh and shake my head in mock amusement.

“Did you hear that, baby?” Mom asks, and I turn to see that all the adults are staring at us.

“What?”

“Look at them!” Mrs. Lee laughs. “Already getting along, thick as thieves.”

“I was saying that the Lees are from Cerritos,” Mom says. “Isn’t this a small world? We go halfway across the world, and we end up sitting with people who live right up the 605!”

“And Alex, your father mentioned that you’re going to UCLA in the fall,” Dad says. “That’s where our Wally just graduated from, and he’s starting law school there next.”

“Is that right?” Mr. Lee says. “You must be very proud. That’s quite the achievement.”

“We are, oh, we are,” Dad says, beaming at Wally. Wally is typing on his phone, completely unaware. “What will you be studying there, Alex? Wally here double-majored in poli-sci and philosophy and graduated summa cum laude.”

“Biology, sir,” Alex says.

“Oh, what an excellent choice,” Dad says, his eyes lighting up. “Now, what are you planning to do with that major? There are a lot of different paths.”

I know my dad is just interested and excited, especially about a young Black man who obviously takes his education seriously. And he’s asked every one of my friends and cousins the same type of questions. But I also can’t help but feel like it’s a slight to me.

“Well, sir, do you want the five-year, ten-year, or twenty-year plans?” Alex says, and all the parents laugh. He leans forward with his hands clasped, and he looks all proper like he’s at a job interview. “My plan is to intern at the medical center and in a few research programs I have my eye on while I’m in undergrad. I wanted to do that this summer, but the positions were already filled by current students.”

“And don’t be modest, you already volunteer at the hospital,” Mrs. Lee chimes in.

Alex smiles and nods in her direction. “I intend to take the MCAT, and then up next will be medical school, residency, passing my boards, et cetera, until I’m a licensed physician like my mom.”

So, I guess Mrs. Lee is actually Dr. Lee? Which surprisesme because she just seems so... cool. Especially compared to her stuffy son.

“I would like to specialize in cardiology,” Alex continues. “But I know I should leave a little wiggle room in the plan.”

All the parents laugh again, and they practically have hearts shooting out of their eyes in Alex’s direction. I wonder what would happen if I told the Lees what their golden child propositioned me to do just a few hours ago.

“Wally, I’d love to talk to you about UCLA sometime this trip. Get a graduate’s perspective,” Alex says, leaning forward, so he can see Wally past me.

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