Page 49 of The Switch: A Friends To Lovers Romance

“May I come in?” Mrs. Zhang asked with a toss of her head.

“O-of course.” Ashanti stepped aside and gingerly followed Luke’s mother to her living room. “I didn’t expect you tonight. What a… lovely surprise.”

“Don’t lie. I know you like me about as much as I like you.”

She forced a laugh and said politely, “Then you must love me.”

Mrs. Zhang shot her a dark look and Ashanti knew her joke had fallen flat.

“Get it? Because I… never mind.” Ashanti dropped all attempts at lightening the mood and pointed to the couch. “Have a seat.”

Mrs. Zhang sat gingerly, her legs clasped together like a princess. She surveyed Ashanti from the top of her wild hair to the tips of her toes. A snort fell from her lips. “What on earth does Luke see in you?”

Ashanti bristled, but she kept her mouth shut. This was Luke’s mother. At the end of the day, she was responsible for creating and raising one of her closest friends. Ashanti would respect her. But she had a line. If Mrs. Zhang crossed it, all bets were off.

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Ashanti, was it? You seem like an intelligent young woman.”

“Thank you?”

“Have you heard the term ‘a fish and a bird may fall in love, but where would they build their nest’? It’s a relatively common proverb.”

“I’ve heard it,” Ashanti said stiffly.

“Do you know what it means?”

Her fingers balled into fists. “No.”

“Come on now, Ashanti.” Mrs. Zhang’s voice dripped with disdain. “Take a guess.”

“It… means that the fish lives in the water and the bird lives in the air. They’re from different worlds.”

“Exactly.” Mrs. Zhang nodded. “A fish can’t live outside the water and the bird cannot survive beneath the waves. They may admire each other to their hearts content, but they can never build a life, a home together. They wouldn’t be able to survive.”

“Are you calling me the fish or the bird?”

Mrs. Zhang tilted her head. “Whatever you are, you do not belong with my son.”

“Ma’am, I ask this respectfully. What exactly is it that you hate about me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t hate you, Ashanti. Do you think I would have allowed you to hang around Luke for decades if I did?”

“So you knew we were friends?”

“Of course.” She lifted a shoulder delicately.

“Then you know I’m not a bad person. That I would never do anything to harm Luke.”

“You’re missing the point, dear. You see, friendship and marriage are two very different things. Your friendship was harmless. I had no qualms as long as you were not a bad influence. But marriage… it’s not so simple.”

“What does our potential marriage have to do with you?”

“It has everything to do with me.” Mrs. Zhang’s eyebrows pulled together. “When two individuals marry, they are really joining two families. How would your relatives fit with mine? It would be total chaos.” She shuddered. “I can’t even imagine it.”

Ashanti almost laughed. How could one woman be that delusional? “I don’t see what the big deal is.”

Mrs. Zhang, clearly trying to educate her, scooted to the edge of the couch. “What if you two had children?”

---