Bitter Winds (32 page)

L
i Jin smiled as Jojo snuggled closer to her. “ ‘And then they all lived happily ever after.’ ” She closed the book and set it on the nightstand. Since Sami had disappeared with Lan, Jojo had moved into her room to sleep with her. She was glad he didn’t think he was too old for bedtime stories, as it was her favorite part of the day. Tonight was just a simple book she’d picked up out of their nursery, and was probably too young for him, but she’d chosen it because she was tired of reading the Harry Potter series the girls had hooked Jojo on. Tomorrow they’d pick it back up but tonight she wanted easy, mindless reading.

“Ma, where do you think Lan is?”

She looked at the empty cradle against the wall and felt her heart give a tug. “I don’t know, Jojo, but I’m sure she’s just fine.”

Truly she didn’t think that at all. She’d just about worried herself sick over the baby. They’d kept all her stuff in place, in the hopes Sami would come back, but as the days went on, Li Jin had lost hope.

Jojo picked up a pillow and punched it with his fist. “Sami didn’t even like her. Why did she have to take her?”

Li Jin was surprised. She hadn’t known Jojo had picked up on the way Sami treated Lan. “Sure, she likes her. Lan’s her daughter. Sami just had to get used to being a mother, Jojo.”

“Then why did she always let her cry? And she never sang to her like you did, Ma.”

That was true, too. She wished she could go back. She wouldn’t have gotten Lan used to the attention if she’d known one day she’d be taken away. Li Jin prayed with all her heart that now that Sami had her to herself, she was being a better mother.

“Jojo, do you want to go outside and look at the moon with me?” Li Jin didn’t want Jojo to go to sleep on such a sad note. She wanted his dreams to be full of good things.

He crawled out of the bed and slipped his feet into his slippers, then followed her down the hall to the front door. Around them Li Jin heard the sounds of her sisters getting ready for bed. They passed Lily and Ivy’s room and the girls’ chatter sounded like two little birds rapidly exchanging gossip. She smiled and put her finger to her lip, exaggerating her attempt to tiptoe through the hall to make Jojo laugh.

“Shh . . . I just want it to be you and me,” she said as she grabbed a quilt off the rack, then nudged him out the door before anyone else heard them.

They went to the bench and sat down, and Li Jin put her arm around Jojo and pulled him closer. It was chilly and she spread the quilt over them both. He burrowed under her arm and together they stared up at the magnificent full moon.

“This makes me think of Moon Harbor, where I met Nai Nai and Ye Ye,” Jojo said.

Li Jin smiled. “That was a crazy but happy time, wasn’t it? All those years it was just you and me, and now we have this big family.”

She felt him nod. They were lucky. Even with the sadness Sami left behind by taking off without saying good-bye, Li Jin still had things to appreciate. Yes, they still might end up losing the center, and that made her sick, but she’d never lose her family again. They’d simply have to find a way to start over.

As for Sami, she still wondered where she was and worried for her, and especially for little Lan, but she wouldn’t let it steal her joy. And maybe Li Jin didn’t have the kind of love her parents had, that connection between a man and a woman, but she had the next best thing. She had a family who loved her and would do anything for her. Maybe someday she’d find her soul mate, but for now, she’d be content with what the gods had seen fit to give her.

“Tell me another story,” Jojo said, snuggling closer.

Li Jin wanted to get his mind onto something else, so she thought for a minute. “Okay, I’ll tell you the old legend about the Moon Goddess.”

Jojo squirmed and she knew she had him. He was a sucker for fairy tales. He always had been.

“Many centuries ago all the young maidens in China would wait until the moon festival to pray to the Moon Goddess to bring them the man destined to be the love of their life. They’d offer up cakes and fruits, burn candles and incense, or anything they had to bribe the Moon Goddess with.”

“Did it work?” Jojo asked. Li Jin smiled. He never could let her get through telling a story without breaking in to ask questions.

“It worked for many. But for some, their hearts weren’t really in it, so the Moon Goddess didn’t bring them anything but heartache for the next year. Then when the eighth month came around again, they’d start all over with the bribery.”

“Next time I’ll help you burn candles, Ma. But just in case, I just asked the Moon Goddess to send you someone.”

Li Jin chuckled. Lately Jojo had hinted more and more that she should have a man in her life. When they’d shopped or gone to the park, he’d even pointed out a few fellows that he thought were good candidates. She was constantly reassuring him that he was the only man she needed in her life. But it was a perfect night for the story and Li Jin looked out over the courtyard at the moon shining brightly on the flowers that had finally bloomed.

She heard footsteps coming around the corner and her instinct was to get Jojo inside. It was too late for visitors. “Jojo, sit up. Someone’s coming.”

Jojo sat up and looked, then leapt from the bench and ran toward the figure.

“Jojo! Wait!” Li Jin could see a man but couldn’t tell who it was, at least not until her son called out his name.

“Sky! You’re back!”

Li Jin felt her breath catch. Sky was out? And why would he come here so late at night? She reached up and patted her hair down. She was dressed in ratty old nightclothes and she felt a blush creeping up her neck. She hoped he couldn’t see her clearly in the shadow of the house.

Sky came closer and Li Jin could see Jojo hanging on to him as if he were a tree. She still couldn’t see him clearly, but from where she stood, he looked so much slimmer. She rose from the bench and then she saw he carried something.

“Sky! I’m so glad to see you again.” She began to walk to him and she heard a gurgle. A familiar gurgle. Her heart raced and began to pound so hard she thought it would jump out of her chest.

“Li Jin. I have someone here who wants to see you.” He came close and held out the bundle.

Li Jin took it, then looked down into warm, dark eyes, and the lump that came to her throat blocked any words that might come. It was Lan.
Sweet, sweet Lan and she was safe.
She looked tired and a bit pale, but overall she appeared healthy enough. Li Jin couldn’t stop the tears from flowing as she held her to her chest, rocking her back and forth.

Swallowing hard, she finally found her voice. “But how? Where’s Sami?”

“It’s a long story, but Sami paid my fine. We spent an afternoon together and she said she wanted me to bring you a gift from her.”

Sami. Of course. She’d found a way to win Sky over. Li Jin wondered if they were a couple now. She knew how convincing Sami could be when she wanted something.

Jojo held his hands up. “Let me have her, please, Ma.” He sat down and Li Jin put Lan on his lap.

“Sami left you a note, and some photos, too.” Sky reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper with the photos. The first picture was Sami obviously taking a photo of herself and Lan as she leaned into the frame. Lan looked red-eyed and startled; Sami just looked determined. Li Jin looked at the note and recognized Sami’s style immediately.

Sami had drawn a tiny black-and-white sketch of a garden filled with flowers in front of a simple house. Over the door of the home was a replica of their Rose Haven sign. In the garden, all the flowers were of the same height and type except for one that stood taller than all the rest. For that one she’d drawn an orchid and colored it in with lavender shadows. The flower was supposed to be Lan; Li Jin knew this and smiled. Above it she’d written only a few characters, a short note. It read:

Buddha says, “Like a beautiful flower, full of color but without scent, are the empty words of him who does not act accordingly.” I give my daughter to you, Li Jin, because you have a mother’s heart, and she is the only gift I have for someone as dear as you are to me. I’ve also enclosed the deed to your home. Your debt is paid in full; consider it my gratitude for your showing me what life could be. Maybe someday. Until then I’m wishing you ten thousand years of happiness.

Sami

Li Jin stopped wiping away the tears. There were too many. The note sounded like a permanent good-bye. She looked at Sky and he handed her two more pieces of paper. Her property deed and the lender note stamped
paid
.

Sami wasn’t coming back. Li Jin knew it in her gut and she swallowed back an engulfing sadness.
Where was she? Was she safe?
She couldn’t say she was surprised; she’d seen Sami slowly becoming more and more disillusioned with the simple life they’d carved out in Wuxi but she’d hoped with time she would’ve settled.

That hope was shattered but once again, Sami had shown her loyalty. Li Jin didn’t know how Sami had done it or where she’d gotten the funds, but she’d given her back the home she knew meant so much to Li Jin. And along with it, Baby Lan. It was a bittersweet moment. While her heart ached for Sami and the sacrifice she’d made, it also soared with joy for Lan being returned to her. The relief she felt was too immense for words, but she had to try.

“Thank you, Sky, for bringing her. And I’m so glad you’re free.” She hoped she didn’t sound too sappy and wished she could take back her last few words. Sky probably wanted to get back to Sami, wherever she was hiding. After all, she must have gone to a lot of trouble to get him out of custody. Wherever she was, Li Jin was thankful to her for sending Lan back.

Sky held out his arms. “Is that all I get after all the weeks I’ve sat behind bars thinking only thoughts of you to get me through?”

Did she hear him right?
“Me? Don’t you mean Sami?”

Sky looked puzzled. “No, I mean
you,
Li Jin. She said you’d be like this. Turn the note over.”

Li Jin flipped the piece of paper to find a short note scribbled on the back.

Also, I thought sending Sky to you would complete the picture. He is your airen, Li Jin. Accept it and stop being stubborn.

It was so like Sami to add a biting remark to camouflage her feelings. Li Jin laughed quietly; then she turned serious again. He needed to be warned. Bad luck seemed to follow her everywhere. She stared at him for a moment, swallowed hard, then said what she needed to say.

“It would be a mistake to fall for someone like me.”

He shook his head playfully. “Don’t you know by now you’re the one I’m in love with? What do I have to do? Write it on a bridge? Come here.”

Li Jin felt a rush of affection. She looked down at Jojo for reassurance, or maybe affirmation; she wasn’t sure. She looked from her son to Sky, but still she felt unsure what to say or do.

Sky held his arms out and smiled teasingly. “Well, if you’re going to be someone’s mistake, I want you to be mine. You’re exhausting yourself trying to put up walls, but Lao Tzu tells us, ‘Sometimes we put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.’ Now for the next part in the story, Li Jin—
I
care enough.”

“Go on, Ma,” Jojo urged, grinning widely. “Can’t you see? The Moon Goddess sent him.”

So she did,
Li Jin thought,
so she did
. Along with the realization she was no longer broken, but instead worthy of her own happily-ever-after, she let go of all her sworn oaths to never love again. When she entered into Sky’s embrace, her body instinctively softened against his. It had been over a year since she’d been held by a man and she’d have thought it would feel strange, or be difficult because of all she’d been through, but it wasn’t. For such a gentle man, Sky’s arms were surprisingly steady and strong.