by Liwen Y. Ho
“Actually, there’s scientific proof that kissing produces feel-good hormones like oxytocin—”
Before she could finish, Ben lowered his head and pressed his mouth against hers. She kissed him back, feeling as giddy as a kid in a candy store. Warmth spread through her body as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.
A heavily accented voice coming over the outdoor speaker caused them to break contact. “Number thirty-four, your table is ready. Number thirty-four.”
“Is that us?” Melanie’s cheeks were flushed from a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment. She hadn’t expected Ben to kiss her outside the city’s most popular Chinese restaurant.
Ben took out a small slip of paper from his pocket. “Almost. We’re thirty-five.” Placing a hand on her back, he pulled her flush against his body. “Sorry, I cut you off earlier when you were talking. I couldn’t help myself. You’re so cute when you speak in medical terms. It makes me want to make happy hormones with you all day long,” he said as he leaned in for another kiss.
“Uh, let’s continue that later,” she pleaded as she took a step back, “in private.” The raised eyebrows of several people looking their way brought her back to reality. And reality was that they were breaking protocol with their public display of affection. Speaking in a hushed tone so as not to attract further attention, she informed Ben, “In my culture, people don’t kiss in public. We don’t kiss in private either. We’re not affectionate people, especially the older generation.”
“You’re telling me your parents don’t kiss?”
Shaking her head adamantly, she declared, “Never. I’ve never seen it happen. I can’t even picture them being so close. My sisters and I joke that maybe we were adopted because there is no way our parents would have, you know …”
“Made love?”
“Uh, yes, that.” Melanie squirmed at the thought. “Anyway, let’s save the kissing for later, okay?”
“As I recall, you had no problem kissing me at the mall the other day. Or when we were eating lunch at the burger place the other week.”
“That was different.”
“Because those weren’t Chinese-owned establishments?”
“Trust me, it’s just not appropriate here. I should have given you some warning since we’ve never been to a Chinese restaurant together.”
“Okay, consider me warned. I, Benjamin Peters, will not kiss you, Melanie Koo, anytime there are Chinese people around.”
Her request did sound silly when put in those terms, but she nodded her appreciation anyway. “Thank you.”
Ben’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Just remember, you don’t need to live your life always trying to please other people. I’m not only talking about kissing. This applies to anything you do. You owe it to yourself, Mel, to live without fear.”
“It’s not that simple, Ben,” she countered with a sigh.
“But it is.” Smiling wryly, he gave her nose a gentle tap. “You only need to be true to God and to yourself. Life is too short to do otherwise.”
Before Melanie could object, a voice over the speaker interrupted their conversation. “Number thirty-five, your table is ready.”
“Come on, that’s us.” Ben grabbed her hand as they walked into the restaurant.
A server led them through the crowded room to their table. They took their coats off and sat down.
Ben rubbed his hands together and took in his surroundings. “Everything smells so good. We order from the carts as they come by, right? I can’t wait to get started.”
Though Melanie saw Ben’s lips move from across the table, his words fell on deaf ears. Well, not so much deaf by medical standards because she had definitely heard his earlier comments. In fact, his words were still running through her mind. Live without fear. Be true to God and to yourself. She couldn’t agree with him more. That’s exactly what she had decided to do when she put a stop to her mother’s matchmaking and opened her heart up to Ben. And ever since he had come into her life, things had been perfect.
That is, until today.
The expectant expression on Ben’s face forced her to refocus her attention. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Ben frowned as he reached for her hand. “Are you feeling okay, Mel? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine, maybe just a bit cold,” she replied with a shrug that caused her sweater’s wide collar to slip off one shoulder. Blushing, she tugged the wool top back in place to cover her exposed skin. “I shouldn’t have let Sam talk me into buying this. I don’t think it qualifies as winter clothing, even for California weather.”
“I think you look great in it. I like all the bright colors you wear.”
“Thanks,” she said with genuine gratitude. He was, after all, the reason for her recent update in wardrobe.
“I’ve always loved the color yellow.”
“It’s actually mustard.” Melanie flashed an uneasy smile and cleared her throat.
How appropriate or maybe ironic. She glanced around the restaurant and took in the sea of black heads and yellow skin tones surrounding them, along with the tonal sounds of Chinese dialects. Her gaze landed back on Ben’s sandy hair and distinctly non-Asian features. No one could deny how much he stood out from the rest of the crowd. The gears in her mind clicked into place as she realized the reason for the knot in her stomach.
Their worlds were now colliding, and she feared the results of the impact.
“You okay, Mel?”
“Are you sure you want to eat here? If you want to go somewhere else, I’m sure any of those customers waiting in line would be glad to take our table.”
“Of course I do. We waited thirty-five minutes so I could try authentic Chinese food. I’m not leaving until I eat some chicken feet and jellyfish.” He spotted a dim sum cart approaching their table and motioned for the server to come over. His eyes lit up as the middle-aged woman lifted several round metal tins up for them to view. “What would you like, Mel?”
The woman directed her comments at Melanie in Cantonese, ignoring Ben in the process. “Miss, what would you and your husband like?”
Melanie began to correct her, but then hesitated. Better to draw less attention to them than more. She pointed to several dishes on the cart, and thanked the server who set them on the table and stamped their check.
Ben nodded in appreciation and followed up with a thank you of his own. The server chuckled as she pushed the cart to the next table.
Melanie’s mouth fell open. “When did you learn to speak Cantonese? You sound as good as, if not better than, Billie.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, I think,” he replied with a wink. “I found some tutorials on YouTube that I watch during my lunch breaks. And I’ve been practicing with some of my Cantonese-speaking students. The kids have a good time laughing at my attempts. I gauge my progress, or lack of it, based on their reactions. It’s been a humbling experience to say the least.” A tentative smile crossed his face. “I was hoping to impress you with my mad language skills, but I’m afraid my left brain has been out of work for a while. That’s what happens when you think about numbers all day long.”
“No, I am impressed. It’s sweet of you to want to learn more about my culture. And brave, too, to take on a language with six tones. You know that if you use the wrong tone for a word, you end up saying a completely different word than the one you intended. It can be a little tricky.”
“Tell me about it. I’m sure it’ll be some time before I can carry on a full conversation, but I plan to get there. Now that you’re in on my secret, I hope I can progress faster. I have a feeling that practicing with you will be much more enjoyable, especially if you reward me with kisses.”
“I hope you are as good a student as you are a teacher,” Melanie teased.
“You don’t need to worry because I’m eager to learn.” Pausing for emphasis, he announced, “I’m learning Cantonese so I’ll be able to talk to your folks.”
“Wh
at? My parents?”
“I want to get to know them and earn their trust. It’s important for a guy to get on his girlfriend’s parents’ good side. Especially when he’s serious about pursuing her.”
Melanie’s eyes widened at the determination in his voice. “You do sound serious. I have a feeling you already added this to your bucket list.”
“You know me well. I had already planned to learn a new language; now I have more motivation to do it.” Before Melanie could respond, he gestured to the food on the table. “Let me say grace and we can dig in. We don’t want the food to get cold.”
Following the prayer, Ben picked up his pair of chopsticks and began eating. Melanie joined in and busied herself with chewing bites of steamed dumplings. Her mouth was not the only thing doing some digesting; her mind was also processing Ben’s announcement. If she had learned anything about her new boyfriend, it was that he loved life. And with that fervor came a willingness to try just about anything.
Including seemingly impossible things like establishing a relationship with her parents.
“Do you want to tell me what’s on your mind, Dr. Koo?”
“Hmm?” Melanie’s pasted an innocent expression on her face. “What do you mean, Professor Peters?”
The corner of Ben’s eyes crinkled to hear her pet name for him. “Either you’re starving or you’ve lost all interest in talking to me,” he quipped. “I hope it’s not the latter.”
“How do you like the siu mai?” she asked, pointing to a tin of pork and mushroom dumplings. “Those and the har gow, the shrimp dumplings, are two of the most popular dim sum dishes.”
“I like both very much, though the portions are a little on the small side,” he remarked as he popped a bite-sized dumpling into his mouth. “But, hey, I can tell you’re trying to change the subject. What’s going on? Talk to me, Mel. You’ve been preoccupied ever since we sat down.”
When Melanie lifted her eyes to meet Ben’s, she swallowed hard. The concern etched into the lines on his forehead tugged at her heart. She couldn’t bear to disappoint him, but she knew her next words would do just that. “There’s something you should know.”
“Yes?”
“My parents … they don’t know I’m dating. I haven’t told them about you.”
“You haven’t?” Ben replied as surprise registered on his face. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s my mom. She’s still not over my decision to call off the engagement to Melvin. I didn’t want to throw in another surprise so soon.”
“I can see why you’re waiting to tell her.” Ben nodded thoughtfully. “From what you told me, she did sound very upset.”
Upset was an understatement. When Melanie had told Auntie Wong to cancel the church reservation, her mother had refused to attend Sunday services for a month. “Yes, it took several ladies from church to convince Ma that they weren’t gossiping about our family. Their offers to pray for me,” she added with an eye-roll, “helped her feel safe enough to go back to church.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It sounds like the worst is over. The sooner your mom accepts your decision, the sooner you can tell her and your dad about the new man in your life.”
“Yes, of course.” Another dim sum cart rolled up to their table, providing Melanie with a much-needed break from their conversation. While Ben ordered a few more dishes, she mulled over her next words. Watching his earnest attempt at speaking Cantonese warmed her heart. Although he was nothing like the man she had imagined herself falling for, he was every bit the man she wanted. God couldn’t have brought a better match for her.
Except for one important detail.
“Ah, so this is the infamous jellyfish I’ve heard so much about.” He examined the white noodle-like pieces dangling from his chopsticks, then took a generous bite. His dimples appeared as he chewed and swallowed the mouthful of food. “This is delicious. It’s both sweet and sour. I like the crunchy texture of it.”
“They marinate the jellyfish in soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and white rice vinegar,” Melanie explained with a lopsided grin. “I can’t believe you like it.”
“Why do you look so surprised?
“Billie won’t touch it and she’s Chinese. You’re American, and you seem to love it.”
“Maybe I got dropped into the wrong culture when the stork made its delivery.”
“You know what people call someone like you? An egg.”
“An egg?”
“White on the outside, yellow on the inside. You’re American, but you like Chinese things.”
“And Chinese people, too,” he stated with a wink. “So what does that make you?”
“Me?”
“A Chinese girl who likes an American boy. Is there a term for that?”
“Oh, yes. A banana.”
“Did you know I’m a big fan of bananas?”
“Very funny.”
“How about you? Do you like eggs?”
“I prefer sunny side-up ones. And I like one tall, dark and handsome egg in particular.” She raised the pointer and middle fingers of both hands to make air quotes. “But, to be honest, I never imagined dating someone like you. Someone who’s not Chinese.”
“Why not? Are we so different?”
“I just never considered it possible. My circle of friends is limited. I’ve gotten used to hanging out with people like me.” Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she decided to be truthful. “I also didn’t feel confident enough to even consider it. First, there’s the language barrier. Even though I studied hard in school and read all the classics, there were still many cultural things I couldn’t learn from a book. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was to be the only person looking around the room whenever someone said Elvis had left the building? There was a time when I thought every white guy was named Elvis. It took me a while before I realized it was only a saying.”
The corners of Ben’s eyes crinkled with humor. “Mel, that’s the best story ever. One worth telling your future kids about, especially if you decide to name your son after the king of rock and roll.” Noticing a flicker of sadness cross Melanie’s face, he leaned in to reassure her, “You do know I’m laughing with you, not at you?”
She quickly regained her composure and quipped, “You do know I’m not laughing, right?”
“What I know,” Ben revealed with a grin, “is that you are one amazing woman. Smart and beautiful. No one would be able to tell that English isn’t your second language. You hardly have an accent.”
“That’s because I spent all my free time after we immigrated watching TV and imitating how people talked. I watched everything-soap operas, sitcoms, the news, even tabloid talk shows. It was a good way to learn about the American culture, too.”
“No wonder you speak English as well, if not better, than the next person. You put in so much work. But I’m positive that even if your English wasn’t as good we would still have no problems communicating.”
“How would that be possible?”
“Simply because we speak the same language of love.”
Melanie burst out laughing. “You are too much.”
Ben reached for her free hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “Blame it on those happy hormones.”
A tingle shot up Melanie’s arm before she pulled her hand away. It had to be the dry December air which caused the spark. Or maybe it was the oxytocin. Regardless, tingles couldn’t change the fact there was another bigger barrier she hadn’t mentioned. Her face grew serious as she broached the subject. “There’s also another issue. My parents …”
“Your parents?”
“They are very traditional. Even though we’ve lived in America for a decade now, they haven’t assimilated into the culture. They’re used to living in a Chinese bubble. And the main reason I haven’t told them about you,” she stated with a grimace, “is because I know they won’t approve of our relationship.”
Disbelief registered on his face. “Because I’m white?”
“Because I’m a teacher?”
“Because you’re not a doctor or engineer.”
Ben remained silent for a minute, the food on his plate untouched. “So that’s why they wanted you to marry Melvin.”
“He was an ideal candidate in my mother’s eyes. But you …,” she paused to sigh. She set down her chopsticks and swallowed hard. It was time to be honest with Ben about their future. “Even if you did learn to speak Cantonese fluently, there’s still a lot of cultural things you don’t understand. It’s just like me and Elvis. Those things you can’t learn overnight. I don’t want you to have unrealistic hopes, Ben. Getting my parents’ approval is going to be almost impossible.”
“That won’t stop me from trying, Mel. I’m up for the challenge.”
“I don’t want you to waste your time.”
“Waste my time? Even if there’s a one percent chance that your parents will like me, I’m going to go for it. You are worth it.”
“And what if the odds are less than one percent?”
“As long as it’s a number greater than zero, there’s a possibility.” Ben’s hazel eyes lit up. “We’ve been beating the odds ever since we met. What were the chances that we would be in the same grocery store aisle on the same day and at the same time? And that Billie would be in my class and you would show up at Back to School Night? I don’t believe in coincidences. I have faith in God and in His plan.”
Melanie wished she had as much faith as Ben. She had been having trouble believing in God’s plans ever since their family had immigrated to America. The move had derailed her future, at least where her love life was concerned. But Ben was right about one thing; there had been too many coincidences recently to deny God’s involvement. “If only God could make the rest of His plan fall into place just as well. It’s going to take a miracle for my mother to accept you.”
“Then get prepared to witness a miracle.”
Once again, those irresistible dimples lifted the corners of her mouth, as well as her hopes. It was worth a try at least. Her mother had yet to disown her after the “un-engagement” debacle, which was a miracle in itself. Perhaps there were more miracles to come. She blurted out her idea before she lost her courage. “Well, do you and Ashlynn have dinner plans next Thursday?”
