Kung Fu Kellie and Sonam's Prophecy

by A. H. Shinn

  The yellow parchment quivered in her shaking hands. Kellie’s knees felt weak, and she nearly stopped breathing. She stared down at the last two lines in disbelief.

  You have never left my thoughts,

  Victoria Bean

  The letter was from her mother.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Pho Soup

  Kellie loudly exhaled, trying to control her anger.

  She fell onto Master Chen’s office chair. Should she keep the letter or pretend she didn’t find it? It would be difficult acting like she didn’t know Master Chen kept a letter that was from her birth mother.

  “I can’t believe it,” Kellie mumbled. “My mother wrote to me.”

  She wanted to keep it and read it a hundred times over, but instead carefully folded the paper and tucked it into the envelope. After she put the mail back, the art book was again in Kellie’s hand as she walked like a zombie back to her room.

  She placed Grand Master Jing’s collection of art between two textbooks. After the monumental discovery, the item she had taken from Taiping Monastery wasn’t a priority anymore.

  So many emotions flooded through the hollow of her chest. She was elated, practically floating, knowing that her mother had been searching for her, and even more so for being found. A million questions had been running through her mind ever since Master Chen had told Kellie she’d been abandoned in a mysterious forest when she was just a baby. Did her parents give her up purposely? Were they forced to do it? There was also a possibility she was taken away from them.

  In the letter, her mother didn’t give any indication about why Kellie was left in Shenmi Forest. Just that she had been looking for her.

  Why hadn’t she called or visited? If I found my lost child, I would go see her immediately.

  Kellie let her mind wander.

  I wonder what she looks like. I wonder if she is still with my father. I wonder what he looks like.

  Lying on her bed, staring at the Night of Pass, she fantasized about being with her parents. They sat at the dining table, laughing and talking about the day, while her mother passed her father’s favorite dish to him. Her mother planned a shopping day to buy her a new dress for the school dance. Then her father surprised her with tickets to a sports event, eager to teach her the rules of the game.

  Then she had another thought. What if I have siblings? It made her smile to think she might have a sister or brother. She wondered if her parents had kept them. They wouldn’t leave me in a dangerous forest and keep their other children, would they?

  Kellie had to stop herself from letting her imagination get the best of her. She needed to take one step at a time and let her mother explain what had happened.

  She also didn’t want to get her hopes up. What if her mother only wanted to see that she was safe? Just because she sent her a letter didn’t mean she wanted to become a family.

  But what if she does? What if my mother asks me to live with her?

  Kellie immediately thought about Master Chen. Although she was furious that he kept her mother’s letter from her, Master Chen was her family, as well as the other monks at Taiping Monastery. Everything he had done had been for her. He had left China to protect her from the unknown attacker (later discovered that it was Hagos) who’d killed Shifu Lau. Master Chen had left everything and everyone he knew to give her a better life in the United States.

  But why didn’t he tell me my mother was looking for me?

  Was he being selfish? How could he do this to her? He knew she wanted to know about her birth parents and where she was from.

  SLAM!

  The front door. Master Chen was home.

  Kellie froze on her bed. Should she confront him right away or give him time to tell her? Maybe he just hadn’t had the opportunity and was waiting for the right time.

  But the right time should’ve been as soon as the letter arrived! Kellie screamed in her head. And when did he get it?

  “Kellie!” Master Chen called.

  Kellie shoved her face into a pillow.

  “You home?” he shouted.

  Kellie sat up and took a couple of deep breaths. Forcing herself past her bedroom door and down the hall, she answered, “I’m home.”

  Her voice was calm. She didn’t know how she did it, but she was even able to flash him a smile.

  Master Chen didn’t seem to notice anyway. He was busy wrestling with sacks of groceries. “Here,” he said as he tossed her a bag.

  It was her favorite rice paper milk candy. This one was hard to find, but Master Chen always managed to track it down in an Asian food store.

  “Thanks,” Kellie mumbled as she fell onto the couch. Her eyes followed Master Chen as he moved swiftly around in the kitchen.

  The old man was bouncing between the open grocery bags and the refrigerator. “Got good ingredients at market!” He took out some fresh herbs, sniffed them, and smiled.

  He seemed to be unusually upbeat.

  After taking a big whiff of another bunch of green leaves, he held it in front of him. “Very good produce today! Very nice basil I got.”

  Basil? We never use basil for anything.

  The compartments in the refrigerator were being opened and closed. There was a lot of shuffling in the kitchen…and whistling. Kellie couldn’t recall Master Chen ever whistling.

  She bit her tongue, trying to give him a chance to tell her about the letter. He must have noticed her silence. Master Chen peeked out of the kitchen.

  “I make new soup,” he said. “Today, we eat pho!”

  Pho? What’s pho?

  “Takes long time to make broth,” he said. “I think you will like. You like soups. Will like this one. Basil give it fresh taste! Got nice cilantro, too!”

  Cilantro? We never use that either.

  His out-of-the-ordinary spontaneity brought Kellie to her feet. He tried new things before, but this was peculiar.

  Master Chen was chopping up the chicken and pulling off the skin as Kellie crept toward the small counter next to the stove.

  “What’s pho?” she asked.

  “It’s Vietnamese soup. I try last week in SF.”

  Vietnamese? She didn’t know he liked Vietnamese food.

  Their diet had been strictly Chinese until this year. Master Chen had begun experimenting with American food after Mrs. Lee had expressed how much Kellie, Jake, and Jory had enjoyed the pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers she made at her home. Kellie and her friends had stayed with Mrs. Lee and her husband, the town doctor, when they were in China.

  But Master Chen hadn’t strayed from Chinese or American food.

  He filled a large pot with water and dropped the chicken inside. He washed the cutting board and peeled the vegetables. While slicing and dicing the onions and carrots, he asked, “Where are friends?”

  “They left.”

  “Had good time?”

  “Yeah…till I got hit.”

  He stopped chopping and looked her up and down.

  “I’m fine. I got hit on my nose. It was my fault. I thought I could stop the ball with my chi, but I stopped it with my face instead.”

  “Ball?” Master Chen’s brow furrowed.

  “Yeah, it was just a plastic ball…not a big deal. I guess I lost the Emotive Chi.”

  Master Chen’s forehead was still wrinkled as he washed the bean sprouts. Kellie recognized the sprouts but wasn’t sure how the basil and cilantro were going to be included in the soup.

  Setting the bean sprouts aside, he started chopping a lime.

  “Lime?” Kellie asked. Now this was getting quite odd.

  “Brilliant, right?” He suddenly perked up. “So healthy and fresh, pho is.”

  Did he just say brilliant?

  “You will enjoy.” He glanced at Kellie’s nose, examining the slight redness still visib
le. “What you mean, you lost Emotive Chi?”

  “Everything that I learned—everything that I did in China…I can’t do anymore. I haven’t been able to since I’ve been back.”

  Master Chen rubbed his eye with the back of his hand.

  “Can’t lose Emotive Chi,” he said.

  She picked up and fiddled with a miniature porcelain cat. “But Hagos lost it.”

  “Taken, not lost,” he clarified.

  “Maybe it was taken from me.”

  “You would know. Relax and focus when doing kung fu. No stress or worries.”

  It was summer break, and Kellie was far from stresses and worries…or had been until she’d found the secret letter from her mother.

  “Did you check the mail today?” Kellie asked, never taking her eyes off his expression.

  “You waiting for something?”

  “No…are you?”

  Master Chen gave her an inquisitive look as he added salt to the broth.

  “I can check the mailbox for you,” she suggested, watching how he would react.

  “Already checked.”

  That didn’t surprise her. Feeling suspicious of the person she trusted the most was stomach-churning. He’s going to tell me, she tried to convince herself.

  “Anything interesting?” she asked.

  “Interesting?” he repeated.

  “In the mail.”

  “Mail not interesting. Want newspaper?”

  This conversation wasn’t going anywhere. Kellie sighed. “No, I don’t want the newspaper.” She muttered, “Never mind.”

  “Dinner ready around seven. Takes few hours for broth.” Then he started his cheerful whistling again.

  “Okay. I’ll be in my room…reading.”

  She put down the porcelain cat, which she had never seen before today, and proceeded toward the hallway.

  The whistling got louder and merrier.

  The soup was delicious!

  They sat across from each other, slurping away. The basil and lime added freshness to the chicken soup.

  “Very good,” boasted Master Chen about his creation.

  “Uh-huh,” said Kellie, without looking up. She was picking up noodles from the bowl with her chopsticks.

  “Oh!” he exclaimed, as if he’d just remembered something. “There is mail for you!”

  Kellie’s stomach dropped, and so did the noodles off the chopsticks. Slowly lifting her eyes, she stared at Master Chen. “What is it?”

  “School schedule.”

  “Anything else?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Are you sure—”

  RING! The phone startled Kellie.

  “You eat,” he said. “I get.”

  Master Chen was already off his seat and grabbed the handset in a flash. “Hello?” Pause. “Yes, we enjoy very much!” Pause. He laughed loudly and for an unusually long length of time. Pause. “No, no. ’S okay, ’s okay.” Pause. “Good-bye.”

  He sat back down with a grin so huge that his gums were visible.

  “Who was that?” Kellie asked.

  “Friend.” The smile was still plastered on his face.

  “Do I know him?”

  “Not yet. You will meet. And it is her, not him.”

  Kellie choked on a bean sprout. Master Chen poured more water into her cup, and she gulped down half the glass.

  Who was this woman calling their home in the evening? Kellie wasn’t even sure he was allowed to speak to women. Okay, he’s allowed to speak to women, but not date them! He’s a monk! It’s forbidden!

  Kellie cleared her throat and took another sip of water. “Is she the one you had a lunch date with last week?”

  Master Chen turned red. “No, not date! Just friend. She tell me how to make pho.”

  Kellie pushed the bowl away from her. She was finished with dinner.

  “Mrs. Nguyen. She is very nice lady. Her son owns grocery store.” He grabbed the dishes and took them into the kitchen. The refrigerator door opened and closed, and dishes and utensils clanked. He came back out and was holding two plates.

  Gently placing dessert in front of Kellie, he smiled proudly.

  “Tiramisu?” asked Kellie.

  Master Chen must’ve remembered how much she’d liked having it at Jake’s house.

  “I got from the city,” he said, sitting down and taking a few bites. “Why did we eat only Chinese food for so long? We are lucky to be surrounded by much diversity.”

  “I like Chinese food,” Kellie mumbled. It was comfort food. It reminded her of growing up at the monastery.

  “Yes, but it is fun to try new things.”

  Kellie wasn’t sure she agreed—especially if trying new things came with keeping secrets as big as the letter from her mother. And she wasn’t so sure about Mrs. Nguyen. Who was this woman influencing Master Chen? Was she the reason he hadn’t given her the letter? Was he so wrapped up in his new friend that it had slipped his mind?

  Kellie wolfed down the cake, cleaned up the dining table, and rushed through washing the dishes.

  Finally back in the comfort of her bed, she lay motionless, visualizing the letter’s sentences in her head. She imagined her mother, sitting at a desk, writing the draft.

  The paper was pretty, too. It was delicate parchment that tore easily. Did she buy that special paper just for her? Did she have to go through many revisions?

  Kellie let the daydreams wash over her as her eyelids drifted closed. One thing was for certain: she needed to get her hands on the letter again. And first thing in the morning, she would.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Cat Lady

  The next morning, the sun was up way too early. Kellie had left the shades in her room open, and the bright summer rays nudged her awake.

  As soon as she squinted at the light, the important matter popped in her head.

  The letter.

  She was determined to get it.

  As she crept out of her room, she saw Master Chen’s bedroom door closed. He probably hadn’t woken yet. It was still early.

  Kellie made breakfast as she waited for Master Chen to appear. The smell of bacon and eggs would surely lure him out of the room where her letter was.

  She had been experimenting with American foods as well and it helped to have a friend who taught her a few recipes. Jake had whipped up his specialty one afternoon for Jory and her. He called it Jake’s Famous French Toast. Kellie decided this morning would be the perfect time to recreate it.

  “You make breakfast?” Master Chen asked, coming out of his room and shutting his door.

  “Yeah, and you’re gonna love it!” Kellie said.

  He looked at the egg-battered, fried bread covered with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, marshmallows, and strawberries.

  “Looks like dessert,” he said.

  “It’s French toast. And I made some scrambled eggs and bacon.”

  Master Chen picked up the fork and knife and began cutting into Jake’s specialty. Kellie poured him some hot tea and watched as he ate.

  He nodded after each bite of every item on his dish. “Very nice. Maybe you should make breakfast every day.”

  “Sure,” mumbled Kellie, glancing at his closed door.

  She chewed slowly and stared down at her food. She thought only of the letter sitting in Master Chen’s desk drawer.

  Kellie jumped slightly when Master Chen set down his empty mug.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Everything’s fine.”

  He didn’t look like he was buying it. “Training today?”

  “Maybe later,” she answered. “Might call up Jory or Jake.” She really needed someone to talk to.

  “Good. Good.” He got up and put away his dishes. “I have much paperwork a
nd bills to handle today.”

  “Great!” Kellie said. This was exactly what she’d hoped for. She needed him to leave the house so she could retrieve the letter.

  He walked to his bedroom and closed the door. She expected him to immediately come back out and head over to their studio, but he remained in his room. With her half-eaten plate in front of her, she sat and stared at the doorknob, waiting for it to turn.

  A whole hour went by, so she finally got up and washed the dishes. As she put the last cup in the dish rack, she heard a noise. Rushing to the family room, she stood still as a rock, but no other sound was made.

  Letting out a huge sigh of frustration, she fell onto the couch.

  She strained to hear for any movement, but all she heard was drawers opening and closing.

  “He’s doing paperwork in his room?” she asked herself. “He never does that. It’s always in the studio office.”

  Kellie stared at the ticking clock. He had to come out eventually. Closing her eyes, she listened intently, but eventually nodded off.

  A door shutting made Kellie jump up from the couch. A blanket fell to her feet. Master Chen’s door was still closed. He must’ve left his room (and for who knows how long), put the blanket on her, and then went back in.

  Her eyes darted to the clock. Noon?

  She had slept for hours and could have lost her chance to get her piece of mail. Now he was back guarding it.

  Deciding to give up for the moment, Kellie changed into her workout uniform and went to train in the studio.

  She spent the next couple of hours going through various punches and kicks. Reviewing the simple blocks and strikes was usually how she began her training. Kellie recalled what Master Chen told his students time and time again: “Basics are most important.”

  During her water break, she sat cross-legged on the red carpet. She stared at herself in the front mirror while thinking about her precious mother’s note.

  Her reflection suddenly appeared as if were inches from her nose, rather than a few yards away, and she spilled her water on her lap. And there was something else. Her pupils were a strange shape, almost like slits. She crawled toward the mirror as she held her breath.