Passports and Plum Blossoms

by Barbara Oliverio

  “Big shock!” I looked over and saw that she was getting very serious. Uh-oh.

  “Spending just this short amount of time with him, though, I can see that he is so different. Not that Antonio wasn’t fabulous, but Genio is so sophisticated and witty and—”

  She stopped and sighed.

  I took a chance.

  “Auntie Lil, do you feel like you’re, oh I don’t know, cheating on Antonio somehow?” It sounded odd even as I said it.

  She stared straight ahead for a moment. “I couldn’t put it in words, but that is a good way of describing it.”

  “But Auntie Lil! You can’t be cheating on someone who has been dead for all those years! Especially since you weren’t even married to begin with!”

  She just shook her head and raised her hands, palms up.

  “All these years and you never got serious with anyone. Was that the reason?”

  “I don’t know, Annalise. Maybe.”

  Geesh! Talk about loyalty. My aunt would win an Olympic medal in it, if it were an event.

  “So, why now? Why Genio?”

  She shrugged and grunted. My aunt, the queen of etiquette shrugging like a teenager.

  My head spun, because when I was in situations like this, I usually got advice from ... her. I reached into my brain for all the words of wisdom I had garnered from her and attempted to be wise beyond my own years.

  “Maybe it’s all for the best.”

  What? I knew that didn’t make sense as it came out of my mouth. Too late.

  “What’s all for the best?” She looked at me quizzically.

  “This. Genio. You.”

  “What?”

  “Look, Auntie Lil, I don’t think that you’re the same person you would have been if Antonio would have survived and you two would have married. You probably—likely—would have had a blissfully happy life together. But because your life turned out the way it did, you are who you are. That’s why you are in this exact place at this exact time. So I think you were meant to meet Genio in this exact moment. And, as far as these things go, I think that Antonio would be happy that you are happy.”

  Wow. Where did all that come from?

  She stared at me for a moment, and I crossed my fingers inwardly.

  “Oddly, Annalise, that makes sense.”

  Whew.

  “I never thought about it much before, but hearing it out loud, awkward as it was, gave me something to think about.”

  “You’re welcome?” Did I help or not?

  “I was just a girl when I fell in love with Antonio. The life we built would have been the life we expected at that time. I can’t compare what’s happening now based on the thoughts and experiences of a seventeen-year-old.”

  Hey! I did help.

  “So that’s why this ... thing ... with Genio must just be an infatuation.” She leapt from the bed.

  No, no, no.

  “Auntie, are you sure you heard what I said?”

  “Quite sure, dear.” She sounded more like herself. And with that, she gathered her things together.

  “Come along, Annalise. We need to meet the others.”

  I banged my head softly on the headboard. At that moment, I heard the telltale beeps of Skype from my iPad. It was Rory.

  “I have a call coming in, Auntie Lil. I’ll just get room service and see you later?”

  “Are you sure? We’re walking down to the little tearoom down the street—you know, the one with the giant teapot out front that looks like it is constantly pouring tea into a big cup? We’ll be there for a while. Finish your visit with Rory and come.” Her eyes were pleading.

  “I don’t think so.” I needed time alone.

  Auntie Lil kissed my cheek as I connected my call.

  “There you are!” Rory’s impatient face appeared.

  “My fault, Rory,” Auntie Lil smiled into the screen. “I was saying good-bye and encouraging Annalise to come to dinner after your call.”

  “Oh ... go!” Rory said.

  “NOO!” I insisted. “You, stay on the line. And you, go join your dinner partners.”

  Auntie Lil blew us both kisses, and as soon as the door to the hotel room clicked shut, I grabbed my head in my hands and said, “Arrgh!”

  “Bad day at the office?” Rory teased.

  “You just don’t know.” I rearranged myself on the bed, laying stomach-down with my head propped in my hands.

  “Spill it!” she encouraged.

  “It’s Auntie Lil.”

  “She’s not sick, is she?” Rory’s voice raised in concern.

  “No, no. But remember the crush I told you about?”

  “Tall, distinguished, yes. What’s up? They didn’t get married, did they?”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “What? It could happen, Annalise. They’re not getting any younger.”

  “And they’re not getting any less traditional, either, you clod. I know that she’s a little old for the big white meringue dress and veil, but she’d still want a church wedding with the family.”

  “You have a priest with you. It could happen.” Leave it to Rory to push a point.

  “Finished?”

  “Yes.” She batted her eyes prettily.

  “Okay.” I blew out a breath and recounted my talk with Auntie Lil.

  “She actually asked you for advice?”

  “THAT’S what you took away from the story?”

  “Yes.” She swiveled in her desk chair.

  “Are you KIDDING ME?” I sat straight up.

  “Well, yes.” She stopped swiveling. “Oh, relax, I didn’t mean to insult you.”

  “What would you have said if you wanted to insult me?”

  “Calm down. Sheesh. What I meant was that she must be really churning inside if she came to you—to anyone. Don’t you get it? Your aunt is the most solid person we know, right? Always in control? For her to get rattled enough to open up so much, she must really have feelings.”

  “Right, right, right.”

  “And the fact that she took such pains to brush it off is the exact opposite of how she feels.”

  “I already figured that out.”

  “Yes. But do you know how HE feels?”

  “Oh.”

  “She is just hiding her feelings so that she doesn’t get hurt again. If we knew how he felt, then maybe—”

  “He could let her know, and she could either open up more or confirm her feelings to call this off.” I nodded.

  “Exactly.”

  “Rory. I think you’re on to something.”

  “That means you need to talk to him.”

  “What! I barely know him.”

  “Well, how else are we going to know?”

  “You realize you’re asking me to pull my father’s ‘Just what are your intentions?’ routine with a man old enough to be my grandfather—and a decorated war hero at that.”

  “Well, you should have it down pat, having heard your father and brother do it often enough.”

  She had a point. It’s a wonder that any of my potential boyfriends ever came back for another date after one round of ‘If you hurt Annalise, I have a shotgun and a shovel and no one will miss you, boy’ at my house.

  “What are you thinking, Annalise?”

  “I’m wondering how I can casually pull this off.”

  “I have confidence in you.”

  “That makes one of us.”

  “You’ll be great. I have another question for you. How are things with you and your own tall, dark, and mysterious stranger?”

  “Conversation over, Rory.” I had a sudden stab in my heart.

  “Oh no! You don’t get off that easily. I notice that he has appeared more frequently in pictures in your blog.”

  “What? No. Everyone is in the pictures.” Really? Was I that obvious?

  “You forget I’ve known you for a long time, sister.”

  I remained silent.

  “I can wait.” She tapped her fingers on her de
sk. Finally, I broke.

  “There WAS something there.”

  “Aha! I knew it. Wait ... what do you mean ‘was’?”

  Why couldn’t I just have broken the connection after telling Auntie Lil’s story? What a pair the Fontana girls made!

  I told Rory about the day and the beautiful things that Eli had said to me and how it was capped off by his unceremonious departure. It hurt worse because she wasn’t there in person.

  “Wait ...” She opened another window on her computer and started tapping on the keyboard. “Let me see if there’s any news on Graviton Gaming.” Her eyes scanned. After a few moments, she shook her head.

  “Nothing in the news, Annalise.”

  “Maybe your intrepid sources haven’t caught up yet.” But I knew someone who might have better sources. No. I wasn’t going to bother Breck about this. I already dragged him into my silly romantic escapades once in the last 24 hours.

  “There is this recent article in Business Today, Annalise. Should I send it to you?”

  “I’ve seen it.”

  “What? I thought you were behind a firewall.”

  “My new friend Breck sent a copy of the text.”

  “Hmm. This is a good story.” Trust Rory to go into editor mode. “Wow! Your Eli is hot!”

  “He’s not ‘my’ anything, Rory.”

  “Whatever. Gorgeous in a suit and in casual clothes. And this one picture, shirtless in board shorts on the beach.”

  “What!”

  “Ha! There isn’t a beach photo, but I bet he looks really good on the beach.”

  “I never thought about it.” My face turned crimson.

  Rory stopped teasing.

  “Look, Annalise. A person just doesn’t express feelings like he did and then forget about that person. Don’t overthink him having to leave.”

  “I wish I had your optimism. I think I just have to do my best to stay upbeat for the rest of this trip and remember my job.”

  “You know that your ‘job’ as Auntie Lil’s companion was just a courtesy.”

  “I know, but I also know that I wasn’t supposed to come here boyfriend-hunting.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Don’t ‘hmm’ me, Rory. Look, I need to go catch Auntie Lil and Genio if I’m going to do Operation Shovel and Shotgun tonight.” I jumped up from the bed.

  “Loving the name,” Rory laughed. “Report back to me! And listen. Take care of YOURSELF!”

  “If you insist.”

  We blew each other a kiss and cut off the conversation. I posted my blog, then raced around getting dressed so I could scoot down the street and ambush my aunt and her unsuspecting beau.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  I made a mad dash to the charming little tearoom three blocks from our hotel. I entered it and scanned the room, immediately finding the small group of tourists who were my temporary family. I politely allowed the hostess to guide me to the table.

  “Annalise! I’m so glad you decided to join us!” Auntie Lil jumped up to give me a hug. The others scooted around to make room for me, and the hostess brought me a table setting.

  “If I’m too late, I’ll just have some soup.” I caught my breath.

  “Nonsense! We’ve ordered plenty, and it hasn’t arrived,” Genio smiled at me from beside my aunt. I was comfortably settled at the cozy table that also included Father John, the Perinis, and the Flynn sisters.

  “Where are the others?” I looked around.

  “Scattered around the neighborhood. I think that our group is well represented at quite a few restaurants in the area,” said Father John.

  “I believe a couple of people even went to McDonald’s.” Katherine Flynn’s tone clearly indicated that she disapproved.

  “Oh Kat, sometimes people just want a taste of home,” Vivienne said, smiling at the rest of us to apologize for her sister’s judgmental tone.

  “Actually, I understand they serve different cuisine at the Golden Arches here,” said Genio.

  “Really?” asked his sister.

  “Oh yes.”

  I caught the twinkle in his eye and knew that a tall tale was coming.

  “The Big Mac isn’t made of beef. It’s called the Big Mock and is made of octopus. And the fries are tofu.”

  “You’re kidding!” Vivienne’s eyes widened.

  “I think I read that the chicken nuggets are made from chicken feet,” Auntie Lil said, jumping in on the story.

  “Well, all the more reason not to go there!” Katherine nodded her head vigorously.

  “Genio, stop pulling these ladies’ legs,” Georgiann Perini said, catching on to her brother’s antics. “Goodness, Lil, you are just like him! You are both terrible!”

  I could hold my laughter no longer. But as I looked from Genio to Auntie Lil, I saw something more than shared high jinks. Oh, Auntie, your words earlier in the hotel room couldn’t hide how much you’ve fallen for this man so soon!

  The delicious meal arrived, and our waitstaff placed bowl after bowl on the huge lazy Susan in the center of the table. Conversation switched from the day’s activities, including the many jade bargains, to the anticipation of walking on the Great Wall the next day.

  “Are you ready for the wall?” Father John asked from beside me.

  “I’m so excited,” I replied. “I have wanted to see the Great Wall ever since I was a little girl and read about it in history books.”

  “I hope the weather and the air quality hold out,” he said.

  “We haven’t had one sunny day, have we?” I mused.

  “Think about the fact that the people here rarely have a sunny day!”

  I thought about living in Denver where it was persistently sunny. These few days in China, where industrial pollution shielded the sun, made me a bit homesick. I had taken more than a few photos of people going about their daily lives wearing surgical masks to keep poor air out of their lungs.

  “My mother packed masks for Auntie Lil and me, and I didn’t really take her seriously,” I confided to Father John.

  “Well, we seldom see the wisdom of our parents until later, don’t we?” he smiled.

  I smiled back. It was my father who convinced me that this trip would do me good and help clear my head from my job and romance woes. I hoped that his wisdom would kick in soon. I was sure it would.

  “Annalise, where is your friend Eli?” Leave it to Katherine Flynn to stick a pin in my feelings of goodwill.

  “Mr. Chamberlain is friends with all of us, you know. And I believe he had to attend to business back home,” I said.

  “Hmm. You seemed pretty chummy to me. I noticed—” Katherine began.

  “Annalise,” cut in Genio, “I’m stepping out to take a photo of that amusing giant teapot. You are the best photographer here. Would you come and help me?”

  He rose from his chair and stood behind mine to assist me.

  “Gen! We were waiting for the special dessert of the house!” his sister insisted.

  “We’ll be back in a minute, Georgie. Just make sure to save us some,” Genio said, leading me out by the elbow.

  Outside, I poked him on the shoulder.

  “Your story would have held up better if one of us had brought out a camera, Genio.”

  “Well, I think we will be fine. There is a three-tiered tray of desserts arriving at the table as we speak, and all conversation will surround that, don’t you think?”

  I moved to a small table in the restaurant garden and sat down in a chair. Genio joined me.

  “Katherine Flynn is ... inquisitive, don’t you think?” I said.

  “To put it mildly.”

  We sat in silence for a few moments watching the traffic. Quite a few bicycles passed with an interesting blanket contraption that covered the handlebars and the riders’ laps. Riders slipped their hands through the “glove” area on the handlebars to keep them warm during their ride.

  “That’s a neat idea,” I commented on the bike hand-warmers.

  �
��When the primary mode of transportation is a bicycle, someone was bound to discover a way to stay warm on cold days.”

  I nodded.

  A few moments passed while I tried to come up with a way to bring up my concerns about him and Auntie Lil. Without realizing it, Katherine had given me the perfect opportunity, and I didn’t want to waste it.

  “Annalise.” “Genio.”

  We laughed as we both spoke at the same time.

  “Ladies first,” he said, dipping his head in a nod.

  “I know this may seem odd, but I need to ask you what your intentions are with my aunt.” Well. How much more awkward could that have been?

  “My intentions?” He looked at me wide-eyed.

  “Yes. I’m the only family she has with her right now, and it’s my responsibility to protect her.” Oh, great.

  “Am I to understand that you are giving me the ‘potential suitor’ talk?” His lips curled into the barest hint of a smile.

  “You are making fun of me!”

  “No. But I have to admit it’s refreshing to hear that ‘intentions’ question at my age.”

  My eyes narrowed into slits.

  “It may seem funny to you, but Auntie Lil is very special to me, to my whole family. I won’t stand by and have her affections toyed with.”

  “Annalise!” My aunt’s voice came from behind me. I swiveled around.

  “Auntie Lil,” I gulped.

  “Child, what are you doing?” She strode over.

  “Apparently your delightful niece has mistaken me for some sort of playboy,” Genio grinned.

  “I didn’t say that!” I turned back to him. “All I wanted to know was whether you considered this time together somewhat serious or just a vacation fling. I don’t want my aunt to get hurt.”

  “Annalise, where did you get the idea that this was your business or your responsibility?” Auntie Lil shook her head.

  I looked at the situation from outside and realized how ridiculous it must sound to her. Darn that Rory for putting ideas in my head!

  “She was just being caring, Lil. I think it’s sweet,” Genio said.

  Great, one was angry and the other condescending?

  “Look, after our discussion earlier, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t making the wrong decision based on incomplete information, Auntie Lil. You know ... what we talked about ...” I didn’t want to say anything about Antonio because that was her story to share.