"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Malucci, how delightful," Mark Greene's butler greeted the family. "Please, come in." The four entered as other household servants appeared out of nowhere to take their dripping coats and hats.

"Right this way," the butler directed the small family. He led them down a rather dimly lit and austere hallway into a brightly-lit dining room. Dave was slightly surprised at the rather large group of people all ready seated. He assumed that this would be just another one of Mark's friendly dinners in which Mark and his father discussed politics. Instead he was met with an array of cultured faces.

"Ah, Dr. David Malucci," Mark stood and shook hands with his friend. He turned toward his all ready seated guests. "Dr. Malucci, I'd like you to meet Mr. Abdullah Fadlan and his lovely wife. They are both visiting from India. This is the Xiang-Fu family, as you well know…" Dave smiled at Quan-Yin who allowed herself a self-conscious smile back. "And this is the Chen family, who I'm sure you've had previous acquaintances," as they were introduced each family slightly bowed their heads in greeting. "This is David Malucci, his sons David and John, and his lovely wife Natalia." Dave and John smiled artificially.

After taking his seat next to his younger brother Dave glanced about at the faces around him.

"The, uh, Xiang-Fu's were curious about Christianity so I invited them to dinner," explained Mark to Dave's father. "The Chens, as you well know, have been interested for some time…" the missionary glanced up as food was brought out.

Chen? He knew the Chens… Dave looked down the table and was momentarily shocked to see the young woman he had met only a few days ago among the many faces present. God, she really was beautiful, wasn't she? It wasn't the doll-like face that was painted on her, but something more. Something deeper that seemed to shine through and dance upon his heart. He looked away before she had the chance to notice him gazing. .. yet he couldn't bear to look away for much longer. He glanced back up again. She was leaning her head towards her mother as her mother whispered something to her. Then he suddenly noticed her brother sitting with the men, staring at him fiercely. Dave locked eyes with him for a moment, reading a message of warning in the other man's eyes. He looked away again and tried to make his breathing even. John elbowed him and he looked up. His brother was looking down the table at the Asian women and children. He looked back to Dave. "That little one was staring at us."

"Quan-Yin?" Dave smirked. "Don't worry, I know her."

The food was served and Dave tried to focus on his meal the rest of the dinner, afraid to find Jing-Mei's brother staring at him menacingly once more.

After the meal Mark rose and the men of the room left to smoke and discuss more serious matters elsewhere. As missionaries, Mark and his wife hoped to convert the two Asian families present to Christianity, no matter how difficult the prospect was.

John stood and tapped him on the shoulder. Dave looked up questioningly and was met with John's pleading gaze. His younger brother jerked his head in the direction of the door. The two exited. With all the males gone except the children the women felt comfortable to talk amongst themselves.

John led Dave to a quiet sitting room.

"What is it?" Dave was worried that something was wrong.

John licked his lips. "You know that little girl you know?"

"Quan-Yin?"

"Yeah, Quan-Yin…well… did you see… I mean, uh, there was… was that her sister next to her?"

"Yes, I think so… why?" Dave grinned as he watched John put his hands in his pockets and slowly begin to pace.

"Well… she… I mean I… did you see her look at me?"

Dave was smiling now.

"I mean, it just seemed like she kept smiling at me…"

Dave's smile reached his eyes.

"…and… I dunno, but I think I like her," John looked up to his older brother desperately. "Wha… what am I… I mean… what am I supposed to do?"

Dave laughed. His kid brother had a crush and was asking him for advice. God how he loved John and being his big brother, no matter how much they fought. "Well… it would be a good start to find out her name."

John nodded, looking down in thought. "You're right… do you know it?"

Dave laughed. "John, you have to go ask her yourself."

His little brother's face turned ashen. "How?" His eyes were wide.

"John Carter Malucci, you know very well how to introduce yourself."

John let out a quick spurt of a nervous laugh.

"Go on!"

"What- now?!"

"There's no time like the present!"

"Oh… okay… you're right… I'm gonna go out there and say 'Hi. My name's John Malucci. Who are you?' "

Dave clenched his jaw. "Maybe you should replace 'who are you?' with 'what might you name be, Miss?' "

John pointed a finger at him. "Right!"

"All right… you go on, have fun with your girlfriend."

John didn't hear the remark as he walked out, muttering his lines. "Hi, my name's John Carter Maluc- no, wait, John Malucci, what's yours?-no…"

Dave chuckled and shook his head slightly after John had left the room. A bookcase caught his eye and he meandered over to it. He skimmed the titles as the soft pitter-patter of the rain outside the window rocked him in his easy silence. He pulled out a book that was a collection of Geoffrey Chaucer's works and began to leaf through it where he stood.

"You like to read?" a meek female voice made his soul jump as he turned to see Jing-Mei Chen humbly looking to the floor, pretending that she was ashamed to have startled him. She had enjoyed watching him in secret and making him jump, but she'd never show it.

He cleared his throat. "Yes… yes, I do."

She smiled slowly and looked up into his eyes.

Dave couldn't fight the smile that crept across his own face.

She looked away for a moment, not comfortable with the feeling of her heartbeat feeling as though it was wracking her body. "You… you have the same name as your father?" she was looking at the wall to her left.

"Yeah, it's a… tradition my mother wanted to start. I'm supposed to name my first son David, also."

"Would you be happy if you had a son?" Jing-Mei looked into his facial expression as she fingered the end of her sash.

"Yes," he replied after a moment of thought. "But I'd be just as happy to have a daughter."

She smiled without showing her teeth. "Well then, your daughters will be very lucky to have such a western father."

Dave glanced down at her unbound feet although they were concealed by her robes. "And your father? I was under the impression that he was open to western ideas as well."

"Yes," Jing-Mei looked away. "I am very lucky to have such a caring man for my father."

Not knowing what else to say Dave ventured back to their last conversation. "What did you mean when you told me that I was white?"

Jing-Mei looked up, startled. "I am sorry," she bowed deeply as she began to back up. "I will bother you no more," she scuffled towards the door.

"No, wait!" Dave moved quickly to step in front of her as she turned around. She froze. They were inches apart and Dave had unconsciously grabbed her arm to stop her. She looked up at him. Dave had no idea what to say and instead slowly let go of her arm. She could feel his breath upon her forehead. Feeling suddenly awkward his voice cam as a whisper. "Sit down… please?"

Jing-Mei looked away and over at a cushioned chair. Dave stepped away and crossed the room to the cushioned chairs. 'What am I doing?!' Jing-Mei screamed in her mind as she sat down.

Dave sat across from her. Jing-Mei was trying to calm her breathing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

Jing-Mei glanced at him nervously then back to her folded hands. "No, it was I who upset you."

"I wasn't mad," Dave smirked a little. "Just curious."

More at ease, Jing-Mei also smiled slightly. She looked around. "The little girl at dinner- she likes you."

Dave kept his smile. "Quan-Yin? Yeah, we've bee friends for a while."

Jing-Mei slowly turned her head back to him once more, hair ornaments tinkling. "No, I mean, she very much likes you," she raised an eyebrow suggestively.

After a few moments of desperately struggling to grasp her meaning it dawned on him. Quan-Yin had a crush on him. "….Oh… how could you tell?"

"From the way that she looks at you." She couldn't believe that she was telling him this. She couldn't believe that he was listening and not insulting her for being a gossiping, foolish woman.

Dave let out a short giggle. "Well, I'm afraid I'm a bit too old for her."

Jing-Mei stared at him quizzically.

'Great, there I go again with my western upbringing…' it was most definitely not unheard of for a thirteen-year-old to marry a twenty-one-year-old… or older…

'You do not care for her, then?" Jing-Mei was puzzled.

"No… no, I care for her… I mean, she's like a cousin or a little sister. I've watched her grow up…"

Jing-Mei couldn't resist the temptation to sway the direction in her favor. "Then what sort of woman do you hope to one day find?" The moment the words left her mouth she wished she hadn't spoken them. Women didn't say such things. Especially to men.

She lifted her chin when she noticed him looking directly at her. Their eyes met for a few intense moments. This time Dave was the one to look away. When she realized that she'd made him uncomfortable she quietly drew breath and changed the subject. "I called you white because that was the only response that you couldn't argue with," she spit out quickly.

Dave was startled by her sudden change in subject and laughed a little. "Yeah, I figured as much." She gave him a smile that she hoped was reassuring.

"Jing-Mei!" a harsh voice pierced the air and she instinctively lowered her head in submission. Her brother turned the corner, his face intense as he searched for his sister. Seeing Dave rise Chiang snapped his head in Dave's direction. He violently strode over and stood next to his sister, daring Dave to speak.

"Come! We go now! Father's business here is done!" Jing-Mei rose, her head still lowered as she headed for the doorway. Chaing remained to stare at Dave for a moment longer, his nostrils flared. This time Dave brought himself up to his full height as he stared back at Jing-Mei's brother, unafraid. Chaing spun around and exited with his sister.

Jing-Mei tried to muffle her sobs in her pillow. Despite the exhilaration of actually speaking with Dave she felt overwhelming embarrassment. So much had gone wrong… she hadn't meant to make a fool of herself… why was she so awkward? Awkward, like the way she felt when she had stood so close to Dave by accident, feeling his warm breath against her face as she forbiddingly traced his lips with her eyes, longing to press hers against his.

Who was this white man who disregarded the strict rules a woman had to follow? How could he make her so attracted to him when she'd only met him thrice? Who was this man who had the ability to make her feel so special? Little did she know, but Dave was laying in his own bed, dreaming the same questions.

He listened to his brother's peaceful snoring in the bed across from his. Things had gone surprisingly well for John that night and Dave envied John and Quan-Yin's sister's flirtatious relationship. Why was love always so easy for others?