CB: Dealer's Hand, -VI-
"I must say it's a pleasure to finally see you in the flesh, aunt."
The voice is charming. A puff of smoke is blown from behind a chair that has its back towards me. Black leather in a plush, golden interior. Whatever else of our heritage the family seems to value, this great nephew of mine seems to value the Chinese part of his. I see it as he turns the chair around, smiling pleasantly at me.
The smile is cold. And so are his eyes. He is too young to be so cold. I shrug slightly. "So you've seen me otherwise?"
"Sleeping beauty has finally returned to her castle," he says cryptically. "You were grandfather's favorite child."
"I asked you a question." I cock my hips to one side and fold my arms over each other. He clears his throat.
He doesn't look very Chinese for all his pretending.
"Even if you can forget yourself, the family doesn't forget its own. We were sent pictures from the hospital when you awoke three years ago. And of course, I've seen your wanted posters. You certainly do get around, aunt."
He leans back in his chair and glances at me over the end of his cigarette.
"What's the point of all this?" My hands itch. I want one too, but I won't let him know that I need that sort of comfort right now. Showing weakness to your enemy only ever gets you in trouble.
Instead of asking for a cigarette, I yawn and refold my arms on my chest, glancing at the paintings around the room and brushing off his attention.
"You've been back to the house. You've seen what's left of it."
"So?" I step over to a bookshelf and inspect the contents of it, not really paying much attention, but knowing that it's better than giving him the upper hand.
"If you've been back, you must have started to remember things. Some of which could be very useful to us."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I stretch, brushing my hair back from my face, and feeling the cuts of the cards stinging on my back as I shift the muscles there.
I smile a little.
"You were never really in all that debt, you know. That was the scheming doctor's attempt to get out of you what I want to know now," his voice gets an edge.
I turn to look at him in silence for a long moment.
"Which you still haven't told me yet, nephew," I say. He flinches, much to my satisfaction, and his chagrin. I guess he's never been startled by a woman openly, or at the very least it pisses him off. "And for the record, I'd like a name."
He narrows his eyes, the smile on his lips turning mean. "What is that phrase… ah yes. Learn to live with disappointment."