Chapter 4: Sunday Family Lunch
"Hello? Ramón?"
"Yes, who's this?" the voice on the phone asked.
"This is Mariah." She gulped. "Can you come and fetch me?"
"Qué? Where are you?"
"In the phone cabin, in front of the supermarket," she swallowed up her tears.
"I'll be there in a sec."
Mariah hung up and wiped the stray tears on her face. She put the red leather book back in her bag, then looked out for the red flame motorcycle. A few minutes later, it arrived.
"Where can I take you this time?" he asked her as she took the helmet from behind him.
"Anywhere far from here," she answered.
------------flash back--------------
Madame Kon arrived in a tight Chinese silk dress (don't know what it's called, if you do please tell me). Tight for her over-large body. She bought with her two of her favorite dogs: a poodle and a terrier. The little beasts stamped all over the floor with fresh mud. Mariah bit her lips but merely accepted the lady's handbag from her.
"This way, Mother." She heard Ray saying to his mother as he gestured her to the living room. Sounds of dogs barking and humans rummaging.
"Mariah!" the fat lady called in her deep voice. "My darlings need a bowl for their aperitifs."
"I'll go and get it, Madame Kon." Mariah felt like a servant. Ray gave her an encouraging smile them turned to talk to his mother in a manner of someone fearing the volcano would explode. Mariah found a plastic bowl but Madame Kon waved it away.
"Take that out of my sight," the old woman said, "my pups need pure china, girl."
Blast those pups, Mariah thought. She came back with a china bowl and finally got to sit next to Ray, on the sofa with a glass of sherry in her hands. She caught Madame Kon eyeing her up and down. She didn't understand why till the frog croaked:
"Ray, darling, I think you should teach your fiancée how to dress more properly. I mean, she won't stay long with you if she's always showing her pores."
Mariah looked down at herself. She was wearing her usual pink and white Chinese outfit. There was nothing sexy about that.
"Mother," Ray said, blushing, "Mariah can dress the way she likes."
"Oh, well, it's not like I haven't warned you."
She gave Mariah a disapproving glance. Suddenly, she cried, "What is that smell?!"
Ray and Mariah sniffed, wondering what kind of fantasy Madame Kon had brewed up. It smelled of burning...
"The duck!" Mariah gasped and rushed into the kitchen.
The three of them and the two dogs settled themselves before a dish of burned charcoal-black aromatic (now the smell is really aromatic) duck and a bowl of over-cooked noodles.
Madame Kon didn't say anything on the dishes before her.
"Aromatic ducks and noodles! Your favorites, Mother," Ray said cheerfully.
"Mariah spent half of her life trying to cook them up to please you."
Madame Kon looked like she would be very pleased to see Mariah disappearing out of her son's life.
"Umm, let's eat then," Mariah said hesitantly.
It was awful. No one said anything but it was plain that each was torturing themselves with the food. Mariah wished she could die, she couldn't bear it anymore. How can I be so bad at cooking? Only the dogs gnawed happily at their food.
The dessert wasn't better. Mariah had no time to make one herself so she bought frozen ones, ignoring the fact that Madame Kon hated packet food. Yet, the woman swallowed mutely the icy lynchees. But the worst came when she was serving tea. Mariah carried the large tray to the dining-room but before she could reach the table, she slipped on one of the dogs and WHAM the hot tea poured down like a waterfall on Madame Kon, drenching her in boiling water. Which to that added her hot temper that was about to explode.
"I H-HAVE ENOUGH O-OF THIS SHITTY LU-LUNCH!" she thundered.
"Mother, please-." Ray tried to take hold of his mother. The woman pushed him off and turned to Mariah who cowered back to the wall, holding the empty try in guise of protection.
"I"VE EATEN ROTTEN FOOD WHICH CAN TURN BAD FOR MY LIVER BUT I HAVEN"T SAID A WORD. I'VE SWALLOWED THOSE ICE CUBE THIS BITCH HAS BOUGHT AND NOW-." She paused for breath. "AND NOW SHE TRIED TO MURDER ME BY POURING HER FUCKING TEA ON ME! YOU"RE NOTHING BUT A FILTH, MISS WONG YOU'LL NEVER HAVE MY SON, NEVER!"
"AS IF I WANTED YOUR SON!" Mariah shouted back. Since Madame Kon had called her names, she had had enough, she as well. "I'M SICK OF BEING A MERE SERVANT TO THE KONS' EYES. I WANT A LIFE OF MY OWN TOO! DO YOU EVER THINK THAT, YOU OLD ASSHOLE?"
Both Madame Kon and Ray were stunned. Madame Kon revived first from the shock.
"Well. I'm off," she said as she briskly picked up her dogs, "I'm happy we've agreed. Don't you think you're welcome in our home again. Goodbye." The front door slammed shut.
"What on earth were you doing?" The anger in Ray's voice startled her. "You've just shouted at my mum! How do you want me to accept that?"
"Ray, I-." Mariah started to cry.
"I can't believe it of you, Mariah," Ray shook his head. "And since you don't want me, I don't see why I should stay."
At that, he too left. Mariah didn't know what to do. In her desperation, she cried even harder, all alone in the wide mess of broken china and spilled food.
---------------end of flash back-------------------
Mariah sobbed on Ramón's shoulders. They were in his apartment, an old rat hole but cozier than her own house, now desert.
"Hey, now, cariñosa, no need to shed more tears," Ramón stroked gently her hair.
"I'm lost, Ramón," she sobbed, "I have nowhere else to go."
"You have me."
She lifted up her head and gazed into his misty eyes. He reminded her of someone, now, stronger than ever.
"You don't know me," she shook her head.
"You'll have to show me," he answered.
He brushed the tears off her cheeks and glided down progressively to her lips. He kissed her lightly on the forehead (!), then her left cheek. Mariah was breathless; her heart was banging so hard she was afraid it would burst. Slowly but certainly, they enclosed in an elating kiss. Suddenly, she felt as if she was a torch that had been lighted. Her burning hands searched desperately through Ramón's shirt. He lowered himself on the floor and ran his hands down her body, caressing each of her limbs. Outside a thunderstorm was preparing.
How was it?
Mariah: Ray will be furious
Me: Nah, he'll try it on Salima instead
Mariah: I'm gonna kill you!
Me: You're the one who went to Ramón's in the first place
Ramón: Someone talking about me?
Mariah blushed: I have to go. Bye.
Ramón: Did I say something wrong?
Me, shaking my head: Men