"You've changed."
Closing her eyes, Mimi sucks in a breath before facing Sara, "Hey babe."
Mimi lies back amongst the Papasan chair's cushions, where she had planted herself after discovering Chen's body. The guqin in her lap still resonating from her last note.
"Your right," Mimi shakily gets out of the chair and sits down on the bed, "How are you feeling?"
"Fuzzy. I can remember certain things, but not others," Sara smiles, and Mimi can see a particular clan leader within the gaps. It hurts.
"Xich-," Mimi stops herself and puts her head on her knees.
"Are you alright?" Sara tries to move to embrace her but is hindered by the IV.
"Nope," Mimi wheezes, gripping the guqin to her chest like a lifeline, "I should find my sister. Hang on."
Still gripping the guqin, Mimi unsteadily gets to her feet but needs to put a hand on the Papasan chair to keep herself from tumbling over.
"Sweetheart? You . . .can play? Are you wearing a wig?" Sara struggles weakly to extricate herself from the medical equipment.
"Dumplin!" Mimi shouts at the door.
A gorgeous redhead appears at the door and immediately hugs Mimi to her chest. Sara feels a surge of jealousy. Two other women, Sara did not recognize hover at the door, peeking in at her. The redhead passes Mimi to one of the strange women, and Sara watches as Mimi . . . crumples. There were no other words to describe it. Her strong wife crumples. Falls apart. The redhead professionally steps across the floor to check Sara's vitals.
"Hello," the redhead says with a grin that does not quite reach her eyes, "I wish we could have met on better terms; my name is Dandan Feng. I am your wife's sister. I have been supervising your treatment. Your wife thought it would be more prudent to have you stay in my home rather than in a hospital. Do you remember what happened?"
"Your Mimi's sister?" Sara asks, "why haven't we met before?"
"The eyes didn't give it away?" Dumplin barks out a laugh, "I have been abroad with our other sisters for many years," Dumplin points over her shoulder at the older blonde woman trying to talk to Mimi in Ancient Chinese.
"Our oldest sister Qiaolian is with Mimi, and beside her is her wife, Daiyu," Dumplin explains patiently.
"With family introductions aside and to be sure you will undoubtedly be swarmed in a few moments. I would like to discuss your condition. Do you remember what happened?"
"I was in my office at work," Sara looks up at her wife and down at her tails, "I was researching something."
Sara realizes it is noticeably quiet in the room. Her wife staring at her intently from her sister's arms.
"And . . . there was a man."
The sound of a guqin hits the ground—Mimi bolts across the room and into her wife's arms. Sara awkwardly threads her fingers her wife's now exceptionally long white hair. It is no wig, she realizes abruptly.
"Who did this to you, love?" Mimi asks softly, but Sara could see a strange glint in her eyes.
Sara puts a hand on her face, catching sight of the dozens of bandages on her arms.
"A man with black hair. He was like a cartoon character. He was the creepy guy from the farmers market," Sara squints at Mimi, who had an arm wrapped around her own stomach as if she were trying to hold herself together, "I'll be able to draw a sketch."
"The man has already been taken care of. I just wanted to confirm it," Mimi breathes softly, her eyes bloodshot.
"Who was it?"
"Yeah, turns out he was my brother and had a vendetta against me that he took out on you," Mimi said this with her face pressed into her wife's hospital gown.
Rising from the bed, Mimi puts her face in her hands, "He also . . . killed our, I mean my daught, I mean, my sister. I'm sorry. I am rattled. He killed my sister."
"Why don't we give them some time alone," Dumplin said, shooing her family out the door, her face also crumpling in her sadness.
"I got a call from the police," Mimi lifts herself up, "they told me you had committed suicide. That you left a note."
"And you believed it? That I would leave you. That I would leave . . ." Sara looks down at her stomach and then at her wife's heartbroken expression.
"We . . ." Sara's face wilts, "we lost . . ." Mimi nods and curls up with Sara on the bed.
Sara begins to shake, and tears course down her face. They stay like this for several moments.
"When I was in my office," Sara finally says, wiping her face with a tissue Mimi hands her.
"Yes, babe?" Mimi curls herself around her Sara, refusing to let go.
"There was a book," Sara doesn't look at her.
Mimi thinks back, and it was like sifting through sand, trying to remember. Until the police station began to surface.
"It was at the police station," Mimi says softly, "I thought you figured out what I am. That that is why you tried to . . ."
"So, it's true," Sara whispers, cupping Mimi's cheek and kissing her, "but you did leave quite a few hints. Is this," Sara pulls a long strand of Mimi's white hair to her face and then takes up one of many of Mimi's tails.
"Yeah, that's a fox thing," Mimi closes her eyes, listening to her wife breathe.
"My sisters are fox spirits as well," Mimi shrugs helplessly.
"Yeah, thanks, Rick. Yeah, with everything going on, I could not concentrate on it. I don't think I will be in for a while. Yeah, I will keep you updated and give her your love," Mimi holds the phone in front of her in both hands as Dumplin watches in sad amusement.
Mimi stares at the phone in confusion, "Red is for hanging up, right?"
"Yeah, mumi. Red is for hanging up," Dumplin says, taking the phone from Mimi and sticking it in her lab coat.
"I can't freakin believe you're a doctor. I am so proud of you!" Mimi hugs Dumplin close to her, not wanting to let her go, "And you're taller than me! Why are you taller than me?!"
Dumplin presses her face to her sister's hair, tears forming in her eyes, "It's been so long. I can't believe that Chen is . . ."
Shaking her head, Mimi can't get the memory of Chen's face out of her head, "I should have done more. Maybe if I had stayed."
"I think it would have driven you mad. Even if you had stayed, there is no telling what might have happened," Dumplin says, holding Mimi at arm's length apart, "You have already forgotten how to use a phone."
"Using a toilet with buttons for the first time in decades was a real trip," Mimi mutters, looking back towards her wife, who is chatting with her mom in the bedroom.
Mimi hugs Dumplin close to her.
"Are you going to tell her about the brooch?" Dumplin asks.
"I was going to avoid it if possible," Mimi says, "but if she asks about you, I will tell her you are my daughter," Mimi says, and then feels foolish. The woman before her was older than she was. Older than Sara.
"That might be for the best," Dumplin rubs her mom's back, "I understand why you did it. She reminds me so much of father."
"The resemblance is odd, isn't it," Mimi laughs sadly. The soul of her husband of so many years is just a couple feet away when she had buried him what felt like only days ago.
"It's not just the resemblance," Dumplin says softly, "It's how she talks, how she moves. It is so strange to me. I thought I had remembered father so well, but after seeing her for the first time, I suddenly remembered so many little details. She does that thing father used to do, licking his finger before straightening his hair," Dumplin clings to her mom, "I realized that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."
Mimi pulls away from Dumplin, "What do you mean?"
"I would have died with Chen in the Shen massacre if you hadn't rescued us so many years ago. In the last couple of months, I remembered everything. Like the memories became stacked on top of each other. It's the same with Daiyu and Qiaolian. Apparently, if it wasn't for you, Qiaolian would have gone mad after hearing about the massacre and would have been put down by Daiyu. Daiyu apparently would have then killed herself. We dodged a bullet there. When you get time, ask Qiaolian about the claws. She tore them off for you. She has a new pair, but her hands are gone."
"I will be sure to talk to her about it," Mimi stares down at her golden claws thoughtfully, grateful for the foresight of her sisters.
"What have you been up to?" Mimi asks, curious as to what her child had been doing for the last hundreds of years.
"Went to medical school a couple of times," Dumplin purses her lips, "When I got tired of that, I went to live with Qiaolian and Daiyu until Ying and Chen hunted me down. I wanted to see you in this time, but I was afraid," Dumplin admits, and Mimi sees the young child Dumplin used to be.
"Where did Qiaolian and Daiyu go?" Mimi asks, looking around for the odd pair.
"They said something about 'paying someone off,'" Dumplin says dryly.
"You would not believe how difficult it was to track you down."
Mimi and Dumplin turn their heads and see an incredibly tall woman sashaying down the hallway with a motorcycle helmet under her arm. Her many tails and the long white hair down past her waist, giving her away at once.
"Ying?" Mimi gapes at the sight of another one of her sisters.
"Don't tell me I've missed the get-together," Ying laughs, throwing her arms around Dumplin and Mimi.
"Mameki love cubs so much," Ying growls in Mameki's voice, before returning to her usual tone, "on that note of remembering. I would have also died in the Shen massacre. Torn to pieces if I recall correctly."
Ying flicks Mimi in the nose, "Big cub remember everything?"
"No matter how long it's been, that is still the creepiest and endearing thing I have ever seen when you do that," Dumplin says, returning the hug.
Mimi laughs, also giving her a hug, then she looks down and says, "And when did you get a motorcycle!?"
"I am sure there will be plenty of time to catch up. How is Sara?" Ying cranes her head around to look for herself.
"It's going to be a long road," Mimi says sadly, following Ying's gaze.
"She is such a sweetheart. Nearly a perfect copy of the clan leader. I tried to keep an eye on her, but I never would have expected Shun," Lydia says, her green eyes burning, "I would have liked to tear him apart for what he did to Chen."
At Mimi's questioning gaze, Ying held up her phone, "Qiaolian, Daiyu, Dumplin, and I have been group texting."
"Should I ask what a group text is?" Mimi asks, and Ying gawks at her.
"You were right, cub," Ying says to Dumplin, "We should see what she does with a toaster."
Dumplin rolls her eyes as Sara's mother approaches and gets a good look at the three sisters.
"Marie, I am so sorry I didn't call you right away. Everything has been out of control," Mimi nearly bows, but Dumplin tugs on her back. Mimi is surprised when Sara's mother hugs her hard.
"I should be thanking you for taking such good care of Sara and purchasing my plane ticket. This is awful. The police told me it was a suicide and now an attack!" Marie says, hugging her again.
Mimi mouths, "Plane ticket?" over her mother-in-law's head, and Dumplin mouths, "Qiaolian."
"Of course. Anything to make this easier. Please do not worry. The police have already apprehended the man responsible. They are just keeping it quiet for now," Mimi says, her voice breaking.
"That is a relief. What have you done with your hair?" Marie asks, gently pulling at her daughter in laws hair.
"I . . . grew it out," Mimi says, not remembering when she had last seen her mother in law.
"You will, of course, be staying, won't you?" Dumplin asks, running interference for her sister.
"If it's not an inconvenience," Marie says, obviously charmed by Dumplin.
"I know you have met my sister Dumplin. But you should also meet my sister Ying," Mimi says, gesturing to Ying, who holds her hand out to Marie with a feral grin.
"My, what an amazing gene pool you have. Why didn't I meet you two at the wedding?" Marie asks, noticing the closeness of how the sisters were standing.
"We have been abroad for many years and unfortunately lost contact," Dumplin says, "When we heard what happened, we flew in immediately. I knew I had to take on Sara's case myself. You just missed our eldest sister Qiaolian and her wife. We'll be sure to introduce you later. In the meantime, why don't I show you to a room?"
Dumplin takes the woman's arm and leads her down the hallway.
Mimi and Ying approach Sara's room, Ying hanging back. A familiar melody floats to the women's ears.
"Isn't that?" Ying murmurs and Mimi enters the room looking at her wife, who is serenely playing the guqin.
Sara looks up at her wife's entrance and stops.
"No, please continue," Mimi encourages, her eyes filling up with tears.
"I . . . that tune you were playing. I couldn't get it out of my head," Sara continues plucking and strumming the instrument.
Mimi knew that she had not played the full version of Inquiry as her wife had just done.
"Umm, I wanted to introduce you to my sister," Mimi steps to her side, and her wife's face lights up.
"Lydia!"
"You two know each other already?" Mimi asks as Ying smiles naughtily at her as she very carefully gives Sara a hug.
"Lydia is the Chinese folk tale teacher at the university. The one I was telling you about," Sara says excitedly, then her face clouds overlooking at the large number of tails Lydia wasn't hiding anymore, "You knew my wife was a fox spirit the entire time and didn't tell me. And of course, your one as well."
"Would you have believed me?" Ying murmurs, sitting down on the bed.
"Well, I'll be damned," Mimi crosses her arms over her chest, and Ying shrugs.
Curled around her wife, Mimi feels her slowly wake up. Her breathing subtly changing from the deep rhythmic breaths. The early morning sunlight drifts lazily through the window. About to get up and convince Dumplin to reteach her how to use the coffee maker, she hears Sara muttering incomprehensively before slowly waking up.
Sara opens her eyes, immediately seeking Mimi out. She mutters, "This feels worse than the arrow."
Must be the medication, Mimi thinks, gently extricating herself from her wife's grasp.
Sitting on the bed, Mimi stretches her arms over her head, "Are you feeling dizzy, love? I can get Dumplin. In fact, I should get Dumplin and wrangle us some coffee," Mimi realizes she is babbling, "Must be the medication she has got you on."
Before she can get up, Sara straightens her arm out across Mimi's lap. Effectively pinning her to the bed more securely than chains.
"Where are our children?" Sara asks, and Mimi's blood runs cold. She doesn't realize she's crying until a sob struggles from her lips.
"Minori, you were like this then too," her wife croaks, a teasing smile at her lips, his smile.
Mimi runs for the door and yells for Dumplin before slowly moving back towards the bed, her heart wanting to make absolutely sure.
"What arrow are you talking about, babe? From Cupid's strongest bow?" Mimi asks her voice trembling as she leans over her wife, gently picking her up and cradling her close.
An annoyed huff blows on her hair, "No, not that one. You know the one I mean. During the trine."
"Where did it pierce? Show me," Mimi challenges.
Her face is peaky, but those intense brown eyes were clear. As if handling the most delicate pottery, Mimi took her wife's hand and held it up to her face. Her wife laid her free hand in the middle of her chest, where Mimi knew the scar where would be. Her wife's hand lingers here and then scoops down to Mimi's side, where Dumplin had struck Mimi on accident with a practice arrow.
"Nearly pierced my heart," Sara whispers as Dumplin finally enters the room, followed by Qiaolian.
Another ugly sob broke from Mimi, "I swore no more archery for the both of us."
Confirmed, Sara smiles, Mimi's favorite smile, "Wanji and Master Wei say hi," before her eyes slowly close, exhausted.