Page 100 of Strictly Against Policy

“Go with Jonathan,” Grace urged. “I’m going to contact John. He lives close by so he can come over to help us clean and close up.”

With John being the owner and a retired pharmacist himself, they would be in good hands. Some stress lifted off my shoulders as all three pharmacy technicians nodded at me.

“We’ll be fine,” nodded Carmen.

“Go, Lina,” said Sheryl. “You’re his girlfriend after all.”

My cheeks flushed. There was no point in hiding our relationship from the team now. I nodded at them.

As I stepped out of the pharmacy with still trembling limbs, my mom’s screams and wails echoed through the air. She looked at me when I came out into the strong rays of the afternoon sun. Without the chaos of a dozen police cars and an ambulance surrounding me, it would’ve been the perfect early spring afternoon with clear, sunny skies and a cool breeze.

“Li Nad! Lawv yuav ntes nws os! Pab nws ma! Ua cas koj tsis pab nws?” my mom cried out to me, gesturing wildly at one of the police cars.

Lina! They’re going to arrest him! Help him! Why aren’t you helping him?

The gentleman I saw sitting in our waiting room earlier was talking to a police officer as the EMTs loaded Jonathan into an ambulance. One of the paramedics walked straight in my direction. I turned to my mom to look at her genuine anguish.

“Koj paub tias nws ua txhaum lawm. Yog nws xaiv nyob lub neej li no ces, cia nws. Kuv twb ua tau raws li kuv ua tau lawm,” I said, and I left it at that.

You know what he did was wrong. If this is the life he chooses to live, let him. I’ve already done all that I can.

I ran up to the paramedic as they guided me into the ambulance. Jonathan’s and my eyes met as soon as I entered. Even with his bloodstained face and the obvious pain strung through his pinched expression, he still managed to give me a grin—elated to see me as if I wasn’t the harbinger of his suffering.

I tried not to cry as he reached for me, but I failed miserably. With him, I didn’t have to force myself to hold anything back. With him, I could just be me. So, I allowed myself to cry and sob away every emotion coursing through my shaking body.

At my side lay the man who understood me the best. My academic rival in another life over a decade ago. My pharmacy manager in my professional life now. Regardless of all the labels between us, he was my friend. He was also the one person who would always think about me and the people he loved first.

Jonathan Lo is that man.

CHAPTER 40

Jonathan

By the time I walked out of the hospital with the grisly cut on my eyebrow sewn up, practically my entire family was in the waiting room. From Julie to my mom, to both Auntie Gao and Uncle Gary—relief eased over all their faces when they saw me smiling, alive, and well. Lina’s friends, Mary and Eric, were there as well, also looking relieved. Far in the back, behind everyone, I saw the man my mom was on a date with a week or two ago.

“Jonathan, what happened?” asked Uncle Gary as my family swarmed me.

Lina let go of my hand to approach Mary and Eric. Her best friend threw her arms around her in an instant, pulling her into a tight hug. Mary looked up at me with thankful but wet eyes, and I gave her a nod.

I looked at my loved ones and ushered them all out of the hospital, knowing we were all too naturally loud for a quiet waiting room. I guided us to a little patio for some privacy, with Lina and her friends in tow. When I came to a stop, she came to my side. I took her shaking hand back in mine. I let her answer the question looming over everyone as she took a step closer to them. Her palm grew clammy as her fingers gripped me tightly. I gave her an encouraging squeeze.

“T-there were some heated words exchanged between my family and I at the pharmacy,” she started with a shaky breath, tugging her hand out of mine. “One thing led to another and . . . my brother got angry and threw a chair from our waiting area into the glass divider. Jonathan stepped in to protect me and got hurt in the process. I’m so sorry about all of this.”

“What are you sorry about?” I asked. “If it wasn’t me, it would have been you, and I’d rather it be me who suffers than you, Lina.”

My girlfriend turned to look at me. Her eyes still lined red as she frowned at my words. I shrugged, grabbed her hand again, and intertwined our fingers. I brought up the hand tightly entangled in hers to point to my stitches purposefully. I wanted to show off the woman for whom I would do anything to protect.

I scoffed. “Come on. I got only four stitches today. I got seven stitches on my ear once because Anthony tossed a rock at me and nipped my ear as a kid,” I laughed.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” muttered Anthony from the back, sounding regretful. Andy and Shoua stifled a laugh before quieting down.

Lina’s frown deepened as I turned to the people who raised me. My mom, aunt, and uncle’s attention shifted from me to Lina and our held hands.

“Are you Jonathan’s girlfriend?” My mom asked Lina curiously.

“Yes. I’m Lina,” she answered softly. “I’m sorry for all of this trouble, Auntie.”

My mom glanced at the blood that soaked both of our clothes. Then, she looked at me, my smile, and she grimaced. Lina’s body stiffened at my side as my mother turned to look back at her, a reassuring smile touching her face.