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“Yeah.” He sucked in a deep breath and cracked his door open. “Let’s go.”
His feet pounded against the sidewalk as he led Ashanti to his childhood home. The streetlamps cast an orange shade on his forehead. The night was deathly still. Quiet. As if all of Belize’s creatures were anticipating a showdown.
He walked up the stairs to the second floor and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
He recognized his mother’s voice and responded in Mandarin. “It’s me, ma.”
The door burst open and his mother stood in the doorway, a huge smile on her face… that gradually disappeared as she took Ashanti in. “Who is this?”
“This,” he clasped Ashanti’s hand, “is my girlfriend.”
Chapter Six
Luke’s mother looked like any other Asian woman she’d seen around Belize—dark hair, dark eyes, and very few wrinkles.
But this wasn’t just any Asian woman. This was Luke’s mother and, because of that, Ashanti found her palms were sweaty when she reached out to shake Mrs. Zhang’s hand. She stopped mid-thrust and wiped her hands on the sides of her jeans before offering it again.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Mrs. Zhang watched her hand and then her face. She didn’t accept the handshake. Instead, her grip on the doorknob tightened. She turned and yelled a couple words in Mandarin.
Ashanti smiled politely, though she didn’t understand and lowered her hand. Luke shot her an apologetic look, but she responded with a grin and a wink.
It wasn’t like she’d expected them to throw out the red carpet and welcome her with hugs and kisses. This was warfare of the mind and she had come prepared for battle.
Footsteps thudded and, a moment later, Luke’s father appeared in the doorway. He was short and stocky with thinning black hair and a wide face. His expression when he saw her was nothing short of horrified.
Ashanti bowed respectfully the way she’d seen Luke do to every elder he encountered. “Good night, Mr. Zhang.”
“Can we come in?” Luke asked.
His mother didn’t look like she wanted to admit them, but Luke just walked forward and forced them to step back. The Zhangs migrated to the living room, staying grizzly silent.
Ashanti didn’t mind. She was too busy observing everything.
Luke’s family apartment looked like any other. For some reason, she’d expected something… different. Like swords, red banners, traditional Chinese dresses on the walls and maybe an urn with his ancestors’ ashes on the mantle.
There were a few traditional knickknacks and that ever-present golden cat, but barring those items, any Belizean of any ethnicity could be living here.
“Son, explain yourself,” Mrs. Zhang hissed.
“I’d like to introduce you to my…” Luke stopped. Glanced at her.
“Girlfriend,” she mouthed.
His Adam’s apple visibly bobbed. “My girlfriend.”
“Luke,” Mr. Zhang trembled, “I told you to wait before you did something like this.”
Ashanti felt a burst of happiness. He’d spoken in English. She could finally understand what they were saying.
Mrs. Zhang reddened. “You knew about this?”
Luke’s father responded in Mandarin after which his wife shot Ashanti a scathing glare.
Luke put a hand on her shoulder and continued speaking in their language.
