Unintended Consequences (Act One) Completed

Chapter 23: CNY

"No sweeping the floors, or you'll sweep the good luck out of the door," the Chinese maid instructed her junior. It was an old superstition that became a cultural oddity. Where his ancestors had most likely attached great importance to the these kinds of things, Liu Wei now only saw them as signs of doing things right.

There was a whole list of do's and don't's that the whole house had to abide by. No wearing old clothes, no cutting noodles, no crying children, no eating anything white.

"Let's get a proper start to the new year," he would say while coaxing me to perform one act or another. I hated it. And I hated it even more because my mother went along with it.

This year things were different. After more than 20 years in Malaysia, it felt like it had finally infected his precious holiday, giving the whole house a different flavor.

The menu for the "reunion dinner" was devoid of pork products and alcohol was replaced by tea and fizzy drinks. A trip to visit the graves of the family was planned but the trip to the temple to pray for health, wealth and prosperity was omitted. Even the elaborate decorations that usually lit up the house were replaced by simple decorations in red and gold.

"What do you think of these?" My mother asked, handing me a red envelope. The ubiquitous red packet was still embossed in gold, only this time it was Arabic calligraphy and Malay translation on the outside. 

"Nice. Where did you find them?"

"I had them made," she said proudly. "You know, we aren't the only mixed race Muslim family."

I nodded.

"I also was thinking of these," she handed me another card. This one was white with silver geometric designs and blue metallic writing.

"Wedding invitation?"

"I know we aren't inviting many people and its such short notice, but you two should have all of the mementos from your big day."

"What did Unique say?"

"She said she likes it but I should ask you."

"If she likes it she can have it."

My mother beamed at me. It was always so easy to please her, it was hard to resist the urge to make her smile. As a man, I could understand how Liu Wei could so easily fall in love with her. I ground my back teeth together to keep from smiling back at her.

"You look so much like your father sometimes," she said, pushing a few strands of hair off of my forehead. "You really love her, don't you?"

"She's my wife," I said, uncomfortable with the idea of talking to her about my feelings.

"I know," she said, patting my chest and adjusting my collar. "I can tell everything even if you don't say it. I will take good care of the people you love."

"You don't like her?"

She pursed her lips together and clasped her hands in front of her face.

"I would have chosen somebody different for you. Somebody from a nice background with a good family. Somebody pretty and well accomplished. But I think now that I lost the right to choose for you a long time ago. "

"You didn't lose it, you gave it away."

She nodded slowly.

"I did. So now look at who you have chosen. Her family is not good. Her background is not nice. SHe is well educated but she isn't accomplished. She has a lot of trouble in her life." I felt my anger begin to rise as she spoke. What she said was true, but I wasn't prepared to let her use these things against Unique.