Just Friends

5

The one thing I could never get tired of was the food in Hong Kong. Steaming white rice, juicy barbeque pork, glistening black bean glass noodles, golden ginger chicken wings, fat soupy dumplings, jade green Chinese broccoli skimmed with soy sauce and ruby colored baked lobster. These were the moments where I wish I were a 300-pound man with a bottomless pit of a stomach and no judgment for shoving food in my face.

As I was about to reach for another serving of sweet and sour fried sea bass with bell peppers and pineapples when I saw Grace trying to hold onto Joey who was squirming in her arms. Grace had told me all her nannies were given the day off. But I knew it was because my mother hated seeing Joey being handled by the nannies. She believed on a hands on approach would lead to a good upbringing. Plus it was her first grandson and therefore he must get the best of everything.

To resist myself for eating anymore and looking like a selfish pig in front of my sister in law who barely had the chance to eat I offered to take the tot. She gratefully handed him off to me and I picked up my nephew and excused myself from the table and walked him to the living room.

When I put him down on the floor he rocketed around the empty room with more energy than anyone I knew. No wonder, Max had so many nannies for only one kid.

I sat down in the chairs against the wall while the child ran in circles dizzying himself.

My qipao felt tight now. That was the problem with a qipao, you can't eat like you would in sweats with it on. I loosened the topknot two buttons giving me a little room to breathe easier. No one was around and the photographers were long gone.

Joey ran up to me with in almost drunk steps. Toddlers were like drunk and high old men. And when sober they were all cranky.

"Hey there bud." I said picking him up onto my lap.

I adjusted his little hat that had become lopsided in his drunken run around. He grabbed the gold chain on my neck and started to yank on it.

"Whoa there buddy." I said pulling it away from him earning a whine from him. "It hurts when you do that." I gave a little fake pout to try to convey my message.

"I want." He said in his choppy baby voice.

He grabbed it again and again each time letting out another whine each time I took it way.

He then reached for my dangly golden earring and yanked. "Ow!" I let out a yelp.

"Alright Mister, its time to go back." I said in my best stern voice. I scooped up the kid and he pouted flailing because he knew he would have to sit for another hour and wait for the dinner to be over. Hopefully Max was done stuffing his face and I could hand the little devil over. I love my nephew but sometimes this kid was annoying as hell.

I was at the entry way of the living room when the little monster tried grabbing my necklace and I dodged.

RIIIIIP

I felt the cool air hit my chest. Oh my God. My dress. I knew without looking down that the lapel was ripped off the hidden buttons. His little cubby fingers had caught on the buttons I had loosened.

I shut my eyes for a second, gritting my teeth and counting to ten in my head. One, Two. I was not about to get mad at my nephew over a small mistake right? Four, Five. I mean it was my fault for loosening the buttons. Six. I suddenly felt something cover my front, blocking the cool air.

My eyes flew open to see Kayden standing in front of me, holding his suit jacket against me on my shoulders.

"Here I'll take him." He said taking Joey who was smart enough not to throw a tantrum at the moment. "I'm glad I came out for some air right before you were going to go off all mad on a two year old." He smirked

I opened my mouth in protest but before I could say anything Kayden was walking away with Joey peaking over his shoulder.

"Also nice bra," He said smugly "Black lace is always a good choice but I personally like red more on women."

My jaw dropped.

What. A. Pig.