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“Er.” I try to imagine Elmon, a bespectacled, quiet guy, as a drug lord. “Maybe? Anyway, these are the only three I can think of who are big enough to become mafia targets.”
“Okay, good,” Big Aunt says. “We can handle.”
“Um. How?”
“Tomorrow, we protect them. We make sure nothing bad happen to them. We catch Staphanie and family when they try to murder, then we catch, haiyah! And then send them to police. Once police find out they are mafia trying to kill someone, no matter what they tell police, police won’t believe.”
They all nod at this, looking very resolute, and my heart swells to fill my chest. My family, always so ready to jump to my rescue. I don’t deserve them. “Thank you, Big Aunt. That’s a good idea. Yeah, we’ll do that. We won’t let them kill anyone.”
“Of course not,” Ma says, a fierce fire burning in her eyes. “Nobody come in between me and grandbabies!”
PART TWO
♦
MAKING SURE YOU ENJOY YOUR WEDDING
(Is it even a wedding if nobody getskilled?)
9
I wake up with butterflies fluttering in my stomach, a bubbly feeling of excitement that makes me open my eyes with a big smile. I’m marrying Nathan today! I reach for my phone and grin when I find messages from him.
Nathan (06:32AM): [Sends an image]
The image loads and when it opens, I can’t help giggling out loud as if I’m all of twelve years old. It’s a screenshot of his contacts list, and I’m no longer listed as Meddelin Chan, but as “Wifey.”
Nathan (06:33AM): I couldn’t wait to change it.
God, how is he this adorable?
Meddy (07:02AM): You are adorkable.
Nathan (07:02AM): There you are. Can’t wait to see you. Can’t wait to marry you!
My grin is so wide that it actually hurts my cheeks.
Meddy (07:03AM): Me too. Okay, gtg get ready. See you later... hubs!
I close the chat window and frown at my WhatsApp notifications. There are... a lot of messages in the family group chat, complete with the usual indecipherable emoji game.
Second Aunt (06:45AM): Meddy U awake already or not?? We already in Christ Church room. Makeup person here already. The U-Kno-Whu.
Ma (06:46AM): Is Second Uncle. Makeup person is Second Uncle. Aduh, so scary, have mafia touch my face...!
Second Aunt (06:47AM): Aiya why U say on the chat??! Later polise will see!!!!
Fourth Aunt (06:48AM): Yeah, the cops would totally be looking through our phones and this will be incriminating.
Ma (06:49AM): How to delet message????
Big Aunt (06:50AM): You klik on message, then got say delet then you choose delet.
Ma (06:51AM): How? I not see delet where got?
Ma (06:52AM): Ah I see it I think.
Ma (06:52AM): [Ma has left the chatroom]