Page 39

CHAPTER 39 EVIE

Jake’s dad had a movie-star quality like the leading men in her mom’s dramas. These Korean, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese men who would charm the leading woman with his words, tug them closer and closer with each witty remark, each compliment. His dad’s back was ramrod straight; it was inconceivable to imagine him slouching on his couch after a long day’s work, which was what her dad liked to do on his days off.

Evie knew she couldn’t write off Jake’s mother as a trophy wife. The beautiful, plastic-perfect woman, who would probably be gossiped about from the wolves who ran Little Saigon’s social circles. From everything she gleaned from his phone calls home and his own words, his mother ran the house and her surgical room. Evie peered down at the woman’s perfectly manicured hands, which managed to look both pretty and formidable enough to hold scalpels that precisely sliced through her patients.

The two of them had arrived in America before the war broke out; that explained their nearly accent-less English. They could have been mistaken for someone US-born.

Jake’s parents didn’t surprise Evie. What surprised her was the newly engaged son and his supposed gold-digger fiancée. They appeared… normal. Henry had dressed in denim jeans and an ironed light-blue long-sleeve and wore a class ring, while Mia, who appeared to be Evie’s height, wore a periwinkle blouse and white midi skirt. Still tastefully dressed as the patrons in the restaurant, but not as stuffy. They had beamed when Evie took a seat beside Mia, with Jake on her other side. Luckily, he sat between Evie and the family matriarch.

“Wow, you are so pretty, Evelyn,” the older woman said, smiling.

“Thank you. It’s really nice to see you and Mr. Phan again,” she responded.

“I was just telling her about the clinic,” Jake said, eyeing her meaningfully.

“Congratulations on getting in,” his father said to Evie. “Looks like you’re on your way to a wonderful career in medicine.”

“Yes, it’s been rewarding to help others who wouldn’t be able to receive help in traditional clinics. It makes me excited for the future.”

“I have heard great things about the clinic from former classmates,” the father said. He cast a critical eye on Jake. “We thought he would get through, but even with all the tips I passed along” — and your name recognition , thought Evie—“Jake was unable to get through.”

Evie forced a smile. “Oh, but I know he’ll get into another clinic or get a fantastic internship next semester; I don’t see how anyone can turn him away.”

Mrs. Phan’s laugh was absent of any warmth as she responded, “Well, the clinic thought differently.” Her harsh words dropped like an anvil, and no one spoke for a few minutes, everyone pretending to be engrossed in their meals. She glanced over at Jake; his shoulders were turned inward and he didn’t look up. For the first time at this dinner, Evie felt a pang of sympathy toward her ex. He didn’t deserve this treatment. No one did. “Well, Evie, your parents must be proud of an accomplished young woman like yourself. They’ll be satisfied knowing you’ve found a vocation as noble as yours. Meanwhile, there are others who are just so lazy and amount to nothing.”

Evie swallowed her desire to bare her teeth at the woman.

“I still have some college buddies who were involved in other clinics,” Henry offered to Jake, clearly trying to cut off his mother. Next to him, Mia was staring at the tablecloth, hugging herself, making herself small. “If you want, I could ask them if they’re open to an informational.”

“Of course they would help, knowing that Jake is your brother!” Mrs. Phan chimed in, throwing Henry a proud look. She wasn’t even hiding her favoritism, and Jake seemed to be fully aware of that. He only nodded at his brother’s words.

“Henry tells me your store is managing to do well,” Mrs. Phan finally said to Mia. A less cutting remark than the ones before, but still hurtful; she used managing instead of doing , almost suggesting that Mia was, somehow, impossibly, able to keep her store afloat.

“Yes, we have a great list of clients. Museums, schools, homeowners,” she said. She was no longer wilted but proud. Evie noticed Henry grinning at his fiancée; they were adorable. “I hope you liked the water pitcher I made for your birthday.”

“Ah yes. It is somewhere in the garage; I’m sure I’ll find use for it soon.”

It was painful to watch Mia dimming, as Jake’s mother answered. Evie almost felt like she needed to intervene or redirect the conversation somehow, but Henry came to his fiancée’s rescue.

“You should really use it. I have a similar pitcher in my kitchen; it holds a lot of water, and it looks great on my table. A work of art.”

Mia blushed when the man took her hand and tenderly kissed the back of it.

A happy moment in the middle of what felt like the most miserable experience of her life.

“Well, someday, when I have a moment, I will find a good use for it,” Mrs. Phan said.

The woman’s cruelty sent shivers down Evie’s spine. She peered at Jake—thought he might show sympathy toward Mia because he was familiar with his mother’s cutting remarks. Yet, gone was his meek composure. An ugly smirk adorned his face. Glee at seeing someone who was not him, for once, taking verbal hits like a punching bag.

Evie couldn’t breathe. If she sat here for another minute, she would no doubt get absorbed into this family mess. “Excuse me,” she barely managed to get out. “I need to use the restroom.”

In the locked bathroom, she leaned against the door for a good five minutes. She was getting texts from her friends. They were at The Green, looking so comfortable in normal clothes. She missed them. Her thumbs moved and she hit send on a text: I shouldn’t be here. I want to be with you guys. Let’s talk when I’m back?

In front of the mirrors, she breathed in and out, splashed some water on her face, then walked back out to the dining room. She came here thinking she was offering support to a former friend, but her presence—protected by the assumption that she had accomplished all the “right things” and therefore earned merit in the Phans’ eyes—was hurting someone else. Jake was complicit in his parents’ attitude, and she couldn’t pity him anymore.

Evie needed to leave as soon as possible. The table’s eyes were on her as she returned, undoubtedly questioning why she took so long. “There was a long line.” Thankfully, the restrooms were out of eyesight, or else they would know she was lying.

Conversation stopped once she returned, though she couldn’t tell if it was her doing or if another exchange had occurred while she was away. Jake’s mother kept throwing glances at Henry, who refused to look up. His jaw was clenched. Evie watched as Mia reached over and rubbed his back, and his body relaxed at her touch. Meanwhile, Jake moved around his broccoli florets with his fork, his shoulders still up.

She relied on everyone’s plates to tell her when dinner was nearly finished. Once all plates were cleared, she readied herself to pay for her part and escape. The universe had other plans; their waiter came by and asked, “Dessert, anyone?”

“Yes,” Jake’s father answered. “Let’s see the menu.”

Mia politely coughed and smiled sympathetically at Evie. At least she had some allies, as unspoken as the alliance might be.

Her phone vibrated suddenly, and she peeked down to check a message from Kale, in the Saturday Sins group.

Incoming.

“What?” she whispered.

She glanced up. Jake’s parents stared open-mouthed at a sight behind her, so she turned and saw the waiter heading their way, leading two guests who looked strangely like—

Lis and Kale.

The two were dressed in the same outfits from the photo, though Kale also had on his apron because he must have been cooking.

“Evie, thank goodness!” Kale exclaimed, his natural voice booming. If their appearance hadn’t gotten others’ attention, his voice would. “We were looking for you all over school.”

Standing just behind Evie now, he said, “Our class project—we lost some of the data and we need your help. Only you can save us, Evie!”

A little to Evie’s right, Lis whispered, “Somewhat of an exaggeration, but…” She cleared her voice and projected, smiling at everyone seated at the table, “So sorry to interrupt your dinner, but can we steal her away? Like our friend said, we lost some important data, and we need to do well in this class, and we won’t be able to finish our project without her.”

As Jake’s mother and father exchanged bewildered looks—Jake couldn’t close his mouth—Evie caught Kale eyeing one of the dishes, perhaps dissecting each ingredient and wondering how he could replicate it at The Green. Lis jabbed him with an elbow.

Henry and Mia were trying to school their faces, but they probably caught on already.

Lis squeezed her shoulder, causing Evie to jump slightly. “Yes… I’m so sorry, but I think I have to go.” She opened her purse and pulled out her part of the bill. “Thank you so much for inviting me to dinner, and please allow me to pay for my meal.”

She turned to Henry and Mia. Even though they were meeting for the first time, and they knew nothing about each other, she said, with all the sincerity she had: “Congratulations. I really hope that you two will only know happiness together. Starting a new life, with just the two of you—that’s so amazing.”

“Th-thank you,” Mia stuttered. And she gazed up at Henry, who smiled back.

Once they were out of earshot, Evie whispered to her rescuers, “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank us. Thank him.” Lis nodded to the front. “He’s waiting outside.”

They rounded the hostess stand, but they weren’t completely free. Footsteps followed them out, and Jake appeared looking uncharacteristically flummoxed. “Wait—what the hell, Evie? Why is…” He settled on his final words. “You’re leaving?”

Jake’s face fell—and that was when Evie saw him again. First-year Jake. The Jake who pulled her in by the strings of her hoodie and kissed her under the glow of Toomey Field. Who cried, only to her, when he learned about his father threatening his mother with divorce. Who sulked when he heard his parents weren’t making it to his second-year awards ceremony because of other engagements. Who hated being compared to a brother who really did seem to love him back. That little boy was buried deep, deep down, and she shouldn’t be the one to help him resurface.

It wasn’t her place to console Jake anymore. Or her responsibility. She should never have agreed to any of this.

“I need you here, Evie.”

“You really don’t, Jake. You just wanted someone there to act as a buffer between you and your parents, but that’s not my role. I can’t be there to defend you. I can’t tell them every good thing about you because I’m not your girlfriend anymore. No one else can do that for you.” She inhaled. “You have to do it yourself.”

Then she let her friends steer her away—and toward Viet.

It was weird to think that she might come to associate parking lots with Viet. Standing there, just as she had done that rainy day outside Chef Lê’s restaurant, was her boyfriend. Evie rushed into his arms, breathed in his subtle scent: sun-soaked driftwood and fresh water from his cologne.

“Were you really worried?”

“No.” He paused. “Yes, I was—well, I think Kale could give you the details.” Mindful of the rain, he led her into the back seat of Kale’s car.

“Right, all those tears and runny noses…,” Kale deadpanned from behind the wheel. From the passenger seat, Lis slapped him by the shoulder.

“None of that. But it was pretty fun how the moment he saw your text, he leapt up from the sofa.” She grinned at her through the side mirror. “And then we hatched a plan. A ridiculous one, I know, and that’s probably why Tate refused. He’s back at home if you’re wondering. Reheating food, just for you.”

“Food?”

“I went out tonight with my dad.” That was unexpected. Viet laughed, probably because of the incredulity on her face. “Yeah, I know, I’ll tell you another time. More important, I got a burger for you, and fries. Mushy now, but with some time in the oven, they will be fine.”

On cue, her stomach growled. Viet and her friends knew her stomach better than herself, apparently.

They would talk, she was sure, about everything: Jake, the dinner, even Viet’s conversation with his dad—she didn’t know where to start. All she could do was reach over and grab his hand. Hold him tight.

“Thank you for coming for me.”

“I’ve said before: you care too much. But this is our way of showing you we care for you, too. I want to care for you.”

As always, they ended up at The Green. They stayed glued to the kitchen bar, unconsciously mirroring their formation when Viet had first met everyone all those months ago. Except this time, the gap between Evie and Viet was far closer. She wolfed down her burger and fries, with Lis sneaking a few for herself; she knew she looked ghastly, yet her boyfriend, elbow on the table, cheek against his hand, was openly staring at her as if she were the loveliest thing in the world.

Once they were sated, a chain of yawning began. Tate, ever the night owl, let a drowsy Kale lean against him. He tilted his head, eyes probing the other couple. “You two probably had a night. Go home.”

“Yeah, I know.” Viet’s palm was a whisper on her back. This time, she fell against him so that they were almost mirroring the other pair. “But we’ll be okay.”

Tate’s eyes flickered between them, and whatever he found satisfied him. “Finally.”