Chapter 13 - Jade
Before we left, Mel showed me how to use the curling iron and helped me braid my hair. Although I have been braiding the girls' hair for years, all the practice in the world couldn’t help me figure out how to do them for myself.
Clair bought a bunch of things she deemed “necessary” for me to have access to, and she wouldn’t hear a word of my protests. Eventually, I gave up even trying to stop her after Mel ended up all but crying, laughing at our bickering, and telling us we have the mother-daughter role down pat.
After Clair drove us over to a little restaurant called Thai Not To Love It, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the name as we approached the building.
Clair smiles at me over her shoulder as we head to a table without waiting for the staff to seat us.
“The name is cute, isn’t it?” she asks, and I nod, sliding into the booth opposite her while looking around.
The room has an old but beautiful aesthetic.
Hanging paper lanterns line the ceiling in different colors and shapes.
Beautiful gold sculptures are all around in various shapes and sizes, while everything on the table and booths is dark shades of green with gold accents.
I’ve never seen anything like it before, and I can’t help but look around repeatedly, trying to absorb it all.
“When the boys were younger, Zander and Spencer spent a lot of time with us. Zander loved all things noodles, and Spencer loved spicy food,” she tells me with a fond smile. I stop looking around in favor of paying attention to what she has to say instead.
Zander has been pretty open with me, but Roderick and Spencer are still a mystery. Anything I can learn about them might help me understand how to deal with them.
“We were going shopping once, and Zander lost his mind at the name as we passed by. Spencer and Roderick even had a hard time keeping a straight face about it, so we agreed we would go in and see how it was.” The look in her eyes is pure love and joy as she recalls this memory with them.
I feel my lips pull up in a small smile at the thought of them all as kids, even as I feel the sadness that always comes when I look back on my past.
How different would my life be if I had someone who cared for me as Clair cares for them? Someone who loved me even half as much as she does them?
I shake off my sadness and keep my smile in place so as not to deter her from continuing her story. My sadness doesn’t need to be shared with others.
“I think it was the first time they all were able to get something and love it. We had a lot of places we ate out at, but nothing ever went as smooth as it did here.”
Movement from the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I look up to see a younger man approaching the table with a few different plates and bowls in his hands. He can’t be more than fifteen tops, but he carries all the dishes in a way that lets me know he’s used to this.
He approaches our table, smiling at Clair as he sets everything down, and she smiles back.
“Arie, so nice to see you! Please tell your mother I said hello.”
“Of course, Mrs. Spade. It’s great to see you.” He peaks at me with a small smile before quickly turning back to Clair. “No boys today?” he asks, reaching up to rub the back of his neck now that his hands are empty.
He doesn’t look back at me, but his posture is stiff, and his hand remains on his neck.
“No. You know they’re are far too busy for me most days,” Clair says with a small laugh that lets me know she’s just joking.
But, after how avidly they listened to her plans for shopping this morning, I’m sure they would make time for Clair if she asked them to, and I’m pretty sure she knows it, too.
“Besides, I had to show Jade around. Ensure she’s comfortable in the city and knows where to get the best food.
” She gestures to me, but Arie refuses to turn and face me.
“And I can’t do that without showing her where to get the best food around now, can I?
” She shoots him a wink, and he lets out a soft, forced chuckle, though I don’t say anything.
“Jade, this is Arie. He works here with his family. His mother and father have been running this place for years, and since we have spent so much time here over the years, we have grown a great friendship.” She sweeps her hands over the table and all the food as if to show me, and it only now dawns on me that we never ordered.
I guess she’s not joking. If they know their order like this, they must love the food.
It’s the first time I’ve looked at the table since Arie walked over to us. Nothing looks anything like the food I have ever had, but it all smells delicious, and I can’t help but take a deep breath of the intoxicating aromas.
I swear my mouth waters so much I almost feel the need to wipe it to ensure I haven’t drooled everywhere.
I look up at Clair, and she nods as if telling me to dig in. You don't have to tell me twice.
I’m not sure what’s in front of me, but it smells so good that I don’t care.
I pick up my fork and take a bite. The flavor explodes in my mouth.
I was right. I’ve never had anything like this before.
I can’t hold back the moan that passes through my lips as I take my second bite, and it’s somehow even better than the first.
I hear Clair chuckle and realize I was so focused on the food that I don’t know if that was at me or something Arie said.
I look up to find them both staring at me, and though I probably should, I can’t find it in myself to be embarrassed even after moaning over food.
Clair smiles as she watches me, but Arie looks even more uncomfortable, if that’s possible. His cheeks are now a dark shade of red.
“Told you it was good. That’s the crab pad thai, it’s Spencer’s favorite,” Clair tells me.
“Oh, but in case it hasn’t kicked in yet, remember Spencer likes spicy food, so that dish probably has some heat to it.
If you don’t like it, we have this too.” She pushes over another bowl to sit right next to the one I already have.
“It’s chicken pad thai and Roderick's favorite, meaning there's no heat to it.”
I look back and forth between the two bowls before looking up at Clair and then again at Arie, who once again is looking anywhere but at me, though his cheeks are still red.
I take a bite of the chicken dish and am shocked to discover that it’s also delicious. However, I think I prefer the crab one.
“They're both good, but I think I prefer both the heat and the crab in this one over the chicken,” I tell her as I push the other bowl back to the center of the table. I’m unsure if she will eat it, but I know I won’t. This bowl would probably feed me for a few days with the size.
“So Arie, is Kai here today as well?” I hear Clair ask as I continue to eat.
“Um, no, it’s just me and Pa today,” he responds. His voice sounds less sure than beforehand, and his eyes dart back the way he’d come as if looking for an escape. Strange.
“Oh darn. Well, no biggie. I was hoping to introduce Jade to him. The boys will be taking her to one of the frat parties tomorrow before the term starts back up, and I was hoping to let her meet someone besides them. We all know the boys can be a little intense.” She chuckles, and again, Arie chuckles with her.
It still sounds forced; maybe he’s just shy.
“No big deal. I’m sure you will meet plenty of people at the party and even more when you start classes.”
I choke on the bite of food I was in the middle of swallowing.
Grabbing my water, I take a sip between coughs, attempting to force it down.
By the time I can breathe again, my eyes are watering from the fit my body just had, but I ignore it and instead look at Clair.
She looks back at me with concern clear on her face.
“Excuse me, what?” I ask her. My voice is scratchy from coughing, but at least it comes out.
“Oh, I’m sorry, dear. I thought the boys had talked to you about this already.
” She reaches across the table, placing her hand over mine, which now rests on the table.
I have to fight the urge to pull it away, reminding myself she’s touching me to offer comfort.
I feel my body stiffen up against the contact, anyway.
She must notice the way my eyes dart to our hands, or maybe she felt me stiffen up because she pulls back, giving me a sad smile before placing her hands in front of her on the table once again.
Shit. Now I feel like an asshole.
I go to apologize, but she starts talking again before I can.
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.
Just talk to the boys and see what you want to do.
There's no pressure. If you don’t want to go, that's fine. If you want to go, that's fine too. Even if you just want to try it, we can always pull you out if you decide it’s not for you. I just want you to have the chance.” I watch her as she speaks to me, her tone nothing but soft and comforting, but I can’t stop myself from looking for the malice in her eyes.
So often, I have been told what is best for me and had people try to pull the rug out from under me.
Having been given choices that had sickening ultimatums, I expect this to be no different, no matter how nice Clair is.
No matter how much I want this place where I can belong, I know it will never work.
But as I watch her, I see none of that. Instead, I see that everything she said was genuine. The malice never comes.
The fight leaves me, and I feel my shoulders sag as the tension that was pulling me tight depletes like the air out of a balloon.
I nod, unsure what to say, and that seems to be enough for her.
“Let me know if you guys need anything else, Mrs. Spade,” Arie tells her. I look up at him just as he turns to go, and our eyes meet. Just like that, his cheeks are bright red again.