12. Jonathan
Jonathan
Lina was acting strange.
I clocked the change in her character the moment she walked in this morning.
But her behavior right before I left work was even more odd.
Most of the time, she didn’t bat an eye my way when I left on her closing days.
Today, she hung out at the corner of my peripheral vision, standing too close to me.
It was as if she wanted to say or do something.
“Can I help you with something?” I asked, turning to look at her squarely.
What was true to her character was how she always looked me straight in the eyes. But this time, she turned away when I glanced at her. There was no answer, no motion, or any attempt to speak or explain herself. She silently shook her head and stepped back a few steps to create distance between us.
I raised an eyebrow at her before bidding everyone goodbye. My mom wasn’t going to be home for dinner, so I thought I’d grab something from a Cantonese barbecue restaurant across the street. I planned on bringing it over to Auntie Gao’s and Uncle Gary’s.
My mom and me always ate dinner at their place once a week.
Several times a week, even, depending on the season.
My mom and Auntie Gao had always been great friends, but they hadn’t been spending much time together lately.
My mom had been spending a lot of time with a new friend she met through work, a fellow supervisor at the meat processing factory she worked for. They seemed to get along well.
I’d never seen my mom so happy and excited before. She laughed louder and smiled more. This new friendship breathed some kind of life into her and—
Was she dating? The thought bolted across my mind for a second. No.
I doubt it. My dad has been gone for over twenty years, but she never once considered dating. She said she was happy being single with just Julie and me. Still . . . I’d never seen her this happy with just us either.
“What are you still doing here?” asked Carmen as she came into the break room.
I smiled, putting on my coat. “I didn’t realize you were so keen on keeping tabs on everyone.”
Carmen shrugged, grabbing a paper cup for the water dispenser. “Just making sure no one’s overworking.”
I raised a playful eyebrow at her. “Trying to take over my job for me?”
“No, thank you.” She waved her hand. “You always look stressed.”
I laughed as I started heading out. “Good night. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow!” she called after me.
The cold night air bit my cheeks and nose as I stepped out. I could drive over to the Cantonese restaurant or simply walk. Needing time to mull over my thoughts before dinner, I figured it was best to just walk my ass there and back.
I didn’t mind when the server mentioned they were low on roasted duck, and that it was going to take forty-five minutes before their newest batch came out. I had all the time in the world right now. Going home and heading next door to my aunt and uncle was the least of my concerns.
Was I overthinking? Or were there hints I’m finally noticing about my mom and her newly found friendship?
Those two questions lapped around my mind repeatedly. I was in a daze, lost in my thoughts as I broke down every detail my mom had said about her new friend.
From the sounds of it, this friend could be a woman.
Or a man. She never disclosed their name so it could be either.
They ate dinner on some weeknights and spent a hefty amount of time together on weekends.
I love my friends, but if I were being honest, the only people I’d be able to spend that much time with were few and far between.
My family were the only people I loved and cared enough about to spend that much time with—unless it was a girlfriend.
I sucked in a sharp inhale as my feet came to a stop after crossing the street. The takeout boxes of roasted duck were heavy in my hand as I stood on the sidewalk, traffic passing by on the street. The sound of cars rumbling by was all I heard as I concluded my thoughts.
My mom was dating again.
“Give me my fucking money, you little bitch!” screamed a man.
The yell wrenched my attention toward the direction of the pharmacy parking lot. The pharmacy was closed with no lights on, and the shutters pulled down. Lina and Carmen should have been long gone, but Lina was still there in the lot by her car.
She was alone with a man standing several feet away from her. He was not imposing in height or size, but rage fueled his fast, wide-arching movements. No one else was in sight as he stalked closer.
Lina stumbled back into her car, wide-eyed, under the dim lights of the parking lot.
Her entire body trembled as she tried to reach into her bag.
But she could barely get her bag open. The man inched closer to her, cornering her against her car.
She began heaving. Panic was written into the lines of her face.
He waved his fists in the air. “LINA, GIVE ME THE FUCKING MONEY!”
Before I could stop myself, I was already storming in their direction and yelling, “Hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Both Lina and the man turned to me. Lina, face pale, parted her lips as if to speak.
I jutted my jaw toward the pharmacy while I distracted the man as I approached them.
The air reeked of hard liquor and beer as the man swayed just slightly.
Lina saw an opportunity and slipped past the guy, bolting toward safety.
“Call the police, Lina!” I yelled after her.
“Who the hell are you?” asked the man, narrowing his beady black eyes at me. He eyed me from head to toe. “You fucking my baby sister?”
“What a polite way of asking if I’m her boyfriend,” I stated. “No, I’m not. I’m her manager.”
“I suggest you get the hell out of here. This is none of your damn fucking business,” said Lina’s brother, words slurring slightly together.
“You’re harassing your sister on the pharmacy’s property, which easily constitutes as workplace violence. As her manager, this is my problem. I will call the police.” I glanced over at the pharmacy window where Lina stood safely inside. She was on the phone, talking.
“You think you’re so fucking smart. Just like Lina. Saying all sorts of crap to make yourself feel good and self-righteous,” seethed the brother.
He spat onto the pavement, close to my shoes. I held back every fiber of my being from grabbing him by the collar. He smiled triumphantly, trying to hold me down with his glare.
“I suggest you leave,” I said. “While you can.”
Sirens echoed in the distance.
The man came to a halt as he frowned. His hands trembled as his mouth pulled into a huge, ugly grimace. “Fuck you!” he barked. He turned to the pharmacy, baring his teeth at Lina like a cornered animal. “I’ll see you at home, you fucking bitch!”
He didn’t even give me a chance to reply before fleeing the scene—running so fast, he was long gone before I could count to five. I let out a sigh of relief as the sirens grew closer only for an ambulance to speed past the pharmacy.
I stood there, waiting for another siren to ring in the distance until it was too cold. I couldn’t stand it anymore and approached the pharmacy, empty-handed. The roasted duck I purchased had long been tossed to the asphalt when I came running to help my employee.
Lina quickly unbolted the front doors to let me in. “When are the police getting here?” I asked, locking the door behind me.
Lina stilled, but the lines embedded into her face told another story. Her icy demeanor was nonexistent as her eyes welled up. Her eyebrows were crumpled. Her parted lips quivered, as did the hand that came up to cover her mouth. She tore her eyes from me. A muffled cry slipped out of her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, wiping her tears away.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Once the police get here, we’re safe to leave.”
Lina hesitated, pausing for what felt like an eternity.
“I never call the police,” she finally croaked.
My chest constricted into a tight and uncomfortable ball, making it hard for my ribcage to expand. I could barely breathe. This was the life Lina lived outside of work—and school ten years ago?
“Why didn’t you?” I asked. My voice was much firmer than I intended.
A fresh set of tears rolled down her face. “That’s my brother, Jonathan.”
I pursed my lips. “Harassing their sister isn’t what brothers do.”
“No, but mine does.”
Silence flowed into the room, thick and heavy apart from Lina’s cries.
For a long time, our only exchange was her sobs and my silence.
I didn’t know how to comfort her, which meant I did the one thing I figured I could do.
I took off my overcoat and put it on her still shivering, much smaller frame.
Lina Lee’s personality had always taken up so much space for me. It was to such an extent that I never realized how tiny she was until that moment.
“Thank you for everything,” she whispered.
She tugged my jacket closer to her as her dark eyes finally met mine. Those black depths were all emotion as they brimmed with a fresh set of tears. My heart pumped one beat harder at the sight of her like this. With a flush now warm on my cheeks, I looked away.
“You don’t have to thank me,” I mumbled.
Lina shuffled on her feet. “We should leave. It’s late.”
“He said he was going to see you at home. You live with him?”
I know I shouldn’t pry since this was personal. But I was worried about my employee. I may not like her, but that didn’t mean I relished the thought of her safety and life being threatened. I wasn’t that cruel.
“No. I live alone.”
My eyebrows crumpled together. “Your brother harasses you at your home?”
She pulled off my overcoat and handed it to me with both hands. I didn’t move to accept it.
“Your brother harasses you like this at home. And you never call the police?” I repeated my question in a coarse and blunt tone.
“Yes.” She blew out a long sigh. “Now, if you’ll move to the side, I’ll get going.”
She pushed my jacket gently into my chest, and I took hold of both of her wrists before she could pull away. “Going where?”
She didn’t answer, but her eyes welled up again.
“Do you have anywhere safe to go?” I asked.
She blinked. “No, but it’s alright.” Her voice was so light it sounded like a breath.
“It’s not safe for you to go home, Lina.”
“I’ll be fine.” She shrugged.
My hands trembled, and my jaw tightened.
I couldn’t believe she was telling me this nonsense.
Where was the woman who was always calm, unbothered, and practically mechanical?
Where was the woman who held her head high, looked me straight in the eyes, and demanded I act professional? Where was the Lina Lee I knew?
I let go of her and let my hands fall to my side. My heavy overcoat was still in her hands as she pulled away from me.
“Fine? Fine how? You were terrified of your brother just a few minutes ago. Now you’re saying you’ll be fine when he comes to your door later? He could hurt you or worse—”
“Why do you even care?” she spat. Her voice rose sharply. “You hate me, don’t you?”
My dry throat worked, trying to swallow down whatever emotions were forming in my chest.
“I’m not an emotionless monster, Lina. I may not like you, but I care for your safety and life.
It’d be negligent of me as your manager to ignore this.
” I huffed out another breath as her face grew brighter and redder.
“We’re not leaving until I’m certain you’re somewhere safe or know someone is staying with you.
Can you call your boyfriend or a friend to come stay with you? ”
Lina hesitated, trying to hand me back my overcoat again. I knew if I accepted it, she’d try to slip around me and leave. I blocked the doorway with my entire body and crossed my arms across my chest. Little Miss Perfect wasn’t going anywhere.
She pursed her lips, observing the way I filled up the door frame. “I have no one to call,” she whispered, eyes now on the ground. “My friend’s out of state to see her sister and mom. I don’t have a boyfriend, so . . .”
I quickly pulled out my phone to go through my contacts. “Julie and Andy should have a spare bedroom for you to stay the night. If not, you could stay with my cousin, Shoua, too. I’d offer you my sister’s old room to stay the night, but I know my mom would just—”
“There’s no need,” interjected Lina. “It’ll be fine, Jonathan. I will be fine.”
I opened my mouth to speak up when she continued. “My brother is all talk and no bite. Besides, you scared him earlier.”
I scoffed. “That man didn’t look one bit scared.”
“You’re taller than him.” Her eyes lingered from my head to my toes in a lethargic but observant way. That dark gaze dipped across every valley and inch of my body with such careful regard that I couldn’t watch her watch me. “You’re big, Jonathan.”
Her words danced across my chest in a velvety caress, making me shiver. I could hardly breathe with the loud booming of my increasing heart rate. My entire body nearly combusted into flames while Lina stood there, clueless to the workings of my body. She continued with her husky, smooth voice.
“You’re strong, too.” Out of the corner of my eyes, I watched the way her eyes darted to my chest and arms. She eyed the width of my chest and the veins on my hands; a simple observation devoid of any desire or lust. “You scared him. So, if you could step aside, I’d appreciate it.
I want to go home after a long day of work, Dr. Lo. ”
I shuddered out an exhale. “I don’t trust you.”
Her eyebrows crinkled, and her pink lips pursed into a frown. “Trust me?”
“You claim your brother isn’t a threat to you or your welfare, but I bet he’ll be there when you get home.” She attempted to interrupt me, but I continued. “If he is, please promise me you’ll call the police.”
The tiniest sliver of an emotion struck her face, but it was instantly replaced by a guise of calmness. “I’ll be fine.”
The woman who was crying just a moment ago was no longer here. Instead, it was the icy and unbothered Lina I’d always known. The pink around the corners of her eyes was the only remnant of the events that had unfolded a few minutes ago.
I said nothing and stepped aside. She handed me my coat and walked out. As she did, my chest grew heavy with concern. I shouldn’t have let her leave. But I did so because I had no right to impose, even if I thought she was putting her own safety at risk.
I let her go. Then, I paid the price—she ran through my mind for hours on end. Her screaming brother and his threats, her crying, and the broken facade of her acting fine went in and out of my brain.
That night, I didn’t sleep a fucking wink.