Chapter 12 #3
Big Boss Sun’s name struck each of his grandchildren differently, but they all had the same silence.
“We joke about Auntie Roses,” Wayward finally said. “But that’s literally what we’re up against. Our parents are entering
their twilight years, and with that will come power struggles and legal battles and quite possibly hereditary dementia. If
we cousins aren’t a united force in the years ahead, who knows what will happen to us . . . and our children, current or future?”
He turned to April. “What will happen to Meadow?”
“Let’s not bring Meadow into this right now,” April snapped.
Wayward shrugged apologetically. “Meadow is a Sun. She’ll always be in this. Just like her aunties and uncles.”
“And why do you need us?” Sunbern suddenly asked, sounding bitter as he gulped down the rest of his wine bottle. He had sobered
a bit when Wayward mentioned their grandfather, and that memory of their last conversation had flashed in his mind, unsettling
him. “You’re the star of our generation, Wayward. You’re going to get everything, with or without us.”
“I don’t want everything!” Wayward suddenly choked a bit on a rush of emotion. “I just . . . I just want my cousins back.”
It was a display of raw vulnerability from Wayward that none of them possessed the tools to receive. April coughed and looked out the window while Sunbern and Lola stared down at their laps.
“There’s a reason why family names come first in Chinese names,” Wayward continued, quickly regaining his composure. “It’s
because family always takes precedence. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We are each other’s family, and we
need to stick together.”
Lola watched as Sunbern’s face changed. Well played, Wayward, she thought. Everyone knew how thirsty Sunbern was for acceptance.
“Today, we all came here separately,” Wayward concluded. “But tomorrow I hope we leave together.”
They all sat with his hope for a quiet moment.
“But what about our cars?” Sunbern asked, confused. Wayward, April, and Lola all burst out laughing, but their hearts were
genuine.
“No, it’s my bad,” Wayward said as he reached over to massage Sunbern’s shoulders warmly. “That was confusing wording, Sunbern.
I mean, I hope we leave here together in spirit.”
“Oh damn, blond moment!” Sunbern joined in laughing. He playfully swatted away Wayward’s hands. “Okay, okay, Shortcake! We’re
all made up, okay, girls?” Sunbern gestured at April and Lola, and got readily agreeable nods from them. “Okay! Enough talking,
let’s get fucked-up. Lo, whip out those drugs!”
“Fina-fucking-ly,” April groaned in sweet release, holding out her hand at Lola. “Do you know how badly I need to party tonight?”
“I brought some magnesium pills if anyone wants them,” Wayward offered, rubbing his hands together. “You know, for the teeth
grinding. Oh man, I can’t wait to dance all night!”
All three elder cousins turned to look at Lola, with that same look of urgent expectation they had given her countless times.
Their baby cousin responded with a reinvigorated relish, sitting up in her seat.
“Whoops,” Lola pouted innocently. “I didn’t bring any!”
Thanks to the eagle-eyed surveillance cameras installed high above the Malibu compound’s driveway, Roses saw Iris coming from a mile away, quite literally.
But after Iris had rung the bell, Roses took her sweet time, making sure that her middle sister waited a good five minutes before she answered the door.
Iris was all anxious smiles as Roses showed her in and led her to the breakfast table in the kitchen. The sisters sat down
across from one another, the table as bare and unwelcoming as the tension between them.
Iris broke the silence, speaking in Mandarin. Big Sister, I met that young man you sent, the grandson of Master Chu.
Roses nodded, unyielding, her lips still firmly pressed together.
Earnestly, Iris leaned forward. It was wrong of me to involve April, Big Sister. I apologize.
Roses sniffed. Thanks to Galahad Chu’s psychic counsel, she actually knew that Iris had met with Wayward, but also that Wayward
had rebuffed his mother’s attempts at reconciliation. Therefore, Iris’s apology was one of necessity, not loyalty. But still,
the Sun matriarch understood her younger sister’s capabilities. A tamed Iris was always useful.
Apology accepted, Roses replied magnanimously. It was wrong of me to approach Weiwei without you. Let’s call it even.
Iris sighed. I understand why you did it. You are closer to him and you assumed he would be more likely to listen to you. She looked down at her lap. And you were right.
Roses let out an irritated tut. You see, Middle Sister, this is why we must be coordinated. We share the same goal of a baby boy, so we cannot let our own
petty agendas knock us askew. If we just end up squabbling with each other, how can we claim seniority over our children? Even as we speak, the children are camping in Barstow together. They aren’t there to roast marshmallows. Now that they are
talking again, they could very well team up against our cause.
They definitely aren’t roasting marshmallows, Iris thought to herself, knowing well the Sun cousins’ illicit desert activities simply by their strung-out faces whenever they’d returned from Barstow over the years.
But she only said, Do you really think that they would prevent Wayward from having a baby? What if they are simply happy for him?
Roses was rolling their father’s crucifix pendant between her fingers, its gold chain necklace twinkling at Iris. According to Galahad Chu, if the cousins unite, there will only be chaos. He says that we must continue Big Boss Sun’s lineage
through Wayward . . . by any means necessary.
And what about April? Iris asked. As your daughter, she has always expected that Meadow had a claim to the Sunfang Trust.
“Oh! Hello, Auntie Iris.”
The interruption made both women jump. Iris turned to see Cristiano standing somewhat timidly at the entrance of the kitchen.
“Hope I’m not interrupting,” he said, motioning at the pantry. “Just came down to get a snack for Meadow.”
“You’re not interrupting,” Roses responded smoothly as she motioned him in. “We are just discussing some plans for the Lunar
New Year party.”
As Cristiano grabbed some fruit snacks from the cupboard, Iris raised her eyebrows at Roses, silently asking whether Cristiano
had heard anything. Roses shook her head to say that her son-in-law still did not understand a lick of Mandarin.
Once Cristiano departed with a friendly wave, Roses resumed through gritted teeth. I have long since given up on April having another son. Big Boss Sun’s will was clear. Our brother provided no male heir, so the only way we can reclaim control of the Sunfang Trust
from Hyacinth and away from her crazy cult is by securing it through Big Boss Sun’s great-grandson. So it is up to us to navigate
Wayward through this mess, by any means necessary. She gave Iris a stern look. Middle Sister, do not forget what happened last time you and I fought. Do not forget what you lost.
Iris closed her eyes, that inevitable shame washing over her. You are right, Big Sister. Tell me what to do. I am here to help you.
Unseen by his in-laws, Cristiano stood right outside of the kitchen.
It was true that Cristiano Baccay did not understand Mandarin when he first married April. But thanks to the online language
courses he had been taking in secret over the years, he now understood the aunties’ every word.
He listened intently, his face inscrutable.
“What was the point of driving all the way out to the middle of bumfuck Barstow,” April was opining, “if we aren’t going to
do drugs? We could’ve just met at a Cheesecake Factory!”
“Lo,” Wayward griped, “if you didn’t want to bring any party favors, couldn’t you have told us? Someone else would’ve taken
care of it!” Bindi was whining on his lap.
Lola, still relishing the anguish of her older cousins, glared with indignation at Wayward. “Oh, I see,” she declared. “All
this talk of cousinly togetherness goes right out the window the moment you don’t get your fix.” She knew exactly what Wayward
was planning: to get everyone high and euphoric on MDMA, and then spring the news of his future son upon them as though it
were manna from Heaven. Not on her watch!
Wayward pointed a finger in her face. “You’re being a brat, Lo!” He felt like they were on the playground again, and she had
bested him on the swings.
“Poor Weiwei,” mocked Lola, getting right up in his face as well. “Are you going to run and tell Auntie Roses?”
Sunbern stood up, pushing their heads apart with his hands. “Okay, that’s enough, no cat fights today, you two.” He reached
into his jacket pocket and pulled out a baggie, then tossed it onto the table. Everyone took a second to register what it
was.
Delighted, April grabbed it, inspecting the clear capsules inside, filled with a dark powder. “Oh my god, you brought some,
Sunbern!”
Lola’s face collapsed as April handed the baggie to Wayward, who took a close look as well. “Sunbern,” he exclaimed, “you’re a fucking boss!”
“Well, that’s the thing about being uncanceled,” Sunbern said proudly. “People start giving you free drugs again.” He dumped
the pills into his palm and divvied them out, handing one to each of his cousins. “Okay, we drop right now! You included,
Lo! I’m watching you!”
The Sun cousins each held up their pill, then placed it on their tongues, chased by a swig of their drinks. Lola tried to
hide hers under her tongue to spit out later, but the slippery capsule glided down her throat like it was on a slide at a
waterpark. She rarely cursed, but she cursed to herself right then. Nothing was going right for her that day.
“Okay now, music!” Sunbern yelled as he bounded out of the RV. “Shortcake, come help me grab my turntables from the car.”
“You two watch Bindi,” Wayward called over his shoulder as he followed. “Don’t let him outside.”