beautiful.”
“He also said he doesn’t want her,” Joey grumbled. “Which is total bull.”
“Don’t be such a hater,” Mandy returned. The two began to argue in low tones. Nathan ignored them, his attention fully trained on Tracy, who had relaxed back in her seat with a calm expression.
“So now you’ve met my family,” she drawled. “Such as it is. Tell me, does your family squabble like this? Do you take honor in protecting your sister?”
“Yes and yes,” he said slowly, wondering where she intended to go with this.
“So the temple’s like one big happy family? You all sit around the dinner table annoying each other? Drink out of the milk carton or chew with your mouth open or something?”
He started to nod his head, but his words came out very different. “We are a loose collection of souls—some come, some go. All have responsibilities—some gather the food, some cook it, some clean up afterward. Our meals are usually passed in silence as each contemplates her soul’s state. A few have even taken vows of silence.” He looked closely at her. “You will like it there. It is a beautiful place.”
Joey abruptly spun around to stare hard at him. “What? What about the temple?” He turned to his sister. “You’re not going to Hong Kong, are you?”
“Relax, Joey,” Tracy answered smoothly. “I’m just asking about his home.” She said the words, but Nathan heard the hesitation in her voice even if her brother did not. Then she tossed her plastic spoon in her empty ice- cream cup and turned back to Nathan. “What about your natural siblings? You said you have a sister and brother.”
“My mother had three children, I am the eldest. Plus a few cousins who come and go.”
“Very fluid, huh?” That came from Joey, the suspicion back in his voice. “No real family ties.”
Nathan shrugged, not knowing how to answer. “We are what we are. I miss my brother and sister a great deal.” He looked at Tracy and Joey, and thought about a life with just one sibling. It seemed so peaceful and intimate. “You are very fortunate to have a brother who loves you enough to protect you.”
Tracy flashed her brother a quick smile. “He’s annoying, but he’s mine.” She leaned forward. “But who was yours, Nathan? Who protects you?”
He stiffened. “I am the eldest. It is my job to watch out for the others.”
Mandy finished off the last of her shake with a slurp, then she smiled at him. “You really take that traditional stuff seriously. That’s so old-fashioned, but sweet. Kinda heroic.”
He looked at her, unable to form an answer. Joey just rolled his eyes and huffed, “Girls!”
Nathan focused on Tracy only to discover she was watching him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. Had he revealed something significant? He didn’t think so. But the way she stared at him made him acutely nervous.
“So, no dad, huh?” asked Joey from the side.
Nathan shook his head. “My mother is a tigress and the leader of the temple.”
“Her focus is on attaining immortality, right?” asked Tracy. “She leads the temple, takes partners, and studies for ascension. Right?”
“Yes, that is the role of a tigress.”
“And her children?”
“Our role is to support the temple and its students.”
She nodded. “So your role is to support your mother and her goals.”
He frowned, not liking Tracy’s tone. “It is an honor—”
“And a responsibility,” interrupted Joey. “Yeah, we got that. But where is there room for what you want to do?”
Nathan shifted his gaze between the three of them, wondering how the conversation had turned so drastically. “This is what I want to do,” he said clearly. “Business school, then a good job. Why would I do all this, come to the United States to study if not for that?”
“I don’t know,” Tracy answered slowly. “It’s just obviously so very hard. You’re broke, studying night and day, saving money any way you can to survive.” She shook her head. “There has to be an easier way.”
Nathan shook his head. “I left the temple because I couldn’t stay any longer. And it was time to further my education.”
Tracy straightened, her eyes very clear. “Why couldn’t you stay?”
He swallowed. It was best he told her everything. She needed to understand. “I was kicked out of the temple,” he said bluntly.
“Really,” gasped Mandy. “But why?”
“I fell in love with one of the tigresses. I pursued her with single-minded devotion. I had started out as her teacher but then fell in love.” He shrugged. “But she is a tigress with no interest in such things. She said I interfered with her studies, I made it difficult for her to pursue her religion. It was an easy choice for the Tigress Mother. Nothing can interfere with the pursuit of heaven, so I was asked to leave.”
“I thought you said your mother led the temple.” Mandy’s voice was soft with compassion.
He nodded. “She does.”
Joey leaned forward hard enough to make the table creak. “Kicked out by your own mother? I don’t believe it.”
Nathan shrugged. It didn’t matter if they believed it or not; it was true. But when he focused on Tracy, he read confusion in her eyes. She shifted nervously on her seat, then spoke, her voice coming out low but very clear. “The Hong Kong police think your mother runs a prostitution ring. They think you’re trying to branch out here in Champaign.”
On his left, Mandy gasped in shock, and Joey abruptly straightened. His eyes narrowed and his shoulders rose. But Nathan kept his demeanor cool, his attention completely on Tracy.
“I am impressed that you could learn that so quickly and from half a world away.”
She shrugged. “Gotta love it when those connections pan out.”
“Is it true?” snapped Joey, his grip on his plastic spoon had tightened into a fist.
Nathan sighed. “Prostitution is a thriving industry in Hong Kong. If it were true, I would not be worrying about money or about raising my brother and sister out of poverty. And Illinois is a long, long way to go to branch out one’s business.”
“It’s a long, long way to go just to escape a bad love affair, too,” drawled Tracy.
He didn’t respond. How could he explain that he wanted—needed—to put as much distance between himself and his childhood as possible. It was only because of her—because Tracy was a promising new tigress—that he had any communication with his mother at all.
Mandy was the one, this time, to continue the questions. “So why do they think you’re prostitutes?”
“They’re Tantrics,” Tracy answered softly. “They study sex as a path to…” She shrugged. “To more.” Then she shot her brother a sharp look. “And don’t go there, Joey. It’s not ridiculous. It’s just different.”
Joey pressed his lips together, but it was clearly hard for him to stay silent. Mandy, however, dimpled prettily. “I’ve heard about that. It’s cool—if a little weird.” She turned back to Nathan. “So you and your family study sex but the cops don’t understand so they think you’re selling sex. Except that you’re god-awful poor, and they don’t get it. But you do, so you’re here studying to get a good job so that you can support your mother and her temple. Cool.”
Nathan struggled to follow her rapid-fire English, but then gave up because she’d apparently come to her own conclusion. She was already standing up, tugging Joey along with her.
“Come on. It’s almost time for the movie.” She smiled at Tracy and Nathan together. “Thanks for the ice cream. It was cool meeting you, but we gotta go. See ya!”
Joey blinked, obviously dazed by his girlfriend, but she didn’t give him time to respond. She simply tugged him hard until he had no choice but to move. Within moments, they were out the door. Even before the glass door slipped shut, Tracy burst out laughing.
“Wow, does my brother have his hands full with her!” she said.
Nathan didn’t answer. He was still trying to understand what had happened.
Tracy grabbed and tossed their empty ice-cream cups out. It was apparently time to go, and so he opened the shop door and waited for her to exit.
She went through with a blithe smile, and they walked together to her truck. They were only halfway there
