I checked my phone to see if she’d messaged me at all. I’d given her my business card, so she had my number, but I didn’t have hers. There were no messages. I sighed and contemplated going back to the hotel to look for her.
Thankfully, after one last song, the DJ announced that the wedding was over, but that an afterparty would be happening at the hotel. Everyone queued up to get onto the shuttles, and I eagerly craned my neck to look around, but still didn’t see Anna anywhere. She must’ve caught an earlier shuttle back.
I got onto the shuttle and ignored everyone. They all took one look at my face and left me alone.
When we arrived back, I sprinted up the stairs to our floor to avoid all of the elevator traffic. As I’d expected, my jacket was on the doorknob to my room. I walked a few feet down and knocked on Anna’s door, softly calling her name. No answer.
I went into my room and found a slip of paper and a pen to write a note.
Anna,
I had a great time with you tonight. I’m sorry if things got awkward. If you give me a chance, I can explain what happened. You’re smart, funny, and gorgeous, and I’d love to get to know you better.
Hope to see you at climbing tomorrow morning (assuming you’re not hungover). 10am at the Granitarium. It’ll be “rocking” good fun.
Ian
I folded it twice and slipped it under her door.
She never showed up.
◆◆◆
“What’s her deal, Cassie?” I asked. I belayed Cassie as she led a 5.10c route at the Granitarium. I didn’t give her any details about what happened the night before, just mentioned that I’d been “hanging out” with Anna when she’d gotten mad at me for talking to my mom.
“Don’t take it personally. Anna’s...picky.” She lunged for a jug. Cassie wasn’t very tall (maybe only 5’), so she had an extremely dynamic climbing style that was exciting to watch, especially as her belayer.
“You told me before that you thought we’d be great together. Except for the whole Asian guy thing.” I gave her extra slack as she clipped in.
She locked off on her right and felt around with her left hand on a large mantle shelf above her, searching for the best hand position. “I...did...still...think so,” she said, straining. “Take!” she yelled, a moment before falling. She hadn’t gone far from the clip, so she only fell a couple of feet. I caught her, soft and easy.
“So how do I win her over?” I leaned back into the harness to make it easier to look up at her.
Cassie glanced at me from above, shook out her arms, and sighed. “You don’t. Not if she doesn’t want to be won over.”
“You won’t give me her number and let me try?” I asked, voice pitched slightly higher with hope.
She stuck her tongue out at me, then got back onto the route. “Chicks before dicks, Ian.”
Sigh. Well, it was fun while it lasted.
◆◆◆
With my mom ill and my dad taking care of her, it was a tough time for them both. It always cheered them up to hear from me, so I alternated my calls between them.
On Wednesday morning, on my way to the office, I called my dad.
“Hello? Ba. How are you?” We spoke in Mandarin, as usual.
“Ian. I’m fine, I’m fine.” His exaggerated sigh suggested otherwise.
“Ba, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” After retiring last year, he seemed more withdrawn and tired, and he was even less inclined to go to the doctor than my mother.
“Nothing, I’m fine. Just need a break. You know how your Ma can be.” He heaved another sigh, and I sighed along with him. We both loved her deeply, but my mother was a handful sometimes. “Can we still come see you this weekend? You’ll be back from California on Friday, right?”
“Yes, of course you can still come. You know I love seeing you both.”
“You sure we’re not bothering you?” He often asked me this question.
“No way, I look forward to it. We can go check out this new Italian restaurant that just opened around the corner from my apartment. I’ve heard it’s really good.”
He was silent for a moment. “Ian. Are we making it hard for you to date?”
I snorted. “No Ba, I’m making it hard for myself. Why do you ask?”
Another brief silence. “Your Ma wants to see you get married,” he murmured.
“She will. You both will. You’re both going to live till you’re 100.” I hoped I sounded convinced. “She only has a few more treatments left, right?”
“She’s so tired sometimes,” he said, his tone melancholy. “I’m tired, too.”
I clenched my fists on the steering wheel. “Ba, you guys are only in your 60s. You have plenty of time to watch me get married and play with your grandkids. Just make sure you exercise and eat well. Don’t eat too many of those desserts that you love. And don’t make me worry about you.”
He sighed. “We try.”
I attempted to lighten his mood. “Do your friends have any daughters in mind for me?”
My dad chuckled quietly. “You know your Ma would try to find you a wife, if you asked her to. Don’t joke about it if you don’t mean it.”
I smiled, reflecting on my poor dating record. Reflecting on Anna. “Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”
Chapter 7
-Anna-
One month later
I stepped off the subway and was greeted by the familiar, sharp tang of urine. I usually loved New York, but there were days when the reality of it was just too much. Like today, when it was overcast, cold, and windy outside. And the station was crowded and loud and stank worse than usual.
Oh, and I had gotten fired.
I had my suspicions about why. I may have
