Smoldering Flames and Secrets Read online

  6

  Two Peas in a Pod

  Raina and Po Po arrived at Uncle Sain’s restaurant in Chinatown at a quarter to five. Jung-yee was already inside, directing the staff on the table arrangements. Win tested the sound system and refined the playlist on his laptop. Next to the head table, the staff placed a small table. On it, they set the terracotta tea set with the extra cups. On the main table, they set a small plate with a “wife’s cake” for each elder in the Wong family. Po Po wandered over to peer at the pastries in the pink box.

  The Wongs had a tradition of holding the Chinese wedding a week or two before the official Western wedding. Earlier in the afternoon, Jung-yee and Blue would have honored the ancestors and the various deities. Even now Raina could see the wait staff setting the whole roast pig used in the ceremony this afternoon on the buffet table. After the tea ceremony, the staff would return the pig into the kitchen for the cooks to chop up to go with the rest of the dinner buffet.

  “Rainy, could I talk to you a minute?” Jung-yee said. She approached them while crossing off something on the clipboard in her hand.

  Raina wished she could hide until it was show time. “Um, sure.”

  Jung-yee linked an arm through Raina’s arm and tugged her into the foyer where there were a host station and chairs for the waiting customers. She glanced at the glass entrance door, continued to the left, and opened the broom closet. She clicked on the naked bulb overhead and closed the door after them. They were inches apart in the tiny space.

  “I’m too old for closet games,” Raina said. “And aren’t we playing this with the wrong partners?”

  Jung-yee rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha. Now listen. I need your help—”

  “Yes, Mom told me about the wedding plan—”

  “No, that’s—”

  “Oh, that’s great—”

  Jung-yee placed her hand over Raina’s mouth. “Stop interrupting me.”

  Raina batted her cousin’s hand away. “Eeeow. When was the last time you washed your hands?”

  Jung-yee stared at Raina for a moment and then burst into tears. “You always do this. We are not children anymore. And I need…” She gulped for air between her tears. “…your help.”

  Raina shifted. Why did she bait her cousin? She rubbed Jung-yee’s back. “Of course, I will help you, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

  Jung-yee took a deep breath, her lower lip still wobbling. “I think Blue is cheating on me.”

  Raina gaped at her cousin. She didn’t see this coming. “Are you sure he isn’t just busy at work?”

  “He’s distracted when we're together. He has no interest in the wedding. And we see less of each other than we did before his proposal.” Jung-yee ticked the points off on her fingers.

  “That sounds about right. Matthew and I are going through the same thing. Have you tried talking to Blue about it?” Raina knew Blue was dealing with the angel loan and worrying about getting on the suspect list for Arianna Cobb’s death. If he hadn’t told Jung-yee about this, Raina didn’t feel it was her place to do so.

  “When do I get to be alone with him? At the wedding rehearsal, photo shoot, or tonight? There are always people around.” Jung-yee blew out a sigh. “The wedding feels like an event for everyone but me. It was exciting at first when I got to pick my dress, but now, I want to get this wedding over with. I didn’t even get to pick the bridesmaids’ dress. My mom made the selection.”

  Raina raised an eyebrow. Well, this solved the mystery of the hideous bridesmaid dress. When her cousin decided to use the family money, everyone felt entitled to have a say in the plans.

  This was exactly why Matthew had refused help from the Wong family. He wanted their wedding to be about the two of them, but it also complicated things. Either they used the money on a down payment for a house or had the wedding expected of a Wong. And he left the decision up to Raina. She knew what he wanted, she knew what her mother wanted, but she didn’t know if she would regret not having the big wedding later. There would be plenty of time to save for a house, but one chance to be a princess.

  “If you feel this way, I imagine Blue might too,” Raina finally said. “You should have this talk before the wedding. The big day is less than a week away. If you don’t do this now, don’t go into this marriage with all these doubts between the two of you. That’s the fastest road to divorce.”

  “Even if he is cheating on me, I have to go through with the wedding. There are the expenses and the family expectations. I had a huge argument with my dad,. He thinks Blue is after the family money.”

  “It’ll be more expensive to have a divorce later,” Raina said.

  “My dad will lose face if I don’t go through with the wedding. After the screaming match we had, I can’t do this to him. He invited his business associates and several members of the business bureau. I will not be the reason he can’t show his face around Chinatown.”

  They were silent for several minutes. Raina’s heart felt heavy. There were moments when she wished their family was less traditional. They were a close-knit clan, but sometimes the obligations could bury each of them alive.

  “Just remember, I’m here for you,” Raina whispered.

  Her cousin straightened and swiped a finger underneath her eyes. Magically, the eye makeup smears disappeared. Raina had never been able to master the trick.

  Jung-yee hugged Raina. “Thank you, Rainy. I knew I could count on you. Keep an eye on Blue, okay? I need to know if this is all in my head.”

  “I can tell you right now it’s all in your head. Blue is not a cheater or leech. He’s a hard worker who will do his best to make you happy.”

  “Your words mean more than you know.” Her cousin opened the closet door and left.

  Raina followed her cousin and got busy helping where she saw a need. The rest of the family drifted in. She was talking to her niece when Matthew stepped through the entrance of the restaurant.

  His eyes scanned the crowd and connected with hers. A jot of awareness ran through Raina. Her heart did a flip-flop, and she smiled, knowing she might have a silly grin on her face.

  Matthew’s eyes twinkled at her even though he wasn’t smiling. He was wearing a white polo T-shirt and navy cargo shorts. His black hair was still wet like he came out of a shower. He’d most likely spent the afternoon playing basketball with her male cousins.

  Her niece broke away from Raina and ran toward him. “Elly! Come, New Rain is showing me a game on her phone.”

  Raina cringed inwardly. Her niece couldn’t pronounce Elliot when she was younger, so he became Elly. It was also the nickname the bullies at school had called him until Matthew grew big enough to no longer be a target.

  The girl flew toward his arms. Matthew caught the preschooler mid-jump and swung her up into the air, skirt flying and underwear flashing. She squealed with delight and asked for more. Family members paused what they were doing to watch the scene with pleased expressions. Anyone who adored the baby of the family got their approval. When he set her down, the girl clung to his arm, half-jumping and swinging like a little monkey. Lucky child.

  Matthew joined Raina and kissed her on the cheek. “Hi, beautiful.”

  Raina flushed, feeling like a schoolgirl. She wasn’t used to having family members watch them with approving smiles. And unlike her niece, she couldn’t cling to his arm. She breathed in his clean water and sage scent instead. “Hello, Elly.”

  “Are we playing games now?” he whispered. His tone sent a shiver down her back.

  “Where’s the game?” her niece asked, glancing at each of them with an earnest expression.

  Raina laughed, smacking him on the arm. “Stop it.”

  “You know you like it,” Matthew said. He glanced around and spotted his grandma sitting with the mahjong ladies in the corner furthest away from the tea ceremony. “I better go see if Ah Mah wants me to get her something to eat.”

  Maggie Louie was visually impaired due to retinitis pigmentosa, but it didn’t stop
her from being a shark at the mahjong table. Her ears and sense of touch were sharper than ever. As long as the other players announced their tiles when they threw it out, she could keep up with the game. Even her memory had sharpened, so she enjoyed a limited freedom within familiar surroundings. With her new service dog, Poe, a big black Labrador retriever, resting by her feet, she was enjoying herself and probably feeling great.

  Raina knew it drove her future grandma-in-law nuts when Matthew hovered over her, but she also knew he couldn’t help it. Maggie was his only living relative. “I got her a slice of cake earlier, but she might need something to wash it down.”

  Matthew brightened. “I’ll get her a tea. I know she likes the milk oolong.”

  Raina pulled out her cell phone and crooked a finger at her niece. “Come on, sweet pea. Let’s go grab a seat to watch the blink-blink at the tea ceremony.”

  With her niece on her lap, engrossed in the new Hello Kitty game on her phone, Raina watched Jung-yee and Blue present each elder in the Wong family with a cup of tea. In exchange for the teacup, the elder gave the couple a red envelope with their blessing and draped a piece of jewelry on her cousin. By the time Jung-yee made her way around the table, she had several twenty-two-carat gold necklaces on her neck, a ring on each finger, and several bracelets in her arms. She looked like she was ready to ride off into the sunset with her groom and dowry…or be the sacrificial lamb at the altar.

  If her cousin were to marry a Chinese man, they would repeat the ceremony with the groom's family. But since his father abandoned Blue as a child, and his Italian mother and her family were in Europe, his list of wedding guests comprised only his friends. Oh well. It wasn’t unlike her cousin was short on funds.

  Raina’s large family meant various family obligations, but she wouldn't give them up to be alone. Even Matthew seemed to enjoy his de facto membership to the Wong family through his grandma’s lifelong friendship with Po Po. So family could be both a blessing or a curse.

  Half an hour later, people dug into the buffet set out for them. Raina kept a close eye on Blue as instructed even though she couldn’t see how he could cheat in a family gathering.

  She ended up at the same table with her mom, her brother, and his new Jewish girlfriend. Mom kept giving Raina pointed looks, but she didn’t understand what Mom wanted from her. She finally shifted in her seat so she could only see Mom from the corner of her eyes.

  Raina’s gaze returned to Blue. His black hair was held back in a ponytail with a red ribbon. The hair was another source of contention between Uncle Sain and Jung-yee. Raina thought her uncle should be more flexible when it came to hair styles since it wasn’t that long ago when Chinese men walked around with a long braid and robes that looked like dresses.

  Blue was dressed in a short sleeve blue collared shirt and tan khakis. While the clothes fit him well and showed off his muscular frame, he definitely looked more comfortable in worn jeans, T-shirt, and steel toe boots.

  He received the greetings and well wishes with grace. Matthew was still by his grandma’s side when Blue drifted over to the mahjong ladies. The two men were of similar height, but Blue was taller by an inch or two. Though the groom’s skin tone was more olive, both men had thick black lashes and gold flecks in their eyes…

  Raina did a double take, her gaze shifting rapidly between Matthew and Blue. Same jawline, though the noses were different… Did she imagine the similarities?

  Her brother and his girlfriend got up from the table. Raina flicked a glance at them, but before she could go back to her comparison of the two men, Mom grabbed her forearm.

  “Raina, what are your wedding plans?” Mom whispered.

  “You’ll have to ask Jung-yee,” Raina said absentmindedly, her gaze returning to her fiancé.

  Mom squeezed her arm. “Stop looking at him. He’s not going anywhere.”

  Raina sighed inwardly. She focused on her mom.

  Mom was in her fifties, and she’d never held a job beyond helping with the family business in her twenties. Her hair started to gray in the last year, streaking her black hair, but she was still trim and youthful enough to pass for forty.

  “What is it? I don’t even know how to interpret your strange looks,” she said.

  “I’ve been asking about your wedding plans since you got engaged. Don’t you think it’s time to share something with your mother?”

  Raina sighed. “My plate is full. I can’t think about it right now. When I have stuff to share, I’ll share.”

  “So that’s your answer to your dear old mommy. I bet you’ve told Po Po your plans.”

  Raina straightened in her chair. Did her mom feel left out? Could she be jealous of Raina’s relationship with Po Po? But Mom had a similar relationship with Raina’s older sister.

  “This isn’t the time or place for this discussion. I’m doing a lot for this wedding, and everyone is coming to me with their problems.” Raina left off the murder investigation, knowing it would give her mom a heart attack. “I just can’t right now.”

  Mom’s lips thinned into a tight line. “Is there an open time slot where you can pencil me in?”

  Raina ignored the sarcasm in Mom’s voice.“I have no plans yet. You know the date, but that’s it. Po Po doesn’t know anymore than you do.”

  Her mom nodded grudgingly. “Pinky swear?”

  Raina held out her pinky. They shook on it like they did when she was a little girl. If Dad hadn’t died while Raina was in high school, would she have a better relationship with Mom?

  “I’m holding you to it,” Mom said.

  Raina excused herself and headed toward her fiancé. She had to find out what was Blue’s connection to Matthew. If it was what she suspected, he was in for a world of hurt. First, for playing her like a fool. And Qsecond, for what he might do to Matthew’s peace of mind.

  7

  Trouble in Paradise

  As Raina stalked toward Blue, their brief relationship flashed through her mind. How could she have not known about the family resemblance? Had she known on a subconscious level and ignored it? Was it why she was attracted to him in the first place? She shuddered at the thought.

  Did anyone else guess that Matthew had a younger half-brother? Did Matthew know? Other than his grandma, he never spoke of the parents who had abandoned him as a child.

  “Rainy, can I talk to you for a minute?” Jung-yee asked, approaching from the side.

  Raina shifted her gaze to her cousin and paused her steps. “What is it?”

  Jung-yee inched closer. “Can you hold on to the wedding jewelry for me? It’s locked in the office drawer at the moment.”

  There had been more than a few robberies after a Chinese wedding because of the huge sum of money and jewelry given to the wedding couple. Raina would feel like a moving target, but the jewelry and lucky red envelopes would be safer with her than with her cousin.

  “Let’s make it quick,” Raina said. “We wouldn’t want anyone to know what we’re up to.” Though the restaurant was filled with family and trusted staff, it wouldn’t take long for news of the tea ceremony to drift out to the streets of Chinatown, especially with the amount of alcohol flowing.

  They stepped through the double swinging doors to the kitchen. A short corridor on the left led to a small office. It was once a storage room that Jung-yee had commandeered for her own use. Her father had done the books in the corner of the kitchen or even an empty dining room table, but once they expanded to other restaurants, this was no longer practical.

  Jung-yee closed the door. She unlocked the three-drawer filing cabinet and pulled out a velvet drawstring bag and handed it to Raina. “Thanks for doing this. I feel safer having the bag with you than leaving it locked here overnight. And I don’t dare take it home.”

  “I’ll put it in Po Po’s safe when I get back,” Raina said, dropping the bag into her purse. “Hey, does Blue have any siblings?”

  “He never mentioned any siblings, so I assumed he’s an only child.
”

  Raina had made the same assumption, but this didn’t mean it was true. “And he couldn’t get a hold of his dad? You would think one of his parents would come to the wedding.”

  Jung-yee shrugged. “Why are you asking me this? You know his background as well I do.”

  “We only went out a few times. The two of you have been together longer. I thought maybe he’d let you in.”

  “And if he did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Why this sudden interest in his family background? It’s a little late to dig into his past, don’t you think? I’m marrying him no matter what you find.”

  “If we know more about his family life, then we might know if he was someone who would cheat on his wife,” Raina lied. This was partially true. After all, someone who came from a family where the husband strayed might think it was acceptable to do so himself.

  “His dad left when Blue was a three-year-old. His mom gave up her dream of being an opera singer and got a job as an insurance saleswoman.” Jung-yee’s eyes widened. “You don’t think he would leave me with a child, do you?”

  Raina gave her cousin a deadpan stare. “You’re putting the cart before the horse. Maybe you should worry about getting through the big day first. See you back inside.” She spun on her heels and marched back to the dining room.

  Her head pounded. The similarity between Blue’s childhood and Matthew’s childhood was uncanny. The only difference was that Matthew’s father had abandoned him when he was a few years older. This wasn’t proof, and certainly not enough for her to bring it to Matthew’s attention. She had to talk to Blue. If he knew about his relationship to Matthew, why hadn’t he said anything to his big brother?

  As Raina stepped through the double swinging doors, her gaze fell on the mahjong table. Where were the men? Maggie Louie and her friends still played the tile game, but Matthew and Blue were nowhere in sight. She turned around, scanning the crowd. Nope. Did they step outside?