Forbidden Love of the Ballet Dancer and the Hockey Player

Chapter 6

Charlbi made some chrysanthemum tea, hoping it would calm Lah Ann and her uncle so they would go to sleep. Lah Ann hasn't stopped crying since they arrived. Jee had been talking to Tung, trying to understand what happened to his wife. He would only say, "My sweet Uma is gone," and burst into tears.

Bae sits back, looking around the room and then at Tung, thinking, "That man seems to care more about his wife now than he did when she was alive. When Uma was alive, Tung would slap her for the littlest things. I may be hard on Jee. But I have never raised my hand to her. I wanted my daughters to know it's wrong for a man to lay his hands on her." He looks at Nuala, blowing bubbles and humming.

There's a knock on the door. Jee looks at Nuala. "Girl, answer the door."

Nuala folded her arms and walked to the door, mumbling, "Make me sick. It's not my door."

Her parents didn't hear her, but Charlbi did. She decides to wait until Lah Ann goes to sleep before speaking to her sister about her attitude.

Hoang walks into the room and doesn't speak. He plops down in a chair and tells Nuala to bring him a glass of juice. Nuala turns her nose up and sits down. He's about to say something to her until he notices the stare from Charlbi and her father.

"Young man, I don't know you. But from what I have heard, this isn't your first time here. My daughter isn't your maid.” Bae sips his chrysanthemum tea.

Hoang looks at Lah Ann to tell her to get him something to drink, but she has fallen asleep. Charlbi is still looking at him.

She points to the kitchen. "Looks like you have to get your juice yourself today."

“I can’t stand that nosy-ass b***h” Hoang thinks while walking into the kitchen. “One day, this house will be mine to rule.”

****

Later that day, Charlbi went home right after school instead of going to the library. She doesn't ride the bus. She prefers to jog the ten miles. Charlbi says it gives her time to think. She hears a car horn blowing, then it stops beside her. She takes a deep breath before she looks at the car. She chuckles, looking at Gareth and waving for her to get in. Charlbi thought it was some of the boys from school who were always trying to pick her up.

"Kido, do you ever relax?" Gareth reaches over her and fastens her seat belt. "Have to make sure you're safe. You're one in a million," he winks at her.

She giggles. "Yes, I do relax, well, sometimes."

He looks up at her. "Graduation is next week. Then your birthday will be a few days after that. Are you ready to tell me what you want?"

“Not yet. I’ll tell you the night of my party. Don’t be late.” She looked at their houses coming into view.

Her father is watering the flowers, but he's killing time while waiting for Nuala's bus to come. Bae hears Gareth's car driving into the driveway. He looks at the car and sees his daughter and Gareth. He didn't think anything of it. Besides, Gareth saw her on his way home and picked her up.

Jee walks onto the porch and looks at Gareth. He's opening the door for Charlbi. Then, they talked and laughed while walking to Bae.

Bae laughs when Gareth tells him about the look he received from Charlbi when he pulled beside her. When Gareth was finished, he and Bae laughed at her. She ignores them and thanks Gareth, then jogs into the house. Charlbi has to get ready for ballet class, hoping to speak with Nuala before she leaves.

Nuala walks into Charlbi's room, asking to use her cell phone. After telling her sister no, Charlbi pointed to a chair. "Sit down. It's time for you and me to have a sister-to-sister talk. Don't let me repeat myself." She looked at Nuala, who was walking out the door.

Nuala sits down, folds her arms, and exhales.

"Don't take that attitude with me. I heard what you said at Uncle Tung's house this morning. Next time, keep your nasty thoughts to yourself. I know our parents are strict, but most of the time, they have their reasons. Especially when it comes to you. Nuala, you're always doing the opposite of what they tell us. Why are you so rebellious?" Charlbi sits in front of her sister.

"Because I don't like people telling me what to do." Nuala looks out the window.

"Our parents do that to protect us. Who was the boy or man you were sneaking out with?" Charlibi steps between the window and her sister. “I’m talking to you.”

Nuala looks at her sister, "My boyfriend, I'm not telling you his name. So, you can tell Father. He'll mess up everything, and I can't let that happen. He's the one I’m going to marry.” She walks out of the room.

Charlbi picks up her duffle bag. “Why do I get the feeling our parents wouldn’t approve of him? Why is she so secretive about his identity?"

*****

Gareth had meant to see Charlbi before she and her family left to go to school for graduation. He wanted to give her a graduation gift. But his meeting with his agent needed to arrive at the meeting on time. Rolf and the team's owner are upset with him because he refused to leave the day before Charlbi's birthday. Gareth still hasn't figured out what she wants from him. When he arrived at school, he was looking for a seat when someone grabbed his arm. Gareth is about to yank away when he sees that it is Nuala.

"You're sitting with us. I've been waiting for you. My sister has a seat reserved for you, it's next to Father," she leads him down the aisle.

He doesn't say anything as they hear many oohs from women and young girls lusting over him. Nuala looks around, giving some of them the back the hell-off look until they reach the front row where Bae, Jee, and Tung are sitting. Gareth speaks and sits beside Bae.

Bae leans over to him. "It's a good thing you made it on time. I would hate for my daughter to be disappointed."

"Sir, I would do my best never to do anything to disappoint Charlbi," he's looking at Bae.

Bae nods. "You know something? I believe you."

In the back, Charlbi is looking at Hoang, who's ordering Lah Ann around. She takes a deep breath and mumbles, "Charlbi Phan, that isn't any of your business. You have warned her. It's up to her to listen. She and Nuala should be sisters."

Mrs. Leaf walks to Charlbi. "I still don’t know why you didn't let me announce you’re the valedictorian. But you have your reasons. I have known you since you were in the first grade. I must say you're the only student that I have taught who hasn't changed. My fingers are crossed when you tell your parents your plans. Good luck." She lays a regalia around her neck.

Charlbi looks in her compact. "I want it to be a surprise. That's all. Thank you. It has been a pleasure learning from you." She hugs the woman.

Nuala shushes her uncle when the music starts playing.

Gareth scans the graduation class until he sees Charlbi.

He nudges Bae and points at her. Tears run down Bae's cheek when he sees his daughter wearing a regalia. Jee pats her chest, looking at Charlbi.

"You did it, sis. I knew you would." Nuala mumbles and smiles.

Gareth looks at Charlbi walking up to the podium to make the valedictorian speech and thinks, "Beauty, brains, and a very talented young lady."

After graduation, Charlbi meets her parents, sister, and Gareth. Her father points at her because she didn't tell them about her being valedictorian. He would have insisted on giving her a party to celebrate her achievement if he had known. She didn't want to do anything special for graduation because they were giving her a birthday party on Saturday. Charlbi is looking forward to seeing Jasmine. They're best friends. Jasmine and her parents moved away when they were ten. The girls stayed in touch, and her family is returning to Montecito this summer. Jasmine is planning to attend junior college for a few years, then she plans to join the police academy.

Charlbi hugs her parents, then Gareth. "Again, I'm proud of you, Kido," he whispers in her ear and gives her a jewelry box.

"You didn't have to give me a present. What you'll give me on my birthday would have made up for today. But thank you." She opens the box and sees a wide 14k yellow gold bracelet. "It's beautiful," Charlbi smiles when she reads. It's your time to shine, Kido. I'll be here waiting. “I hope so,” she thinks.

Gareth stares at her, wondering what he's giving her on her birthday.

Jee peeps over her daughter's shoulder. "Yes, it is beautiful."

Nuala walks beside Charlbi. "I'll say it again. I loved this man's gifts."

Charlbi takes her robe off and hands it to her sister. She holds the bracelet for Gareth to put on her. He's staring at her with his mouth open. She's wearing a medium-blue, sleek, shapely, eye-catching notched neckline dress that shows off her cleavage and all her curves.

Bae clears his throat and points to the bracelet with his head.

“Oh, yeah, right.” Gareth reaches for the bracelet and puts it on her wrist, thinking, “Kido, you have not only grown up but also out in the right places.”