In the Crossfire

‘Oh, I never thought Flushing was such a convenient place, like a big county seat back home,’ his mother said to him that evening. She had gone downtown in the morning and had a wonderful time there. She tried some beef and lamb kebabs at a street corner and ate a tiny steamer of buns stuffed with chives, lean pork and crabmeat at a Shanghai restaurant. She also bought a bag of mung bean noodles for only a dollar twenty. ‘Really cheap,’ she said. ‘Now I believe it’s true that all China’s best stuff is in the US.’

Tian smiled without speaking. He stowed her purchase in the cabinet under the sink because Connie couldn’t eat bean noodles. He put a pot of water on the stove and was going to make rice porridge for dinner.

From that day on, Meifen often went out during the day and reported to Tian on her adventures. Before he left for work in the morning, he’d make sure she had enough pocket money. Gradually Meifen got to know people. Some of them were also from the north-east of China and were happy to converse with her, especially those who frequented the eateries that specialized in Mandarin cuisine – pies, pancakes, sauerkraut, sausages, grilled meats, moo shu, noodles and dumplings. In a small park she ran into some old women pushing their grandchildren in strollers. She chatted with them, and one woman had lived here for more than a decade and wouldn’t go back to Wuhan City any more because all her children and grandchildren were in North America now. How Meifen envied those old grandmas, she told Tian, especially the one who had twin grandkids. If only she could live a life such as theirs.

‘You’ll need a green card to stay here long enough to see my babies,’ Tian once told his mother jokingly.

‘You’ll get me a green card, won’t you?’ she asked.

Well, that was not easy, and he wouldn’t promise her. She hadn’t been here for three weeks yet, but already his family was kind of dysfunctional. How simple-minded he and Connie had been when they encouraged Meifen to apply for a half-year visa. They should have limited her visit to two months or even less. That way, if she became too much of a pain in the ass, they could say it was impossible to get her visa extended and she’d have no choice but to go back. Now there’d be twenty-three more weeks for them to endure. How awful!

The other day Tian and Connie had talked between themselves about the situation. She said, ‘Well, I’ll take these months as a penal term. After half a year, when the old deity has left, I hope I’ll have survived the time undamaged and our union will remain unbroken.’ She gave a hysterical laugh, which unsettled Tian, and he wouldn’t joke with her about their predicament any more. All he could say was, ‘I’m sorry, really sorry.’ Yet he wouldn’t speak ill of his mother in front of his wife.

As Connie spent more time away from home, Tian often wondered what his wife was doing during the day. Judging from her appearance, she seemed at ease and just meant to avoid rubbing elbows with his mother. In a way, Tian appreciated that. Connie used to be a good helpmate by all accounts, but the old woman’s presence here had transformed her. Then, who wouldn’t have changed, given the circumstances? So he ought to feel for his wife.

One evening, as he was clearing the table while Connie was doing the dishes in the kitchen, his mother said, ‘I ran into a fellow townswoman today and we had a wonderful chat. I invited her to dinner tomorrow.’

‘Where are you going to take her?’ Tian asked.

‘Here. I told her you’d pick her up with your car.’

Connie, having overheard their conversation, came in holding a dishtowel and grinning at Tian. Her bell cheeks were pink while her eyes twinkled naughtily. Again Tian was amazed by her charming face. She was a looker, six years younger than he. He was unhappy about Meifen’s inviting a guest without telling him in advance, but before he could speak Connie began, ‘Mother, there’ll be a snowstorm tomorrow – Tian can’t drive in the bad weather.’

‘I saw it on TV,’ Meifen said. ‘It will be just six or seven inches, no big deal. People even bike in snow back home.’

Tian told her, ‘It’s not whether I can pick up your friend or not, Mom. You should’ve spoken to me before you invited anyone. I’m busy all the time and must make sure my calendar allows it.’

‘You don’t need to do anything,’ Meifen said. ‘Leave it to me. I’ll do the shopping and cooking tomorrow.’

‘Mom, you don’t get it. This is my home and you shouldn’t interfere with my schedule.’
‘What did you say? Sure, this is your home, but who are you? You’re my son, aren’t you!’

Seeing a smirk cross his wife’s face, Tian asked his mother, ‘You mean you own me and my home?’

‘How can I ever disown you? Your home should also be mine, no? Oh heavens, I never thought my son could be so selfish. Once he has his bride, he wants to disown his mother!’

‘You’re unreasonable,’ he said.

‘And you’re heartless.’

‘This is ridiculous!’ He turned and ambled out of the dining room.

Connie put in, ‘Mother, just think about it, what if Tian already has another engagement tomorrow?’

‘Like I said, he won’t have to be around if he has something else to do. Besides, he doesn’t work on Saturdays.’

‘Still, he’ll have to drive to pick up your friend.’

‘How about you? Can’t you do that?’

‘I don’t have a driver’s licence yet.’

‘Why not? You cannot let Tian do everything in this household. You must do your share.’

Seeing this was getting nowhere, Connie dropped the dishtowel on the dining table and went to the living room to talk with Tian.

However, Tian wouldn’t discuss the invitation with Connie, knowing his mother was eavesdropping on them. Meifen, already sixty-four, still had sharp ears and eyesight. Tian grimaced at his wife and sighed. ‘I guess we’ll have to do the party tomorrow.’

She nodded. ‘I’ll stay home and give you a hand.’