29 The Confrontation

Mary happily held a large photo album between Gordon and herself.

"Would you like to know about Charlotte's childhood?" Mary asked.

"Yes, very much so." Gordon said as he helped her open the large book.

"I think we should go cook dinner." Charlotte said, grabbing Cora.

"Can you help me, sister?" Charlotte asked Cora.

"Yes. I need to talk to you anyway." Cora said.

The two women worked together in the kitchen for awhile when Charlotte finally couldn't take the suspense.

"So what's going on, Cora?" She asked.

"David is back from abroad. He was here looking for you last week." Cora told her.

Charlotte frowned. Why was this something to be nervous about? David was her childhood playmate.

"Why do you look that way, Cora?" Charlotte asked.

"Charlotte, he told us that he intends to marry you." Cora said in a low voice.

"What? Why would he want to marry me? We are like brother and sister." Charlotte argued.

"Apparently David was under the assumption you were back here waiting for him to return." Cora told her.

"I don't want to hurt him, but I'm married now. Even I weren't married, he's always been my big brother." Charlotte felt sad.

"Well he intends to find you so he can clear it all up, so keep an eye open." Cora warned.

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Gordon sat with Mary as she flipped through the photo album slowly.

A young Mary held a plump baby with dimpled cheeks. A handsome man fed rice to a cute toddler girl. A toddler girl was swinging at a park. A few more pages passed and a tiny kindergartener dressed in a school uniform with a beautiful smile looked back at him. A picture of her greeting a baby Cora, and another of her playing chess with an elderly man. There was one of her performing a tea ceremony with an elderly woman. Pages turned. Now she was a middle school aged girl, playing a piano in a party dress. Pictures of her, Cora, and her father playing at the ocean.

"Those are the last photos of her with her dad. He died when she was eleven." Mary said, lost in thought. Now the pictures were of a high school beauty. There was one of her working on a mural with friends, another of her playing a grand piano. There was one of her with a group of young people. A young man stood beside her with his arm around her. He felt immediate anger.

"Who is that?" Gordon growled.

"That's David. He was Charlotte's childhood friend. They graduated together but he went abroad. Charlotte was supposed to go abroad for college but by then I was sick so I couldn't send her." Mary explained.

"Dinner is ready!" Charlotte shouted.

Gordon found that this was the most humble place he had ever eaten at, but the laughter and smiles of the three women made him feel content.

"Do you enjoy Charlotte's cooking?" Cora asked him.

"Absolutely. She cooks dinner for me everyday." Gordon said.

"Cora made the egg rolls and the salad." Charlotte spoke up.

"Wait until I tell Andrew that you're pretty and you cook!" Gordon said to Cora. She blushed deeply.

"Yes, how are things with you and Andrew?" Charlotte asked.

"Okay. We video chat every night before bed." Cora said.

"Another Xia sister taking down a confirmed bachelor." Gordon said.

"It's not like that. We aren't even dating." Cora explained.

"Would you like to be dating him?" Gordon asked in seriousness.

Cora's blush deepened.

"He's such an excellent man that I don't have the qualifications." Cora spoke softly.

"You do. He needs someone like you." Gordon said simply.

"When you move to Beijing you can see him in person fairly often, Charlotte said.

"That will be nice." Cora said faintly.

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David sat on the sofa in his parents home, staring at the photo he kept in his wallet for the past four years. It was a group of friends and himself, but the most important person in the photo was Charlotte.

He had been in love with her since grade eight. She had been walking down the street in a white dress that made her look just like a fairy. The sun behind her gave the impression that there was a halo over her head. In that moment he no longer viewed her as a little sister or playmate.

"One day, when I'm worthy, I'll marry her." He promised himself.

He had studied hard and earned high grades. After graduation he went abroad for the best education. He had done these things with Charlotte in mind.

After graduating he had finally gotten a job with a large cooperation in Beijing as the General Manager. They didn't usually give a position like that to someone fresh out of college but David had an exemplary resume. Now that he'd started his dream job he felt he finally had something to offer Charlotte. He'd gone back to their village only to learn he'd been too late. He had missed his opportunity by only a month.

Word had spread about Charlotte coming home in a Bentley with a handsome, well dressed gentleman.

He folded the photo and put it back in his wallet. He needed to clear his head.

"I'm going for a walk!" He shouted to anyone at home that may have heard him.

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Charlotte leaned against Gordon while he tightened his arm around her waist.

"It's very peaceful here at night." Gordon noted.

"Not like Beijing at night, is it?" Charlotte said.

"Very different indeed." Gordon agreed.

Suddenly a figure stepped on the path in front of them. Charlotte gripped Gordon.

"Charlotte." The man ahead stated.

"David?" She said in surprise.

"Remember when you walked this path with me?!" David nearly shouted.

"The night before you went abroad for college. I remember." She said simply.

"I told you when I came back I'd be a man you could be proud of, but did you wait for me?" He cried.

"What's going on?" Gordon asked, his voice hard.

"Gordon, this is David. He a childhood friend. David, this is Gordon, my husband." Charlotte did the introductions.

"I know who he is! How could I not? He's the man you shamelessly married because you weren't willing to wait one more month." David spat the words in anger.

"David, I believe there's a misunderstanding between us. You're like my big brother. I never promised to wait for you." Charlotte explained.

"That night meant nothing to you? When I poured out my heart to you, telling you that one day I'd make you proud? When I kissed you goodbye?! It meant nothing?" He shouted.

"I've always viewed you as a friend. I assumed that conversation was between a good brother and his little sister. You kissed my forehead, like I was a sister. You never told me you were interested in me romantically, and I have never been interested in you romantically." Charlotte explained with frustration.

"I love you, Charlotte. But I couldn't tell you until I was worthy." David said sadly.

"You are not qualified to love my wife. If she were going to fall in love with you, she'd have done so before now." Gordon's angry voice sounded.

"I'm sorry David. I never meant for you to be hurt. But I don't feel the same for you. I love my husband." Charlotte told David.