Meeting the family

" I now know why you love this place so much." Tara said with a reverence in her voice.

Ying Yue smiled at her.

They were sitting in Ying Yue's favourite pavilion, eating snacks, waiting for her grandpa to come back home. As soon as Tara woke up from her nap, she changed into a simple sundress and took out a huge bag containing gifts and declared that she wanted to meet the family. She made a huge fuss about meeting them for the first time. Ying Yue has visited her home town a few times, and she knew everyone in her family. But aside from a few of her college friends, and the gorgeous yet unattainable Yawen, she had not met any of Ying Yue's family. She was looking forward to put faces to the characters from the stories she had heard from Ying Yue. But, she was disappointed to know that everyone had gone out including Uncle Yin and Grandpa Huo.

So instead, Ying Yue showed Tara around the estate. After looking around, they settled in the pavilion with coffee and snacks. Ying Yue then filled in on everything that had happened since she came back.

" So your Aunt is throwing you a party?" Asked Tara as she munched on an almond cookie. Tara was fluent in Mandarin, along with a dozen other languages, but she preferred not advertising that fact, so they were talking to each other in English. Tara had taught Ying Yue tamil, which was her mother tongue, but she was still getting the hang of it, and they usually preferred to converse in English when they were not alone.

Ying Yue made a face and nodded.

" It is nice of her, but…"

" The mystery man might come." Tara cut in.

Ying Yue raised her eyebrows. Even though she hoped it would happen, she knew there was no chance that he would make it to the party. Her skepticism must have showed on her face, for Tara leaned in and flicked her on the forehead.

" Your thoughts become your reality. Don't jinx it already. We'll get drunk, and wait for him to show up. I definitely will see this time." She suggested with an evil smirk.

Ying Yue could sense that Tara was upto something, but she did not say anything. It was better for her not to know about what goes in on her head.

Ying Yue opened her mouth to say something, but Tara screeched and jumped off from the Ming Era Ta couch they were sitting on and launched herself at someone. Ying Yue turned around to look and saw that it was Yawen. He had caught her effortlessly and twirled her around, which she most probably demanded of him. Tara like to be treated like the princess that she was, but she knew that she was not delicate, especially since she was taller than most people in the room. India and China were the worst for her. She was taller than most men here and even though it didn't get to her most if the time, some circumstance did get on her nerves.

" I missed you babe." Tara said and planted a kiss on Yawen's cheek.

Jiao Long who was standing nearby Yawen had a look of horror on his face. Ying Yue supposed she should have warned him about her best friend, but she figured it was more fun this way.

Yawen just chuckled and hugged Tara. He knew that she was just a harmless little girl who lived to shock the hell out of people.

" I missed you too kitten." He played along with her.

Ying Yue who was used to their antics, just rolled her eyes. Ying Yue took pity on him and introduced the menace that was Tara to her cousin.

" Brother J, this is Nakshatra my friend from college. Tara sweetie, this is my cousin Huo Jiao Long."

Tara with a wide smile disengaged herself from Yawen and hugged Jiao Long. He stiffened a little, but did return her hug. It looked a little comical to Ying Yue to see her cousin being overpowered by Tara. Jiao Long likes to be in control and put together, even though he was not as tall as Yawen, his charisma and aura made him look taller than he actually was. But next to Tara, he resembles a small kitten instead of the tiger that he originally was.

" Nice to meet you Brother J. I cannot believe that this is the first time I am meeting you. I missed you the couple of times you sneaked away to meet my Star. It's because of Marriages. I have an unending list of cousins, and it seems like one or the other is always getting married. My mom would never let me skip one, so I had to miss meeting you." She talked a mile.

Jiao Long smiled politely, but Tara was dissatisfied with his response.

" But I did meet up with Jade. Ying Yue and I went to her fashion shows in Milan and the one in New York as well." Tara'a eyes positively twinkled.