The Convertible – Breakdown

Then Allen asked in a low voice, "You want to hear some news that will cheer you up?"

Gina looked up, her curiosity piqued, "What is it?"

"Cherry and Shaun are engaged." Gina shrieked, jumped out of Allen's lap and ran over to hug me, then ran out to Cherry in the dining room and gave her a hug. Immediately the two women started putting together a menu for the reception of a wedding we hadn't even planned yet. The two of them were more alike than I'd expect.

Things got really slow around 1, and per Allen's prediction, Gina lured him upstairs to 'discuss a few things' so Cherry and I began cleaning up. If everything was cleaned and put away, we could leave right at 2pm and get a few extra minutes to do those things newly-engaged people like to do.

Alas, this was not to be. At 1:45pm I heard the diner door's chime. A late diner had come in, damn! Cherry was putting condiments away in the walk-in cooler so I went into the dining room to take the order.

Sitting on one side of the booth next to one another were an older Asian couple, looked to be maybe in their mid-50s. The woman was pretty and petite, a Gina-sized Asian. The man was heavy set with a thick neck and hands, like the villain in that one 1960's spy movie with a steel-rimmed hat he used as a throwing weapon. His scowling expression matched the villain's perfectly.

I walked up to their table, order tablet and menus in hand; I laid the menus in from of them. "Welcome to the GearJammer! Did you folks want lunch, or just a drink to cool off?"

Looking straight ahead, the man said, "Nothing, thank you. We would like to speak with Shon Chenguang, please." Uh oh. This didn't look good.

As cheerily as I could, I replied, "Sure, she's in the back, I'll let her know you're here. Can I offer you some coffee or tea while you wait?"

The man said nothing; it was as if the dozen words he spoke had drained him. The woman, however, smiled and touched my hand, replying, "Xièxiè. We're fine." I liked her, she seemed to have a good heart.

I went in the back and let Cherry know there were two diners in front that wanted to speak to her when she was done buttoning up the walk-in. She got a quizzical look on her face, then put two more bins away to complete her tasks. Then she walked out to the front. I had just finished stacking the last of the clean dishes when I heard a rather heated conversation in what sounded like Mandarin coming from the front area.

It was 2:00pm, so I locked the door and put the CLOSED sign up, then walked over to the booth where the older coupe sat. Sherry was seated on the other side of the booth, visibly upset. She took a deep calming breath and introduced her new booth-mates, "Shaun, these are my parents, Longwei and Dandan Shon. Baba, Mama, this is my fiancé Shaun Parrish."

"Mr. and Mrs. Shon, it's a pleasure to meet you." I held out my hand. Mrs. Shon smiled and nodded, but Mr. Shon ignored me, speaking to Cherry as if I weren't there.

"Oh, no, daughter this gāojiāsuǒ rén is far too old! He is unacceptable! As your father I cannot allow this. You must return to Seattle at once! Your mother and I will find you a nice young Chinese boy to marry." Yikes! They were trying to take my new fiancée from me, not cool!

"Baba, no! I love him, I don't want to live without him!" I took a step to stand next to her, and she took my hand.

Longwei was not pleased at all; his scowl deepened, "This man is just a kitchen helper! How can he possibly afford to feed a family?"

Cherry frantically tried to explain, "Baba, no! He's not what he seems! He was a businessman, but after his wife died, he abandoned everything and came here to get away from his misery. Besides, he didn't find me, I found him!"

Hearing Cherry say that out loud, I had to admit if I was her father, I would have been skeptical myself after meeting some old dude hot for his only daughter. Longwei spat, "I don't believe it. How is this even possible?"

Cherry tried to explain, "After you and Mama cut me off, Mammoth and I stopped here and got into a huge argument. Mammoth hit me, but Shaun got between us and defended me! You should be thanking Shaun, not condemning him! Since that day he's shown me only kindness and asked nothing in return. This is why I fell in love with him."

I took out an old business card from my wallet and held it out to Longwei. "I know it sounds crazy, but Chenguang is telling the truth. Here, you can research my former company, Slizzle. My car broke down and I took this dishwasher job while it's being repaired, just to keep busy and put my memories behind me."

Longwei looked at the card, then handed it to Dandan. He persisted in arguing with me, "Your story makes no sense at all. Why would you walk away from success?"

I flashed on a saying I'd heard in an Eastern Philosophy college course I took. "Mr. Shon, I agree my circumstances look odd, but I'm telling the truth. Remember the proverb, 'One who stands straight doesn't fear a crooked shadow.'"

Cherry suddenly blurted out, 'Mama, Baba, I'm expecting his baby, your grandchild."

Mrs. Shon cried out, "Sūnzi! Duōme měimiào!" I'm not fluent in Mandarin but judging by Mrs. Shon's reaction and how the two women started crying happy tears, I think it was positive.

Mr. Shon, on the other hand, erupted. "Měiguó zhū! You've taken advantage of our daughter and brought dishonor on our family! I refuse to let her see you again!"

Still in her mother's tearful embrace, Cherry snapped back at him, "NO Baba! This man took nothing that wasn't offered! Anything I gave him was given willingly!"

Quiet, reserved Mrs. Shon now began shouting at her husband in Mandarin; I had no clue what she was saying but I sensed she was taking Cherry's side.

This was becoming a situation not unlike some tough business negotiations I'd been involved in. If I thought fast, I could make this work. I held up my hands, entreating their patience.

"Mr. and Mrs. Shon, I have a proposal for you. As Chenguang has told you, I became a drifter when my wife died. I had no family, no children, no place to call home, until I met your daughter. It's clear how much you love your daughter, how she's your world; these past few weeks she's become mine as well. My home is now wherever she is. Without her, I'm an empty shell.

If it makes Chenguang happy, we can relocate to Seattle. Our grandchild will grow up knowing the love of its grandparents, and she can pursue her career there.

I ask only two things: that you approve of our marriage, and that you accept me as your son. My parents passed on long ago. It would give me great joy to have a mother and father again."

Cherry's father went quiet and showed no reaction, as if he were pondering whether to accept my conditions. The reaction from Cherry's mother, on the other hand, was immediate. Abandoning formality and restraint, she got out of the booth and threw her arms around me, saying "Wǒ de érzi, wǒ de érzi!"

I looked at Cherry for translation. My fiancée grinned, "She's saying 'My son, my son', so I think she's fine with your terms."

++++++++++

The quasi-reunion ended around 4; it had been a long day, and an emotional one to boot. Cherry's parents went back to the motel where they were staying. The good news was I stopped by Chuck's Old 66 , where Eddie happily informed me the Triumph parts had been delivered that afternoon and he'd already started working on replacing the differential.

Neither of us was hungry, just exhausted, so we got into bed and lay on our sides face-to-face. As much as I loved spooning with her, I liked this too. It made it easy to kiss her, and to reach out and touch all her fun places. I took her hand and kissed it, then moved on to her lips and cheeks, but before I continued, I had to mention something that was bothering me.

"Cherry dearest, forgive me for asking, I know these are your parents so it's really none of my business, but didn't you lie to them when you told them you were pregnant?"

Cherry chuckled and patted my cheek, "Shaun, my love, forgive me but Americans are always so direct; you don't understand the intricacies of Chinese conversation. Things are seldom ever black and white, usually it's shades of gray, and people are not so direct. Instead of telling you 'no', to save face a Chinese person might say to you, 'I'm sorry, the thing you want is behind a locked door and the person with the key is not here.' I did not lie to my mother. I told the truth. I am expecting a baby. I don't know if I'm pregnant yet, but I expect to be.

My father is very proud, as you saw. Sometimes I think he's more afraid of shame than anything else. My mother taught me things always work better with him when you can change his mind without making him lose face. To have a married daughter and a grandchild on the way will be a point of pride among his peers.

By asking my parents to accept you as their son, you did them both a great honor; you couldn't have paid them a higher compliment. A daughter's wedding and a new zhǎngzǐ, an eldest son -- for them this is shuāngxǐ, double happiness."

She pulled my face over to hers and kissed me in that way I loved so well. "Like their daughter, my parents couldn't resist you."

++++++++++

Cherry and I sat down with her parents the next day and decided we'd get married in McCloud at a small nondenominational church there; Longwei and Dandan would organize a traditional Chinese wedding banquet in Seattle when returned from our honeymoon.

Cherry asked Gina to be her Matron of Honor and Adnan's daughter Noor to be her bridesmaid. I asked Allen to be my best man, and Adnan to be my groomsman. Adnan had a cousin, Sheikha, who was a seamstress living in Sacramento; Noor took Cherry's measurements and sent them to her. Within a few days Sheikha had delivered a simple but elegant wedding dress with an exposed shoulder and a hint of lace that made my Cherry look even more angelic than she already was.

After the ceremony, we went back to the GearJammer where Gina and Allen had prepared a small reception buffet for our guests. We posed for photos, chatted and mingled for an hour or so before leaving. On the way out, I saw a young dark-complexioned fellow with a stylish goatee chatting with Noor. I'd seen him in the church with Noor but didn't know who he was. I stopped and asked Adnan about him.

"Ah, yes, this man's name is Saroj Tripathi. He was one of the many customers that came into the store that day after you so eloquently dispatched that rude boy. I thought it strange when he came back the store the following weekend, and the weekend after that. It finally occurred to me it was not the merchandise that kept bringing him back." He smiled and shrugged, "At the rate things are going, your presence may be required at another wedding."

I put my arms around my friend and hugged him, "I look forward to it, my friend. Thank you for everything you've done."

Cherry and I got in the newly-repaired TR2 and drove back down to Palo Alto. Before we left on our honeymoon, I needed to see MaryAnne. My sister-in-law truly was the closest thing I had to family, and I felt like I needed her to meet Cherry for my own emotional closure.

++++++++++

I have to be honest, I was fairly nervous about MaryAnne meeting Cherry, but that fear vanished the moment they met. She treated Cherry like a long-lost sister, greeting us at the door smiling like a kid with an ice-cream cone.

"You picked a good day to stop in! Ron's just back from a business trip, and Daniel's home too! Shaun, you go on upstairs to the game room, they're playing pool. Your beautiful bride and I are going to the kitchen to have some coffee and serious girl talk about you!" Both women giggled, which I took as a dangerous combination for yours truly.

I heard the CRACK of a break shot as I walked in. Ron looked up, a chagrined look in his face. I doubted he was happy to see me. Daniel, on the other hand, walked over and shook my hand heartily.

"Uncle Shaun, great to see you! You got married, congratulations! I'm so happy for you, man," and saying that he enveloped me in a huge hug. I felt my eyes tear up. He was his mother's son, for sure.

"Thanks, Daniel, I appreciate it." How this great kid ever issued from my scumbag brother's balls was a mystery to me. Maybe it WAS a stork that brought him.

Ron took a hesitant step towards me, uncertain whether or not to shake my hand. I saved him the effort; sitting down on a barstool I barked, "What's up, you piece of shit?"

Ron shook his head, "I guess I deserved that, little brother," he said in a low voice. A lot the of pent-up rage I'd been carrying towards him started to simmer.

"You deserve a hell of a lot more than that, big brother. When I spoke to MaryAnne on the phone she said you'd started to treat her decently again, so I'll give you some credit for that. But if you ever think I'll forgive you for blowing off Amanda's funeral, you're wrong, you piece of shit!" My rage jumped from simmering to boiling over. I stood up, my clenched fist ready to punch him. I'd whipped Ron's ass once before, when I was 14 and he was 17; 30 years later I felt the urge to do it again.

Daniel ran over to me and grabbed my arm, "Whoa, take it easy, Uncle Shaun, OK?"

I took a deep breath, "Sure kid, thanks." I sat back down on the stool, trying to calm down. Ron didn't know how close he came to losing a few teeth. Then I looked at the fear in his eyes and realized he did.

I'd been dissuaded by my nephew from punching his Dad's lights out, but I was still angry and on the attack. "You're an ungrateful prick, Ron, you know that? Does your son know about me saving your fucking house from foreclosure in 2008 so he and his sister could stay in their home? Does he know about the times I kicked in for their college tuition when you fell short, so they could stay in school? DOES HE?"

Ron looked down at the ground, his arms wrapped around himself almost like he was trying to fend me off; he looked to be near tears, but I didn't buy it. I continued my assault, "Don't tell me you're CRYING, you worthless fuck! I KNOW that's not possible because you're such a fucking heartless bastard!"

I had a head of steam up now, the years of resentment now released; it was fucking payback time. Daniel stepped in between us, putting his hands on my shoulders. I guess he was assuming I was going to jump up and swing at his Dad again. Smart kid, he may have been right.

"Uncle Shawn, please, man, chill the fuck out. I know about that stuff, all of it. So does my sister. Dad came clean when I ripped him a new asshole for not even sending flowers for Aunt Amanda." That admission took the wind out of my sails; the rage began to drain out of me. I realized that as I was shouting I'd been crying as well, hot angry tears dripping onto the front of my shirt.

"Well, fuck," I said, and got up to leave. As far as I was concerned, I was now officially done with my brother's bullshit. All I wanted to do now was go kiss MaryAnne goodbye, then take my bride to the hotel and fuck her senseless before boarding our flight tomorrow.

Before I could get to the door, Ron blocked my path. He was about 3 inches taller than me, but given my emotional state, this was hardly an advantage. "Ron, get the fuck out of my way you dipshit," I warned him, "I kicked your ass when you were 17, I'll be glad to do it again. I don't care if Daniel's here or not."

Daniel once again saved his old man by stepping between us, "Uncle Shaun, please dude. Let it ride a minute. Dad has something he needs to say, but frankly you're a little intimidating. Actually, you're a LOT intimidating. I have no doubt you could clean his clock, and Dad knows it too, so please, dude, just give him a minute, OK? I swear, he's trying."

I looked over Daniel's shoulder at Ron. "You know, asshole, you don't deserve this kid any more than you deserve that wonderful wife of yours, you miserable douchebag. Whatever you have to say, spit it out so I can get out of here. I got better things to do than look at your ugly face." Just as I said that it dawned on me that I was, after all, his brother; his ugly face looked a lot like mine. Damn, I'd just roasted myself!

Daniel spoke up, "OK, point made loud and clear, Uncle Shaun, nobody's arguing my Dad has been a total douche. Just turn the intensity down, will you? Let Dad get a word in." I had to admire my nephew; I never realized that he'd grown into such a good man.

I shut up and stood there, my heart rate making a pathetic attempt to return to normal. Ron was really crying now; For a moment I felt like I almost gave a fuck. Almost, but not quite.

His sobs slowed down, and he started to speak, "Shaun, you're right. I've been shitty at everything; a shitty husband, a shitty father, and worst of all a shitty brother to a guy who stuck by me and my family no matter what. I am so sorry for everything, especially Amanda. I wish I could go back in time and fix things, but I can't. All I can do to make amends is be better going forward.

I'm working hard at my new job, I talk to my children regularly, and I'm really trying to be a better husband to MaryAnne. Believe me, I show her every day how much I care. That email you wrote opened my eyes. I actually believed you might do what you threatened."

I glared at him, "I meant every word you shithead, and I damn near did do it. Luckily for you, Cherry found me first."

Ron continued, "Shaun, I know no apology will ever be enough to make things better about Amanda. I'll regret that for the rest of my life, I swear." He buried his face in his hands. Either he was being genuine, or he should get this year's award for Best Actor.

At this point, my rage had dimmed; I wasn't going to punch Ron in the mouth, he could keep his teeth. It didn't change the fact he was an asshole, though.

I'd run out of patience; "Are you about through, Ron? Like I said, I have things to do." I got up and headed towards the door.

Ron called out, "Shaun, wait. Don't go yet, please!" I stopped and turned, and suddenly the big bastard was hugging me, crying again. "You're my brother, and I love you." My arms hung at my sides. He hadn't hugged me in years, not even when I was best man at his wedding. The memory of our parents' funeral flashed across my mind.

Our Mom and Dad died together, victims of carbon monoxide poisoning from a malfunctioning furnace; this was before carbon monoxide detectors were widely available. Ron was 22, I was 19. That's the last time my brother had hugged me; at their burial 25 fucking years ago.

My anger had abated, but I still had plenty of bitterness on tap, "What the hell do you want from me, Ron? If you loved me all these years, you had a real fucking funny way of showing it. Now take your damn hands off me, you disingenuous prick, or I'll break them off."

Ron wasn't letting go. I looked at Daniel for a little help; his face was neutral; he was leaning against the pool table with his arms crossed, watching this play out. OK, this was not his fight. Fair enough. I was tensing up, ready to push my brother off me when he whispered, "You're right, Shaun, you've always been right. I've been a world-class asshole to my family and especially to you, the guy who least deserved it. If Mom and Dad were here, they'd whip my ass but good. Remember what they always told us?"

That choked me up. Of course I fucking remembered, our parents said it so much I got sick of hearing it, "As you go through life, be good to your brother, he's the only one you have, you don't get another."

He chuckled at the memory, "Yep, that was Mom and Dad all right, always wanting us to get along. But after they died, I blew it. Me, not you. Shaun, I am so sorry for everything. You've always been the best brother a guy could want and instead of appreciating everything you did for my family, I was jealous and repaid you with a shit sandwich."