She made a plate, and there was enough food piled on one plate so that three people could easily eat the food they provided.
"Your mother said you came alone this time? Is it true?" she said.
"Yes, auntie." Solo," Nick said.
"What happened to the last one? What's her name?"
"Abigail," Nick said.
"Oh yes. Now she is a tall man. Legs for days in a row. Like a super model."
Nick smiled.
"How is it?" she asked excitedly
"She has nothing," he shrugged.
"Are you two together?" She raised her hand and crossed her first and second fingers. Yes, it's almost like that.
"No, Aunt Luo, we are just friends."
"Just a friend?" She rubbed her nose. "When was Nick Ericsson from?"
"I have many female friends," Nick said.
Aunt Luo snorted. She leaned over and whispered behind her hand: "What's wrong with her? Is she too tall for you?"
"Nothing. She is fine. She is fine. She is where she has been, where I left her. No, she is not too tall for me."
Aunt Luo looked at him vigorously, punching one eye first, then turning the head, and punching the other eye. "Oh, Nico," she said. "You are in love with that girl."
Nick raised his head from the plate, his mouth full of food. He said nothing.
"Oh, Nico, does she know?"
"I don't know," he said simply. These words surprised him, and at the same time made him suddenly realize that he really fell in love with her. "I don't think so. I haven't told her yet."
"What are you going to do?" she said.
"I don't know what to do," he said as he lowered his head and looked at his food, eating more and more slowly, looking at each bite, and then putting it in his mouth, as if this bite was unique, or It's something special. He chewed slowly.
"I want a drink," Aunt Luo said. ""The same to you. When I come back, we will figure out a way. "
Nick Jǐng nodded timidly. He didn't know if choking in the food would prevent him from talking to Aunt Luo. He watched her walk into the kitchen swaying greatly behind, and he knew that nothing could pull him out of the conversation with that woman unless he was dead.
He continued to eat, and Luo chatted with the other alcoholics. Aunt Luo added a glass of Mai Tai with rum, one for her and one for Nick. She talked to the priest of the church as she walked, not even looking at the bottle or glass. She talked with her dog groomer, football coach and PTA leader. In their small community, everyone found their way to Aunt Luo's house, or to be more precise, on the island of Aunt Luo's kitchen, where she set up drinks. There is a card table full of punches and non-alcoholic drinks for the boys and designated drivers to enjoy. Most people have found their way home from Luo's house, so there is no need to appoint a driver.
From the corner of Nick’s eyes, he saw Melody sitting on the sofa alone, amidst the noise and blur of other guests, there was only a quiet photo. She sat there, staring at the night out of the window, a dish, Luo Luo must have been prepared according to the pile of food on her lap.
The way Nick looked at her, through the window, he had just recognized Frank, who was sharp in the sunset. Nick can be seen from the position of his shoulders and the tilt of his head. He knew Frank's general situation, if not more about his own situation. He stood up, put his hands on the plate, still full of food, walked across the room, and shuttled back and forth between people
He paused for a while, and said to Bessie, the cheerleader who now has at least five young boys, "It's been a long time." Did Bessie sell Mary Kay, or did he sell Avon? Some kind of cosmetics. She was awakened. Her lips are so smooth and pink that it's hard not to look at them when she speaks. Betsy tells Nick that she and her husband are getting a divorce, and maybe Nick can stop by while he is in the city, so they can reminisce about the past.
Nick smiled and said he might do it.
Two more steps, his uncle patted him on the back hard. Uncle Luke is Hee Hee's brother. He is a good person, but all you can get from his conversation is an empty talk and a severe criticism.
Nick continued on to the porch. He walked out through the front door. To his right, a group of smokers are talking and laughing. They are in the yard far from the house. The bright ends of their cigarettes flickered in the evening. Only smoke if you have to. Uncle Hee died of lung cancer. Aunt Luo never told anyone not to smoke. She didn't need to do this. Smokers, a few of them, keep a respectable distance.
Frank is leaning on the railing on his left. He was on the phone, talking in a low voice. Nick walked up to him, stood a few steps away from him, and then began to eat the food on his plate. He couldn't hear what Frank was talking about, but the closer Nick got closer, the quieter Frank was until Nick stopped beside him and Frank stopped too.
"I have to go," Frank said into the phone. ""I'll call you later. All right. Yes. All right. The same to you. "goodbye."
Frank disconnected the phone, turned it around in his hand a few times, and then stuffed the phone into his back pocket.
"What's the matter, Nick?" He said not to look back to face his brother.
"Nothing," Nick said. "Just come and see what you are doing."
Frank turned around and let Nick look at his face.
"Sorry to interrupt," Nick said, and he pointed his fork at Frank's back pocket, which contained the phone.
"You didn't interrupt me," Frank said, something flashing across his face, making Nick's stomach upset.
Nick took another bite of the food and chewed slowly and thoughtfully.
Frank switched from one foot to the other.
"Better come back. Mel hates me answering the phone during non-working hours," Frank said.
"That's work, right?" Nick said.
""Well, of course. Of course," Frank said, interrupting their eye contact.
Nick took another bite and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Yeah, you should go back to Mel," Nick agreed. "A man like you is smart enough not to let work or anything hinder his relationship with the greatest woman we all know. You always put the person you love first. I appreciate it. You, Frank. Really. You are a good person," Nick took another bite.
Frank lowered his head. "It means a lot, brother."
"What are you two doing here?" Mel's voice came from the front door. She wobbled across the porch with a drink in one hand.
She raised a hand and said to Nicole: "Luo sent it, she said, don't think you two are over."
"I doubt I will be so lucky," Nico said. He took the cup Mel gave him and put the plate on the railing of the porch.
"I just want to tell Frankie that I am very happy to be his uncle. I can't believe that you will be your own little family," Nick raised his plastic cup, "To Francis and Melody Ericsson, May God bless you and your little Ohanu. From today, from tonight, and forever."
Mingfu came to Marie Ann Mossbaum's elegant and simple home, ready to go to work. He is ready for everything. He hoped that everything was prepared for him. It’s not bad to take a challenge. Marianne opened the door. She is wearing grey sweatpants and grey sweatshirt. The gloom of all this was irresistible, and her face looked pale. The sweatshirt was tightly stretched on her pregnant belly, and when she opened the door, she managed to hit her pregnant belly with the edge of the door.
"Damn it," she said.
"Good evening," he said.
"Come in," she said. ""Do you want me to get you something? Would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you," he said. "are you ready?"
"I had some Tylenol, if that's what you mean."
Akio said nothing, and walked around her into the hall.
"I don't think I can sleep in my house with a strange man," she said. "I asked the doctor and he said yes." She sounded suspicious.
Mingfu shrugged. "On second thought, I'd better drink a glass of water, and you can drink a glass yourself."
Akio was surprised that she did not provide a rebuttal before getting a guide for herself. She cocked her boots and walked out of the room. Her back is straight and her shoulders are retracted. Her heavy abdomen hung in front, pulling down and inward, and she pulled her shoulders even further back to make up for it.
When she fetched bottled water from the refrigerator, Toyoda walked around in the living room, admiring the artwork on the wall. His hands rubbed on the gorgeous leather sofa. Marie Ann Mossbaum likes luxury goods. Mingfu advocates expensive taste. He leaned over and smelled the leather sofa, filling his lungs with the smell of that leather sofa.
He walked to the polished stone curtain above the fireplace, where a row of pictures was neatly displayed. These photos are not ordinary family photos, but snapshots of Marianne around the world: the Eiffel Tower in Paris; Broadway in New York City; the Opera House in Sydney; and the plains of Africa. If there is a landmark that can be photographed, Marianne standing in front of it will undoubtedly induce a passerby to take a photo of her without a smile. She looks directly at the camera every time. The effect was that she seemed to stare into his eyes directly at the photo.
She is a woman who has traveled a lot, at least her cloak can explain it. Behind one of the same photo frames is a scattered photo, without frames, folds and creases, and frayed edges. Akio picked it up and glanced at Ende. Mingfu holds a picture of Marie Ann Mossbaum and Ender, which proves that they have indeed seen each other. Toyoda was surprised that anyone could stay in front of Mary Ann for a while, let alone film such a scene. They both stood side by side. Probably in this photo, Marianne just raised the camera to take this impromptu portrait. Is the background a pyramid? Is that the smile on Mary Ann Mossbaum's face? (To be continued) (End of this chapter)