The sky flooded with the last gasp of orange from the spring day. Charlie moved from stuffing the sink with pots and pans to feeding the dog. He’d do anything to avoid that awful smug look that hadn’t left Ki’s face since his mother announced to everyone within earshot that he break up with his boyfriend. To make matters worse, next to his ear, Hala cooed and tittered like Jim Nantz at the Olympics. Her non-stop random comments about the world class drama playing out in front of them were annoying and funny.

She was very entertaining.

“Ooooh. The demand. This is a classic mother-in-law move from the dramas.”

“Boring text book response. ‘I’m old enough to make my own decisions.’ Pei, he could do better.”

“The threat of disowning is a bit overdone these days.”

“Ouch. that “promise” just cut off Auntie at the knees.”

“Any self-respecting mother-in-law should throw money at the unwanted daughter-in-law. Where is the money throwing? The scene just isn’t the same without that check.”

Turning his head, Charlie glanced at the strange creature with the sapphire blue eyes.

“Is that truly necessary?” He couldn’t help but ask.

“I’m a thirty-year-old woman with a master’s in psychology and a PhD in Gender and Sexuality Studies, unmarried in a culture where I am fast approaching worthless in the eyes of my community, and…” she made a dramatic pause. “I simply have no desire to be married. There is little doubt I’m not far away from MY ultimatum that very well could separate me from my family for the rest of my life. My coming here today is a preparation for that moment, if not a subconscious reaffirming that my decisions are based on sound reasoning, not emotional misconceptions, as I move forward in my journey.”

Hala gave him a wide smile was rather lovely and tinged with the scent of melancholy.

“Plus, I’ll take my entertainment anywhere I can get it. What are the odds that I get to watch my very own live action-drama appear before my eyes ever again?” Hala clapped her hands once. “Oh. I hope there’s a kissing scene before it ends.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

The day couldn’t be more bizarre yet thought-provoking.

After experiencing the mother, fiancé, and the man, it was as if someone pressed the restart button on his brain.

How focused on himself was he that he did not notice those around him living under similar circumstances and doing so beautifully? What a fool to believe he cornered the market on familial ostracism. Charlie cut himself off from humanity for what? His chosen solitude prevented him from seeing that he was not the only one dealing with pain.

His ah-ha moment couldn’t have been so shocking if he’d been hit on the head with a hammer. Humans needed relationships in order to thrive. Ki embraced all the parts of what made him…….Charlie. He, too, should accept others where they are, instead of hiding from the world with his chickens.

In the dim light of the kitchen, Charlie acknowledged Hala’s strange inner beauty, feeling as if a part of him resonated with a part of her. Words bubbled up and spilled out loud and clear in that gravelly voice.

“I like you.”

“Oh sweetie. I like you two.” She gently smacked him on the chest.

The arguing mother and son both stopped mid-sentence.

“Are you eating his tofu?” Ki complained.

“What? I can’t cop a feel?” Her beautiful face fell into a scowl. “For thousands of years, we women have been fending off unwanted advances of the male species, both verbal and physical. Frankly, you dominating males owe us. Besides, it’s not like I touched his butt. Not that I wasn’t tempted……” Her fingers curved and straightened like cat’s claws.

“Hala dear. That man is gay. He’s not attracted to you at all.” The old woman admonished.

Seeing the humor in the absurd, Charlie turned to the young woman with a smirk. “Ki and I would love to have you over for dinner sometime. You ARE very fascinating; and I’d love to hear more about the tofu, the danmei and the lightbulb. I don’t understand anything you are talking about, but it sounds……fascinating.”

“Hey.” Ki was at first incensed, then……”Hey. His voice smoothed like a nicely paved road, all dark and warm. “We’re now entertaining together?”

Ki warmly hugged his mother. “You are the best, mom. I figured it’d be a better part of a year before I’d get him to admit to anyone that he had a boyfriend. You managed it in less than a week.”

Pushing and pinching, Ki’s mother tried to escape those anaconda arms as he pecked at her cheek like a chicken.

“Stop that, now. Erikin!”

“Now mom. You promised never to call me that in public.”

“How is this public? We are alone with your boyfriend and your fiancé.”

“Really, Auntie. How can I be his fiancé?” Hala giggled. “Who am I to come between two mandarin ducks?”

With Charlie’s newfound optimism, he was a little sad to send the two women on their way back to Boston.

That left him in the house.…alone……with Ki. The two women had left in a cloud of perfume and noise, not even understanding their impact on Charlie. In a matter of hours, his world flipped upside down. Hala left behind her contact information before she dragged Ki’s mother away. Her parting consisted of a kiss on the cheek and a whisper of “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

“Um, boyfriend.” Ki couldn’t suppress the huskiness in his voice.

“Mmmmm.” Charlie’s eyes were everywhere, on the dog, on the sink full of dishes, even noticing the dust bunnies growing in the corners of the living room. Everywhere, but on Ki.

“Shall we make plans to entertain friends? Since you’ve become besties with Hala, I’d love to introduce you to my other friends.”

A bit of panic and a bit of hope swirled in Charlie’s dark eyes. The conflict made Ki’s heart break. When faced with a future, that poor man truly was a mess.

Handing Ki the leash, Charlie answered the only way he could. “Take the dog out. I’ll start dinner.”

Understanding settled into Ki’s chest. “Okay. I’ll take Deng Pao out.”

Charlie stiffened hearing the dog’s name. “And when you come back, you’ll explain to me why his name is Deng Pao.” His voice was low and gravely.

The smile was wide and toothy across Ki’s face as he hauled the dog outside into the cold spring evening. This was a promising start.

After giving Charlie twenty minutes to calm down and the dog to get some exercise, Ki returned.

The warmth of the house was a foil from the frigid evening, but it wasn’t limited to the wood stove burning in the corner. Comfort appeared in a brightly lit kitchen. It oozed from the calm man mixing broth and spices like an alchemist. The scent of it was found in simmering chicken noodle soup that made Ki’s mouth water. Ki’s heart melted into a puddle of goo.

This is where he belonged, with the dog, the soup, the man. Ki was intelligent enough to know that chicken noodle soup was easy enough to acquire in this world, but genuine love and affection was not.

“Any tortillas to go with that soup?” Ki gently encircled Charlie’s neck with chilled hands.

“Hey! That’s cold.” Charlie scrunched his neck, trying to escape the icy fingers caressing his skin.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Can’t you warm a man up?”

“Stop messing around.” Charlie stirred the soup.

Ki was all smiles as he pulled the ever so slightly shorter man into his arms. “I’ll show you messing around.” The chilled fingers cupped Charlie’s face, then leaned in. First serious kiss. It was warm, sweet, rather innocent, and gentle.

Both men looked at each other, then Ki’s tactic changed. Second kiss was deep, dark, and wet.

Warmth wasn’t limited to the wood stove burning in the corner.

When the two came up for air, panting, their foreheads pressed together.

“So…..may I invite two of my friends over for dinner next Saturday?”