Tracy flashed her brother a quick smile. “He’s annoying, but he’s mine.” She leaned forward. “But who was yours, Nathan? Who protects you?”
He stiffened. “I am the eldest. It is my job to watch out for the others.”
Mandy finished off the last of her shake with a slurp, then she smiled at him. “You really take that traditional stuff seriously. That’s so old-fashioned, but sweet. Kinda heroic.”
He looked at her, unable to form an answer. Joey just rolled his eyes and huffed, “Girls!”
Nathan focused on Tracy only to discover she was watching him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. Had he revealed something significant? He didn’t think so. But the way she stared at him made him acutely nervous.
“So, no dad, huh?” asked Joey from the side.
Nathan shook his head. “My mother is a tigress and the leader of the temple.”
“Her focus is on attaining immortality, right?” asked Tracy. “She leads the temple, takes partners, and studies for ascension. Right?”
“Yes, that is the role of a tigress.”
“And her children?”
“Our role is to support the temple and its students.”
She nodded. “So your role is to support your mother and her goals.”
He frowned, not liking Tracy’s tone. “It is an honor—”
“And a responsibility,” interrupted Joey. “Yeah, we got that. But where is there room for what you want to do?”
Nathan shifted his gaze between the three of them, wondering how the conversation had turned so drastically. “This is what I want to do,” he said clearly. “Business school, then a good job. Why would I do all this, come to the United States to study if not for that?”
“I don’t know,” Tracy answered slowly. “It’s just obviously so very hard. You’re broke, studying night and day, saving money any way you can to survive.” She shook her head. “There has to be an easier way.”
Nathan shook his head. “I left the temple because I couldn’t stay any longer. And it was time to further my education.”
Tracy straightened, her eyes very clear. “Why couldn’t you stay?”
He swallowed. It was best he told her everything. She needed to understand. “I was kicked out of the temple,” he said bluntly.
“Really,” gasped Mandy. “But why?”
“I fell in love with one of the tigresses. I pursued her with single-minded devotion. I had started out as her teacher but then fell in love.” He shrugged. “But she is a tigress with no interest in such things. She said I interfered with her studies, I made it difficult for her to pursue her religion. It was an easy choice for the Tigress Mother. Nothing can interfere with the pursuit of heaven, so I was asked to leave.”
“I thought you said your mother led the temple.” Mandy’s voice was soft with compassion.
He nodded. “She does.”
Joey leaned forward hard enough to make the table creak. “Kicked out by your own mother? I don’t believe it.”
Nathan shrugged. It didn’t matter if they believed it or not; it was true. But when he focused on Tracy, he read confusion in her eyes. She shifted nervously on her seat, then spoke, her voice coming out low but very clear. “The Hong Kong police think your mother runs a prostitution ring. They think you’re trying to branch out here in Champaign.”
On his left, Mandy gasped in shock, and Joey abruptly straightened. His eyes narrowed and his shoulders rose. But Nathan kept his demeanor cool, his attention completely on Tracy.
“I am impressed that you could learn that so quickly and from half a world away.”
She shrugged. “Gotta love it when those connections pan out.”
“Is it true?” snapped Joey, his grip on his plastic spoon had tightened into a fist.
Nathan sighed. “Prostitution is a thriving industry in Hong Kong. If it were true, I would not be worrying about money or about raising my brother and sister out of poverty. And Illinois is a long, long way to go to branch out one’s business.”
“It’s a long, long way to go just to escape a bad love affair, too,” drawled Tracy.
He didn’t respond. How could he explain that he wanted—needed—to put as much distance between himself and his childhood as possible. It was only because of her—because Tracy was a promising new tigress—that he had any communication with his mother at all.
Mandy was the one, this time, to continue the questions. “So why do they think you’re prostitutes?”
“They’re Tantrics,” Tracy answered softly. “They study sex as a path to…” She shrugged. “To more.” Then she shot her brother a sharp look. “And don’t go there, Joey. It’s not ridiculous. It’s just different.”
Joey pressed his lips together, but it was clearly hard for him to stay silent. Mandy, however, dimpled prettily. “I’ve heard about that. It’s cool—if a little weird.” She turned back to Nathan. “So you and your family study sex but the cops don’t understand so they think you’re selling sex. Except that you’re god-awful poor, and they don’t get it. But you do, so you’re here studying to get a good job so that you can support your mother and her temple. Cool.”
Nathan struggled to follow her rapid-fire English, but then gave up because she’d apparently come to her own conclusion. She was already standing up, tugging Joey along with her.
“Come on. It’s almost time for the movie.” She smiled at Tracy and Nathan together. “Thanks for the ice cream. It was cool meeting you, but we gotta go. See ya!”
Joey blinked, obviously dazed by his girlfriend, but she didn’t give him time to respond. She simply tugged him hard until he had no choice but to move. Within moments, they were out the door. Even before the glass door slipped shut, Tracy burst out laughing.
“Wow, does my brother have his hands full with her!” she said.
Nathan didn’t answer. He was still trying to understand what had happened.
Tracy grabbed and tossed their empty ice-cream cups out. It was apparently time to go, and so he opened the shop door and waited for her to exit.
She went through with a blithe smile, and they walked together to her truck. They were only halfway there when she turned to him with a fierce expression. “I admire what you’re trying to do. I really do. I understand the need to protect and support your family, but you’re going to have to get over it. You know that, don’t you?”
“What?”
“They’ve got to learn how to take care of themselves. The temple needs to be self-sufficient. Your brother and sister have to find their own way. If you pour everything you have into supporting them, then you’ll have nothing left for you. You’ll end up resenting them and frankly, you’re not doing them any favors. It’s good for kids to struggle a bit.”
He stared at her a moment, stunned by her audacity. No Chinese person would ever dare say such a thing to him. But then, Tracy wasn’t Chinese. “You know nothing of my family or my life in Hong Kong,” he said stiffly.
She shrugged. “Maybe not. But I know kids have to be pushed out of the nest eventually. Even you.”
“I am my family’s nest!” he snapped, startled by his sudden fierce anger. “Without me—”
“They’re without you right now, Nathan. How are they doing?”
He swallowed. Awful, truth be told. He had received another couple of e-mails, one from each of his siblings. Their mother was shopping again with money they didn’t have.
“Nathan? How are they doing without you?” Tracy pressed.
He sighed. “Go to the temple and find out for yourself.”
“Ha!” she crowed. “They’re doing fine, aren’t they? They’re working or going to school and so your big martyr routine is nothing of the sort.” She planted her hands on her hips, her eyes piercing even in the darkness. “So why all the way to the United States? Did you really get kicked out of the temple? Did you really fall in love?”