LCTM Chapter 10

    Zoë sat on the low-level gray couch, Biao in lap, alternating between her coffee, and green tea. Biao was contentedly purring in her lap, stroking his head against her palm in an impatient manner; like all cats reveling in the joy of being petted. Shang was in the kitchen, where many clashes, and clangs could be heard, and the occasional scream of pain. After a really loud crash, followed by a silence, Kin rose, and hurriedly rushed into the kitchen. Mui, however, had the slightest hint of a smug smirk on her face as she sat on the other couch, adjacent to the one Zoe was positioned on. After a few minutes of happy silence from the kitchen, Zoë began a conversation with Mui.

    "So Mui, is Shang's mother your Mother's sister, or your Father's? Or related by marriage?" She asked, absent-mindedly stroking Biao's head, and he purred in content.

    "No," Mui laughed, "our mother's American. Our Father is Shang's father's brother. Make sense?" She giggled again.

    "I'm pretty sure," she replied.

    "That's why Kin and my names can't be found in any Chinese dictionary. Our Father was away when we were born, and since our parents hadn't talked any names for us, our mother gave us names, she was sure sounded authentically Chinese. Though, our father, was the least to say, mad when he found out what our mother had done." She smiled, and rolled her eyes.

    Zoe giggled. "Oh, well, don't worry, my name isn't in the least a native name to Scotland."

    "Your family's from Scotland?" Mui asked.

    "Indeed, both sides." She coughed at the sudden intake of tea down her wind pipe, which sent her into a coughing spasm, and Shang running into the room screaming Bloody Mary; figuratively speaking of course.

    "Zoe? Zoe! Breathe, breathe!" Shang shouted patting her back, as he told her over and over, "breathe."

    "I'm just coughing Shang! I'm not in labor!" She yelled at him between gasps and coughs.

    Shang backed off very suddenly, and said: "Right, of course."

    Mui and Kin just giggled.

    The phone rang. Gee, they sure do get a bunch of phone calls around there...

    "Hello?" Mui picked up the phone as Shang and Zoe were arguing over who really was the best super hero, and Kin was watching with far too much amusement to answer the phone, so it was up to Mui.

    "Hello. This is Mr. Genki, Shang's boss. Would he by chance be there, and Zoe with him?"

    "One moment please." She handed the white cordless to Shang, interrupting the feud right when Zoe had proclaimed Batman to be the best, when Shang countered with Superman.

    "Hello?"

    "Shang, where the hell are you and Zoe?" Mr. Genki practically screamed through the receiver, all traces of the happiness there before, gone.

    "Uh, hi Mr. Genki. Well, ya see, Zoe is really sick, and I brought her over here, and since the meeting was cancelled, I thought I'd stay home to take care of her."

    "Oh, right," Mr. Genki said. "Well, just call next time."

    "Right, sorry Mr. Genki. See you tomorrow." And he hung up.

    "You should have let me talk to him, he never could have told the difference with my voice like this." Zoë croaked out at him, before taking a sip of the wonderful coffee.

    "Yeah, but you talk too much like a girl," he countered, eyes mischievous.

    "Ex-squeese me? I'm a woman, and more macho than you'll ever be." She countered, a slight upturn at the edge of her mouth.

    "Really? Well, if you're so macho, you can even be considered a woman." He grinned.

    "No dear, that's your role." She smirked back.

    "Rowr, that time of the month?" Shang said, hand curved in a paw, all traces of his grin gone.

    Zoe glared back, facing off with Shang in a staring contest, which showed no hope of ending.

    "Okay children, that's enough. Apologize, kiss, and make-up." Mui interjected between the two when the air had become tense.

    They both mumbled their sorries, and gladly hugged each, for what seemed more than the time needed. After, they enjoyed their drinks over some nice conversation, when Mui and Kin decided to leave at the slightest point Zoe showed tiredness. They waved their good-byes, and headed out the door.

    "I need a nap." Zoe yawned, and rose. Her and Shang walked to the bedroom, his arm draped around her shoulder, and her's around his waist, content to lean on each other.