Camy Tang - Sushi for One?

“I’m doing well.”

“Still playing volleyball?”

“Yup. In fact, I’m coaching – ”

“I still remember when your grandma brought you into the restaurant and you wouldn’t leave your volleyball in the car, and you ended up hitting it into your ramen noodles and splashing yourself.” He laughed.

“Heh. Heh. Yeah.” Was that the only memory Mr. Tomoyoshi had of her? He mentioned it every time she spoke to him. What about her graduation party in his Japanese restaurant? Or her dad’s yakudoshi birthday party? Or the numerous other times she went in there to eat and didn’t have a horribly embarassing mishap? “So, Mr.Tomoyoshi – ”

“How often do you see your grandma?”

“I just saw her at my cousin’s Red Egg and Ginger party.”

“Oh, Chester’s niece? That must have been nice.”

For the other guests there, maybe. “Yeah. Good food.” Not that she’d had any of it.

He chuckled. “You tell your grandma to have it in my restaurant instead next time.”

Hmm. Traditional Chinese party in a Japanese restaurant. She wasn’t quite seeing it. “Sure. You’ve got the best food.”

“Aw, thanks. You’re such a sweet girl.”

Lex grimaced at the “girl” remark. “I’m still coaching a junior high girls’ volleyball club team.”**

“Oh, good for you. Way to give back to the Asian community.”

Lex wouldn’t mention that most of her girls were from downtown San Jose. Well, a few of them were Asian. “I’m happy to do it. They’re the daughters of the women that my mom coached.”

“Ah, I miss your mom.”

Lex swallowed convulsively. “Yeah. So anyway – ”

“How’s your dad doing these days?”

“He’s good. He’s bowling a lot.”

“I see him every so often. He’s walking a little slower these days, you know?”

“Uh…” Actually, it didn’t seem that way, but Lex wasn’t about to argue with one of her elders, let alone a potential sponsor. “Sure.”

“Well, you should cut back on some of your volleyball so that you can take care of him. We’re all getting older.”

Lex was fully aware of the cultural and moral obligation to care for her parent in his old age, even if said parent insisted he didn’t want to be cared for. But why did people always think she needed to be reminded and that she needed to give up everything in her life to do it? She’d seen friends and relatives who gave up dreams to care for their family, and it was just sad, frustrating, and tiring for them.

Lex chose to ignore his comment. “Speaking of volleyball, my girls’ team will be traveling for playoffs over the summer, and I wondered if you’d be willing to sponsor us or donate to the traveling costs.”

“Oh…”

“In Mom’s memory, maybe?” Yeah, she’d get his sentimental side.

“I’m sure I could do something. Let me get back to you, is that okay?”

“Oh, yes! Thanks, Mr. Tomoyoshi.” In her mind’s eye, Grandma’s dragon claws receded into the milky mist…

“Should I plan to make the check out to your dad for you?”

“Uh… no, why?”

“Oh, well, so you don’t have to take care of the more complicated money stuff.”

That was the problem with growing up in the Japanese American community, where everyone knew Grandma and Lex’s family. The older people still tended to think of Lex as, say, eight years old. “I take care of all the team’s finances, Mr. Tomoyoshi. You can make the check out to the volleyball club.”

“Okay. I’ll call you in a few days about it.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Tomoyoshi.” Lex dropped the handset into the cradle. “Take that, Grandma!”

Trish yawned. “Yeah, yeah. So what about Kin-Mun?”

Lex held her hand out to her. “Pass the remote.”

Trish grabbed it and clasped it to her chest like the Holy Grail.

“No way. I want to actually have a conversation with you.”

“I can talk and watch TV at the same time.” Lex reached over and scrabbled at her clenched fingers.

Trish turned away. “Answer my question first.”

“What question?”

Trish gave her a Tell me you’re not that stupid look. “Kin-Mun?”

“Oh.” Lex folded her arms. “What about him?”

“It sounds like you bullied him into going out with you. You never consider other people’s feelings.”

“Do too. I just know what’s best for them.”

“So Kin-Mun reluctantly going on a date with you is what’s best for him? Or for you?”

“Both. Now gimme the remote.”

Trish jerked it out of Lex’s reach and sat on it. “You’re not even a little concerned?”

Well, it wasn’t very flattering to learn he thought of her like a broth – sister, but she wasn’t about to admit that to Trish. “He’s just never thought of me that way. Besides, I have a plan.”

“Another one?”

Lex playfully smacked Trish upside the head. “This is a good one.

You’re going to take me shopping.”

Mention of her favorite – and only – sport made Trish sit up straighter. The TV blinked on, then off.

“Gimme the remote. You’re going to break it.”

“Tell me why you’re actually volunteering to go shopping.”

“I need you to help me wow Kin-Mun.”

“Do you mean a makeover?” Trish’s mouth dropped to her lap.

“You’re drooling.”

“Am not.” Trish swiped at the corner of her mouth. “You must be desperate to agree to a makeover.”

“I’m not desperate. I’m being practical. He’s never seen me in anything other than casual clothes. He needs to see me as sexy and attractive.” Non-sister-like.

“Is it really going to work?” Trish’s face oozed skepticism.

“Gee, thanks for letting me know I’m such a hopeless case.”

“If he isn’t already attracted by your personality, how is a new skin going to do it?”

“You of all people know how visual guys are. I mean, what did my brother look at while we watched SportsCenter? The Axe commercials with all those half-naked girls shaking bootay.”

Trish’s mouth formed a giant O. “You’re not going to go half-naked -?”

“What? No. It’s not like I’d have anything to shake.” Lex smacked her nonexistent butt. Her athletic but sadly flat body in a bikini would send Kin-Mun screaming for the funny farm.

“So…” Trish scrutinized Lex’s body with that “fix-it” look she usually wore when working on a new biology experiment at work.

Yup, Lex had her hooked.

“Can you do it?”

“If I can’t, no one can.”

Trish with a license to shop was a frightening sight.

Trish with a license to shop for someone else was like Godzilla ripping apart Tokyo.

Lex drank in the smell of roasted coffee as they entered Tran’s Nuclear Coffee Shop, but it failed to stimulate her tired muscles. The shop was empty for a Tuesday early evening. She sank into a cold metal chair and propped her elbows on the glass tabletop. “Get me a soy latte. Double shot.”

Trish dug in her purse for her wallet. “Going hard-core today, eh?”

“I’m going to need a week to recover.”

“You don’t have a week, you have three days. But that’s okay, because you’ll floor him in that dress even if you look like Frankenstein’s bride.”

“You’re just a fount of encouragement.”

“I try.” Trish tossed a cheeky grin over her shoulder as she flounced to the counter to order their drinks.

Lex rubbed her side and lower back where the pins had stuck her earlier. She’d never before tried on clothes that had pins in them.

Shouldn’t duds with that many numbers on the price tag have the pins already removed? And even her finely tuned balance couldn’t teeter on those stiletto heels for more than a millisecond. Hundreds of dollars for the privilege of twisting her ankle.