Magpie Tales (I decide to put Lin’s story to an end, this is completely fiction and please don’t take it personally or offensively, Thanks for reading!)
By the end of her freshman year, there were at least a dozen guys paying attention to her, because she was the only girl who remained alone yet looked young classical, and outstanding. She made top three grades in her major out of 100 students, and she received top prizes in freshman math contest, freshman creative writing contest.
At the beginning of her second year of college, still, a few guys kept trying their hands on her, some invited her to movies, some invited her to dancing, some came to her dorm room and talking to her, well, she simply did not grow any feelings on any of them. One guy got very upset, he was the son of a Governor, and half a dozen girls spent much time trying to get his attention, he dated 2 or 3, yet, he still paid attention to Lin.
“You fool, open your eyes, recognize who I A-M!”
He spoke one day, standing behind Lin, while both of them stood in line trying to get lunch.
Lin gave him NO responses. No explanations. Well, she knew who he was, but, she was not interested in a guy who took advantage of his father’s achievement to boost his own ego. He did have a handsome look, and he was super tall, too bad Lin preferred to see him as himself only.
“You are quite loving, why, still making up your mind about with whom to date?”
Lin’s roommate spoke to her one day, somewhat puzzled.
“Thanks for the concern, I’m simply a slow reactor, I am too busy studying to think of finding a guy, it is not what’s important to me now.”
Lin offered her true state of mind.
___
On an occasion, Lin saw a flyer about recruiting Chinese Language teachers from a non-profit organization called Sunshine Chinese Language School, candidate must know how to speak fluent Chinese and also fluent English, because students are offspring of Chinese immigrants who were born in the United States and encouraged to learn Chinese basics to be reminded their heritage, some students are Americans who were interested in studying and learning about a foreign culture.
Lin believed that she would fit this job, an opportunity to practice Chinese while helping others. The teaching time was Saturdays at the college classroom building, from 9:30am to 11:30am, of course, she got the job and started teaching in January.
When Lin came to her class, she was startled to see 12 boys and girls, who spoke perfect English, yet sat in the classroom ready to learn basic Chinese, and what truly surprised her was that she had three Americans in, and one of them was Jake.
So, after they broke up one year ago, Jake dated someone else, and he got enough within a few months, and decided to remain single again, because part of him had never let Lin go. He still went to the place where Lin worked to get a glimpse of her without her acknowledgement, of course. After Lin started her teaching Chinese job, Jake decided to enroll, he got in via the school principal and made it to her class.
Lin had been too busy to think of Jake, but when she saw him in her class, her heart jumped. She wrote characters on blackboard, taught them pronunciations,
Added Chinese alphabets to enhance their understanding, their first class focused on some simply words such as Moon, Sun, Water, Soil, Fire, and so on…Lin paid attention to individual students, by walking toward them one by one, asked them to tell her what they have learned, making corrections, and she did not exclude Jake.
After class, Jake waited until everyone was gone.
“How is everything?” He asked.
“All is well.” Lin responded.
“I wish to learn Chinese and hope to get your support when I need it. “
“No problem, ask me questions any time.”
That’s it.
They developed a professional relation and on some occasion, Jake would email or call her, asking her some questions, she would patiently answer his questions.
Soon, summer came, Jake had to leave school for work. His major was international business, thus he easily found a job in New York City, with some skills in Chinese language.
They stopped contacting for about six months.
It was December, Lin finished her last class exam, was in a hurry to pack and leave her dorm, her phone rang. It was Jake.
Lin was asked to come down to the drive way outside her dorm, and what she saw was a huge shock.
Standing next to Jake, was a Chinese man who were about 50 years old, and behind them, parked a Lincoln car.
“We must talk.” Jake said to Lin, “It’s important to you, please come with us, we won’t hurt you, trust me.”
Well, she had been known Jake for a long time, and the man seemed kind looking, she stepped into the car, without thinking much of the consequence.
Silence.
Jake was driving, and he parked the car outside a quiet restaurant, together, they walked in, and a room was reserved for them.
“So, what’s this all about?” Sitting down Lin spoke.
“What do you think who he is?”
Lin stared at him, he looked like a gentleman, but he definitely was unhappy.
The man started sobbing, which made Lin feel more puzzled.
“Twenty years, I have missed you and loved you, prayed for you and wishes to find you…”
Lin began to understand, this man acted as if he was her father. She always hated him whenever thinking of him, simply because he was never there for her.
She did not know what to say.
“We will be back.”
Jake took her hand, together they came to the car, and he drove her all the way to Firefly Lake, where they used to walk around the lake and talk while they were dating two years ago.
The sky was dark, not many stars showing up, because cold winter wind was blowing.
Jake held her hand, together they walked along the shore.
“I happen to be your Dad’s employee, one day, we got drunk, and he began to tell me stories of his life, and he mentioned that he had a daughter, and he remembered your birthday, which is exactly the same year and same day, and also, I find that you look a lot like your Dad when you get upset.”
“So, after several times of discussion and background check, we are certain that he is your father, and he wants to meet you.”
It happened all of a sudden, Lin was in a shock. Part of her felt angry, how dare he, leaving her without caring for so many years, she could not forgive him, NO, she screamed in her head.
“I’m not sure what you are talking about. Why? I never have a father, he was dead.” Lin spoke, her voice shivered. “Please drive me back to my dorm, I feel so cold and sad about everything.”
“I know, I understand, but, according to your father, he had left you and your mom so that he could come to America to become somebody. He borrowed a lot of money to come, and he studied hard to get his Ph .D, and he succeeded becoming a business man, he is never married again.”
“Still, he is a stranger to me.” Lin became angry, she felt like screaming, “I am not buying his stories, no.”
Lin began to walk faster, then ran, she had been studying for her final until 1am, and got very tired, now, she simply wanted to stop thinking, stop living, and she wanted to go home to her mom.
While she was running, thinking aloud, she slipped and fell. Pain, both physical and mental hit her. Tears welled up and she simply laid there, letting the world take charge.
Jake caught up with her, leaned down, grabbed her with his strong arms, he had grown very tall and strong now, he pulled her close to him, holding her face, placed his lips on her cheeks, eyes, he sipped her tears and when his lips eventually met hers, he felt some warmth, and instantly, the kiss became deep and Lin seemed taking it very well.
“Everything will be okay, I will come to get you as soon as you graduate.”
Jake murmured, kissing her neck.
It was surprising that Lin actually enjoyed the kiss this time. She felt Jake’s male strength and started to calm down. She did need him, and she thought that she was strong enough to ignore her feelings, but that’s a lie. Now, he was right there for her, and had given her what she needed, a father lost and found, and a promise for love.
They simply held each other tight and kissed until both of them were satisfied.
It was hard for Lin to accept her father yet, but at least she did not push him away. When he called her over weekends, she would answer his questions and remain polite. She refused to hug him or take anything from him.
In Summer, when Jake was 23, Lin was 21, they toured New York City and got engaged. Lin’s mother eventually forgave her father, but they remain separated.
After Lin graduated from college, Jake resigned from his job and together, Jake and Lin started their own business and began to build a future of their own, full of promises.
To read the First part, visit here: (Fiction, Writing for entertainment! I searched the web, find some online images, they are cross-culture couples, hard to tell, such case does exist for some people.)
