Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(134)
“How are you holding up, Emma?” Jimmy inquires, snapping my attention away from the window.
“I’m fine. Thank you,” I return with a smile.
“Why would you ask such a question, James?” Mrs. Covelli explores.
Why did he have to make a comment? I appreciate what he’s trying to do, but I don’t want to have to explain myself to his parents. I don’t need any more focus on me.
“Emma doesn’t like being in cars,” Jimmy notifies.
I do my best to hide my discomfort.
“How else do you get around, darling?” Mrs. Covelli inspects rather than explore the reason why.
“I walk or bike mostly, but I also take the local train or bus,” I explain.
“There’s a train in California?” Mrs. Covelli says with a little surprise in her tone.
“The majority of the train here in LA is underground, which is why you probably haven’t noticed it,” I explain.
“It’s actually very efficient and effective,” Joe adds openly.
“You’ve taken public transportation?” Mrs. Covelli lightheartedly mocks. “It takes you getting out to California to try public transportation?”
“It’s because of Emma,” Jimmy accuses, throwing a jab at Joe.
“I like her even more,” Mr. Covelli comments with a smile. He winks at Joe and laughs when I catch him.
“Me too,” replies Mrs. Covelli.
Joe blushes and hangs his head for a few moments, obviously taking the good-natured fun his family is having at his expense. I lower my eyes and watch my twitching fingers before returning my gaze out the window.
Guests aren’t scheduled to arrive until three in the afternoon, but the six of us arrive just after two for the party. The Wú house is exquisite to say the least. I would suggest that it’s almost a mega-mansion. With an authentic French Country Manor exterior and a modern Chinese zen flair interior, which gives the home an interesting and appeasing French-Asian fusion style, the Wú estate sits on at least an two or three of land and will easily entertain the one hundred and six guests who responded their attendance. The house is formally decorated for today with a beautiful, large white tent pitched in the backyard to keep out the hot Summer sun. A variety of traditional Chinese wedding decorations and flower bouquets, with the colors of red, white and gold, are intricately placed throughout the interior of the house, the tent and the back yard. Buffet tables of endless food are already being stocked and there are two open bars on either end of the Olympic-sized pool. There are ceiling fans and chandeliers hanging in the tent as well, keeping the interior lit and cool at the same time. Amelia worked with Mrs. Wú on all of the decorations and party arrangements; they did a wonderful job. I’m glad I didn’t have to take care of all of this in such a short amount of time.
I don’t have time to explore the Wú mansion due to meeting all of the guests and Henry’s entire immediate family, who flew in from China this past week. Maggie seems more nervous than I would have expected her to be — she’s a little excited, but really more nervous. Then again, Henry has a very large and affluent family. I bet I know what’s going through her mind. All Maggie wants is for them to like her.
Maggie’s wearing a gorgeous red silk strapless dress that ends at her knees with a simple, white silk sash around heir waist paired with sparkling red Jimmy Choo heels. Henry is wearing a solid light grey vest and pants with a white dress shirt that has thin red pinned stripes and a solid red tie.
I’m excited to see that Jared, Nathan and Pop-Pop have already arrived and rush over to them. I know I need to be polite and finish meeting the guests and all of Henry’s family who are already here, but I need to see how things have been going since Jared’s birthday party Wednesday night; Jared and I have only spoken once since then. Jared explains that the past two days have been exceptionally well for him and there’s talk about Pop-Pop officially moving out to California from Arkansas. Pop-Pop’s been retired for a number of years and said that he would much rather be around happy, loving family members aside from catching up more with Jared for all of the missed years.
On top of meeting Henry’s grandparents on both sides, I also meet his mother’s brother and wife, their two sons who are married, one of which who has a baby on the way, and Henry’s father’s brother and sister and their spouses, who each have a son and daughter Maggie’s age, but who are not yet married. Everyone seems extremely friendly, especially once they know that I speak fluent Mandarin.
I’m excited to meet old friends of the Li family who live in China. Many of them know who I am from pictures and stories Nǎinai or M?qīn have shared with them over the years as well as when some of them visited a few years back. The last time Maggie and her family went home to China, they invited me to join them. I hesitated for many reasons, but I’m now considering and understanding the need to open myself more to Maggie’s family. They’ve given me so much and I need to honor their kindness and generosity.
The rest of the engagement party is a blur. There are so many people to meet that I’ve already forgotten most of their names. If I had the choice, I would stay in a corner, but being the maid of honor puts you out in the open almost as much as the bride and groom for most of the party. There are a number of times I’m able to hide out in the kitchen; I’m able to give my feet a rest as the maids and catering staff bounce in and out serving food and drinks.