“Don’t be sorry. I’ve always wanted people to notice how straight my teeth are.” He grins.
I laugh. “Okay, they are freakishly straight.”
“I’ve also been waiting all my life to be told what a good specimen I am.”
“Uh-huh. You’re a pretty damn good specimen.” It’s only after the words are out that I realize how heavy they sound. Does he know that no other guy even comes close to him? That after him, I couldn’t help comparing every other man I meet to him, and that none of them could compare? And also, that none of this matters because I have a literal dead body sitting in the cooler next to us??
Luckily, Nathan’s distracted by an uncle wearing a giant gold Rolex, who strides to him with a booming, “NATHAN! My boy, what a place, eh? Your old man will be so proud!”
“Hi, Uncle Timmy, it’s so good to see you here.”
“Listen, Nathan, Auntie Sofie is tired after the boat ride here. Could you possibly get us checked in now?” The man nods at the long line of people at the reception desk.
“I’m in the middle of something, but I’ll get someone to take care of that for you—”
“No, it’s okay,” I say quickly, “why don’t you help him? I have to rush off anyway.”
Nathan gives me an apologetic smile. “Okay. I’ll catch you later, Meddy. Come, Uncle, I’ll take care of this for you.”
Once Nathan and the older man are gone, I hurry to my aunts and mom. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Meddy, wah, you must go for that boy, your mother correct, he is best specimen,” Big Aunt says.
Fourth Aunt snickers.
“Can we please talk about my love life later? When we don’t have you-know-what to take care of?”
My mom and aunts grumble but then bend over to pick up a corner of the cooler. A bellboy swoops in. “Please let me get that for you,” he says.
“No—” I say.
“No worries, ma’am, I’ll get this to your room. Room 202, is it?”
“Don’t—”
He gives us a polite smile and grabs one end of the cooler. My mind short-circuits, but before I can say anything, Ma says, “Aiya! You bellboys always looking for tip. I got no tip for you, you go away.”
Looking shocked, the bellboy says, “I wasn’t—”
“You go, shoo.” Ma literally shoos him away like he’s a naughty puppy, and he walks off, shaking his head, muttering, “Asians.”
I wince, feeling torn between anger at his muttered remark and embarrassment because of our awful behavior. Still, I don’t have the time to worry about that right now. “Let’s go before yet another bellboy accosts us.”
We pick up the cooler and scurry off to the elevators, eyes following us as we go. I don’t blame them. We make a weird-looking team—me in all black, Big Aunt and Ma both wearing big white aprons, and Fourth Aunt, glittered and sequined and feathered. It’s only after the elevator doors close behind us that I release my breath, but still I can’t shake off the horrible feeling that too many people have seen us with the cooler. Too many curious glances have been thrown our way. We need to get rid of the cooler, and fast.
16
Being in the hotel room offers huge relief. Once we get inside, I close the door, lock the deadbolt, and then—bliss. For just one moment, I allow myself a chance to relax. I lean my head against the door, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. We’ll get through this, I tell myself. We will.
“Wah, look this room. Bagus banget!” Ma says.
Reluctantly, I open my eyes and turn around. She’s right. Despite this being the cheapest room at the resort, it’s beautiful—two queen beds piled high with fluffy pillows and even fluffier duvets, a floor-to-ceiling window that opens out to an expansive balcony, modern furnishings all around. And it’s nicely air-conditioned, giving us respite from the unforgiving heat.
I take off my shoes and put them next to my mom’s and aunts’ shoes in the entryway. Already, Big Aunt and Fourth Aunt have grabbed the thick terry cloth robes in the closet and put them on over their clothes. Ma glares at Fourth Aunt. “Excuse you, your own room will have robe also, don’t use mine.”
Fourth Aunt shrugs, tying a knot around her robe. “I’ll bring my robe by once I check into my room.”
I hurry between them, breaking up the glaring contest between the two. Ma would never think to ask Big Aunt to remove her robe, so if she wants to wear one, she’s going to have to fight it off Fourth Aunt. “I’ll call and ask for an extra robe, Ma. But before that, we need to resolve the issue with the cooler.”