Chapter 41: Setting the Rules Before the Brawl
Sonya followed Henry downstairs, all the way to the front door. Her concern deepened when she saw Simon, his apron askew, brandishing a metal spatula.
Auntie Sterling, seemingly unfazed, chased after them, cradling little Mia in her arms.
“Simon, get back here as soon as you’re done! I can’t handle everything on my own!”
Sonya took Mia from her, offering reassurance.
“Jay runs a trucking team,” Auntie Sterling explained. “They all work the same freight yard. Sometimes, there’s not enough work, and they end up fighting over the jobs. It’s nothing serious, usually.”
That only amplified Sonya’s anxiety.
Auntie Sterling chuckled. “If Simon went alone, I’d be worried. But with Henry, I’m not. He knows his limits. He won’t let things get out of hand.”
Sonya nodded, though Mia was starting to fuss in her arms.
“I’ll take Mia for a walk,” Sonya suggested.
A customer called for Auntie Sterling, and as she turned to go, she asked, “Is dinner ready?”
“I’ll wait for Henry to eat,” Sonya replied.
“Sounds good.”
Auntie Sterling hurried off to attend to her customers, and Sonya took Mia for a stroll down the bustling alley. The street was alive with vendors, and at the end, New York University loomed in the distance. From the iron gate, she could see the university’s soccer field and the distant library, with the medical school building to the west.
Mia squealed in excitement, jumping at the sight of students playing soccer.
Sonya lifted her higher for a better view, and Mia giggled, excited to watch. It was lunchtime, and students were lined up to pick up their takeout orders.
Suddenly, Sonya remembered her old roommate, who had a particular fondness for the dumplings from “Lucky Duo’s Dumpling House.” Her roommate frequently ordered takeout, once asking Sonya to pick up an order for her when she had a dinner date.
“Their dumplings are amazing, you should try them,” her roommate had insisted.
Sonya rarely ate takeout—Julian Jennings hated it, so she had become an expert cook, often spending hours commuting to prepare his meals before grabbing a quick bite herself. Medical school had been demanding, and she had also played housekeeper for Julian. How she wasn’t utterly exhausted back then, she wondered.
That time, Julian had been out of town, so Sonya agreed to pick up the dumplings for her roommate. She recalled the delivery girl—a short-haired woman with a facial injury.
“Need help with that?” Sonya had asked kindly.
The girl had scoffed. “Do you New York students all enjoy feeling superior by pitying others?”
“I don’t,” Sonya replied, taken aback.
“Humph, whatever,” the girl had snapped, tossing the container at her before storming off.
Sonya had been confused at the time, but now she remembered how delicious those dumplings had been—succulent, flavorful, and filled with the freshest pork. She later ordered them for herself, but they never tasted quite the same.
Mia’s excitement had faded. One moment, she was jumping, the next, she was yawning, clearly sleepy.
Sonya returned to the restaurant with Mia in her arms. By then, most customers had left, and a worker was cleaning the tables. Auntie Sterling brought a plate of dumplings to a private room, and upon seeing her son asleep in Sonya’s arms, she carried him upstairs.
Soon after, Auntie Sterling came downstairs and found Sonya wiping down the tables. She quickly took over.
“Dr. Ella, this is dirty work. You shouldn’t be doing this.”
“It’s okay, I do this at home,” Sonya replied.
“Henry doesn’t help you?”
“Oh, he does,” Sonya answered, recalling how she had taken on all the housework when she and Julian had been together.
Auntie Sterling leaned closer to Sonya as she efficiently wiped down a table. “Let me tell you, men need to be kept in line. Henry’s cooking is fantastic—make him cook!”
“I’ve tried his seafood noodles. They were delicious.”
“Of course! He used to work here as a cook,” Auntie Sterling explained.
A thought struck Sonya. “He made those three-fresh dumplings, right?”
Auntie Sterling’s face fell slightly.
“They were legendary!” she said, recalling how Henry had worked at the restaurant during his breaks while studying abroad. His dumplings had been so popular that when he left, Simon couldn’t replicate the taste and was scolded by the New York students for it.
“That really was him,” Sonya marveled at the coincidence. “There was a short-haired girl working with him, right?”
Auntie Sterling’s face darkened.
“You mean Amy Smith?”
“That’s her! I once ordered dumplings, and she delivered them.”
“I see… I thought Henry might’ve mentioned her to you.” Auntie Sterling sighed. “She… she passed away.”
Auntie Sterling seemed reluctant to discuss Amy further, so Sonya didn’t press the matter.
Not long after, Henry and Simon returned, along with a large, burly man. All three were visibly injured but smiling. Henry carried something in his hands, and as soon as he saw Sonya, he rushed over.
“I picked some jujubes for you. Oliver’s sweet!”
Sonya stepped closer, noticing the bulging jujubes in his shirt pocket—large, red, and juicy.
Simon tossed his spatula aside, laughing as he pointed at Henry. “You wouldn’t believe this guy. He beat the hell out of them, then insisted on going home with jujubes afterward!”
Henry grinned. “Separate issues. He was pretty welcoming, actually.”
“Where’d you see that?”
“He smiled.”
“Man, that smile was worse than crying!”
Auntie Sterling brought over a basin for the jujubes. Henry proudly showed them to Sonya.
“Let me wash them for you,” he offered.
Sonya stopped him, then straightened his face as she examined his wounds. “Let me treat your scratches first.”
“It’s nothing, just some scratches,” Henry protested.
“Still needs attention,” Sonya insisted.
Henry didn’t argue. “Fine, I’ll listen to you.”
The first-aid kit was upstairs. Henry pulled her up with him, and as she treated his wounds, their focus shifted from his injuries to something far more intimate. Henry pulled her onto his lap as they shared a kiss.
Sonya murmured, dazed, “It’s a shame to even scratch that face.”
“You like my face?”
“I do.”
“Then I’ll warn them next time—to keep their hands off my face.”
Sonya laughed. “Is that negotiable?”
“Yes, let’s set some rules before the next fight, so we don’t cause trouble upstairs,” Henry winked.
Downstairs, Simon and Jay were already drinking. Henry pulled Sonya over to introduce her, but Jay seemed to have some prejudice against her, offering only a cursory greeting. When Henry mentioned their marriage certificate, however, Jay abruptly stood, kicked a chair, and stormed off.
