Letting my hands fall to my side I answered, ensuring I kept an even tone. "What Gina is doing has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with the way you treat her. I'd suggest if you want her not to shut you out, that you treat her with the respect she deserves."
Mr. Chu said nothing, but the light in his eyes told me he agreed with me.
My attention went back to the root of Gina's problems.
"I'm also going to suggest that you cool off a little bit and then talk to her." I walked away and when I got to the door, I turned around and went back to where they sat. Holding her mother's gaze, I added, "If you don’t want to lose your daughter, find a way to repair the damage you've done to her."
Mrs. Chu gasped, then stared at me as if she wanted to do me some bodily harm, but I didn't care.
I nodded to them before leaving the house and closing the door behind me.
After I put Gina's suitcase in the trunk, I sat in the driver's seat and faced her. "Your father may never give me permission to marry you after what I just said to his wife, but I can assure you I meant well."
Tears flooded Gina's eyes and she laid her head against the seat.
It pained me to see her broken up like this. With my thumb, I wiped away her tears. "Come on, baby, don't cry. It'll be all right."
She didn't seem to be listening to me and her tears flowed faster. I leaned sideways and got my handkerchief out of my pants. Turning her head toward me, I dabbed her eyes and cheeks.
After a moment, Gina took the hanky from me and finished the job herself. Still sniffling, she said, "Let's go."
I could have made a remark about her being bossy, but she wouldn't appreciate it in the moment. Instead, I nodded and backed out of the driveway.
In the fifteen minutes it took us to get to the cottage, Gina said nothing. Prolonged silence was out of character for her, but of course, I understood why she wouldn't be in any mood to talk.
By the time I got her suitcase out and locked the car, she was lying on the bed flipping through the television channels.
I sat on the mattress and ran a hand over her calf. "You're feeling any better?"
Gina's smile was watery, but that didn't last long. Her gaze turned analytical and as she edged closer to me, I knew what would come next. She slid her hand under my shirt. "I know what would make me feel better."
"Girl, you're going to make me think you're really a pervert. We need to shower."
She got on her knees, kissed me hard and deep before asking, "Really, Kofi?"
"How long is that going to take?"
"Way too long."
Before I could suggest that we get naked in the shower, Gina was on my lap, squirming as if she was desperate. Her hands were everywhere and I couldn't help the laughter that rolled out of me.
"What's so funny?" She asked as she tugged my shirt over my head and reached for my belt buckle.
"You are." I pulled her to me, holding her by the back of the neck. After I kissed her thoroughly another time, I mumbled against her lips. "You have to tell me what's so fascinating about funky men."
She straddled me and cinched her arms around my neck. "Don't get it mixed up. I don't like smelling frowsy men. Just you, with a little musk in the mix."
"You don't say." My mouth tipped up as I smiled.
Those were the last words we exchanged for some time. After Gina drained all the energy from my body, I pulled her into my arms and lay behind her, running my fingers over her skin.
The bedroom was in shadow as the evening crept slowly toward night.
I shifted and turned Gina over, so she lay with one hand thrown across my stomach and her breast pressed to my side. Looking down at her, I sighed. "You want to tell me what's up with you and this fetish you have going on?"
She smiled in a way that was meant to distract me, but I'd been humoring her long enough. I wasn't a mental health professional by far, but Gina had all sorts of things happening inside her that we needed to talk about now.
She brushed my neck with her lips. "I just love you and the way you love me."
