Wen and I look at each other.
Zoan replies, “I had.” How can this man say such a thing with a straight face and a tone like he’s stating, “The sky is blue”?
Mama and Aunt are as stunned as they should be.
Zoan speaks after a long silence. “Good night,” and leaves.
They watch him walk upstairs, stunned. Once he goes beyond their eyesight, they look at each other.
“What do we do now?” Aunt asks.
“Alexander will lose his mind and shit altogether,” Mama says.
“I guess that’s why he doesn’t make a move towards Avi.”
Mama frowns. “And what about Avi? Does she also have something for him?”
Aunt nods. “I think this explains her behavior over the past few months.”
Mama sighs. “I don’t know what to feel.”
Aunt rubs her arm. “Let time decide. Leave it here for now.”
They start climbing the stairs.
“Damn. These women are something,” Wen mutters.
I stand straight and turn towards her. “They are not against it as much as I imagined.”
She nods.
We walk toward the stairs.
Wen chuckles. “I’m more shocked about Zo’s ‘I had.’”
I laugh. “Our mothers were also shaken by that.”
“I wonder if they had asked him directly, what would he have replied?”
“Umm… me too. I will ask him.”
We reach near my room.
I hold the doorknob. “Good night.”
She waves her hand. “Good night.”
I open my door and my feet leave the floor. The door closes and locks behind me.
I giggle, wrapping my legs around his waist. He inhales deeply against my neck, nuzzling behind my ear, holding me tightly against him.
“Were you a dog in your previous life, Zoan?” I chuckle.
He kisses along my jaw. “A wolf.”
“How do you know?” I ask, laughing.
He throws me onto the bed, moving on top of me. “I can’t imagine myself good enough to be a dog.”
