She cleared her throat and began to translate his mother’s words from nearly three decades ago.
Josh,
If you are reading this letter, I am so sorry I’m not there with you to meet your soulmate. I was lucky when I found your father at university and we bonded over science together. I wonder what you and your love will bond over and how you’ll find them.
Before you marry, I want you to make sure they meet some important qualities that you will need to get through life together.
1. Try to find someone who balances your weaknesses. If you are not patient, make sure your soulmate has the patience for both of you. I doubt you will have many weaknesses, my good boy, but just in case!
2. As they will compensate for your weaknesses, make sure you bring something positive to their life as well. Your relationship should feel like a partnership.
3. Find someone you can laugh with. Life is stressful enough. Find someone who can lighten your day and make anything better by being there with you.
4. Make sure this person loves you for you. The perfect person for you shouldn’t want to change you. Your looks, your personality, your interests. They should make you the best and happiest version of yourself.
5. When you are away from your soulmate, if you do not miss them, then they are not your soulmate. I hope you are as excited to see them every day as they are to see you.
As a scientist, I don’t like to make assumptions without evidence. Now that we’ve been in America for some years, we see that they are far more accepting of this homosexual lifestyle than our people in China. By the time you are of age, it could be a very different world. If somehow you fall in love with a man instead of a woman, please make sure you are safe. And know that your Bàba and I would be happy for you no matter who they are, especially if they fulfilled my recommendations above.
I have a feeling you will grow close with the young boy across the street who was born at the same time as you. You should see the two of you play! The other day, we had a play date with the boy on the next block, a little terror named Cole. He took a toy out of your hands and sat to play with it, and it made you cry. Riley went right over to him and stole that toy back, bringing it right backto you! He’s a good boy, and I hope you two have each other to lean on.
You should see how hard it is to separate the two of you now when you are only babies! That’s exactly how it should be with you and your soulmate.
I wish I could have met them, but if I didn’t get the chance, please know that yourBàbaand I love you no matter what.
Be happy, my love.
Both Josh and Auntie Chen were a puddle of tears as she finished reading the letter aloud.
“YourMamaloved you so much,” she said between sobs. “She’d be so proud of you.”
Josh couldn’t say anything, but leaned forward to hold her. They both stood, and he cried on her shoulder.
With everything that had happened over the last month, Josh thought about going back to therapy. He loved talking things through with Riley and Auntie Chen, but he knew how much it would help to have an unbiased listener help him navigate through all the changes. He wasn’t even sure he could wrap his head around the truth of his parents’ deaths yet, so he made a mental note to schedule an appointment as soon as he could.
He wasn’t sure how much time passed before they cried all their tears, Josh’s eyes burning from the onslaught.
He smiled at Auntie Chen and held her hands as he said, “Thank you so much. That meant so much to me.”
A throat clearing from the doorway had the two of them turning to see Auntie Chen’s husband standing there with his arms crossed.
“Josh, are you trying to steal my wife again?” he said, amusement in his voice.
He chuckled and said, “No, of course not,” at the same time she answered, “Yes, we’re running away together. You’ll have to take care of the market without me.”
The three of them dissolved in laughter. Josh had never been so happy. Only one thing could make it better, and he was probably anxiously awaiting Josh's return home.
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Josh burst through the door to his and Riley’s condo to find him on the couch, laptop atop his lapdesk on his lap.
Riley jumped to standing when Josh flew in and almost sent the whole computer setup flying, but luckily he had good reflexes.
Hell, Riley had goodeverything.
“How did it go?” he said, flustered as he untangled himself from the laptop cord and set everything on the couch so he could rush to Josh.
Josh hadn’t moved from the doorway yet, basking in the view of Riley in his natural habitat. He looked fresh from the shower after his morning workout at the gym, dressed in his coziest sweats and the hoodie Josh had been wearing the day before.
