Asher, a Universal Studios tour guide, raises his eyebrows. “Speaking of wild, did you know thatPsychowas the first American film to show a toilet flushing on screen?”
“A real toilet?” I ask, pretending that this is the first time he’s told me this fun fact. He must be working overtime on his comedic timing.
“Just go,” Nina says, gently pushing Asher toward the beverages.
We look around the backyard, which looks like a galaxy of blue and white decorations.
“You really went all out with the Over the Moon theme,” she observes. “I didn’t know there were pumpkins on the moon.”
I nod. “Only when it’s feeling festive. Everyone agreed that we should go big since you’re planning a courthouse wedding.”
“Whoa.I’ll officially be married in two weeks!” Nina says dreamily.
“Asher’s a lucky guy. I’m glad his family was able to join us today.”
“Can you believe Pó Po allowed it? You know how selective she is about traditions. She’s not ready to let me go, I guess.”
“It’s not like you’re going off to live with his family, never to return,” I say. “Unless you are, then…” I move my hands up and down as though I’m weighing the options.
Nina grabs me by the arm. “Hey, let’s go to The Spaceship.”
“Right now? Don’t you have to mingle?” I ask.
“I just need a minute.” Nina leads the way to the front yard and climbs up the ladder of our treehouse. Dad built it for us when we were young enough to believe that the structure had magical powers. Now we just like to pretend that it does. We named it The Spaceship because it took us on journeys beyond our wildest imaginations.
“Can this thing still support both of us?” I call up to her.
“If not, we go down together!” she yells back.
I grip each bar tightly and slowly climb the ladder, pressing my body against the metal rungs. “Remember when we used to play up here and pretend we were flying to the moon?” I ask, finally making it up the ladder. The treehouse floor is patterned by the shadows of the tree branches, creating a thousand different ever-changing shapes.
“It was just us and the stars and that parrot that would never stop squawking,” Nina says. She leans back against one of the treehouse’s walls. I join her on the floor.
Nina pulls out a little red box from the pocket of her dress. “I got you something. Just a little maid of honor gift, even though there’s technically not going to be bridesmaids.”
“No! Today’s supposed to be about you!” I pop open the lid, revealing a little gold horse charm. “Thank you! It’s so pretty!” I string it onto my necklace so it dangles next to the moon pendant.
“I know you don’t agree with compatibility, but Asher’s the one for me. It’s like you with baking.” When she says the wordbaking, I think she’s about to say Bennett and my entire body breaks out in a light sweat. “When all the ingredients are mixed together, it tastes as it should.”
I look into Nina’s round eyes, her short dark lashes curled. “You don’t have to convince me,” I say. “I think you two are great together. Why are you even mentioning it? I thought you don’t believe in compatibility or the Chinese zodiac.”
Like Mom, Nina wanted to do something completely different than the family business. Her interest in the zodiac didn’t stick like it did for me. The irony with Mom is that she married someone compatible to her Dog sign.
“But you do. And Pó Po and Auntie do. I know you all worry that I’m going to end up with someone who I compete with all the time because we care too much about our own opinions.” Nina tucks a light brown strand of hair behind her ears.
“Sounds like someone’s been doing research,” I say.
“I may have flipped through one of Pó Po’s zodiac books,” she admits. “It was a little nerve-wracking seeing all those traits laid out like that.”
“And you worry we’ll think that you’ll have to compromise too much and that you’ll be too critical of each other because you’re both Roosters?” I ask.
She angles her head. “Something like that. I don’t want to disappoint anyone, but I also believe that Asher and I, while yes, we have our differences, are supposed to be together.”
“You only disappoint me when you’re late for our brunch dates,” I joke.
She laughs. “But you have to admit that you didn’t agree with our relationship at first,” she says. “I don’t want to feel like I’m betraying my family by not marrying someone who isn’t a match in the way you all believe.”
“Betrayingis a strong word. The family just wants you to be happy. That’s what matters.”
