I come out from behind the counter. There’s an Asian girl of around twelve or thirteen with Ms. Kang, dressed in baggy jeans and a big hoodie, her eyes wide as she looks around. Ms. Kang pushes her off with an indulgent smile. “Go ahead, Holly.”
“Is that your daughter?” I ask.
Ms. Kang comes over to give me a light hug in greeting. “Yes, she’s my wonder. I had some business in Toronto, and she’s playing hooky from school for a day so we can make it a long weekend.” She looks with interest at my counter. “I had no idea you were here.”
I explain the store split, and we both turn to see Holly looking at a silver backpack. “This is so cool,” she whispers.
“You can get one thing,” Ms. Kang calls out. “Special treat.”
Holly squeals and starts looking around with covetous eyes as we turn back to our conversation. Ms. Kang looks past my shoulder to my counter. “These are your fragrances?”
I move aside and watch as she begins sniffing. “I can see some of what you were doing in your youth,” she says. “These are lovely. Your mother’s and your grandmother’s influence is here, but it’s more of an homage. I’m sure they’re very proud.”
My face freezes and Ms. Kang looks at me curiously.
“Luling?”
“Thank you.”
She doesn’t move her eyes away. “I’ve often thought of contacting you,” she says. “To thank you. I alluded to it at your grandmother’s funeral, but I should have told you how much your perfume changed my life.”
“What?” I stop playing with the postcards I give away as promotions to people browsing.
“It did.” She lowers her voice. “It brought me my true love after all. It just wasn’t in a way I was expecting.”
“Mom, look!” Holly comes over with a huge smile, and Ms. Kang’s face softens as she turns to her daughter. “Did you find what you wanted?”
Holly holds out one of the Pulse Points pendants, a heart on a long chain that can be turned into a choker. “Smell it.”
She does, blinking. “Goodness, Luling, you’ve outdone yourself. I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s exquisite.”
“Thank you.” I take the pendant and show them how to replenish the scent, and after I do, Holly noses around my counter.
“Am I old enough to wear perfume?” she asks me.
I laugh. “That’s a question for your mother.”
“Mom?”
Ms. Kang looks at her curiously. “If you like, but why now?”
She shrugs. “I just want to.”
“That’s a good enough reason as any,” I say. “Tell me a bit about yourself.”
Ms. Kang watches indulgently as Holly talks about her hobbies—skating and reading and swimming—and what sort of smells she likes. I give her a few to try and she looks embarrassed.
“I’m not sure,” she says after testing them, glancing at her mother.
“That’s okay,” I assure her. “You won’t hurt my feelings if they don’t work out for you. I can change them to something you want.”
“I like this one best.” She points at the pendant. “I also want it…sort of. I don’t know. Different? More serious.”
“Ah.” I lean down and pluck a bottle out of one of my drawers. “I don’t have this on sale, but it might be right for you.”
She gives a sniff, then another one. It’s one of the modifications for the pendant scent, but this has an emphasis on the woods aspect. “Yes,” she says. “I love it.”
Holly hands it to Ms. Kang, who smiles. “This smells exactly like you,” she approves. “Luling, you have such a talent.”
