Tangled Vines (18 page)

Li Jin raised her eyes and looked at Jing. She’d never had anyone to trust before and wasn’t sure if she could or not. But for Jojo she needed to start somewhere. She knew they couldn’t just run without any destination in mind. Well, they could, but they’d done that before and it was a tough life, one she didn’t want for Jojo.

“Okay. I’ll trust you.” It wasn’t like she had any other options.

Jing smiled. “There you go. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Now this is what we’re going to do. You’re so exhausted you look like you’re going to fall over. You must sleep for a while.”

Li Jin looked up at the ceiling and started to protest, but Jing held her finger to her lips.

“Hush. He’ll never know you’re here. And you don’t want to be falling asleep on the bus when you have to look out for Jojo, do you?”

Li Jin hesitated. The old woman was right about that. If she tried to travel in the state she was in, she’d be worthless to watch over her son. The longer she sat there, the more her body screamed silently in pain. But she really needed to go—she felt an unbridled urge to be far, far away from Erik. Her gut told her the battle wasn’t over yet and unfortunately she no longer had the energy to fight.

“Now let’s get those shoes off.” Jing bent down and gently pulled her shoes off. Then she picked up Li Jin’s legs and swung them up until Li Jin was forced to turn and lie back. Li Jin was surprised at the old woman’s strength and she lay against the pillows, cradling her throbbing arm. She had to admit, the bed was soft and clean. She looked around the room at the modest decorations and wondered if perhaps her own mother’s room might look similar. It wasn’t fancy but it was comfortable. Yes, that was the word.
Comfortable
.

Jing arranged her shoes neatly under the bed, then stood up and walked to the window and pulled the curtain closed. Next to her against the wall a wooden rack held a few colorful knitted scarves and Li Jin could just picture the old woman rocking and knitting. Contradicting the peaceful vision in her head, Jing hurried out of the room and Li Jin heard her talking to Jojo.

She sighed. She’d just rest for a little while. It was so quiet there. And safe. Erik would never think she’d be right under his very nose. Or would he?

Jing returned with a cup and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Now I want you to drink this—it will help your injuries inside your body.”

Li Jin took the cup and looked in to see a white liquid, with some powdery residue collected around the rim.

“What is it?”

“It’s an old tonic called
bai-yao
and will help you rest.” Jing beckoned her to hurry and drink.

“But my Jojo, I don’t want him to go outside.…” She took a long sip from the cup. It wasn’t too bad and if it could help ease her pain, she’d drink anything. Her body and her brain fought against each other, as Li Jin needed to rest but wouldn’t be able to watch over Jojo.

“
Aiya,
I know that! He won’t leave my sight. I promise. I’ve got plenty to keep him busy. Did I tell you he reminds me of my grandson, Fei Fei?” Jing let her finish the potion, then took the cup and set it on the night table. She pulled a brightly crocheted blanket from the chair in the corner of the room and spread it over Li Jin, tucking it in on each side. She reached up and stroked Li Jin’s head for a moment. “Now, I’m going to get some of my garden peas from the freezer and after we get the swelling down, I’m going to set that arm. I’ll also mix up some salve for those cuts on you and stitch up your cheek. If your boyfriend comes to my door, I’ll tell him I saw you and Jojo get on the bus this morning and I’ll act like nothing is out of the ordinary. We’ll wait to see him leave before you two set off.”

Li Jin lowered her eyes, unable to look at the old woman. She’d realized that this was the first time and the first person to whom she’d ever let go of the secrets of what Erik had done to her. And it was such a blessing that she’d not even had to say the words out loud, that Jing had just known that Li Jin was a victim. Even so, it would take a long time for her to stop feeling it was her fault somehow, to stop examining every moment before every incident to analyze how she could have stopped him.

“Okay. Thank you so much, Lao Jing. For everything. But is it going to hurt even more when you set my arm?” She hated being such a baby but her arm was throbbing so badly. Because of her past, she had a high tolerance for pain but still, she didn’t think she could take any more. But even though the aching was strong, her desire to sleep was stronger and her eyelids felt heavier now that some of her worry had been unloaded.

Jing patted her good arm again. “The pain will be nothing even close to what you’ve already been through. But before we do anything, I want you to rest. You’ll be on the road to recovery before you know it. You just wait.”

Li Jin hoped so. She truly hoped that this time she was making the right decision with her new path in life.

Jing tucked the blanket around her once more, then reached over and turned off the bedside lamp. The quilt over the window blocked out all the light and any chance of being seen, and Li Jin felt reassured by the dimness.

“Now close your eyes. I’ll watch out for your Jojo.”

The last thing she saw before she drifted off to sleep was Jing’s gentle, wrinkled face smiling down on her, and Li Jin thought finally the gods had sent her some kindness.

For the first time in a long time, she let go of everything and just slept.

L
i Jin awoke to a throbbing headache. As her eyes slowly focused, she looked around the room, trying to remember where she was. The layout looked like her bedroom, but everything was different. Where was she? Slowly she recounted the events in her mind. Erik got drunk. Obi attacked her. Then Erik beat her. Jojo wasn’t there. Or was he? But what happened next? And where was everyone?

When she saw the doilies on the dresser and the colorful knitted scarves hanging around, she remembered everything and quickly tried to sit up. The effort made her dizzy and she dropped back against the pillows. She looked down and saw her left arm was in a homemade sling, cradled against her chest. Peeking inside, she saw that her arm was encased in a stiff piece of cardboard and wrapped firmly with tape all around. Also, her bracelet from Jojo was tied back around her wrist. She couldn’t imagine why she didn’t remember how the sling and bracelet got there.

“Jojo?” she called out, surprised how weak she sounded. She tried again, a little louder this time. “Jojo?”

The door opened and Jing’s face filled the frame. She still wore her morning gown but Li Jin could have sworn it was red instead of blue before she went to sleep.

“
Zao
. You are finally awake!” She smiled at Li Jin, showing a toothy smile.

“Where is Jojo? What time is it? How long have I slept?” She struggled to sit up again. She felt like her body was encased in syrup, making every move slow and difficult.

Jing scurried across the room to the side of the bed. She put her hands on Li Jin’s good shoulder and gently restrained her.

“Relax, child. So many questions! Your Jojo is fine. He’s in there right now watching television. He just finished eating—did you know your son is a bottomless pit?”

Li Jin was confused. Jojo just ate again? He was eating when she got there. She suddenly remembered her bag and the money it held. She looked around frantically.

“Looking for your bag?” Jing asked. She bent and picked it up where it was hidden from view from Li Jin. “Here it is, just like you left it.”

She held it up for a moment, then set it back on the floor.

Li Jin tried to speak again but Jing held her finger to her mouth, then pointed at the ceiling. “
Anjing.
Don’t speak too loud. Your boyfriend just came home and is upstairs.”

With that Li Jin felt a shiver of fear crawl up her spine. She needed to get out of there. But when she tried to swing her legs off the bed, Jing blocked them.

“No, you can’t get up yet. You must wait until he is gone before you can go outside, anyway.”

“But how long have I been asleep?” She looked down at her arm. “And how did you do all this without waking me?”

“You’ve been asleep for a whole day and night. It’s morning again! I also stitched your face. And Jojo was my little assistant while I fixed you up. He was so good, I think you might have a future doctor in there.”

Li Jin reached up and felt rough stitches where the gash had been on her cheek and swallowed back revulsion. She probably looked like a monster.

Jing pointed toward the living room. “He also noticed your bracelet was gone and got quite upset until he found it in your bag. He tied it back on. You were completely knocked out and it made working with your wounds much easier.”

“But Erik? Did he come here?”

Jing nodded, a grim look on her face. “Oh yeah, he came. I pretended like I didn’t understand his terrible Chinese, but when he said your names, I pointed at the bus stop and yammered off at the mouth in my family dialect until he stomped away. He thinks you left—and he thinks I’m a crazy old woman.”

Li Jin thought that was probably an accurate assumption of what he thought. Erik had always ignored the local elderly Chinese grandmothers as too eccentric to bother with. “And Jojo? Did he see Erik?”

“Jojo hid in here with you when we heard the knock. He’s scared to death of that man, girl! And I’ll tell you another thing—that child knows a lot more than you give him credit for. He knows what’s been going on up there.”

With the scolding tone of Jing’s words ringing in her ears, Li Jin hung her head. She was a terrible mother. All along she thought she’d successfully been hiding Erik’s abuse from her son but he knew. She couldn’t imagine how scared he was and the thought of him hiding that from her tore at her heart.

Jing patted her hand. “Now don’t go getting all sad again, girl. You’ve made mistakes but we all do. Those trials were put in front of you to help you build your character! But now is the time for your inner mama tiger to come out. Learn from your experiences and you will be strong enough to protect your baby cub. No more tears.”

Li Jin swallowed hard and lifted her chin. Jing was right. She wouldn’t let her past dictate her plans for a new future. She would get Jojo to a safe place and they’d begin a new life. Again.

“Okay, Jing. I’m ready. When can I leave?”

Jing nodded her head in approval and Li Jin knew it was because of the sudden determined look she could feel spreading across her face. Yes, she was ready. Ready to leave this nightmare behind.

C
alli sat outside her front door, her hand wrapped around the photos of Dahlia hidden in her apron pocket. Her heart still ached at the sorrow she saw on her daughter’s face in every picture. Even without them in front of her, she’d already memorized every line and the expressions she wore. Now Calli had to make a big decision and it was the hardest she’d made in decades—maybe ever.

The door opened and Linnea slipped out. “I want to talk to you,” Linnea said, looking back and forth between her and the door. Her serious tone let Calli know it was important. She nodded for her to continue.

“Neither you nor Ye Ye are healthy enough to travel. And before you say no, please just listen. You’ve done so much for me and I can never be at peace until I feel like I have done just as much for you.”

Calli shook her head. “Now Linnea, don’t be silly. You don’t owe us a thing! You’re our daughter and the joy you’ve brought to our lives is more than enough to repay anything you think we’ve done.”

Linnea nodded. “I know that, Nai Nai, but I want to find Dahlia. I am younger and healthy—I can cover more ground faster. You and Ye Ye can look after the store for a week or two, and let me follow up on the leads. I’ll start in Beijing and go from there. Jet can come with me.”

Calli looked at Linnea, her lips pursed in concentration. She had a point—her arthritis was bad and Benfu’s heart was weak. They’d finally gotten control of his terrible cough but any strenuous activity could cause a relapse. That was why she was debating even telling him about their daughter until she had concrete news. She didn’t want to chance that he’d suffer a setback. And who would take care of the other girls if they both left? It would be too much for Linnea to mind the store and the house, too.

Calli knew if Benfu was told about Dahlia, he’d want to leave immediately and crush some heads together until they gave up what they knew about his daughter. But she also knew his health was poor and the travel might make it even worse. She wished some of her older daughters lived closer.

She nodded. “
Hao le
. Linnea, you can go if Jet will agree to accompany you. I’ve decided not to tell your Ye Ye about this
until we know more, so that we can protect his health. We’ll tell him you are going to visit your shirt distributor. I don’t like to tell a lie but when it’s over, he’ll understand.” She pointed her finger at Linnea sternly. “But I want you to check in with us every morning, afternoon, and evening. I want to know you are safe.”

Linnea smiled ear to ear. “Nai Nai, you’re going to have to finally buy a cell phone then. Unless you think snail mail is sufficient.”

“I’ll get Ye Ye to buy me one of the blasted things but it’s not going to be one of those fancy so called
smart
phones. I just need something simple. And we need to go up to the store and get copies of these photos made. I’m not going to chance these getting lost.” She looked down at the photo of Dahlia as a teenager and her lower lip began to quiver again.

Calli rose and stood before Linnea. She put her arms on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Linnea, thank you. I know you will do your best to bring Dahlia home.”

Linnea nodded solemnly and in that moment, Calli knew she’d raised a daughter she could be proud of. She hugged her close and murmured into her ear, “Please, bring her home.
Please
.” Calli said a silent prayer under her breath that Linnea’s tenacity and stubborn streak would be just what they needed to get their miracle before it was too late for either of them to enjoy it.

Linnea hurried out of the house and to the bus stop. She needed to get to her store early to meet Jet before the doors opened to the public. She’d called him and told him she had something important to discuss with him. She just hoped he could get the time off and accompany her on the train to the Beijing orphanage. Maybe on the trip she could finally convince him he had no reason to be jealous, and he could convince her that he was interested in her for the long haul. She thought a trip alone together would take their relationship to an entirely new level.

When Linnea was about to burst with anxiety, the bus finally came and she pushed through to get a seat. Thankfully, she snagged one of the last ones and sank down. She had so much to do before she left at the end of the week and could feel the pressure building in her neck and shoulders. She reached up to rub at it but bumped her elbow into the man standing in the aisle. She didn’t bother to apologize as he had a trail of wires hanging from his ears and wouldn’t hear her through the beat of his music. This was a popular route and the bus was over capacity with at least twenty or so more commuters standing, swaying back and forth at each turn and lurching forward with every abrupt stop.

First things first; she hoped Jet would agree to go and then they’d need to talk to Lao Zheng to see who his contact at the orphanage had been. If they got the woman’s name, that would be their first step. Linnea would also need to talk to her screen printer to see if the next month’s orders were processing on time, and let him know to send it on in her absence. She’d need to do some quick antique-hopping to build her inventory before she left. She had to pay her rent—and she had to let the landlord know that Ye Ye would be in charge while she was away.

Linnea wrinkled her nose as she caught a whiff of something unpleasant wafting underneath her nose. The men on the bus were so rude and she wished again that she made enough to afford a car. Jet had promised to teach her to drive when she was ready to go for her license, but that was at least a year in the future, maybe more. And it was a lot harder for females to get licenses in China, so even if she was a great student, it still didn’t mean she would pass the exam unless some extra money exchanged hands. Jet could probably help her with that, too, as he knew the people with the clout to get her papers chopped.

Finally they reached her stop, and Linnea stood and pushed to get to the door. She stepped off the bus and immediately saw Jet standing on the opposite corner. Linnea started to wave but then realized he wasn’t alone. He was talking to someone who gestured with her hands, flamboyantly trying to describe something.

Linnea squinted to get a better look and saw the young woman was at least a few years older than Linnea and obviously from the same side of town as Jet. She was a picture of perfection with her neat slacks and designer purse, sunglasses propped on her head, and gold bangles on her wrist reflecting the rays of the sun. Linnea noticed that her hair was trimmed neatly in a style that she had recently seen on the cover of a fashion magazine at the corner newsstand. Linnea reached up and felt the long, simple braid that fell over her shoulder. She’d taken about twenty seconds to put herself together this morning. There was no doubt about it; the girl was much prettier than Linnea.

Deflated, Linnea slowly walked toward her store, keeping them in view. She was earlier than he thought she’d be, obviously. But why meet the girl over here? Right in front of Linnea’s own store? How cruel could he be?

She stuck her key in the door as she watched them from the corner of her eye, saw Jet kiss her on the cheek, then wave good-bye. She felt sick. Her world had just crumbled right before her very eyes. So it had finally happened. He’d found someone closer to his background to be with. Someone rich and gorgeous—a girl to make his parents proud. Linnea half expected to see the girl climb into a fancy car but she couldn’t look any longer.

She felt her knees begin to give out and she leaned on the door. She would not cry. She would not shed one damn tear for him to see. As she stood taking deep breaths, she heard him come up behind her.

“Linnea! Hi—you sure got here fast! What do you want to talk about?”

Linnea opened the door and went in, carefully setting her bag on the counter. She wouldn’t bring it up, she told herself. He’d tell her that it was a friend, or something. She knew he would. She turned to face him, pausing to give him time to say who he’d just been talking to.

“Linnea? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He reached out and gently took one of her hands.

So that was how he was going to play it. Linnea struggled whether to ask or not. She didn’t want to look insecure. But if it had been innocent, wouldn’t he have mentioned who she was?

“Oh, everything is fine. I just wanted to tell you that Sky and I are taking a trip.” She kept her voice neutral. She wouldn’t let him know how much he’d just rocked her world. She might be a poor girl from the wrong side of town, but she still had her pride.

The look that crossed his face was payment enough for the hurt he’d just caused her. While he sputtered with his questions, Linnea pulled her hand away, turned around, and busied herself with counting out the cash for her register. Let him suffer, she thought. He deserved it.