Tangled Vines (19 page)

F
ive days later Linnea slapped a card down and grinned across the table at Sky. They’d been on the train for only a few hours and already she was beating him in his own game. But he didn’t seem to mind. He’d been so thrilled that she’d asked him to accompany her to Beijing that she could probably get away with anything on the trip and he’d just smile and nod—but then that was his usual answer for everything in life anyway.

She couldn’t say the same thing for his grandfather, though. Old Lau had fussed and blustered about them both leaving. He said it wasn’t good for business but Linnea’s heart squeezed a bit when she realized he just didn’t want them to go. He’d never admit it, though.

Sky glanced at the old man and woman sleeping soundly on the bottom bunks, then whispered to Linnea.

“So, Zheng really gave you all that money? And him having just met you!” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. The train lurched and he grabbed quickly at his plastic bottle of orange juice to keep it from sliding off the table.

“I know! Lao Zheng said that if we found the old director, it would take a hefty sum to loosen her lips. I just hope she hasn’t already kicked the bucket. It’ll be much harder to find anything without her help. Back in those days, the underhanded maneuvers of the orphanage administration moving children around were never recorded. They kept it all in their heads to keep from being caught.”

“It’s probably the same way today, from what I’ve heard.” Sky picked up the deck of cards and shuffled them again. “So how mad was Jet that I came with you?”

Linnea looked down at the table. She knew Jet’s feelings were hurt more than mad. He’d immediately offered to come instead of Sky, but she had rebuffed him, telling him that she didn’t want to take him away from his final months as an intern. She never did tell him that she had seen him with the rich girl. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much it had hurt her.

She smiled brightly and changed the subject. “We can thank Lao Zheng for this first-class cabin! And isn’t it nice we don’t have to fight for luggage space and somewhere to put our legs?”

Sky nodded and Linnea appreciated that he let his questioning about Jet go.

Linnea was relieved not to be in the general hard seats for once, even if they were sharing a room with a retired couple on their way to see their children. “But he did tell me to book the tickets, so it’s not like I’m taking his money for something extravagant without his knowledge.”

“I know that, Linnea. Do you think for a moment that I think you’d be that dishonest? You’re the most grown-up and responsible girl your age I’ve ever met.”

“Wow, thanks, Sky. I think.” Or did he just say she was boring? She wasn’t sure. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She checked to see if she had any missed calls. Not a one. The last call she’d received was from her sister, Mari, in Beijing. Nai Nai had arranged for her to meet them at the train station and Linnea was excited to see her.

“So what’s the plan when we get to Beijing?” Sky’s voice brought her out of her moment of contemplation.

Linnea turned off her phone and slipped it back into her bag. “Well, Mari is going to meet us, and then we’ll go to the orphanage and see if they can tell us where to find the retired director. We’ll also ask if we can see Dahlia’s file. But I’m sure that won’t go over well.” She didn’t mention the letter she had signed by the old man that was intended for the director if they found her.

Sky nodded. “Yeah, they tend to be fairly closemouthed about the kids who grow up there. Are you going to tell them she was abducted and shouldn’t have been there in the first place?”

Linnea shook her head. “Not if I don’t have to. Lao Zheng asked me not to as it could get him into trouble for what his wife did. If we can avoid stirring up a hornet’s nest, I’d rather keep it all calm.” What she didn’t say was that she couldn’t bring herself to get the old man into hot water with the authorities. It looked like he’d suffered for his transgressions quite enough without being prosecuted on top of it.

Sky leaned back on the padded bench seat and crossed his arms. “Wow, I hope you’re ready for what we might find. She could be homeless or even emotionally damaged or something. And you said she’s about my age—that’s a full-grown adult. I can’t imagine growing up without my mama. She’s always been a bit eccentric, but she’s been there for me, you know?”

Linnea nodded, Sky must have forgotten she herself was a true orphan. “Well, I grew up without mine, but I had Nai Nai and there couldn’t have been a better mother figure in my life. To think that Dahlia is Nai Nai’s biological daughter, and what she missed out on. It’s so sad.”

Sky sat up quickly. “Chance is a tricky thing, Linnea. Have you even thought about if Dahlia had never been stolen, then Calli and Benfu may never have begun taking in girls, and you might have been the one to grow up in the institution instead of her. It’s strange that you ended up with her mother.”

Linnea stared at the window at the blur of passing scenery. No, she hadn’t really pieced that together but it was true. What a twist of fate. And now she was on a journey to try to right the wrong, even if she did lose her place in their hearts as a beloved daughter. But she didn’t think that would happen. They loved her. Unconditionally. Of that she was sure.

Calli sat on the stool behind the counter and flipped through the
People’s Daily
newspaper. She tried to concentrate, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Dahlia and wondering where she was, what she was doing, and if she was okay. The photos in her apron pocket were becoming worn at the edges; she’d taken them out so many times to look. She’d also almost slipped up and told Benfu at least a dozen times already. But she’d wait to hear from Linnea before getting his hopes up, just in case. She’d committed to that decision but it was so hard not to share with him, as they usually shared every tiny piece of their lives.

It was only the first day without Linnea and so far business at the store had been steady, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Now it was the noon hour and most people here in Old Town were eating or napping, giving her a few minutes to catch her breath. Calli sighed. She was tired and wished for the day to move faster.

Benfu had tried to talk her into letting him take the afternoon shift when he had seen how she kept stopping to rub her hands while peeling potatoes the night before. He’d gone over and taken the paring knife from her to finish the peeling. Her arthritis was flaring and he said he didn’t want her wearing herself out at the store. But she insisted and she had the twins to help her there anyway. They were an amazing duo and so far she’d barely had to lift a finger.

Ivy came to stand in front of the counter. “Nai Nai, can I have some of the newspaper to read?” She set her empty rice box on the counter. She had run to the corner shop and gotten their lunch, and Lily still sat quietly picking at hers. Lily ate much slower than her sister, preferring to enjoy each bite instead of racing to the bottom of the carton.

Calli looked up from the paper. “I don’t know—don’t you have some unpacking to do back there?”

Ivy shook her head. “No, I already got all the new T-shirts sorted and folded.” She pointed to the shelves of shirts near the front of the store. “See, we already put them out.”

Calli saw the tall stacks of shirts and chuckled. She should have known the girls would have jumped on it and finished the task already. Linnea had promised them both an allowance if they really stepped up while she was gone. They were banking on a good report from her. Even Lily had put away her violin the past few days and did whatever they asked her to do.

“
Hao le
. I guess you deserve a break.” She pulled a section from the middle of the paper and handed it to Ivy. “While it’s still the lunch hour, I’m going to go back and take a little nap, but let me lock the door first.”

Ivy took the section of the paper and went back to her small stool beside Lily. Calli walked to the door and turned the key. She didn’t want anyone coming in with just the girls up front. And she looked forward to stretching out for a little while on the thick pallet of quilts she’d arranged in the storeroom.

“Read to me, Ivy,” Lily said as Calli walked toward the back, pulling her phone from her pocket. After Benfu had realized how nice it was to be able to talk with all their daughters, he’d stopped by and purchased her a phone, too. Calli wasn’t too keen on spending the extra money each month but she had to admit, she was also enjoying the easy communication with everyone.

“Nai Nai! Look!” Ivy jumped up from her stool and barreled toward Calli with the paper.

“What? What is it?” Lily asked, her face a mask of alarm at the urgency in her sister’s voice.

“For goodness’ sake, Ivy, don’t scare us to death. What’s wrong?” Calli asked, putting out her hands to steady Ivy as she jumped up and down.

“It’s a story about Linnea! Look, here’s even a photo of her and the store!”

Calli took the newspaper from Ivy and spread it out on the counter. She read the words and then looked at the photo. “
Aiya!
My own daughter made the paper. Just wait until we tell her about this.”

Behind her they heard Lily stomp her feet in irritation. “Read it to me, someone! And tell me what the photo looks like!”

Calli chuckled at her impatience. “Okay, little one. I don’t know how they got this photo, but here it is. It’s an article under the
Who to Watch in Chinese Fashion
column. It says, ‘
Artist Zheng Linnea, once a child with no name, is the one to watch as her designer shirts are blazing a fashion trail across the city of Wuxi.
’ ”

Lily clapped her hands excitedly. “Whoa…she’s a celebrity!”

“Shh…there’s more. Read the rest, Nai Nai,” Ivy pleaded.

Calli felt her eyes misting over and realized she had a lump forming in her throat. “No, you read it, Ivy. I need to blow my nose.”

Ivy smiled up at her sympathetically, then situated herself over the paper. “Okay, listen. It says, ‘
Major themes in Zheng’s work include nostalgic reminders of Old China and landmarks almost forgotten in her hometown of Wuxi. Also in Zheng’s new store—Vintage Muse located in Old Town Wuxi Beitang side—longtime collectors will find rare antiques and treasures to be bartered or bought. Want a piece of history? Then Vintage Muse is the place to shop and Zheng Linnea the One to Watch.
’ ”

Calli stood up and felt the smile spread across her face. Years ago, the
People’s Daily
newspaper was only used to promote Mao and his directives to sing praises of the work he was doing across China. Now she was seeing her own daughter’s name across the same page. Who would have thought it? She was so proud she thought she’d burst.