The Anthony Brothers - Accidental Love (#1), Contemporary Romance Series (3 page)

It was an odd thing for Jin to finally experience his homeland. He looked like practically everyone else – a stark contrast to the kind of upbringing he had, growing up in a home that proved to be a melting pot of several different races. He was used to diversity, uniformity somewhat unsettled him.

It didn’t help that the striking similarities in features did not actually translate to similarities in character. Jin realized that though everything about his outward appearance screamed Chinese, everything about him on the inside was decidedly American. It hit him how little he knew about Chinese culture.

They stepped out of the airport and Mei-Ling began speaking in rapid Chinese towards a man in charge of getting them a cab – whether it was Mandarin or Cantonese, Jin didn’t know because he couldn’t really tell the difference. Jin found himself pathetically helpless in assisting Mei-Ling, because he felt completely lost. He’d felt like a fish out of water among his own people – something he never felt around his family.

At that point, Mei-Ling was in complete control and Jin could only respond when she turned to him for help.

Once they got into the cab, Jin mainly focused on the places they were passing by, appreciating the beauty of the city they were in. As he stared out the taxi’s window, he recalled fond memories he shared with Mei-Ling. One in particular drew a smile from his lips.

It was their second or third date. Mei-Ling had suggested that they try some good Chinese cuisine for a change. Her eyes grew wide when Jin wrinkled his nose, confused, and asked, “You mean like Mr. Wong’s Take-Out? Because that’s pretty much as far as I’ve gone in terms of Chinese cuisine…”

Mei-Ling was horrified – so much so that she took it upon himself to make him a “proper Chinese dinner” in her apartment. It was his one of his favorite memories of her – even though he was anxious for most part of the meal, because he kept on trying to figure out how to use the chopsticks.

“I thought you said you ate Mr. Wong’s Take-Out?” Mei-Ling questioned him.

He blushed. “I used a fork on the noodles.”

In hindsight, Jin was surprised that Mei-Ling didn’t go ahead and hit him over the head with the chopsticks in hopes of knocking some Chinese sense into him.

Jin couldn’t hold back a chuckle at the memory, grabbing Mei-Ling’s attention as they went ahead with the ride.

Curious, she looked him in the eye and, with a hesitant smile on her lips, asked, “Why are you laughing?”

He grinned. “I remembered our first date. Can’t help but think how thankful I am that you taught me how to use chopsticks before meeting your family.”

Mei-Ling gave him half a smile and seemingly distracted, looked out the window.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her close. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “It’s nothing really. It’s just that…”

“Go ahead, Mei. Tell me.”

“You’re the first guy I’m taking home to meet my parents. I’ve kept them up-to-date in the progress of our relationship. My mother and sister are excited to see you and they already know that you’ve proposed and that I said yes.”

“Okaaay…” Jin drawled. “That’s a good thing, Mei. What’s the matter?”

“It’s my father I’m worried about. He’s always been very protective of me, considering I’m his firstborn.”

Attempting to lighten the mood, Jin chucked a fist on the line of her jaw. “I never pegged you to be a daddy’s girl, Mei.”

Despite her anxiety, she feigned a pout. “I’m glad you’re here, Jin.”

“I’m glad I’m here too,” Jin nodded, wondering where this playful side of him was coming from. He was normally the quiet, reserved one among the brothers, but there was something about Mei-Ling that really brought out the fun-loving, playful part of his character. “Seriously though, Mei… I can’t really blame Mr. Lee. I’d be very protective too if I had a daughter as beautiful as you.” He rested his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. “Here’s to me hoping our daughters turn out to be as pretty as you.”

“Daughters?” Her eyes narrowed. “Jin, you do realize that it’s expected that I will have just one child?”

Jin could feel his face drain of color. The implications of what she said knocked the breath out of him.
One child?
Growing up in a big family, he’d always wanted to have at least three or four children. More than that however, what messed him up with what she just said was the notion of living in China. Is that what she would want?
Am I really prepared to pack up and leave everything behind to live here?

He was relieved when Mei-Ling began to chuckle. “You should see the look on your face, Jin. It’s precious.” She then instructed the driver to stop at a corner. “We’re here,” she informed Jin as she took out a couple of bills and paid the driver.

Normally, Jin would’ve felt bad about not being prepared to pay the driver, considering he still had American dollars on him. However, he was far too distracted by their recently concluded conversation. The thought of moving there hit him so hard and for the first time, he was met with one unsettling question:
How much am I willing to give up for love?

It was the most uncomfortable dinner of Jin’s life. Just as Mei-Ling predicted, her mother, Xiaoli, and sister, Lingwei, were very accommodating of Jin. It was Mr. Lee who appeared stiff and wary of Jin. Dinner conversation was stunted and in his anxiety, Jin pretty much forgot everything he learned about using chopsticks.

Mr. Lee spoke in their native tongue toward Mei-Ling.

Mei-Ling swallowed hard and leaned toward Jin. “My father wants to know more about your background and family.”

Jin gulped as he dropped his chopsticks on his plate. “Are you going to interpret for us or something?”

Mei-Ling shook her head. “It’s unnecessary. My father can understand English. He simply has trouble speaking it and prefers to have himself interpreted.”

Jin mouthed, “oh,” before directing his attention toward Mr. Lee. “Well, sir. I was adopted by an American couple when I was very young. They raised me with four brothers, all of whom are also adopted and from different nationalities. The way we’re brought up, our cultural background wasn’t made to matter so much. It’s only now that I’ve met your daughter that I’ve been trying to connect to my Chinese roots.”

Mr. Lee stared at him for a prolonged period of time, causing an awkward silence to follow as uncomfortable glances were exchanged over the dinner table. He then spoke to Mei-Ling.

Mei-Ling gave her father a lingering gaze before once again shifting attention to her fiancée. “He says that he finds your background interesting. However, he is concerned about the fact that you don’t know much about the Chinese culture. He’s asking if you know who your birth parents are.”

Jin shook his head. “No, sir. I never thought to ask. I was very content as a child. My brothers and I – we had quite the happy childhood. The matter was simply never brought up.”

Mr. Lee straightened on his seat and leaned over the dinner table. He gave Jin a pointed look and in a thick Chinese accent, asked, “I wonder, Jin, how you are able to live life not knowing where you came from. How then do you know where to go?”

“Father…” Mei-Ling began to interrupt.

Jin figured that she was probably worried that he might take the matter too sensitively. “No, Mei. It’s okay. Your father’s right. My past is a part of me that I ought to understand.”

Mr. Lee began to once again address his daughter in Chinese, stood up from the table and bade his leave without even as much as a second glance toward Jin.

“What did he say?” Jin asked.

Mei-Ling exchanged glances with her mother and sister, who were both giving her sympathetic looks, before she replied. Wetting her lips, she tried to smile at her boyfriend. “He said that you should probably know more about your background. He also wishes to fly to the US with my mother and Lingwei in order to meet your family. Only then is he willing to speak to you about marriage.”

“Are you implying that we need his approval in order to get married?” The moment the words escaped his lips, Jin wished he could take it back.

Xiaoli’s almond eyes widened the moment he uttered the question. Not knowing how to speak in English, she began rapidly speaking Chinese at Mei-Ling, who blushed red.

“What’s going on?” Jin mouthed at Lingwei, who at thirteen years old, spent more time in the internet than with her family and could speak better English than even Mei-Ling.

A smile appeared on Lingwei’s cute face. “You are in so much trouble,” she whispered at Jin.

Jin swallowed hard.
Oh dear God, what have I done?

Later that night, Jin checked in to a hotel. Considering how conservative her parents were, Mei-Ling staying with him was out of the question. She was to stay at her parents’ home and they were to see each other the next day.

The moment Jin arrived in the comforts of his hotel suite, he picked up the phone and dialed his mother’s number. It was such a thread of comfort when he heard Mavis’ sweet voice from the other side of the line.

Mavis immediately barraged him with a flood of questions. “So? How was your flight? How is Hong Kong? Have you met Mei’s family? When are you getting married?”

Jin sat on the edge of his bed and patiently answered his mother’s questions, telling her in detail what happened at dinner earlier that night. Once he was done, he uncomfortably asked her, “Ma, I hate to do this, because you know that you’re the only mother I’ve ever known and I feel nothing but gratefulness for how you and dad raised us, but I think it’s time I get to know who my birth parents are. Not just because of Mr. Lee’s demands, but for myself too…”

“Oh, Jin, I never meant for you or your brothers to feel like you weren’t allowed to ask me about your past. I’ve just been waiting for you to ask. I know that finding your birth families won’t ever change the bond our family has,” Mavis explained, her voice slightly choked with tears. “I wish I could help you some more, son, but all that your father gave me after bringing you home is your birth certificate and the contact number of the adoption agency that gave you to him.”

“That’s a great place to start from, Ma.”

“Well, okay. Let me just look for them…”

Jin waited for his mother to get the objects and return to the phone. She gave him the name and contact number of the adoption agency, then they made arrangements for Santana to fax the birth certificate to Jin.

Strangely, it was a quick conversation with his youngest brother that helped ease his mind about the whole matter.

“Gotta admit, Jin,” Santana said in his typical deep voice. “I give you mad props for doing this. I was hoping one of us would start digging about our individual pasts. I didn’t want to be the first one to ask, so I’m glad that you’re doing this.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever told me, Santana.”

Santana chuckled from the other side of the line. “Yeah? Well, don’t let it get to your head, Jin. And don’t tell anybody else either.”

Jin had no idea what to expect. A strange mix of anticipation and dread came over him as he stepped out of the cab and came face to face with the old brick building that appeared to be the adoption agency where Simon apparently got him.

Mei-Ling squeezed his hand to assure him that she was right there with him. He couldn’t even speak out how much he appreciated her presence. He was afraid that if he said anything, he might end up in tears. Not wanting to embarrass himself in front of his fiancée, he kept his thoughts to himself.

They climbed the steps that led to the front door and were immediately escorted to a woman named Regina Petersen, the person who apparently negotiated the details for his adoption with Simon. They were sitting next to her old wooden desk, in a small office that appeared to be in dire need of some maintenance.

Mei-Ling laid a gentle hand over his thigh. “Excited?”

“Scared…” he managed to say, a bittersweet smile appearing on his lips as he squeezed her small hand.

“Don’t be.”

Right then, the door swung open and a middle-aged British woman appeared, holding a file in her hands. “Mr. Anthony?”

Jin and Mei-Ling stood up in order to acknowledge her presence.

“Miss Petersen?” Jin shuffled on his feet and extended his hand to shake hands with her.

“Please. Call me Regina.” An easy smile appeared on her tired face as she shook hands with the couple and introductions were made. She then sat down behind the desk, laying the files she was holding on top of her table. “Please sit down. The last time I saw you, you were a toddler.”

Jin smiled, somewhat relieved. “So you remember me?”

“Of course. It’s hard to forget your father. He was such a pleasant person to have around. I had no doubt in my mind that you were in good hands when we handed you over to him.”

Jin nodded. A surge of pride came over him by the accolades being handed to Simon. “I agree. My father was a good man.”

“Was?”

“He passed away a couple years back.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.” Regina looked genuinely grieved by the news. “My condolences to you and your family…”

“Thank you for your condolences and for trusting him with me. I couldn’t have asked for a better father.”

It was almost as if she were about to break in tears, but the director of the agency was able to quickly gather her composure back. “So… Mr. Anthony, how may I help you?”

“As I’ve already said, I’m about to get married to my beautiful fiancée here…”

Regina and Mei-Ling exchanged smiles – a silent gesture of congratulations from the older woman to the younger.

“…I wanted to know more about my background before we say our vows. My mother, Mavis Anthony, gave me my birth certificate and your agency’s contact details. Is there any way you can point me towards my birth family?”

Regina shuffled through her files. “I wasn’t really able to ask about your family background, but I can tell you who brought you here and how you can find her – assuming that the contact details she left behind the last time she visited, which was long ago, is still current

Jin nodded. “Please do give me anything you believe can help.”

Within a half hour, Jin was armed with all the information Regina could manage to dish out. After a couple of phone calls, they were able to locate the address of one Hannah Kim, the woman who brought him to the adoption agency.

As they sat at the back of the taxi, waiting to meet the person who had the key to explaining Jin’s history, he couldn’t help but stare at Mei-Ling.

She eventually noticed and cast him a questioning glance. “What?”

He brushed a stray strand of her jet black hair away from her small face, his thumb brushing against her rosy cheeks. He then lifted her chin with his forefinger and leaned forward to press his lips against hers. An explicable surge of euphoria came over him when she responded with as much passion as he was dishing out, allowing his tongue entrance between her soft lips.

By the time he pulled away from her, both were completely breathless.

Mei-Ling blushed as she cast an embarrassed look at the cab driver. The driver didn’t seem to mind. “What was that for?” she asked him, before biting her lower lip – something he found utterly cute.

Jin gave him the most charming grin he could muster – not quite having a clue just how attractive she found him. “You take my breath away, Mei-Ling.”

He didn’t think it possible, but she blushed even more, and peering up at him through long lashes, looking like her typical timid and cautious self, she whispered just loud enough for him to hear, “So do you, Jin.”