Take My Breath Away

Seeing that Debbie wanted to leave, Curtis smiled with resignation. "Debbie, it's just a dinner. Come on."

Debbie took a deep breath, but her mind was made up. "I'm not hungry anymore," she said stubbornly to her husband, refusing to look at or talk to Curtis.

Carlos turned around and explained to her, "This is Colleen's restaurant. And it's expensive, to boot. Let's just eat and let Curtis pay the bill? We can rip him off. It'll be fun."

"Since when do you care about money?" Debbie retorted curtly. The VIP card for the fifth floor of Alioth Building cost a million each. Carlos had given Debbie and each of her closest friends a card like that without blinking. Of course, right now, he wasn't complaining about the cost. He was trying to pull a prank.

With a smile, he coaxed, "Hey, I get it. But you're hungry, right? Since we're already here, let's get something to eat."

Debbie knew Carlos wouldn't let her leave, so she reluctantly followed the two men inside. Nothing would be gained by continuing to resist, so she decided maybe she was hungry, after all.

Curtis led them into a booth. Before they walked in, a waiter had already carried a pot of soup stock inside the booth, and put it on the stove to heat it. A faint delicious smell filled the air when the three stepped inside.

They took their seats. Debbie sat next to Carlos, and Curtis was on his other side.

Soon, the waiter brought in several ingredients so they could finish making the hot pot. There was thinly sliced lamb and goat, beef, egg noodles, bok choy, crown daisy and winter melon, spinach, lettuce, carrots, taro, daikon, and watercress. Not to mention various condiments like soy sauce, garlic, white pepper and XO sauce. The ingredients here were much more exquisite than those she had eaten at other hot pot restaurants she'd tried. This place looked like it catered to an upscale clientele. Which was appropriate since she was here with Carlos.

Assuming Curtis and Carlos were going to eat with her, she didn't stop the waiters from bringing in dish after dish. There was enough for a sumptuous feast.

When the stock started boiling, Curtis picked up some ingredients and threw them in. Debbie didn't see everything he used, but there was definitely some goat and daikon. When the food was ready, Carlos fished it out of the pot with his chopsticks, putting it on Debbie's plate. She ate without complaint and life was good. At least for now.

When there was a lull, she looked around at the two men she ate with, and noticed they hadn't touched their chopsticks. "Why aren't you two eating?" she asked Carlos.

Glancing at the greasy beef rolls he had between his chopsticks, he shook his head and replied, "I already ate."

"Me too. I ate when Carlos did," said Curtis.

Tonight, they had gone to the same dinner and left at the same time. Afterwards, Carlos had gone back to the manor, and Curtis had come to this restaurant.

'So they're just here to keep me company while I eat?' Debbie suddenly felt embarrassed.

Although she didn't want to talk to Curtis, she couldn't let two men spend their evening making sure she ate well. She wasn't that delicate. "Guys, I'm good here. You two must have something to talk about. Go ahead."

Curtis smiled. "I came here to apologize."

"Apologize? To whom? Why?" Debbie was puzzled.

"You tell me," Curtis said. "Why did you get pissed when you learned that I was your uncle?"

Debbie swallowed her mouthful of veggies and answered in a low voice, "Because you're my uncle."

"Hey, it took awhile before I figured out you were my niece. Never mind. Just eat." Afraid to bring up something that might make her sad, Curtis sat there in silence.

Debbie kept eating, and kept a silent vigil at the table.

Though the pot was still crammed with food. Curtis stood up and walked out of the booth.

When the door was finally closed, Debbie raised her head and stared at it. "Is he mad at me?" she asked Carlos.

The expression on her face made Carlos want to laugh. 'Isn't she angry at him? Why should she give a rat's ass about how he feels?' he mused. "Probably."

He decided to tease her.

Debbie looked down at her bowl. "Whatever. He's a Lu family member. They're all the same." Being abandoned by her mom was like an ugly scar. Every time she thought about it, it still throbbed. She hated all the Lus. Since Curtis was a member of the Lu family, it jumped right to her head that he was probably just as bad as her mom and her maternal grandfather.

"No, he's in your corner," Carlos pointed out succinctly, taking care not to upset her. Lord knew she'd been through enough, and he decided that she didn't need to be angry forever. Hopefully, this would blow over. But he needed to use kid gloves when handling her for a bit.

Debbie sneered, "How? I swear, I never met him before Economics and Management School."

She didn't believe a total stranger would take her side.

Our hero decided that he really did need to explain. She just refused to see it right now. "Tell me, Curtis ever hurt you?"

Debbie shook her head. "Old man, you've come down on me for talking during a meal..."

Obviously, that wasn't something she wanted to talk about.

Carlos sat in stunned silence for a moment. 'I guess I can drop it, but did she have to use my own words against me?'

After a while, Curtis was back. He carried a tray with a durian pizza on it. It smelt so good even the thick smell of the hot pot couldn't disguise it. It made Debbie's mouth water and her stomach growl.

She stared at the pizza eagerly, but since Curtis was carrying it, it was embarrassing for her to tell him she wanted a piece now.

The two men exchanged a look and smiled at each other when they saw the eager look in her eyes. Curtis put the pizza down on the table and sliced it evenly. Then he took a piece out of the pie, put it on a plate, and handed it to Carlos.

Carlos set it in front of her and said, "Go ahead. Curtis made it himself."

Debbie was surprised. 'Curtis can make pizza?'

She wasn't sure whether she should eat it at first. She was still mad, after all. Nonetheless, after a moment's hesitation, she picked up the pizza slice and took a bite.

It tasted divine.

Then there was nothing left on her mind but the enticing taste of durian. She wolfed the entire piece in moments. Curtis offered her a second slice. Then he took a small box from the next table and handed it to her. "You're going to England the day after tomorrow, right? I bought an apartment for you there. It's close to your university. And..." He dangled the keys in front of her. "Please. It's my way of making it up to you."

She was absolutely shocked. This was the last thing she expected. 'An apartment in England? Near my university?

That must have cost a fortune. Mind blown.' She looked at Carlos and asked, "So why is he paying for all this?"

Carlos didn't know how to respond. It was not like he was poor. He could probably support a dozen Debbies if it came to that.

"Why did you allow him to buy me an apartment? Aren't you always jealous? Why didn't you stop him?"

Both Carlos and Curtis were dumbstruck. This wasn't the reaction they were expecting.

Instead of taking the keys, Debbie gulped down another slice of pizza angrily. Carlos comforted her, "He's your uncle, he's family. Besides, I don't want you to sleep in the dorm. If you take the keys, we can live there together."

"He's not my uncle. I didn't say it, you did. So he's your uncle, not mine." Debbie rolled her eyes at Carlos.

"Well, my uncle is also yours," he retorted.

"No, he's not. If this gift were from anyone else, then I'd take them."

"What about Gus? He's family too." Gus was the same age as Debbie, but since he was Curtis' brother, legally, he was Carlos' uncle-in-law too. Carlos felt frustrated at the thought.

"Of course not. Don't even try that, Carlos. You just like Curtis' money. Mr. Lu, I appreciate it, really. But I can't." On one hand, the present was too much. On the other hand, she didn't want anything to do with her mom, the woman she had never met.

Curtis didn't mind her reaction. He said with a smile, "It's okay if you blow off my apology. Take the keys. Consider the apartment a late wedding present for you and Carlos."

Hearing this, Carlos took the keys for Debbie and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu."

Debbie glanced at her husband and scoffed, "Dammit Carlos, where's your dignity?"