The Mago Lives on Pomeroy

By Leopoldo Sermeno Castro

The story involves the adventures of a young Latino couple who experiences the hurdles and obstacles of young love. A gifted young man attempts to utilize his talents to overcome the cultural and traditional lifestyle that he and the love of his life encounter. This book takes you through the various adventures of a young couple in love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Nov 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781489720375

Leopoldo Sermeno Castro

This is Leopoldo’s third novel that he has written. His first book was titled, “State Street Orphans, An Untold Story” is the memoir of his life growing up in East Los Angeles. His second book, “The Mago Lives on Pomeroy Street” is the love story of a young couple growing up in Boyle Heights. His third book, “Beyond the Streets of Boyle Heights” is the continuing saga of the young couple. He grew up in Boyle Heights, so his writing is influenced by his life in this area. He served in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Iwakuni, Japan. He is a retired teacher who lives in Clovis, California.

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Copyright © 2018 Leopoldo Sermeno Castro.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-2036-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-2037-5 (e)

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 11/19/2018

This book is dedicated to my wife, Christine, and my children, Leo, Aaronn, and Adryenne. They have all been my inspiration to write as I continue to follow my dreams as I have professed to them all of their lives. I hope that everyone will follow their dreams and live their lives as they wish. Semper Fidelis!

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A ntonio looked out into the front yard where his four young sons where playing. He took his first swig of the day of his Chiquita, a small twelve-ounce bottle of Tokay wine. He quickly replaced the bottle into his deep pocketed khakis which he always wore for that purpose and convenience.

His older two sons, Martin and Bonifacio, were laughing as they watched the younger twins, Antonio, Jr. and Arturo, who were wrestling each other to the ground. Antonio quickly opened the screen door to yell out, I don’t want those two getting dirty, Martin! You won’t be laughing when I take off my belt off to whip your nalgas! You too, Boni! Martin and Bonifacio quickly grabbed and separated the younger boys, so they could slap the dirt off them. Arturo yelled, Ow, stop, that hurts! Bonifacio responded, Be quiet, the belt will hurt worse!

The mild-tempered Antonio now asked, I thought you said, you were going to the playground? You only have a couple of hours before you must get back here for lunch! Martin, you are in charge, but mind your Tia Bea! Come on Boni, we have a couple of front yards to do this morning. Bonifacio quickly ran back to the apartment, as his father unlocked the front door. Antonio told him, I need to finish dressing, so you need to get the mower and tools before we leave.

Life was different now for Antonio as he was relegated to working in other people’s yards when he had dreams of one day working in his own yard with his sons. He was now a Disabled American Veteran who received a monthly disability check from the United States Government via the Veterans Administration. He was hoping to be able to buy a house, but the VA had so much red tape, and they didn’t qualify with only one income. The disability check was not considered enough to help with Rosalia’s income.

He had spent four years in the United States Army Air Corps, with two years of that time in Shanghai, China. He was a Corporal in the Supply Support Unit which gave him access to every type of military service item. He was a very popular person on the base, but even more popular in the village when he dealt with bartenders and bar owners while he went to visit the local young ladies. His dark complexion was highlighted by his emerald green eyes and tremendous smile which broke many a heart among the China Dolls, as he referred to them.

Due to his contacts in the Black Market, he was a very desirable person to be associated with. One of those guys was the Mess Sergeant Robert Jones who gravitated to him like a fish to water. Antonio realized the value of associating with a guy who had the key to the base Mess Hall. The Sergeant had heard that Antonio was involved with a young Chinese girl named Miy-Lin, who also had a few younger sisters.

Sergeant Jones was very generous to Miy-Lin’s family which could have gotten him into some serious trouble. He would sneak the entire family into the Mess Hall after Sunday Dinner to feed them a special meal. He was, in fact, serenading the second young daughter, Wei-Lin, in hopes of someday marrying her.

Miy-Lin’s family consisted of six girls, of which, she was the eldest daughter at eighteen. There were three cousins in the family which made it hard for Antonio to know who exactly the Sergeant had feelings for. Whoever the young lady was, she was underage by military standards, so one word from her parents would put the Sergeant in the stockade or have him face disciplinary actions which would not be pleasant.

One Sunday evening, the base was on lock down due to the unusual activity of the surrounding villages. There was quite a bit of agitation by various groups, so as a precaution, the Base Commander restricted all military personnel to the base and ordered all non-military personnel off the base. The Sergeant did not get the word as he held his usual Sunday dinner for Miy-Lin’s family. He knew of Antonio’s affection for her, so he finally decided to invite the Corporal to this special Sunday meal.

The Sergeant had gone to great lengths to ensure that his Sunday dinners were made possible by bribing the Motor Pool NCO and the Front Gate MPs. He utilized the serviceman’s’ natural greed of extra food to obtain a military vehicle which was not searched when he entered or left the base. Antonio became a willing accomplice by providing blankets and linen for Miy-Lin’s family, when asked to do so by the Sergeant.

Jonesy, as he was referred to by everyone, was up to something, but Antonio could not quite put his finger on it. As they gathered in the Officers’ Mess room, Jonesy suddenly looked at Antonio, and said, Corporal, I need two cans of beans from the storage pantry. Top shelf, on the right. Bring me the ones with the oldest date on the cans. Take Miy-Lin with you; please take your time soldier and don’t hurry.

Antonio hesitated a moment before he walked over to reach for Miy-Lin’s hand to take her with him. She blushed a beautiful red as her mother said something in Chinese to her which made her smile. Antonio nervously asked her, What did she say? Miy-Lin smiled, She said to beware of the emerald eyes.

He gave her his best smile then squeezed her hand to which she responded by squeezing back. His hesitation was due to Jonesy’s unusual request because everyone knew that the storage pantry was completely off-limits, and no one was ever allowed in there except Jonesy. Antonio realized that Jonesy was up to something, but he would not do anything stupid to offend Miy-Lin’s parents after all the trouble he had gone through to have them share Sunday dinner with him these past few months.

This opportunity was God-send as Antonio appreciated the time to be alone with Miy-Lin because the chaperone custom was getting a little tiresome. Even though Miy-Lin was now considered to be his property, he did not care for Wei-Lin constantly being around them wherever they went. Wei-Lin was certainly a beauty in her own right, but he wanted to be with Miy-Lin by themselves. He longed to give her a long kiss like he had done in the dining room of the tiny eatery where she worked with her father when he had first met her.

As he walked to the pantry, he remembered the first time that he had seen Miy-Lin outside on the street sweeping the small sidewalk outside of their eatery. She was dressed in an all-white outfit as was the custom for an unmarried maiden to wear. She was thin as a bamboo shoot and much taller than other young ladies he had encountered in China. The large coolie hat could not hide her astonishing beauty.

When Antonio approached Miy-Lin, he gave her his best smile, and she politely smiled back at him, almost embarrassed. He looked over his shoulder back at her as he walked away. She took off her hat to wipe her brow, but looked up to catch him looking at her, so she quickly put her hat back on and went inside the eatery. When he got to the end of the block, he knew that he had to see more of her.

To do this, he doubled back past the eatery, as he peeked inside the door entrance to the small empty place. Miy-Lin was taking her long black hair down after having removed her hat. She was breath-taking and once again she gave him a polite beautiful smile. He was immediately smitten by her smile and beauty, so he quickly turned around to walk into the tiny place.

Entering, he looked around then asked, Where should I sit? Since the place was empty, she smiled, Anywhere you please, sir! Now, it was Antonio’s turn to smile, No, I’m not a sir; only officers are addressed as sir, I’m a Corporal! See my stripes; I only have two! My name is Antonio, but my friends call me Tony. He stuck out his hand to her, but she did not take it. She kept her eyes lowered to the floor.

She smiled again, My name Miyoung-Lin, but am called Miy-Lin. He sat down as two other soldiers walked in. He knew these drunk soldiers who made deliveries to his warehouse. They were new to Shanghai, so did not know the ropes. They sat right next to his table but were loud and boisterous which made her nervous. One of them started asking her, What’s your name, sweetheart? How old are you? Can we go out on a date? as he grabbed her arm to pull her to him. Antonio quickly jumped up to hit the soldier in his face as he pulled her away from the soldier.

Antonio smiled, You guys must be looking for trouble because you’ve come to the right place! This is my girl, so you better clear out before I’m forced to whip both your dumb country asses. I’m a corporal, but rank doesn’t mean shit out here. This does! He immediately pulled Miy-Lin towards him and gave her his best kiss leading with his tongue. She was startled at first, but then quickly responded by kissing him back, as she wrapped her arms around him. He could feel that she didn’t have a bra on under the thin cotton material of her outfit.

Her father came out of the kitchen with a butcher’s cleaver in his hand then yelled, You go now! The soldiers looked at Miy-Lin’s father then at Antonio, Hey Mexican, is this guy serious? Antonio smiled, Are you asking me if the cleaver’s a joke? I think he wants you guys to leave! He just called for the MPs on a couple of other drunk guys who came in here earlier, so I’m sure he’s already called them again. Listen you Okies, the stockade is no joke in Shanghai!

One private looked at the other then said, Let’s blow this popsicle stand! They both stood up to leave, so Antonio decided to escort them out. The private who was holding his jaw then swirled around trying to sucker punch Antonio. He had anticipated this coming, so he caught the soldier’s arm to twist it behind the private’s back. Antonio shoved him into his partner as he shoved them both out the door on to the street.

Miy-Lin and her father followed Antonio outside to the street as the MPs arrived. They quickly handcuffed the drunken soldiers in the street. As they approached Antonio, Miy-Lin and her father stopped the MPs to explain to them what had happened. The Sergeant of the MPs walked over to him, Corporal; I’ve just been persuaded to let you go by this beautiful young lady who says you’re her fiancé. Her father also confirms it. Is that true? Antonio smiled, That’s every girl’s dream, but I haven’t asked her yet!

The Sergeant now laughed, I can see that you’ve been in country for some time and know the ropes. This sweet young lady seems to adore you, and her father says that you are a great warrior. Those are words that can get any soldier into trouble. Corporal, I’m not going to take you in because I’ve heard of you, and I need a new pair of boots. Be careful of what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with. These people are looking for an easy way to the states. He started to walk away then stopped and yelled over his shoulder, Size ten R!

As Antonio started back towards the eatery, Miy-Lin and her father, who was named Hoi, came running up behind him. She quickly grabbed his hand to lead him to the table where he was sitting and picked up the menu off the table. She smiled at him, Father wishes to thank you for saving my honor and defending this humble place. Wishes to make special meal to celebrate our union.

He swallowed hard, as he asked, Will you sit with me, so I can learn more about this union? She smiled, Yes, must do what you want, life now belongs to you. You save me from disgrace, I belong to you forever.

She said something to Hoi, who then walked over to Antonio. As he bowed in front of Antonio, he stuck his hand out. Antonio immediately stood up shake Hoi’s hand and bowed a little. Hoi quickly said, No, please sit down. I must prepare special meal! Hoi quickly disappeared into the kitchen then instantly reappeared with a bowl of rice wine. He placed the bowl in front of Antonio, bowed, then went back into the kitchen.

Feeling uncomfortable about drinking alone, he asked, Aren’t you going to have some? She giggled, Sorry, but not of age, forbidden to drink. He looked at her beautiful face as he spoke, I never drink alone, especially when I am with a young lady who is as beautiful as you are. Just how old are you? She looked towards the kitchen then picked the bowl to have a sip. She immediately made a face. He laughed, Hot rice wine is an acquired taste! You still haven’t told me how old you are.

After hesitating for about thirty seconds, she lowered her eyes then said, I sorry, but I eighteen years old. He grinned from ear to ear, as he reached across the table to place his hand underneath her chin to raise her eyes. She was completely surprised by this maneuver, You make fun because I old maid?

He tried to keep a serious face, but could not, as he was bursting at the seams, Miy-Lin, eighteen is the legal age for a young lady to get married in the States! She screamed then ran around the table to hug him. Hoi came running from the kitchen with his cleaver in hand, but stopped when Miy-Lin shouted, I not old maid! Hoi stopped in his tracks and quickly retreated into the kitchen.

Within seconds, she was sitting in Antonio’s lap with her arms around his neck, kissing his face. He stopped her, I need some answers before things get out of hand here! Please sit down, so your father does not get any wrong ideas, but first I need a kiss because you are one beautiful woman! She gave him a deep passionate kiss with her arms tightly around him. Just as quickly as she had kissed him, she jumped up to go and sit across from him. This bewildered him, but he did not let on.

She smiled at him, You believe that I beautiful, but you not see sisters and cousins! He asked, Where did you learn to speak English so well? What did you mean that you’re an old maid? She looked at him very serious, Father teach me, but I not speak good like him. Young girls get married at fifteen to young men in village. No young men around now, all in the army. Old maid at eighteen; live and help with family. No husband now, must marry old man if one be found. Old like father.

Just at that time, Hoi walked in carrying a tray of food. There were many plates and bowls, so she helped him take everything off the tray. Hoi started to leave, but Antonio stopped him, Sir, aren’t you going to eat with us. I would be honored if you would eat with us. Hoi smiled, A good cook does not eat what he cooks for others. Miy-Lin cooks for me, so I eat what she cooks. I will sit before other customers come. I have much to do in kitchen. Hoi grabbed a chair from another table then sat down.

There was a brief air of awkwardness, so he asked Hoi, Where did you learn to speak English so well? Miy-Lin says that you taught her how to speak English. Hoi smiled, I was studying in a monastery to become a priest. English the secondary language taught because it is the universal language spoken throughout the world. As luck would have it, the government felt that the monastery was subversive and a threat to the unification of China. The monastery was burned down and destroyed. Most of the young men were forced to serve in the army, but some of us got away.

Hoi continued, I found the girl that I was promised to in my village, so I was able to marry her and began my family. Miyoung-Lin is my first-born daughter of my three children. She is the light of my life, but she now belongs to you forever. You saved her honor, so her life is in your hands. Suddenly, it became very quiet as she got up to rush over to hug her father who was now starting to cry. Antonio quickly apologized, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to relive some terrible times!

As he attempted to regain his composure, Hoi asked, If I may inquire, what is your family background? Antonio smiled, I am Mexican, as I was born in Durango, Mexico, but now I live in California. Hoi quickly dried his eyes as an elderly couple enter his place and sat down. She also dried her eyes as she walked over to wait on the couple.

Since he was now alone, he figured he might as well eat the special meal that was prepared for him. The meal consisted of a large bowl of noodles with vegetables and small pieces of meat which he could not make out. One plate consisted of large shrimp prawns and the third plate was rice in a bowl.

Just as he was about to snap the chop-sticks apart, Miy-Lin quickly ran over with a spoon and fork. She gave him her best smile while really wanting to kiss him, but not with a gossiping couple around. It is her father’s honor to announce that his eldest daughter was no longer to be referred to as an old maid. Miy-Lin would now be known as the Mexican Warrior’s Maiden.

Miy-Lin was not happy with the many customs and cultural bonds that controlled her existence. She was the eldest daughter which in most cases would be a great honor in any family, not in hers. She was the daughter of a man who did not believe in fighting, especially when it came to the taking of another’s life. Her mother, Joi, had rejoiced when she was able to marry her childhood love since her parents had passed away, so she would not have to live with relatives.

It is an honor to be the first-born child of a family, whether it is son or daughter; however, it is a supreme honor to have the first-born as a son. Miy-Lin was aware of this, so she knew that her father had wanted a son badly. She was born with gray eyes which was not a good sign for a young lady. The color of gray was a very unusual color for a Chinese as it is for any race.

To add to her woes, she had a crescent-shaped birthmark beneath her naval. The birth-mark was situated near her naval and birth canal which gave concern that she would never conceive children. An added issue was the fact that Miy-Lin was raised as a Christian and not Buddhist as most of her village neighbors. Hoi would seek out a Christian Church or would teach her on his own when there were none to be found.

The village women viewed these two irregularities as imperfections that made Miy-Lin an outcast. As she was growing up, other kids would make fun of her and not play with her. Parents would not let their children associate with her, so she became an undesirable person. When she came into puberty, suitors were scarce because the young men were taken due to the impending war. The constant traveling from village to village in search of a place that would accept her was another issue.

Matchmakers were consulted in hopes of finding a willing mate for her, as well as the village shamans to ensure that Miy-Lin did not have demons in her body. Nothing worked, so she resigned herself to becoming an old maid and helping her father with the tiny eatery he opened in the outskirts of Shanghai City.

Just before her eighteenth birthday, her mother, Joi, took into their home, three nieces who were abandoned by their mother. Joi’s sister, Pan, went to go look for her husband who had been abducted and forced to join the army. Pan promised to return when she got word of her husband. That was four years ago, so now Joi was raising these three wonderful little girls, along with her own three daughters. Getting Miy-Lin married off to a wealthy merchant would greatly help the family.

Hoi spoke to a neighboring merchant about her. The merchant was fifty years old and already had three wives with six children. He needed someone to help care for the children and assist with the household chores. He sent over to Hoi, his eldest wife, Choi, who was about thirty years old, to meet and inspect Miy-Lin to see if she was suitable for what they were looking for.

Choi made Miy-Lin strip her clothes off as she saw how beautiful she was. The woman poked and prodded Miy-Lin after having her bend over and lay down with her legs spread. The wife immediately noticed the birthmark and Miy-Lin’s gray colored eyes. She saw that Miy-Lin might not be able to have children and would serve as a concubine and maid in their household. She would not be a threat to Choi’s position as first wife, a position she relished and would never surrender. This beautiful girl would be just the perfect toy for her husband to enjoy.

This humiliation was the last straw for Miy-Lin. She was determined never to be a concubine to any man. When the woman left, Hoi walked over to Miy-Lin to tell her that woman was very pleased with what she had examined. All that was left to do was to negotiate the price of the dowry.

Miy-Lin felt her eyes welling up with tears; he was selling her away like a milking cow. She lowered her head, so her father could not see her shame. Hoi suddenly hugged her as he told her, I would never sell you off like a milking cow! You are my first-born daughter and will always have place with our family for as long as you live!

She could not contain herself as she hugged her father, Father, please forgive my thoughts in believing that you would sell me off like common livestock! I will serve and honor you for as long as you shall live. Hoi kissed her forehead then whispered, You are my first-born and the light of my life. I could not part with you unless you have it in your heart to go. Now, go outside to sweep the front before the customers arrive.

The real only concern that troubled Miy-Lin was the custom that the first-born must be married before the younger sons and daughters could entertain such thoughts of matrimony. The younger sisters and cousins were two years apart starting at eight and continuing to sixteen. Miy-Lin’s inability to marry was making it very difficult for the younger ones to fulfill their dreams.

The morning that Antonio happened by, Miy-Lin was praying to the Lord to give her strength to ignore the men who came into the eatery with their remarks and constantly trying to touch her sweet, innocent body. She did not pay any attention to Antonio when she first saw him. Her first reaction was to smile politely, as was her custom. She did not pay attention to the color of his eyes until he had kissed her.

He had caught her by surprise, so she did not close her eyes. He had opened his eyes then closed them, as if sending her a message that she was supposed to close hers. She closed her eyes when she saw his and knew that her prayers had been answered. Once she saw his eyes, she knew he was the one!

This was the first time that any man had ever kissed her, for the exception of her father. She felt the immediate flow of electricity and energy through her body, plus she knew that he had felt it also when she hugged him tighter. She was certain that he was not expecting her to react like she did. She was confused herself, but she knew one thing for sure, this green-eyed handsome man was here to save her from a life of being a prisoner to a solitary existence.

As the elderly couple ate their meal, Antonio savored his. He was deliberately eating slowly to enjoy the food and be around Miy-Lin for as long as possible. Finally, the elderly couple finished their meal, so she cleared the table and quickly sat down with him. She was overjoyed with the thought of spending the rest of her life with him.

Hoi came out of the kitchen, looking very serious as he spoke to Antonio, Corporal, it is customary for a maiden to be inspected by an agent for the prospective master or husband, but since you are present, you can observe her to make sure that she is pure and unspoiled. It is a custom that is centuries old and only protects you, so that you will know exactly what you are receiving. There will be no discussion on this matter because Miy-Lin also wants this procedure to be followed to the letter.

Quickly, Hoi responded, I know that you are a man of honor, so you will not humiliate and disrespect the customs that have made our people strong. Miy-Lin will be cursed for the rest of her life because if you will not inspect what treasures she has and what she values the most, her virtue. You protected her honor, so she is in your debt, but please do not cause her further ridicule because she has suffered enough in her lifetime. You can go into the kitchen for your inspection. I will close the eatery, so you will not be disturbed. Corporal, I greatly appreciate what you are doing for Miy-Lin because she deserves to live a better life than the one she has suffered through so far.

Before they knew what was happening, Hoi grabbed Miy-Lin’s hand to lead her over to Antonio. She extended her hand to him and gave him a big smile. He could not help but smile back at her. He took her hand then rose to follow her into the kitchen. Once they were in the kitchen she immediately gave he a deep long kiss as she pressed herself into him. This was her way of telling him not to change his mind because she did not feel that he was completely convinced of this union.

On the other hand, he was taken by surprise with her ambush as they entered the kitchen. He was even more surprised by her tremendous kiss and the very intimate feel of her delicious body. Just as surprising was her pushing herself back to start unbuttoning her blouse then untying her pants. As her pants fell to the floor, she took off her blouse to reveal her beautiful breasts that were not confined by a bra.

He could not take his eyes off them which made her blush. Noticing that she was embarrassed, his eyes traveled to her birthmark below her navel. He also noticed that her white panties were tattered and old looking. These things did not detract from her beauty, and he wanted to make sure she knew this.

As he leaned forward to kiss her breasts, he slipped his fingers inside her panties to pull them off. She gasped as he kissed her birthmark then she whispered, No one has ever touched me or kissed like you. For as long as we both live, you be only one to ever touch me. He hugged her, Tomorrow we will go shopping for some pretty and sexy underwear. My woman cannot go around with old and torn panties!

Once again, she threw herself at Antonio to kiss him wildly, I really your woman! First time you have called me your woman! He laughed, I need to see your teeth! She immediately opened her mouth, No cavities or opium chewing!

He laughed again, I was only kidding; I’m not buying a horse or cow! She immediately bent over spreading her cheeks, You see, I clean, no sores! He yelled at her, Please stand up, I think we are done! You belong to me now! She frowned, You no touch best jewel I have. I fully intact! Please see!

Before he could react, she grabbed his hand to place it on her mons Venus. He tried to pull his hand away, but she used both of her hands to keep it there. She whispered, This belong to you, only you! She finally let go then knelt in front of him as she unzipped his pants. He tried to stop her but felt very helpless because she was certainly on a mission.

Miy-Lin laughed, You much happy with me, I see! She worked on him then suddenly stopped. He was surprised, What happened; we’re not done yet! As she started putting her clothes back on, she giggled, Yes, we done! I finish next time we alone. You want me more now. I your woman!

With thinking, he responded, Hey, I thought I was in charge, and you will do whatever I want? What happened? She giggled, First time, we meet. You not ask to marry me! You no want to marry me? He took a deep breath as he zipped up his pants, I wasn’t aware that I had to marry you, but if you want to get married, I guess that’s what we need to work on.

Trying to figure things out, he thought to himself, I’m twenty-three years old with no woman in my life. Miy-Lin is a beautiful woman, and I could do a lot worse than her. I have this fabulous young lady who says she belongs to me. I’ll be going home in six months with possibly a beautiful new bride. What more can I ask for?

When she was fully dressed, he walked over to her, then took her into his arms, Miy-Lin, you do want us to get married? Do you want me to get on one knee and ask you to marry me? She giggled, It custom for man to ask parents first! My life belong to you! You wish to marry, we marry! Father say yes; mother say yes. I say maybe! You teach about making babies and love, then we marry! As he took her into his arms, he asked, How many babies do you want? She giggled, Only ten!

They walked out to the dining room where Hoi rushed over to them. Miy-Lin spoke to her father briefly, in Chinese, then said in English, This handsome man wishes to speak with you Father. Antonio looked at her, Does it have to be right now? She turned to walk back into the kitchen, Take your time, no customers until dinner time.

This isn’t the way things are supposed to happen! he thought to himself as he walked over to sit across from Hoi. The older gentleman smiled at him, Miy-Lin is very headstrong and can be very stubborn when she knows what she wants. I strongly believe that she wants you but is not certain that you really want her. Our customs are new to you, so the idea of loving one another is not a common occurrence in our culture. We have a getting-to-know-each-other-period of three months where you will be chaperoned whenever you visit Miy-Lin.

Before Hoi could go any further, Antonio put his hand up, Please excuse me sir! I must ask you for permission to marry your eldest daughter first, right? Hoi laughed, That is merely a formality because Miy-Lin has chosen to give her life to you. If I told you that you could not marry my eldest daughter, I would create great disharmony in my family which I do not wish to bear. No, you and I agree that you should marry Miy-Lin, but I do not have a dowry for her, so we must come to an agreement now.

Without knowing what to do, Antonio asked, What type of an agreement are you talking about? I don’t want any money or anything of value sir, just your daughter. When I stopped to talk to her, I wasn’t thinking about getting married. I just wanted to date a beautiful young lady. Now, I find myself asking for her hand in marriage. Miy-Lin is in my debt because I defended her honor, so now she belongs to me, but I feel that I must marry her for defending her honor. She has the right to say no, if she wants?

Hoi was looking embarrassed when he said, Please forgive me Corporal, but this is a very unusual situation that I don’t have any answers for what Miy-Lin wants now, except that she wants you as her husband. You have saved her from a life of misery and for that, I am deeply indebted to you. I can only offer a free meal here whenever you wish and my deepest gratitude for what you are doing for Miy-Lin!

She walked in the room then asked her father, Is everything arranged? What are we to do with this handsome Mexican man? Should I marry him or live in sin with him? Please father, tell me you not agree to large dowry because we have nothing to give except all my eternal love.

Her father smiled at her, Miy-Lin, he does not want anything except just you. He is concerned that you may not want to marry him. I, too, do not know what is in your heart and what are your intentions? I cannot give him my consent and begin the process of announcing marriage vows without hearing from your lips what you want to do. I certainly do not want you to live in sin and bring more ridicule upon yourself!

As if shot out of a cannon, she raced over to her father to hug him, Father, I have chance to marry someone and remove shame of old maid. We do not love yet, give time to know. He is man I must marry! Hoi told her, If you must marry him, tell him that he is the man for you, my loving daughter!

Miy-Lin pulled away from Hoi then walked over to Antonio. She could not look him in the eye, so he placed his hand under her chin to raise it as he told her, I want to always be able to look at your beautiful eyes. Please never hide these beautiful diamonds from me. She gave him a weak smile, Antonio… he interrupted her, Tony, only my mother calls me Antonio! She nodded, Tony, I want you to marry me! Many men say things to me; some try to touch, but you kissed me, first time. Want ten babies! With that, she jumped into his arms to kiss him passionately.

The next day, he arrived at the eatery at the exact same time as the day before. He found her sweeping the sidewalk as she had done the day before. This time, he snuck up behind her quietly then wrapped his arms around her. He placed one hand over her mouth and the other one on her breast, while whispering in her ear, If you scream, I will rape you! She giggled, as he released her, You don’t have to rape, I give myself to you! He laughed, I see that you aren’t wearing a bra again? Are you wearing those old panties again? Come on, we’re going shopping right now. Let’s go tell your father.

In the small boutique, she was like a little girl in a doll store. There were so many different choices for her to pick from. She had never worn silk panties or a silk, sexy bra for that matter. When she was in the dressing room, she called out to him, Will you come please? He went to the curtain then peeked in.

She was wearing a matching set of sexy pink panties and bra. He whistled then said, Those are very sexy, but I’d rather see you out of those sweet things! She flashed him a devious smile as she reached behind her to unclasp the bra. She took it off then threw it at him. As he caught it in his hand, he stepped into the small cubicle. He took her into his arms to kiss her, as she whispered, We be talk of village in hour!

He laughed, Let’s give them some real stuff to talk about! as he leaned forward to kiss her breasts. She made a loud moan which brought the owner of the boutique into the cubicle. The owner asked, Everything okay in here? As she hugged him, she answered, Yes, we take everything in this room!

Thus, began the process of courtship where he would come to see Miy-Lin whenever time and duty permitted. Hoi was now very proud to announce to anyone who would listen that his eldest daughter was marrying a Mexican Warrior. Hoi did not realize what type of instant respect he would receive because of his daughter’s impending marriage.

Many people who never spoke to him before, were now talking to him and treating him as though he had saved someone’s life. His tiny eatery became very popular and prosperous. He had to open earlier in the morning and stay open later in the evening to accommodate the overflow of customers.

His second daughter, Wei-Lin, had to start helping Miy-Lin, who was not happy because she could not see or spend time with Antonio. To make things better, he would help by bringing his friends to come eat there. This kept the atmosphere of the customers joyful as they marveled at the Mexican Warrior who was going to marry Miy-Lin. They would giggle and applaud whenever he would arrive. They enjoyed watching him as he kissed and hugged her. One of the soldiers that came with him to the eatery was Sergeant Jones who instantly fell in love with Wei-Lin, the sixteen-year old beauty.

Wei-Lin was now the chaperone that was assigned to travel with Miy-Lin and Antonio. Usually the chaperone was an elderly woman, but Wei-Lin enjoyed the opportunity to be walking around the village with her sister and Antonio. She thought that Antonio was very handsome, and that her sister was very fortunate to have finally found such a prize. She secretly wished that she had encountered him first but would never tell a soul that.

It just so happens that Sergeant Jones started joining their strolls through the village. Wei-Lin noticed that this gentleman would keep looking at her but did not try to converse with her. He seemed to be ancient; about twenty-six, ten years old than her. Sergeant Jones was taller than Antonio, but he carried a small paunch around his waist. His hair was blond, but his hairline was already residing which insured him of being bald in the future. His eyes were blue, but not as exciting as Antonio’s.

Sergeant Jones never made his intentions known to anyone except Hoi. It was through Hoi that the Sergeant could get the entire family to agree to attend the Sunday dinners. Hoi want to confide in Antonio but feared that the Sergeant would get upset because he swore Hoi to secrecy.

Hoi was also thinking about how much his family enjoyed the trip to the base and the delicious generous portions of food that the Sergeant gave everyone. Wei-Lin became finally aware of the Sergeant’s intentions after having attended a few of these dinners. Antonio was not invited, so Miy-Lin was never happy at these dinners.

Finally, the Sergeant decided that he needed moral support, so he invited Antonio to keep Miy-Lin happy. Nothing worse than a woman moping around like someone had died. The Sergeant was acting kind of nervous and jumpy, so he sent Antonio and Miy-Lin to the supply pantry. The diamond ring in his pocket was causing him great discomfort. He wished he had a few more drinks earlier, but he was afraid of getting drunk and ruining everything. It isn’t every day that a guy gets to ask a beautiful young lady to marry him.

Hoi had assured him that Wei-Lin would do what is best for the family. Jonesy just wished he had that in writing, but it really didn’t matter, he’d come to trust Hoi. It was a noisy dining area, so Jonesy took Wei-Lin to the side of the room. He had his hand in his pocket fingering the small box which contained the sparkling ring that he was to give to Wei-Lin as he asked her to be his wife when the tremendous blast came through the building wall. Everyone was knocked across the room as it became very silent.

Antonio was standing with his back to the door when the explosion hit. Miy-Lin had just instructed him to lock the door as she stood in the middle of the small pantry room. She had decided that she wanted him to make love to her, so that the first time that they were alone, she would give herself to him.

As she reached up to her neck to unbutton her dress, suddenly a loud explosion went off. What seemed to be a wonderful occasion to her was now erased by the blast. It came through the door that sent him hurling at her. He landed on top of her with the heavy metal door on top of him. This reinforced door probably saved their lives but was still a lot of weight on top of them.

Miy-Lin woke up in the base hospital a few days later. She had been in a coma but could not remember how she got there. Antonio was in another ward with his right leg in a cast. Her parents, sisters and cousins were nowhere to be found. Sergeant Jones was not around either. He pulled himself out of bed onto the wheelchair that was provided for him to see if she was awake. He had taken some shrapnel in his leg where most of it was removed, but there remained some deep in his leg.

He had hoped to be there when she woke, but after his operation, he was told to rest because it was not known when and if she would come out of her coma. He pulled up alongside of her then reached for her hand. She smiled, but she could tell by his face that things were not well. She whispered, Where my family, Antonio? He lowered his head then whispered back to her, They’re all gone, Jonesy also. She let out a primal scream which brought the nurses who quickly ushered him away as they gave her a sedative to calm her down.

She struggled but could not move her legs. She tried to rip the bandage from her head, so the nurses had to restrain her hands. She struggled for a bit then went back to sleep. One of the nurses walk over to Antonio to ask him, What did you say to her to upset her so much? He grimaced, She asked me about her family, so I told her. Should I have lied to her? The nurse smiled, You could have waited until she was better. She’s going to have to also contend with the fact that she may never walk again! The wound on her beautiful face will heal, but how do we fix the pain in her mind?

Antonio decided to go sit in the sun to try and figure out how he was going to handle this delicate situation with Miy-Lin. He now knew that he had to stay away from talking about her family, and hopefully, start to discuss their impending future. That was going to be hard because he was not sure about his own future.

A few hours later, she woke up as he was there to greet her. She smiled, but it was a weak one, as she reached for his hand. He leaned forward in his wheelchair to touch her, as tears came down his face. He whispered, I’m sorry about your family. I wish there was something I could do to ease your pain. Before she could say anything, two officers walked up. The Captain spoke first, Miyoung-Lin Chang, we need to talk to you about the bombing!

Antonio quickly jumped to her defense, She just woke up from a coma a few hours ago, can’t this wait until later? The second officer, a Lieutenant, asked, Are you Corporal Luna? He responded, Yes sir, I am! The Lieutenant continued, How do you know Miss Chang? He answered, I am her fiancé, sir. Can we move over to my ward, so she can rest? He kissed her hand as she smiled at him.

Reluctantly, the officers followed him to his ward where he asked, What happened to us? No one wants to tell us anything, can you? The officers looked at each other, then the Captain spoke, We are not supposed to say anything about the incident, but we will fill you in as you answer our questions. There is a serious matter of security breach, so we need to collect as much information as we can.

Trying to sound official, the Captain began, What exactly were you doing in the Mess Hall at that time of the evening? Antonio answered, I was invited there by Sergeant Jones who knew that Miy-Lin is my fiancé. The Captain continued, How were the Chinese family smuggled onto the base? Where did the cargo truck come from?

Knowing that he had to start lying, Antonio replied, I have no knowledge about any of that. You will have to ask Sergeant Jones about that. The Lieutenant asked, What were you doing in the storage pantry? Do you know that you are alive right now because you were in there? He carefully responded, I was sent into the pantry by Sergeant Jones to get two cans of beans. You can ask him.

The Captain answered, We can’t ask him because he was killed in the blast, as were the rest of Miss Chang’s family. He lowered his head as he lied, "I didn’t know that Sergeant Jones is gone. I think he wanted to marry Wei-Lin and this was the occasion for