Rewritten Past

Wednesday came and went without much happening.

I finalized Hero Creator, went over the numbers with Mama Yue, did some other business stuff with her like opening a trust account for me along with adding me as an authorized user to her credit card...

Which she may or may not regret later~

But anyway.

Wednesday was pretty ordinary. I just spent time with April playing Hero Creator and studying between my usual routine.

But then Thursday arrived.

Thanksgiving.

Funnily enough, as if the world itself wanted to add to the drama, it was snowing in California. And not just a little, but a solid two inches of snow.

And just after we arrived too, meaning we couldn't leave even if we wanted to.

Mama Yue shifted the tray of dumplings and other dishes she made in her arm. "...Looks like we're in for a Hallmark showdown, huh?"

Miss Serena adjusted the bag holding her glazed ham and pumpkin pies. As she did, she looked at the three other cars lined up in the driveway in addition to my dad's car. "It seems like we're the last people here..."

April beamed, holding a box of microwave peanutbutter cookies. "Then we get to make the best entrance!"

I let out a nervous chuckle, idly shifting the tupperware filled with mug brownies I made before we arrived. "That's... one way to put it, April."

Everyone else was here. Which meant that our arrival would undoubtedly get everyone else's attention.

And considering that Mama Yue and I brought Miss Serena and April along unannounced too...

"...Man, we really are going to do some faceslapping today, huh?"

Mama Yue bit back a laugh. "Sh-shut up, Al. You can't make me laugh now. We have to at least be somewhat serious, you brat."

I pointedly looked around us at the blanket of white that should not exist in southern California and said, "Considering the world itself isn't taking us seriously, Mom, I think that's a lost cause. But..."

Loud voices echoed from inside. The sounds of some kids chattering and roughhousing. Adults bragging about various things... at least judging from their tones of voice. And then my mom's soft voice trying to calm things down.

"...Well, time to face the music, right?" I looked at Mama Yue.

Mama Yue sighed. "Time to play by ear... Good thing that's my day job." She smiled and then reached out to knock on the door.

For a moment, the house went quiet.

And after a few moments, footsteps approached the door before it opened.

Standing there was my mom, Mei Li.

She looked better. Physically, at least. Less haggard, more filled out. The dark bags under her eyes had faded a bit too. And she also had a soft baby bump visible through her light green sweater.

Mentally though... she looked like she was going through it.

Especially since the smile she had on her face visibly cracked the moment she saw me.

"O-Oh. You're here, Sweetie. And... Yue." My mom looked at Miss Serena and April before letting out a strained smile. "And... you brought friends?"

I could see my dad standing behind my mom in the doorway, deliberately positioned in a way to block her from my aunt and uncles who were talking with him just outside of view. But he glanced over the moment my mom opened the door, meeting my eyes.

And for once...

'Huh?'

...His composure cracked.

Was that regret? Sorrow? Guilt?

Whatever it was, the emotion vanished in an instant as he went back to talking with my aunt and uncles.

My mom let out a soft sigh before stepping back. "Come in. It's cold, isn't it?"

Mama Yue nodded and walked inside. "Thanks, Big Sis. It seems like none of us expected it to snow today."

Mom laughed and said, "Well... a lot of... unexpected things have been happening recently."

The subtext there was clear. But it seemed like neither my mom or Mama Yue were ready to bring it up yet.

Thankfully, Miss Serena was a master at reading the room. She stepped inside, a warm smile on her face and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Serena Rose, and this is my daughter, April Rose. We're friends of Yue and Alex. April, dear. Say hi."

April walked in and held up her bag of cookies. "Hi, Alex's Mommy! I brought cookies!"

Mom blinked. Then she laughed and said, "I see. My Sweetie made a friend... that's nice. Ah, come with me. We were just setting up for dinner. I'll show you where to put everything..."

After that, Mom walked us through the doorway.

Mama Yue followed after her, along with Miss Serena and April.

I walked through last, reflexively closing and locking the door like I always did when I was living here.

Mom noticed and flinched when she saw me do it. But she put on a smile anyway to try and keep things light.

...Ah, this was going to be an ABSOLUTE mess, wasn't it?

Still, seems like things are going fine. Let's just let Mama Yue lead and-

"Well, well. So the little fatty finally showed up along with the no-good aunt, hm~?"

A toxic, sickeningly sweet, and disgusting female voice echoed.

My aunt, Xia Hua.

I glanced at her, putting on a polite smile.

Unlike Mama Yue, my other aunt was a hag. Like, just outright.

She was 24, but years of teaching high school English had clearly taken its toll on her looks. That, along with childbirth not settling well with her, made her the typical chubby bi- witch type woman who dressed up in designer clothes to look important.

Mom flinched and instinctively looked to Dad.

Dad frowned and turned towards Aunt Xia, mouth open to say something.

But before anyone could react, Mama Yue retorted first.

"Funny. I thought the no-good aunt was you, considering you can't even run a classroom and had to open your legs to your school's principal to keep your job. Not only that, you were shameless enough to trap him with a baby too. If anyone's no good here, it's you, Hag."

Oh. My god. She went there.

Mama Yue let out a wickedly sharp smile and said, "Oh wait. I forgot. Considering he's still sleeping around, you must not be good in bed too."

"WHAT?!" Aunt Xia immediately rounded on her husband, Chen Hua.

The poor balding man had just been minding his business off to the side. But the moment Mama Yue spoke, he froze, face paling.

...Oookay, this was NOT how I thought this was going to go.

But damn, Mama Yue. You go. Girlboss your way through this.

Dad's eye twitched. While he looked calm on the surface, to my experienced eye, I could see he was barely holding in his laughter.

Mom had averted her gaze, deliberately taking the bags from Miss Serena and April to keep her mind off the situation unfolding.

Great. Now, since Mama Yue threw that grenade into the fray, we just had to pivot to talking about food-

"How disgraceful." A cold male voice echoed. The source of it was an older man who looked like Dad, but even more stern. Eldest Uncle Long Li.

Uncle Long turned towards Dad and said, "You let your wife's family run their mouth towards your sister like that?"

Before Dad could respond, another male voice echoed. Carefree and nonchalant. Younger, too.

Youngest Uncle Luo Li. With a wild mane of shoulder length hair and a Pink Floyd shirt, he laughed and said, "Like you can say anything about that, Big Bro. Isn't that harsh tongue the exact reason Sister-in-law left you?"