Carla & Julian - Chapter 3

By Julie Dawn Cole

We left the shop with bags split between us to carry but not before Rosa diverted us to the shoe department and that was even more embarrassing for me. I wasn’t sure what the sales assistant thought of me putting trying on shoes and walking up and down so that mum and Rosa could decide which matched the dress and which could be worn casually.
By the time we headed back to the car and the driver I felt I was dreaming and none of this was real. I had been swept along by their enthusiasm and they seemed to be enjoying every minute. Each time I tried to calm them down they shut me up and mum promised that this was just between us and she wouldn’t say anything to dad.

Carla called back as we arrived at the car and I didn’t know what to say when she told me how beautiful I looked in the dress and she hoped I’d wear it for her when she arrived home. As far as I was concerned there was unlikely to be any occasion where I might risk being totally embarrassed dressing in female clothes and mum had been wasting her money.
The hotel porter was happy to help us carry our bags when we reached our hotel and Rosa confirmed a meeting time for the following day to continue our site seeing. We hadn’t seen much of Mexico City just inside department stores and surely mum would have been fine to go by herself with Rosa. Still even though I was nervous I felt that it had been more fun than going to dad’s office.

Mum helped me unpack and hang the clothes putting the underwear in drawers. I had just as many new clothes as I’d brought with me and I still had no idea why mum had been so generous. Maybe they’d fit Carla and I could present them as gifts.

That evening dad had arranged for the three of us to go to dinner at a steak restaurant and mum said we had enough time to try on the clothes we’d bought with the shoes and hopefully we could choose an outfit for the next day and spend time as mother and daughter. She said that dad didn’t need to find out and that she wouldn’t say anything and to keep it between us at dinner.

When dad arrived from his business meetings he was cutting it fine and we were ready and waiting and freshly showered. It was fortunately just the three of us so he couldn’t be criticised for all work and no play. Whilst we were waiting in the lobby I rang Carla who was in her hotel room alone. She showed me her bridesmaid dress although she wasn’t looking forward to wearing it since it wasn’t her scene. It was a colour which really suited her and I tried to persuade her that she had to do it for her cousin and I wished I could be there to see her and support her. She was quick to respond.

‘I wish I was there with you to see my Juliana in the flesh.’
‘Please Carla I have enough with mum and Rosa without you adding to the pressure. Mum wants us to spend the day together tomorrow and she’s already chosen my outfit. I could get into trouble. She wants me to be Juliana.’
‘You are Juliana. Just enjoy it. If your mum approves what’s to worry about? You have my approval too.’
‘I knew you’d take mums side. I’m not sure if you love me as Julian or Juliana.’

‘I love both, but I haven’t really met Juliana properly yet. I can’t wait.’

We took a car with dads driver to the restaurant that was pretty cool. Morton’s the Steakhouse. None of us have big appetites so we selected the smallest fillet steaks with fresh vegetables and just green salads for starters. The steaks were beautiful and very filling. Dad ordered a bottle of expensive red wine that was a bit strong for me. It was recommended by the wine waiter that he said would complement the steak but not being an expert, I’d no idea what he meant. I sipped mine carefully and mum smiled and suggested I use my napkin to wipe my lips or it would look like I was wearing lipstick. It was a good job that dad was distracted and didn’t hear.

He was quite excited and made a toast since our business was developing and he was excited by the prospects that his new team had identified. He wanted us to relax and celebrate. Whilst we were in the car he had called his father to update him, since he was still acting as Chairman of the Company and we listened into the call. Leaving China had been a big risk for him and my grandmother, who had sadly passed away, but on the evidence of what he’d learned they had China just in time before the crackdown.

Dad told grandad that he wanted to take us back to Shanghai soon since there was a lot of new business opportunities and he hoped to find out what had happened to other families who stayed behind. He said he combine it with a business trip to Hong Kong and had some people working on how to ensure we were admitted to both Hong Kong and then China now we had legitimate Mexican residency. I was quite excited by the prospect and couldn’t wait to tell Carla. Maybe I’d even get into the USA one day and take a vacation with her.

We had an enjoyable evening and I managed to sneak off and call Carla leaving mum and dad to have a chat and enjoy the wine. Carla was going out with her cousin and a group of her girlfriends for a pre wedding meal and they were in a bar at their hotel that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. The other bridesmaids were there and they were really good friends of her cousin and had all grown up together so sometimes she felt like the Spectre at the Feast. She sent a me a photo of them and pointed out that all three of them were smaller and slimmer than her so that she felt even more awkward.
I pointed out that she should just relax and enjoy herself as we’d soon be back in Monterrey and we could meet up and exchange stories.

‘Yes I can’t wait to see you in your new outfits, especially the yellow dress.’
‘Carly I’m not sure about that. I intend to give it more serious thought tonight and then talk to mum at breakfast and maybe I can persuade her that we should return everything and get a refund.’

‘Don’t do that it isn’t very kind and you would appear ungrateful. What’s wrong with dressing up occasionally? I’m accepting it at the wedding even though it’s not me at all.’
‘Yes but you are a girl and it’s only a bridesmaid dress that can’t be that foreign to you can it?’

‘Well I might just remind you of that one day. You know I’m not the girly girly type. What if my teammates see photos posted on-line. I’ll never live it down.’
‘But surely all girls dress up for weddings or parties or even end of college balls.;

‘Not me so please don’t think of inviting me if that’s what you are getting at.’

Carla I wasn’t getting at anything but if it makes you feel better I’ll keep everything and at least show them to you.’
‘Good but remember that they were gifts and you can’t just set them aside. Maybe just wear them on special occasions. Promise please.’
‘OK but I’m not sure what special occasions there are that would provide an excuse to dress as a girl.’

I didn’t hear Carla’s response very clearly but after we said goodbye I realised she said just leave it to me.
Mum and dad were looking at the menu when I returned to our table but trying to resist a desert. We weakened and decided to order from the desert trolley to finish the night. I couldn’t resist the tiramisu and mum and dad went for the pavlova with fresh berries. We’d had a fun night and rounded it off with coffee and since we weren’t in a hurry to return to the hotel dad asked what we’d got up to earlier in the day.

I started to answer saying we’d visited a few sites accompanied by a lady called Rosa but it had been hot and tiring so we’d ended up in a mall. Mum chipped in to say we’d taken in a few shops and bought some new clothes for me but luckily dad wasn’t too interested in fashion items and suggested some places to visit for the next day. His preference was the National Museum of Anthropology to see the Aztec exhibition. It was of interest to me but I thought mum had other ideas.
When we arrived back at the hotel we sat in the lounge for dad to have a nightcap. Really he wanted to escape to the veranda to have a smoke so mum and I had some iced water melon. Mum asked how Carla was enjoying her vacation knowing we’d chatted earlier and I said she wasn’t looking forward to being a bridesmaid but she liked the location and meeting up with her extended family.

Then she told me that she hoped we would find some of our extended family if dad could arrange things and she asked if I’d like Carla to join us if it could be arranged. My face obviously lit up and I said it would be great. I daren’t think about telling her though until dad was sure we’d be safe and we had our documentation in place. Mums aunt and uncle were still in Shanghai and dads contacts had traced them to a small apartment in the Hongqiao area that she hoped still existed and hadn’t been knocked down when the new transport hub had been constructed.
They had married and they had two children that was rare in China because of the 1 child per family rule but one of my cousins had been raised by another relative. My mothers aunt had been a school mistress and her uncle an engineer but their home and possessions had been taken. Mum had been determined to get them out of China if she could but they’d refused. She hoped they’d at least be healthy enough to visit Mexico. She said she wanted all the family to be back together for my wedding day.

I was naturally taken aback because whilst Carla and I were getting quite serious we hadn’t discussed anything of the kind and I wasn’t sure I was ready anyway. As far as I was concerned I was far too young but mum reminded me that I was Chinese and lots of people married at my age especially the women. She was only 19 years of age when she married dad and I was born 3 years later.
‘But mum women might be younger than men when they marry in China but we are in Mexico and anyway Carla is American. She is a year older than me anyway. I thought I’d be at least 25 before I was ready. I haven’t finished my education yet nor started work and same for Carla,’
‘But you and Carly seem well suited. Haven’t you at least discussed it together? We have a big house so you could live with us when you’ve finished college. Anyway just think about it. If you marry a USA citizen it will be easier for you to travel there. Wouldn’t you like that? I had discussed my plans with my mum before leaving school and I had made a plan for my wedding and written it all down.’

‘Mum you were a young woman and girls seem to dream of their wedding day but Carla isn’t like that and for that matter neither am I. Even if I asked her she’d probably reject me.’
‘I don’t think so Julian I can see there is a sparkle there. Mums know these things. Sometimes I dream what it would have been like if I’d had a daughter so we could sit and make plans. It was so exciting for me and your grandmother.’

‘Mum I’m sorry that I didn’t have a sister for you to spoil. Is that why we had a girly time this afternoon and you spoiled me and bought me a new wardrobe and that nice dress?’

Mum apologised and she didn’t mean to sound ungrateful and give me the wrong impression and our conversation stopped as dad returned. He ordered a brandy and settled down beside mum and I excused myself and headed to bed to avoid more embarrassment.