Remember You

Xiao Mei. Die? Nadia swallowed. Dry throat. She now saw Xiao Mei the way she did when they first met. A young girl. Only 22. Way in over her head. Nadia was 28. Six years older. She had been married and divorced. Seen death. Grieved. Lost everything, even her soul.

“But I don’t want to die…” Xiao Mei said.

Nadia helped Xiao Mei up. Xiao Mei dried her tears with her t-shirt.

“Xiao Mei… I never meant to put you in danger…” Nadia said.

“But you did… Your ex-husband nearly shot me… I can’t die on my parents… I can’t… They want me to stay away from you…” Xiao Mei said.

“I… I didn’t know…” Nadia said, “If you would have t-told m-me…”

Nadia trembled. Stuttering. She wanted to cry, but was all out. Dry.

“I-I would have l-left y-you alone…” Nadia shook. Unstable. Breaking. Crumbling.

“I’m sorry Nadia… But I just can’t… You need to go back to Paris… I am going to stay here and work as a dentist… With my parents,” Xiao Mei said. She stood forward and hugged Nadia.

“I will always remember you…” Xiao Mei said. Nadia stiffened and pulled away.

“What is that supposed to mean? Like I am going to die?” Nadia said.

“I don’t know how you are going to avoid the Russian Mafia. My parents said they always get what they want. They always do. But my parents can protect me here in China…” Xiao Mei said. Her eyes wide and crazed.

“Everything will be fine,” Xiao Mei said. “Everything…”