The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties, #3)

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

People often say they hate surprises, but see, the last time my mother and aunts surprised me, I killed that surprise, so when I say I hate surprises, I really mean it.

I try to sear every face into my memory, taking the time to hug each one of them before they can escape.

Big Aunt’s chin lifts. “Discipline, Meddy. If you got discipline, you can do anything.”

“Aduh, Meddy,” Second Aunt sighs. “Why you so drama?” “Yes, you always overly reacting,” Ma agrees. “Everything so over-the-top all the time, Meddy. Honestly, is very tiring, you know.” “What?” I feel as though my head is about to burst from all the oh-hell-no going through it.

This is the thing about my fight-or-flight response. It’s completely broken. When most people either fight or run the hell away, I freeze like a hamster and hope that no one notices me because I’m so still.

“Everything worth doing is worth doing the Asian way—that is, with high accuracy.”