Fake Dates and Mooncakes

by Sher Lee

Grief has a way of sneaking up on you when you’re least expecting it. A song, a phrase, a scent…then you’re falling into an empty space inside that you thought you’d patched. That you thought could bear the weight.

For once, the guy I have a crush on isn’t either terminally straight or already taken.

“He lives in a huge mansion and drives a Ferrari. I ride a bike with a squeaky front wheel. Our worlds are as far apart as the sun and the moon.” “They align every now and then,” Aunt Jade points out. “Eclipses are pretty memorable.”

“Actually, Uncle Herbert, MSG is a naturally occurring amino acid in tomatoes and cheese, which is extracted and fermented in a way similar to yogurt and wine,” he says. “I know you love a glass of cabernet sauvignon—so the myth that MSG in Chinese food is bad for health isn’t just untrue but actually xenophobic.”

“There’s a Chinese saying my aunt loves: yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì.” “What does it mean?” Catherine asks. “ ‘We have the destiny to meet across a thousand miles.’ ” I don’t dare to look at Theo. “That’s kind of how I felt when we met. The way our paths crossed was so out of the blue that I couldn’t help but think something in the universe must’ve aligned.”

As we move in a circle, I imagine we’re two planets in the same orbit, his gravity the only thing holding me in place.

“Pretty sure Theo’s got more than takeout in mind.” She grins. “You know, Netflix and chill. Or should that be IMAX and climax?”

(I’m the kind of guy who cuts a flattened tube of toothpaste in half to get the last bit out.)

“Yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì,” I say. “ ‘We have the destiny to meet across a thousand miles.’ ”

“If two people have the destiny to meet, not even a thousand miles can keep them apart.” My composure threatens to crumble. I can’t let him see I’m dying inside. “But if they don’t, their paths won’t cross even if they’re right in front of each other.”

“Giving your heart to someone is like learning to ride a bike. You’ll skin your elbows and knees, but the pain will pass. You’ll heal. And one day, the scars will be a memory, not of falling, but of getting up again.”

“Because every story can have a different ending.” Aunt Jade’s expression is meaningful. “It all depends on which one you want to believe in.”

“I guess I learned that when everything seems impossible,” I finish, “sometimes the best thing you can do is keep calm and make mooncakes.”

Por Por leans closer with a conspiratorial smile. “Gong Gong used to tell your mummy and Auntie Jade, ‘Find a guy who would fly to the moon and back for you.’ ” She glances at Theo, who’s in the garden snipping flowers, and giggles. “This is close enough.”

“What you told my dad just now…you didn’t give me a fraction of what I have, Dylan.” His voice cracks a little. “You gave me a whole missing piece.”

“Yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì,” I tell him. Theo smiles. “We have the destiny to meet across a thousand miles.” He wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me closer. “I’m glad we found our way to each other.”