Circle of Cranes by Annette LeBox

Author:Annette LeBox [LeBox, Annette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781101561676
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2012-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

14

Happy New Year!

Alone in the shop after midnight, Suyin heard a knock on the door. She pressed her eye to the peephole.

“Happy New Year, Suyin! It’s me, Pang!”

“Quiet, Pang! You’re going to get me in trouble,” said Suyin. “That door has a million locks. You’ll never get them all open.”

“These are baby locks,” hollered Pang. “Easy to pick!”

“What if Lao catches you?”

“Pshaw! He’s out of town. He won’t be back until tomorrow morning.”

She heard clicks and snaps and clunks. The door flew open and a triumphant Pang strolled in, carrying bags of takeout and a wrapped gift. She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working now?”

“One of the other delivery boys is covering for me. I saw your coworkers leaving the shop earlier this evening.”

Blushing, he pressed the gift into her hands. “Happy New Year!”

Pang’s gift was a notebook with two cranes on the cover. She pressed it to her heart and then without thinking she lifted her arms to hug him. She stopped in midair, flustered, but he pretended he hadn’t seen and pulled her close.

“Thank you for the gift, Pang,” said Suyin shyly. Her heart was beating fast. “It’s perfect. I lost my notebook in the sea.”

She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed writing Nu Shu. It was the thread that bound her to the sisterhood. Somehow Pang had understood.

Her face fell. “But I have nothing for you, Pang.”

“I made you smile,” said Pang. “That’s enough.”

She tried not to think about Kwan-Sook and the fuss she’d make if she knew Pang had come to see her. But tonight she was lonely and he’d brought her a gift.

“I didn’t want to eat alone on New Year’s,” said Pang. He began opening cartons of noodles in chilies, ginger beef, and sticky rice.

“How can I ever repay you, Pang?” asked Suyin. He was so sweet it was hard to close her heart to him.

“Friends help one another.” His face was open in its affection for her.

“I’m glad you came, Pang,” she murmured.

“Me too,” said Pang. Their eyes met and the world seemed to spin. He leaned closer to her. She reached for his hand. She wondered if he was going to kiss her. For a moment, nothing else existed but the two of them.

When the phone rang in Lao’s office, she pulled away, the spell broken.

As they shared the meal, Pang showed her a letter from his father.

“Father asked the neighbor lady to write it for him.”

Unlike my aunties.

“He thanked me for sending the overseas money. He said I am a good son and he is very proud of me. Have you heard from your people yet?”

“Not yet.”

“I’m sure they’ll write soon.”

Brushing away her hurt, she quickly changed the subject.

“Do you still like your new job?”

Pang’s face lit up. “It’s the finest job in the world. Better pay than a dishwasher. More freedom. I can do my rat catching on the side too. I caught three rats for Mrs. Wong. Easy money! I’ve got a cell phone for my deliveries, and some of my customers speak English, so I get to practice.

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