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Mildred lit up at once, hooking an arm around Finn's neck, their faces suddenly inches apart.
"Good boy. You actually know how to spoil your big sister."
"Let go. Look at you, not a bit ladylike. Keep it up and no one will marry you."
He said it, but the smile had already risen in his eyes.
The two of them traded one line after another.
I couldn't get a single word in.
I looked down at the pile of gifts I'd chosen so carefully, given away with one offhand line from Finn.
It struck me as almost funny.
A few thousand dollars, more than a dozen items, a whole week of research.
I'd asked the sales clerks, asked my friends, picked only the best-reviewed things on the market.
And here, not one had even been opened before it was sentenced to death.
"Violet."
Finn finally came over.
"Mildred's just blunt. Don't take it to heart."
"We grew up together since we were kids. My mom always wanted a daughter, so she's especially fond of her."
"Basically treats her like half a daughter, that's why she gets away with so much here. Don't mind it."
Before I could say anything, a voice came from behind me.
"Come on, dinner's ready."
May Sanchez came out carrying the dishes and called everyone to the table.
Mildred was the first to rush over, claimed a seat at the table, and patted the chair beside her.
"Finn! Sit here, quick, I saved you a spot!"
Finn paused, then turned and glanced back at me.
I looked at him too.
Before we came I'd said more than once that I'd be nervous, that I hoped he'd look out for me a little.
He'd clapped a hand to his chest and promised me, again and again.
"Relax, baby. At my place, you think I'd let anyone leave you out?"
"Besides, my mom's been dying for her son to bring a girl home."
"You show up, and my whole family treats you like a treasure. They'll be thrilled."
But now, with Mildred there keeping the mood lively,
I was like a stranger who'd wandered in by mistake, pushed into a corner as if I didn't matter.
Finn hesitated for two seconds, then walked over anyway and sat down beside Mildred.
"Violet, you sit over there."
May pointed to the seat at the very corner of the table, farthest from the head, nearly against the wall.
"That spot's cooler. You just got here, I know you don't like the heat."
I pressed my lips together, walked over, and sat down.
The bowl and chopsticks in front of me were new, but the cup had a cartoon cat printed on it, different from every other cup on the table.
Clearly something dug out at the last minute.
Then I saw the table crowded with dishes, and my face fell again.
Spicy braised ribs, spicy braised pork trotters, spicy Cajun boil, fiery hot-and-spicy braised pork...
Not one that wasn't loaded with heat.
"Finn, try this one. I helped your aunt mix the sauce, it's way better than what you had before."
Mildred set a rib in Finn's bowl.
Finn bent his head, took a bite, nodded. "Mm, not bad."
"Of course!"
Mildred's eyes curved into little crescents. "Auntie has me giving her tips when she cooks now. I'm practically half her daughter."
May, laughing, ladled more soup into Mildred's bowl. "You sweet-talking child. I'd love to have you here every day."
"Then I'll come mooch dinner off you every day, Auntie. No complaining that I'm a bother."
"No bother, no bother. Just one more pair of chopsticks."
The three of them talked away, laughter circling above the table.
I sat in the corner, and out of a whole table of food there wasn't a single bite I could eat.
All I could do was quietly ladle myself a bowl of soup.
"Sis, why are you only drinking soup? Eat something, quick."
Mildred propped her chin in both hands and tilted her head at me.
"Look how thin you are. Finn, don't you feel bad for her?"
Finn just smiled beside her. "She never eats much anyway."
"That won't do! Once she marries in, she'll have to get used to how much this family eats, or Auntie's cooking all goes to waste."
This family.
My brow tightened at once, but clearly no one but me thought anything was off.
Mildred slapped Finn on the thigh.
"You little brat, why aren't you getting food for your girlfriend?"
Finn looked down with a small laugh, picked up his chopsticks, and dropped a piece of spicy rib into my bowl.
I didn't move. "I told you, I don't eat spicy."
The air went strange and quiet in an instant.
Finn frowned.
"My mom worked so hard to make this whole table of food. Even just to be polite, you could eat a couple of bites."
I said it again. "Finn, you know I can't eat spicy."
Mildred stuck her tongue out playfully.
"I'm so sorry. Uncle and Auntie know I've loved spicy food since I was little. They probably made it all for me."
"Since Violet can't eat it, maybe I'll just order a few more dishes..."
She said it, but her body made no move to do anything.
"Millie, you don't need to order anything."
Finn's face darkened all at once, and he turned to look at me.
"Are you eating or not?"
I looked at him in silence, said nothing.
Finally, Finn dropped his chopsticks down hard.
"If you're not eating, leave it there. It wasn't made for you anyway."
I gave a small "oh" and turned to leave.
Finn's hand shot out and gripped my wrist.
"Where do you think you're going? Two words of criticism and you throw a tantrum?"
"What did you say before we came? You said you'd make a good impression on my parents."
I lifted my head and looked at him.
"From the moment we walked in, did you ever once remember I'm your girlfriend?"
"I put real thought into picking those gifts. Your family didn't like them."
"You asked me six times before this what I eat, whether I could handle spice."
"And in the end, of every dish on that table, not one wasn't spicy."
"Finn, the way things are going, I don't think we're right for each other."
"Let's just break up."
