Page 112 of Strictly Against Policy

“It’s been twenty-two long years since you’ve been gone, Dad. There hasn’t been a day we don’t miss you or mourn the time when it was still the four of us. But with time we’ve all finally found our happiness,” I finally said.

Lina squeezed my hand. My grin broadened as I held up our intertwined hands—showing her off. “I know you’ll be happy for us. I also know you’d be just as excited as Mom and Julie to finally meet the person I care about the most,” I continued. “I love you, Dad, and I’ll always miss you.”

I may not remember much about him, but it was all true. I would always miss him.

Lina didn’t know what to say, so she was mostly quiet at the cemetery, which was perfectly fine. It was hard to know what to say to the dead, especially one you’d never met or never truly known.

I didn’t know what to say to my dad either as I became older. All I could say was that it was me, Jonathan, visiting him. But I’d eventually grown accustomed to talking to him, as if he were just there and watching over us with that warm and gentle smile of his.

“You look a lot like your dad,” Lina said softly as we drove back, just in time for Julie and Andy’s housewarming party.

“Yeah?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the freeway.

She squeezed the hand I had interlaced with hers. “Yes. Sharp eyes. Wide lips. Defined jaw. Handsome.”

I hummed, enjoying what I heard. “Say that again.”

“Sharp eyes⁠—”

I laughed. “Just tell me I’m handsome.”

Lina blew out a long breath, feigning irritation. “You’re handsome. Happy?”

I smirked. “Very.”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see her shaking her head. But it was the way she squeezed my hand again that let me know she was just as amused by my silliness.

A WEEK LATER

When I got the call around ten this morning from a frantic Andy that Julie’s water broke, I assumed she’d deliver the baby later in the day. None of us planned on her giving birth within three hours. We’d all been excitedly waiting for this kid since he’d be the first grandchild of all his grandparents.

Now, he was finally here.

I swallowed hard as Lina and me stepped out of the elevator and onto the maternity ward. I wasn’t a stranger to kids since most of my cousins are now married with children of their own. But it was different with this being Julie and Andy’s child.

“You’ll be a great uncle,” Lina said to me when I paused outside my sister’s room.

I looked at her bright, doe eyes and sincere smile. “I’m not so sure about that. To be honest, I think Anthony will be the better uncle.”

“You’re thinking too much. He’ll love you two, regardless,” she said. “What matters in the end is that you’re there for him when he needs you, through the good and the bad.”

I nodded, smiling weakly.

We stepped inside together as I held the pink peony bouquet we got for my sister. My mom, Kham, Auntie Gao, and Uncle Gary were already there, cooing over the hospital bassinet where the baby and Andy were. Julie smiled exhaustedly at me when I went straight to her.

Before I could say congrats, Anthony and Shoua came into the room. Their faces were red with a certain glow. Whether it was the baby fever since they were getting married in two weeks, or if Andy’s call twenty minutes ago had interrupted something, I didn’t want to know.

“Congrats,” said Anthony as softly as possible, holding up a basket of assorted flowers.

“Congrats, Julie and Andy,” I said, looking at my sister and brother-in-law. “What’s our baby nephew’s name since you two were tight-lipped about it?”

They announced that they finally decided on a name during their housewarming party a week ago but refused to tell us when we asked. It was supposed to be a surprise when the baby was born.

Julie looked over at Andy excitedly. He picked the little bundle up from the bassinet and brought him over. He was a tiny, pink baby with eyes that were screwed shut. Straight black hair peeked out from underneath his small cap. An overwhelming sense of love came over me as I looked at him. He was only a few hours old, and I already knew I’d do anything in my power to give him the world.

With tears in Julie’s eyes, she laughed softly. “Jonathan, Anthony, I want you two to meet Nathan Nhia Hughes, your nephew,” she said.

I smiled at my sister, my vision blurry as I squeezed Lina’s hand. I couldn’t speak, but Anthony was still able to.