[ This conversation is a wreck. He sits there, hand still on Yanli's shoulder, while A-Ling leans in to hug her. Heck, he'll throw his free hand onto A-Ling's shoulder as well. Might as well contribute in his own, non-hugging way.
Should he hug them? Maybe. Probably. But it feels so uncharacteristic for him to do. He's used to having to remain ramrod straight and detached from everything. A-Li is the only one who has seen him any other way. Maybe it would be fine to open up like that to A-Ling as well. It certainly wasn't how his father raised him, but then... His father had his own set of problems.
He ends up just sitting there, paralyzed by the "should I?" "shouldn't I?" questions running in his head. But his hands are on their shoulders, so at least there's that. ]
Let's... talk about something else. We can hear the rest from someone else, another time. Let us talk about you, instead. There is so much we've missed. Tell us...
[ What can he tell them? "Everything" is too big an ask, even if he does want to know every aspect of every moment of his son's fifteen years. ]
Family Reunion continued
[ This conversation is a wreck. He sits there, hand still on Yanli's shoulder, while A-Ling leans in to hug her. Heck, he'll throw his free hand onto A-Ling's shoulder as well. Might as well contribute in his own, non-hugging way.
Should he hug them? Maybe. Probably. But it feels so uncharacteristic for him to do. He's used to having to remain ramrod straight and detached from everything. A-Li is the only one who has seen him any other way. Maybe it would be fine to open up like that to A-Ling as well. It certainly wasn't how his father raised him, but then... His father had his own set of problems.
He ends up just sitting there, paralyzed by the "should I?" "shouldn't I?" questions running in his head. But his hands are on their shoulders, so at least there's that. ]
Let's... talk about something else. We can hear the rest from someone else, another time. Let us talk about you, instead. There is so much we've missed. Tell us...
[ What can he tell them? "Everything" is too big an ask, even if he does want to know every aspect of every moment of his son's fifteen years. ]
What is your earliest memory?