Page 14 of See You at the Sunset

“Mimi! It’s so good to see you. Thank you for letting me come and stay. And thank you for buying my ticket. I owe you.”

They released the embrace, and Mimi held on to Jia at arm’s length, inspecting.

“Nonsense. You don’t let me do stuff for you nearly enough. You think I’m not going to buy a ticket to get my granddaughter out here to visit? And you’re not to worry about anything while you’re here. This is a time for you to rest and get back on your feet.”

Jia felt emotional. Mimi’s reaction to Jia losing her job couldn’t have been more different than her parents’. She didn’t deserve Mimi. She wished her mom and dad could be as supportive.

“But, Jia, honey, you’re too skinny. We’re gonna need to fatten you up while you’re here.”

Jia supposed the recent life of unemployment and uncertainty and a very empty bank account had stolen her appetite and made her eating options almost nonexistent.

She couldn’t wait to be spoiled by her grandmother. Mimi loved a good restaurant, always insisting on sharing a desert after every meal. Jia was suddenly reminded of her lack of fashion choices.

“They lost my luggage,” Jia said with a frown.

“Don’t worry, honey. They’ll find it soon enough,” Mimi said.

Simple as that.

And Jia believed her.

“Get in. Let’s rescue you from this heat,” Mimi said.

So Jia opened the passenger door, and just as she stepped in, her grandmother reached over, grabbed her hand, and squeezed, drawing her back.

“I’m so glad you’re here, honey. We’re gonna have the best time ever,” she said.

“We always do,” Jia said back. And she buckled her seat belt and got ready for the ride.

Mimi poured Jia a glass of lemonade and led her to the guest bedroom. “Okay, so this is where I keep most of my old clothes. Why don’t you rummage through and see if there’s anything you can wear until they find your suitcase.”

Jia’s eyes widened as she saw a stuffed-to-the brim closet full of color and possibilities. She pulled out a yellow dress that caught her eye. The tag readGivenchy. “Mimi, this is incredible. It’s stunning!”

“Not quite so practical for an eighty-year-old woman living in the desert,” she said, laughing.

And there was more where that came from. Balmain. Dior. Pucci. Saint Laurent. “Um, you do know you’re sitting on a gold mine here, right?”

Her grandmother just shrugged as she smiled at Jia, pleased she was finding things that she fancied. “If you’re not gonna wear this, you should totally sell this stuff. You’d make a fortune.”

“Who has the time? Not me. And definitely not the energy. It’s all just taking up space. I bet all the ladies in the neighborhood have much the same in their closets too,” she said.

“If you guys wanted to, I could help organize it all while I’m here. We can think of a way to market the vintage luxuries. Could be fun and a nice chunk of cash for you to take a vacation or something,” Jia suggested.

“Well, whatever you like is yours. So feel free to sell it or keep it.”

Jia hugged her grandmother. “You’re the coolest, you know that? Thanks so much for letting me come out and stay with you. I know I owe you an explanation—”

“You owe me no such thing. When you’re ready, you can tell me whatever you feel comfortable with. For now, I’m keeping you here where no one, especially not your parents, can take you away to some godforsaken southern state.”

Jia laughed. “What trouble should we get up to tonight, Mimi?”

“Oh, well, I don’t drive after dark anymore,” she said as she looked out the window, gauging how much daylight they had left. “And not much going on here at The Sunset.”

“Really? I remember it being such a happening place,” Jiasaid. Jia was starting to feel like she’d entered an alternate universe. It had only been a couple years since she’d been back. But it had changed so much.

“Maybe, at one time. But it’s slowed down a lot. We’re all getting old. Not much we’re able to do with the ailing bodies and minds.”

Jia hated hearing this. She didn’t doubt aging was hard. But it didn’t mean they couldn’t have fun and live full lives. “Well, how about we go for a walk around the neighborhood? You can fill me in on all the gossip.”