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PROLOGUE

“NO NAME!”

Oh my god! She just spat on me. I slowly drag my forefinger across my cheek and take a moment to process what it is that I am seeing. I’m surprised by the vehemency in her voice. The old lady is nuts!

“NO NAME! YOU UNDERSTAND? NO!”

I look for Ray around the room, finding his face at last and searching it imploringly for any sign of indigence or support. He is blank. Staring mutely into the distance, he is beyond my eye’s reach, behind my gaze and unprepared to fight for my dignity. Even worse - he seems unprepared to fight for his. I shift my focus back to his mother. She is still screaming at me.

“SILLY WHITE WOMAN. NO CULTURE, NO CUSTOM, NO RESPECT!”

What can I do? Without Ray’s support I have no option but to enter the stand-off with this woman. So I straighten my back and raise my eyebrows at her ongoing tirade.

It was a bad move. Her face has become rigid and her shoulders begin to shudder. As she attempts to stand up, I cant help but notice the droplets of spit leave her teeth and drop onto my bed covers. Gross.

“NO SUCH NAME!” she yells in my face. Yazi begins to cry. The bitch has woken him up.

I turn my gaze away from the irate old woman and soothe my baby boy, rubbing his soft black hair gently. I remind myself that I am not alone in this room and it is considered impolite to argue back. Hostile old woman. She’s lucky that Ray has insisted she be here in the first place. Yazi is only a few days old and I’m desperate for some more sleep. Fuck it. I close my eyes and lay back into the pillows, hoping that my hint is clear. I want her to leave. I hear a door slam and look up into the small room. I am surrounded by Ray’s immediate family. They are all very beautiful and the family resemblance is strong - deep brown eyes, high chiseled cheek bones, slender lips, same intense stare. That same intense stare is directed squarely at me as it turns out. Ray’s mother has left.

I refuse to be disconcerted. “Don’t listen to her Yazi.” I whisper.

“We have given you a strong name. A name that blends the traditional Chinese from your Dad with my maiden-name of Long. You are the 7th grandson of my family and the first grandchild to Ray’s family here in China. You are named after the 7th son of the Dragon King, Yazi. Ssshhh. You are making me look bad. Please stop crying now.”