AnYi 安亦

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Now send your character to his or her grumpy grandmother’s house for a visit. Write the scene of your character’s arrival.

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It’s impressive, really. The moment she opens the door, her eyes find me and her lips purse in disapproval – not a moment or word wasted before judgement is dispensed. “You shouldn’t die your hair like that. It makes you look frivolous, or perhaps that you simply failed blond.”

Thanks, gran; good to see you, too.

Her unpleasantness is swept under the rug as quickly as it appeared when she turns to my mom. “Hailey!” She exclaims, throwing her arms wide. She doesn’t otherwise move to hug, mind you – with her it’s not really the hug that matters – it’s about leaving herself an opportunity to judge, so it’s left for the opponent to close, so she can grumble about them being rude if they don’t.

After a quick squeeze, she pulls away and spins on her heel. Without even turning her head, she calls back at us, “Wipe your feet before you come inside, dears; I’ve just had the carpet cleaned, and -“

“- you know what my hip is like these days.” My brother had clearly been expecting that line, as he had already leaned towards me and queued up his shrillest voice with which to imitate her. Sounded pretty accurate to my ear.

Mom, having clearly heard the exchange, fixed him with the death glare. “You know, Jacob, it’s stunts like that that get you ignored on the doorstep.”

He moves to say something, but I cut in with, “Oh, so that’s how you managed it? You’ll have to teach me how you make your voice go all high and girly like that.” Mom tuts, Jake grins. “Anyway, shall we? Big day and all that.” I step across the threshold and stamp my feet on the pristine but rather ugly carpet. It hasn’t rained recently so the mark I leave is barely noticeable; and yet I can’t help but smile.