Chapter 13

When he opened his eyes Roger saw that the sun was up and the morning fog was beginning to thin. He looked at Lei asleep in his arms and smiled. When he tried to get his arm out from under her she woke up. It took her a second to realize that she was in his arms. She scrambled out of bed and stood next to it.

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep. I didn't mean..."

"Whoa, Lei. You didn't do anything wrong. Let's get something to eat and then we have to go and get you some clothes. I'll call my office and tell them that I have some errands to run today and I won't be in. You use the bathroom first and I'll start the coffee."

Roger walked past her and headed for the kitchen. His bladder was almost bursting but he wanted Lei to have a few minutes to herself to think. She had to get over this thing about beating herself for what others had done to her.

Lei came into the kitchen and Roger got a tea bag for her. She made a face at the American way of making tea and then put a cup of water in the microwave to heat the water.

"How about some breakfast?" he asked.

Lei got between him and the stove and pushed him out of the kitchen; insisting that the kitchen was hers and that he wasn't to touch anything in the kitchen. Roger shrugged his shoulders and went to the bathroom and relieved his bladder, took a shower and shaved. By the time he was finished Lei had a dish of fruit and yogurt and scrambled eggs ready.

As they ate Roger told her what his plans were for the day, "Lei, we're going to buy you clothes for work today. We'll work on the assumption that you don't have anything that would be proper in the office."

Lei dropped her fork, "I can wear the clothes that I brought with me."

"Listen Lei, after today you are going to have to convince everyone that you are just a good old American girl. Most of your clothes are casual. I'm going to buy you some business suits and clothes that will not cause anyone to question your style. You told me that you studied American culture and customs. After today your every action will have to be that of a woman that was born and raised in America. You'll have to learn how to avoid questions that you don't have the answer to and how to convince everyone that you are a true-blue American girl. If you get into trouble just say that your parents were strict Chinese parents and they raised you to be Chinese first-American second. Ben assured me that he can get you all of the documentation that you need and with you working for me I can keep an eye on you and keep you out of trouble."

"I'm going to have May work with you until she leaves, which will help you a lot. May is Chinese so she understands how things work. She won't let you get into trouble. She's a classy woman and I'm sorry to see her go. I'm going to miss her."

Roger could see that she was finished her breakfast and he stood up, "Come on Lei, and let's go spend some money."

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Can we take the big car. I'm afraid of the little car."

Roger laughed, "That little car is a Ferrari and costs as much as 15 of those big cars.

"I don't care. I'm afraid of it."

Roger laughed, "Ok, we'll take the big car. Now let's get you outfitted like a regular American girl."

Roger drove to the local mall. The mall had several high-end women's stores and a couple of the higher-end department stores like Macy and Hecht. They spent the afternoon shopping; Roger trying to figure out what a Chinese-American business woman would wear. Several times Lei vetoed his selections. As they walked by a Victoria's Secret Lie looked down at the floor and said that she needed a few more things. He smiled when he saw that she was embarrassed to be asking him to buy her lingerie. He handed her his credit card and guided her toward the store's entrance. Several minutes later she walked out of the store saying that the prices were too high.

"I can make do with the things that I brought with me."

"Lei, go get what you need. I can take it off my taxes as a business expense," he lied.

She walked back into the store and came out an hour later loaded down with bags, "I did not know that American women dressed like that. In China a woman would be looked down on for wearing underclothes like that even though you are not supposed to see them. People would talk and the party would send someone to talk to you."

Roger and Lei walked to the car and stowed away all that they had purchased. On the way home they stopped and got a light lunch to take home with them.