The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,115

hand as it rested on his arm.

Yes. This was what she wanted: his declaration. Although it hadn’t exactly been a proposal, his intentions were clear. Did this mean that in two years they would marry?

“How is your family?” he asked, and she welcomed the change of subject.

She told him about her siblings, their spouses, and their children.

Next, he talked about his family who lived close to Jessie. Yet, as they spoke of their families, she felt another pang in her heart. In two years, she would be thirty-seven. Would she ever have a family like they were speaking of?

Dolly fully considered the Chinese girls at 920 Sacramento Street her daughters, and even now, she missed them with a longing she hadn’t expected.

They walked for hours, and Charles pointed out his favorite restaurants and places to visit. Dolly appreciated the charm of the place, and she could hear the affection in Charles’s voice as he continued their tour. Yet his affection didn’t override the gnawing in her stomach, which had nothing to do with hunger. The more enthusiasm he expressed, the more Dolly longed for her own corner of the world.

They stopped at another café as the sun was setting, splashing orange and pink across the elegant buildings of Philadelphia. Dolly ate slowly, savoring each bite. She couldn’t explain it, but she knew she wouldn’t be returning to Philadelphia. She didn’t know if she had the right to ask Charles to move to California, or if he would even want to. For her. Surely he could find happiness and fulfillment anywhere? If that were true, then so could she.

But she couldn’t think of anyplace she would rather work and serve than Chinatown in San Francisco. Even the thought of leaving all her girls behind created an anxiety within her that she couldn’t tamp down until she thought of the alternative—letting Charles go. Not for two more years, or three, but forever.

Would she have to choose?

After they finished their meal, Charles walked her slowly to the pier through the emerging twilight. The pier was a hive of activity as the seamen prepared the vessel for sail. They hadn’t called for passengers to board yet, so Charles led her along the wooden planks.

Every few moments, they stopped to watch an incoming sea vessel. Activity bustled about them, but Dolly felt that she and Charles were somehow separate from it all. They were both quiet, and although it wasn’t as if they had run out of conversation, it seemed that words couldn’t quite convey her emotions.

As the shadows lengthened and night fell, the salty breeze lessened, becoming a blanket of warmth. The gulls quieted as they found alcoves and hovels in which to roost.

When Charles drew her to a stop, she looked up into his eyes. Behind him, the glittering stars in the sky acted as a backdrop.

“Dolly . . .” he whispered. “I don’t want to let you go.”

She smiled, but her heart was already hurting with their impending good-bye.

Charles leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Here they were, on a dock again, kissing. Just like their first kiss.

Something urgent rose up in Dolly, and she slid her arms about his neck, pulling him closer. Charles didn’t hesitate, and wrapped his arms about her more fully. He kissed her again, this time deeper, and it was as if their hearts were in total communion. She could feel his tenderness and love toward her in this kiss. And she knew she would never kiss another man with so much of her heart.

When Charles broke off the kiss and rested his forehead against hers, she felt different. Her pulse raced, and her heart wept with the knowledge of what she had to ask. Because it mattered. Greatly.

“When?” Dolly whispered in the damp night air. “When do you think you’ll be in a position to marry me?”

Charles lifted his head. “I’ll work for a pittance at first, but within a year, I’ll have enough to put money down on the apartment I showed you.” He smiled at her, his fingers pressing against her waist.

The two years had now turned into three.

He must have noticed the consternation in her expression because he added, “We’ve survived four years already; a little longer will be bearable, darling.”

The warm, salty breeze, the creak of the sea vessels, the thousands of bright stars . . . all of it created a moment that could have been romantic, even magical.

But only sorrow filled her heart. She knew without a doubt