Free Bride of the Moso Prince by Lucy Yam Page A

the tourists call ‘lovers bay’ since it’s ideal for kissing and all that.” Charlene informed her sister, “Almost every scenery spot was named with ‘lovers’: Lovers’ bridge, Lovers’ rock, Lovers’…”
    “Sounds like it indeed is a romantic kingdom.”
    They sat down on a rock half immersed in water. Sharon reached out to feel the clear water. It was soft and warm. How nice it would be to take a dip in such beautiful water! She loved swimming and had been a champion on her high school swimming team. But she hadn’t thought of swimming when she was packing in a hurry.
    “Wish I had brought my swimsuit,” she said.
    “Swimsuit?” Charlene paused for a moment and said, “I have it.”
                  “You do?” Sharon was surprised since her sister had hated it when she dragged her down to the YMCA pool in Monterey Park.
    “You sent it to me along with some summer dresses.”
    Sharon remembered. It was about this time last year when Charlene had just arrived Lugu Lake. She had described to her how nice the water was. “If you ever come here, Sharon, you must bring your swimsuit with you. You’d love to swim in that water!”
    Thus Sharon sent her sister a swimsuit, telling her that she should swim in it for her.
     
    After they had gotten back to the hotel and Charlene started to look for the swimsuit. She opened the closet and threw out object after object. She had accumulated quite a lot of ethnic artifacts after ten months’ stay, including hand-dyed tablecloths, embroidered head scarves, embroidered shoe insoles, etc…
    “Well, you have enough things to open a shop once you get home.” Sharon picked up each object and examined.
    “No way! I’ll never sell them.”
    “Are you going to wear these?” Sharon pointed to a cap made of colorful beads.
    “Why not?”
    Seeing what a mess her room was, Sharon started to tidy it up. She gathered all the books and put them onto a shelf on the wall that Nobul had made it just for Charlene.  Then she collected all the clothes from the sofa and the bed and stuffed them into the bamboo basket that Charlene used for her laundry. Sharon thought she should clean the room for her sister, but the floor was shiny and clean. Evidently Sadama had come to clean it once in a while, for Charlene would never mop the floor. Well, at least she could do the laundry.
    “Where is the laundry room, Charlene?”
    “Laundry room?” Charlene was digging into a suitcase, “Oh, there is a washer downstairs. Next to the dining room.”
     
    When Sharon came back from the laundry room,  Charlene had found the swimsuit. A dark green Nike with thin straps. It still had the price tag on it. Obviously Charlene didn’t take advantage of the water.
    “You’ve never tried that water? What a pity!” Sharon chided.
    “I’m clumsy swimmer. I don’t even know how to breathe!”
    “That’s because you never practiced hard,” Sharon said, assuming her sisterly tone again, “always just played in the pool, with that boy, what’s his name? Sam? Sammy? And made him cry. His mother complained to me all the time.”
    Charlene giggled, “And you finally gave up on me!”
    Sharon slapped gently on Charlene’s forehead. “At least I got myself a swimsuit. I’m going for a dip later.”
     
                  After the clothes were done, she and Charlene hung them on some clotheslines in the yard. The task reminded Sharon of her childhood again. People in China, whether in city or rural areas, preferred to sun-dry their laundry. The Moso were not an exception.
    “It’s a pity not to utilize the power of the sun,” Charlene said. “Especially we’re so close to it here in the plateau. By the way, sister, are you feeling ok? Are you having high altitude reactions? Dizzy, fainting, nose bleeding?”
    Sharon paused, “No, I’m fine.”
                  “I have some pills in case you don’t feel well. I had never had