The elder boy hushed. When the three of them animated the living room, Mei in large downy nightclothes looked smaller than she was, continuing with a low voice.
“Yesterday he made a big mistake and stirred up a hornet’s nest. As a result the hornets took revenge and stung your daddy. Remember, don’t ever stir up a hornet’s nest, don’t provoke bad fellows, don’t make troubles, especially don’t fi ght. Note it?”
The boys were too absorbed or too scared to say yes or no. But, deep down, Mei could sense that her make-believe story was too unbelievable for her adolescent son, who was old enough to think independently and diff erently. As she’d observed, there was a deep frown on his face.