Chapters (77)
- Cover
- Dedication
- 1
- 2
- A Series of Screw-ups: The Chisaki Joan Katsuyama Story, Part I
- 3
- The History of My Beef with Brynn Foer-Preston
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part I
- 8
- 9
- A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part I
- 10
- 11
- 12
- A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part II
- 13
- The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part II
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- The Complicated History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Imaginary Relationship with Her Nonexistent Dad
- 20
- 21
- 22
- A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part III
- 23
- 24
- 25
- A Brief, Backward History of the McAllister Family, as Paraphrased from the San Jose Mercury News
- 26
- 27
- 28
- A Quick and Eerily Relevant History of Asians in America
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part IV
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- A Series of Screw-ups: The Chisaki Joan Katsuyama Story, Part II (Or Maybe It’s a Prequel)
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part III
- 54
- A Note from the Author
- Index of Flowers and their Meanings
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Praise for This Time Will Be Different
- Books by Misa Sugiura
- Back Ad
- About the Publisher
“Yeah, I guess.” I watch her extend her left leg behind her and stretch. I wonder if it’s easier with sisters. How do I not care if Mom’s proud of me?
“You have so much, sweet pea. Talent, brains . . . you have the luxury to define for yourself what you want out of your life. So do it.” She switches legs. “And then embrace that definition and believe in it so fiercely that it doesn’t matter if Mom, or I, or anyone else believes in it with you. You have to do things that make you proud of yourself. Got it?” Hannah stands up straight again and looks at me expectantly.
“Got it.” I smile. “Wow. What a speech.”
“Thanks. I read it online this morning,” says Hannah, and we both laugh till we cry.
“It’s true, though,” says Hannah, finally, wiping her eyes. “Especially when you live with someone like your mom. Take it from someone who knows.
“Look at these wildflowers.” Hannah sweeps her arm around. “They’re not fancy, they’re not prizewinning orchids or roses. But they don’t care. They’re just wildflowers, doing their thing, and they’re beautiful. Be like them, sweet pea. Just be you and be happy.”
I think back to what Mom said about Hannah, that she’s basically a self-absorbed freeloader. Maybe that’s true; maybe it’s not. But I don’t care either way. I’m glad she’s my aunt.
We walk back down the path into the trees and eventually out to the parking lot, where I ask Hannah as we get into the car, “What are we going to do about Heart’s Desire, though? Is it doomed? Are we going to give up?”
“Katsuyamas never quit, sweet pea, you know that. I’m going to talk to your mom today, actually, and see if we can figure something out. Don’t worry. We’ll be okay.”
I’m not so sure. Mom has to know about Heart’s Desire’s February numbers. I can’t imagine anything but a lot of arguing, or at the very least, a few barbed comments, when she gets home and figures out where Hannah spent the weekend. But there’s no point in arguing, so I nod my head.
We drive home, and before she goes to take her shower, Hannah kisses me on the forehead and says, “Your mom really does believe in you. She believes you can do great things.”
“What if I don’t want to do great things? What if I just want to do everyday things?”
“You decide what’s great, remember? Figure that out, and then do it.”
As if achieving greatness—or success, or even the best version of myself—were just that simple: Define it. And then do it.
Right. Of course. No problem.