Garden of Empress Cassia by Gabrielle Wang Read Free Book Online Page A

two-storey shop at number 83 Rumba Street.

Mrs Lu was busy in the kitchen singing Chinese opera and making juicy fat dumplings. After Dr Lu’s return, the clinic sprang back to normal except for one round table by the window with eight chairs. It was when Mrs Lu found herself making dumplings in her sleep, that she knew it was time to slow things down. One night she even dreamt that the dumplings sprouted legs and chased her around the kitchen.
    Behind the counter, Mimi helped her dad fill out prescriptions. Dr Lu’s first patient was Miss Sternhop. She came especially early this morning – because later on that day, she had the most important appointment of her life.
    Dr Lu finished feeling Miss Sternhop’s pulse and inspecting her tongue. He wrote on his pad and handed the prescription to Mimi.
    Mimi had first weighed out herbs when she was seven years old under the watchful eye of her mother. Then she had needed to stand on four telephone books to see over the counter.
    Mimi pulled out a drawer, grabbed a handful of herbs then placed them on a small brass tray the size of a saucer. This was suspended from a thin rod by three strings. The rod was made of bone and had tiny measurements along its surface. Mimi held a pink string attached to the top of the rod between her thumb and index finger. By moving a weight until the rod was perfectly balanced, Mimi could accurately weigh out the herbs.
    â€˜Your health very very good today, Miss Sternhop,’ Dr Lu said. ‘Your skin so clear, your eyes so bright. You only need herbs to maintain health.’
    Miss Sternhop smiled with her tight thin lips. She glanced down at her watch. ‘Oh dear, ten o’clock already? My flying lesson’s at twelve!’
    â€˜Flying?’ asked Dr Lu taking off his glasses to see if Miss Sternhop was joking.
    â€˜Yes, I’ve been learning to fly a glider, a Blanik. I’ve wanted to all my life. No engine . . . just the sound of the wind. It’s the most wonderful feeling in the world, Dr Lu.’ She lifted her head and closed her eyes. ‘In the air I’m as free as an eagle. Today I am going for my licence.’
    Miss Sternhop hurried to the door. ‘Goodbye Dr Lu, goodbye Mimi, wish me luck,’ she called rushing up the street as though she had wings on the backs of her heels.
    Dr Lu turned to Mimi, ‘Very strange . . . Miss Stern-hop like young woman again. Herbs not that strong.’
    â€˜She’s been in the garden, Dad.’
    â€˜Garden?’
    â€˜You know . . . the Garden of Empress Cassia.’ Mimi pointed to the street.
    â€˜But it only drawing.’
    â€˜That’s what it looks like but there are people walking around inside all the time.
    â€˜Walk inside a drawing? I no can believe.’
    â€˜The garden can only be drawn with these special pastels that Miss O’Dell gave me. Only people who need to be healed in some way can enter the garden. It sounds weird, I know, but when they come out, they’re different. That’s why Miss Sternhop has changed. It’s been her dream to fly and now she’s doing it. After Mr Honeybun went in, he had the nerve to ask Alma out on a date.’
    â€˜Why no people talk about inside of garden?’
    â€˜That’s just it . . . nobody remembers being inside except me. That’s probably because I drew it in the first place.’
    Dr Lu shook his head in disbelief.
    â€˜It’s true, Dad. Old Ma says the garden has been around for thousands of years. It’s always out there, in the space between Heaven and Earth, waiting for the right person to use the pastels, then the garden comes to life again. This time it was me.’
    Mrs Lu carried a tray of fried dumplings from the kitchen.
    â€˜Come, try new recipe. Red bean paste inside,’ she said excitedly.
    Mimi grabbed a pair of chopsticks and skewered a dumpling. ‘Mmm . . .