Jade Nguyen has always lied to fit in. She's straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough …
Content warning Quote includes a bit of negative perceptions regarding sex work, seemingly played as an edgy joke from a bristly teenager/young adult. This is not the focus of the quote but is a flippant statement, but I want that warning to be clear.
Alma fusses with the paper. "Are you really keeping the name? It's so hard to say. The French is more romantic. Maison Fleurie or even Maison de l'Hortensia."
"We are in Vietnam," I say happily. "Everyone would call it Hor house if we named it that." I say the explosive word slowly and with a smile.
My sister's Authentically Pleasant face wavers. Ba might actually murder me.
"Well," Alma says stiffly. "There'll be time to discuss. If we want it to be a house of importance, that's memorable, and fitting, it should have a name that appeals and reflects its storied history."
"Oh boy," Thomas says. "Don't get my wife started, or we'll be answering to Dr. Alma!" His blue eyes are set adoringly on his wife.
"Don't be silly, honey," she says. "I much prefer Alma." A singular glance is placed on me. "I did my dissertation on the founding of French Indochina. This was the first home of a very high-ranking officer, Roger Dumont. I was charmed by the letters his wife, Marion, sent to her sister about Đà Lạt and especially this house." Her expression softens. "So beautiful, it belongs in one of Papa's snow globes." She sighs. "Madame Dumont became a bit of an agoraphobe, so many important meetings happened right here. Of course, I want to honor it in the right way."
This woman has her PhD in colonization, and I'm supposed to mindlessly defer to her?
— She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran (Page 38 - 39)