Synopsis A Shattered Dream by : Frank Guo
On Saturday, Dan went down a law office located at San Gabriel with Mei. The female lawyer wearing a pair of glasses and was tall and slim, she handed them a few legal forms to sign, meantime the lawyer asked them, “Do you need to prepare a contract for provisions on how child and property will be handled after your divorce is settled?” They shook their heads and Mei echoed, “We don’t have our own property in the United States, our daughter will be taken care by her father financially and I trust him. You don’t need to write an agreement.” Mei glanced at Dan after she ended her answer, Dan nodded. “Okay, your case is pretty simple, I believe your dissolution of marriage will be approved by the court quickly,” said the lawyer. Soon they stood up to shake hand with the lawyer and then stepped out of the law office. Dan parked his car in the underground parking lot in the office building, Dan didn’t press the button of underground parking lot but the button of the first floor lobby after they entered into the elevator. “You pressed the wrong button,” Mei said and was reaching over to turn on the button of underground parking lot. Dan stopped her with his hand and echoed, “I didn’t press the wrong button, I would like to show you to a place outside this building.” “Where?” Mei asked. “When we get there, you will know, it is very close to this building.” After they walked out the office building, they turned right on the local street. In a couple of minutes, they stopped in front of a small gray building with different business signage attached over square windows. Mei followed him, and they entered into the building and were heading to the very end of the hallway on the first floor. They stopped in front of the unit and the entry door attached a sign “Petrel Travel Agency.” The door was left open, a couple of customers were seating there to talk with travel agents across them at the tables. “Why do you take me here?” Mei asked. Dan smiled and said, “Before you go back China, I want you to join a tour group to visit some sceneries in the East Coast.” “No, I don’t want to go, I’m not in a good mood to go.” “Please face the reality, at least you don’t have time to visit U.S. recent years once you go back China for your new position. Please take the last chance enjoying major scenic spots in the East Coast.” Dan’s repeated suggestions seemed to sway Mei, she checked the shelves by the wall, a number of tour brochures were lined on shelves. She skimmed different brochures but had no ideas where she should go. Dan had been checking these travel brochures carefully, he took each of these travel booklets to read its details. “This tour fits your schedule,” Dan handed one brochure to Mei. “This is a 5 day tour to the East Coast, the tour starts in New York city next Monday and you will visit Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston and Niagara Falls at Canada border. You will fly back LA next Friday.” Mei’s eyes turned to the booklet, “Let me see,” she took the brochure from Dan’s hand. Mei stared at the brochure for a few minutes and responded, “The tour looks good to fit my schedule.” Dan relaxed and echoed, “All right, I’ll book your tour now.” When one customer just left, Dan stepped forward and sat on the chair opposite a middle-age female travel agent. Mei sat on the other chair next to him. The agent looked up and asked, “How may I help you, Sir?” Dan took the brochure out of Mei’s hand and put it on the table, “Please help me book this tour.” The agent caught the brochure and glanced at it, “Okay, I still have the vacancy for the tour. How many people join the tour?” “Just one, it’s for my ---,”Dan’s throat was stuck and felt he would almost say a wrong word. After the