Summary

Chapter 11 opens with June being called away. She is being permitted to ‘land’ officially in the United States so, tearfully, she gives Mei Ling her address and bids her and the children farewell, telling them to come find her at her church or home once they have landed. Mei Ling is then taken to a room to be interrogated by immigration officers. She answers questions for hours, returning to her room at the end of the day and praying hard, doing kowtows as her Confucian religion requires of her. Siew watches, fascinated, and asks to be taught the same. Mei Ling teaches Siew to pray and then the two share a moment of sorrow and Siew confesses she wishes Mei Ling was her Mah-ma, and Mei Ling realizes that separation from this young girl would be torture.

In Chapter 12, Mei Ling and Bo...