I show them inside and then fetch their bags while they’re shedding their shoes and coats, all giggles and whispers and wide eyes as they take in the cabin…and me, apparently.
“I’ve never met a wolfman,” Samantha says, sounding slightly awed as she stares at me.
“Nice tail,” Molly adds, grinning. “I want one.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Well, your mom’s in the living room, right through there. She has no idea you’re coming.”
Samantha’s eyes go soft behind the glint of her glasses. “This is the best surprise. Thank you for arranging everything.”
“I’m glad you’re here. She’s been missing you a ton.” I gesture toward the living room. “Make yourself at home.”
They rush past me, and I hang back, offering my arm to Eomma. She takes it, patting the back of my hand as we walk in together.
Julia is on the sofa with her back to the door when her daughters burst into the room. For a moment she just stares at them, her mouth opening and closing, no sound coming out.
“Surprise!” Molly shrieks, throwing herself down beside her mother.
“Merry Christmas, Mom,” Samantha says, kneeling on Julia’s other side. “Oh my gosh, your belly ishuge. You look so pretty, though. Oh, don’t cry, Mom!”
And then Julia is crying, really crying, her arms wrapped around both her girls as they all dissolve into a huddle of tears and laughter and overlapping voices.
“How are you here? I don’t understand. You aren’t supposed to be here for another month!”
“Ian arranged everything,” Samantha explains, wiping her eyes. “He contacted us weeks ago, when you were still staying with Mattie’s moms. We’ve been planning this forever. We would have been here sooner, but we had to wait for Halmi’s visa to be approved.”
Julia looks up at me, still standing in the doorway, and seems to notice her mother for the first time. The wondering expression on her face makes my chest ache. “Eomma?”
The woman on my arm sniffles, and tears slide down her cheeks as Julia heaves herself out of the couch and rushes to hug her, exchanging fast-paced Korean that I wish I could follow.
“You did this?” she mouths at me over her mom’s shoulder, still embracing her tightly.
I nod. “Merry Christmas, pretty girl.”
She laughs, a wet, hiccupping sound. “Get over here.”
I join them, making it a group hug, my arms wrapped around both of them. When we finally part, Julia’s daughters study me with undisguised curiosity.
“Is his fur soft?” Molly asks Julia.
Samantha elbows her and hisses, “You can’t ask that!”
“What? It’s just a question!”
Julia laughs, cleaning the tears from her glasses so she can look at her daughters again. “I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve missed you so much. I am just so, so sorry. For everything. For tearing our family apart.”
Samantha’s expression turns stern. “Mom. Stop it, seriously.”
“I just want you to know—”
“We mean it.” Molly’s voice is surprisingly firm. “We’re not doing this. We’re not going to let you apologize for finally being brave enough to leave him. We’re glad you did it.”
Julia blinks. “What?”
“We’ve wanted you to divorce Dad for years,” Samantha says. “He’s awful, Mom. He’s always been awful.”
“I... I didn’t realize you knew.” Julia’s voice is small. “I thought he was just awful to me. Not to you. He always seemed so good with both of you.”
Molly takes her mother’s hands. “He didn’t have to be mean to us. We saw how he talked to you. How he treated you.”
