“Nuh-uh.” Her denial crashed on my head like a ton of bricks. “Just Mommy. Grandma wanted one perfect child, just like Mommy wanted one perfect child.” Nari said it in a tone like she was repeating something she’d been told many times before. “So I can’t have a sister because you don’t have one, but that’s not fair, Mommy. I still want one.”
I didn’t lose my smile. “Of course you do, baby. I always wanted a brother too.”
Leaning back, I tipped my head to the ceiling so Nari wouldn’t see me seethe.
The worst part was that I wasn’t even surprised, and I didn’t even blame Sue.
Sue couldn’t erase me from my childhood home and my hometown... unless my mother did it for her.
How could you live in the same home as your grandmother and believe she only had one child, unless she let you believe it?
It’s also the only explanation for why her husbands don’t know they’re not talking to their wife.
When a carbon copy of your wife walks through the door, your brain takes a shortcut to the simplest explanation:This is your wife.
It doesn’t thinkthis is your wife’s secret twin sister that she brought home to surprise us so she could also get off on crushing her sister’s feelings one last time.
It also didn’t help that ten years didn’t change the two of us much at all. We still cut our hair the same length. Our body types were still the same, and we didn’t gain any new or visible piercings or tattoos. There was nothing about me to make a person think I wasn’t Soo Min Kim.
Our differences had always been on the inside.
“Okay,” I breathed, returning to Nari. “Do you have any silly questions to ask me?”
Her brows blew up, mimicking the little “o” her pink lips made. “I can ask too?”
“Sure can.”
“Hmm.”
Her look of concentration was so adorable, it made my heart burst. There was a hundred percent chance that if my baby-crazy self had known about Nari earlier, I would’ve bankrupted myself a long time ago, because I would’ve showered her with gifts and attention at every possible opportunity.
“Uhh, how... old are you, Mommy?”
I laughed. “I’m twenty-eight, but that’s not a silly question.” I tickled her, making her squeal so loud Doctor Martin spun away from her laptop to check on us. “You have to ask a silly question, like am I a flying purple people eater, because the answer is...” I roared, pouncing on her. “Yes!”
Roaring, groaning, growling and carrying on, I tickled Nari all over—peppering her face with kisses.
She flat-out screamed with laughter, kicking and twisting to get away.
“I’d say you’re going to be just fine.” Dr. Martin tapped my shoulder, drawing my attention to the pill cup in her hands. “Wouldn’t hurt to go to the hospital for an MRI, but your symptoms fit with a concussion, and they’re only going to tell you what I’m telling you now.
“You need to rest for the next couple days,” she said. “No strenuous activity. Limited screen time, and take this when you feel a headache coming on.” She tipped the pain pill onto my palm. “Your blank spots will fill in now that you’re home and in familiar surroundings, but if you feel yourself getting worse instead of better, or you’re not back to your old self within a few weeks, I want you to call me immediately.”
I agreed. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“And, you three.” She turned on Micah, Rhodes, and Alex, ending their argument with Davis. “I want you to monitor her, keep her hydrated, and all-around be at her beck and call.”
The four of them traded chuckles.
“Now, if that’s all”—Dr. Martin pinned Davis with a look—“she needs to rest.”
“Yes, of course,” he replied, finally peeling himself off the door. “I’m glad to see you’re in good hands, Mrs. Kim. The tow company should be in touch with you directly, but if you don’t hear from them within the week, call me personally and I’ll take care of it.” He crossed the room and laid his business card on my nightstand. “If you need to discuss anything with me,” he murmured, meeting my eyes. “Just call.”
“Uhh, right. Okay.”
Tipping a nod, he left—following Dr. Martin out the door.
It closed shut, leaving me alone with Sue’s family.
