“I’m so sorry, but no,” my friend said. “She’s not familiar to me, but I spend most of my time in the back. My assistant mans the shop. I’ll ask if she recognizes her,” Courtney offered before she asked, taking the flyer. “And I’ll put this up in the window.”
“Th-thank you,” Mrs. Williams rasped. “Bless you, and thank you.”
“I hope she comes home safe and sound soon.”
Mrs. Williams just nodded, smile wobbling as she turned to go.
Courtney came back in—stricken. “That poor woman. I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now. One time Mom and I got our wires crossed, and she picked Taylor up from school on the wrong day. When I got there and they told me Taylor wasn’t there, I had a straight fucking heart attack in the ten seconds it took for Mr. Stevens to finish his sentence and say her grandmother already picked her up. Worst feeling in the world,” she whispered, gazing at Mrs. Williams who was across the street, speaking to the owner of the dry cleaners. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
She tossed her head. “Okay, now we both need cheering up. Come with me to pick up Taylor. It’s long past time she met her favorite auntie Sarah.”
I was up, out the door, and in the car before the woman got her keys.
THAT NIGHT, I BUSTLEDaround the kitchen—putting away groceries, tidying up, and prepping dinner while the music blasted from Sue’s laptop.
After a shit-my-pants terrifying morning, I ended up having the best afternoon with Courtney and Taylor. Together, the three of us wentto the park, the farmer’s market, and then the mall because Taylor informed me that I wanted to buy her a present. So, naturally, I bought her the biggest stuffed bear in the place.
I danced across the hardwood. “Shake that ass, shake that ass, shake—”
“Mommy?”
“Shit! I mean, shoot!” I bleated, spinning around and slamming the laptop closed.
Lily stood in the entrance to the kitchen, smiling innocently at me. “What are you doing?”
“I was... uh... I was just dancing, sweet girl. Dancing and cooking.” I clutched my racing chest. “I didn’t know you were home. Daddy Alex said you were having a hotel sleepover.”
She shrugged. Skipping inside, she hopped on the barstool. “We were, but the bear people called and said they took the bear away. So we came home.”
“Well, that’s lucky. I would’ve missed you if you were away all night.”
Lily giggled behind her hands, her bright eyes dancing.
“Where’s Daddy Alex?” I asked.
“Bathtime.”
“Okay,” I said simply. Thanks to Courtney, I got all the info I couldn’t get directly from the source, because they’d have me committed.
She told me that after selling GloryBoi, the guys stopped working together, and split up and did their own things. Rhodes started an investment firm-slash-hedge fund. Micah became a corporate consultant, and Alex was planning to go to med school when Lily arrived. Instead, he became a stay-at-home dad, and was now beginning to look at schools again since Lily was in school herself.
Courtney got all of that from their socials, proving that people really do put their entire life story online. I tried myself to hit up their pages through Sue’s account, but nothing came up.
Every single one of them blocked her.
“What are you making, Mommy?” Lily asked, snapping me out of it. “Can I have some?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m making bulgogi. Have you ever had that before?”
She shook her head, making me grit my teeth.
Dammit, Sue. Talk about outsourcing passing down your heritage. What had you been teaching your daughter about her culture for the past six years?
“Well, it’s very yummy. Every time Omma and Appa took us—me,” I quickly corrected, “to Korea, the first thing I’d make them do is take me to the nearest convenience store for a bulgogi roll.”
Nari stared at me like she didn’t understand a single word I just said.
I laughed. “Don’t worry, baby girl. I’m going to teach you everything you need to know before your first trip to the ROK.”
