“I haven’t seen her.” I confess. “Mae called her four times.”
Jae sits across from me at the table. “Let me try calling her.” He rings her number, and it goes straight to voicemail. “Hey ma, it’s me,” Jae says. His message is undeniably, frustratingly sad. “Love you, call me, bye.”
Jae and I look at each other in silence for a few heartbeats.
“Let me text Izzie. Maybe she was too ill.”
“Izzie said she was fine this afternoon.” I tell him.
“Was it too much to ask for her to come?” He asks me. “Maybe?—”
“No,” I say. “She should have been here.”
He rubs his face with his hands, his brow furrowed and his eyes down. “Am I a bad son?” He asks me. “For opening a restaurant? And not going to school like she asked?”
“Why would that make you a bad son? This is your dream, right?” I ask.
“This is my dream. But what aboutherdreams? She moved here so young so that I could have a better life. And this is what I did with it?”
“Jae, if you’re happy with your choices, why does it matter if she is or not?”
“Because she’s my mother. I owe her everything.” He looks away, towards the window, like Young-mi might be standing there like she was the other day. “She raised us as a single mom after my dad passed away. She worked her ass off at two jobs all my life. She never got to go to school, and that’s all she wanted for me.”
I wish I had something helpful to tell him, but I’m afraid I’ll never truly understand.
“Jae,” I say. “Your mother just wants you to be successful and happy, right?”
“I guess,” He says. “It kind of seems like she just wants me to be…this picture-perfect son who does what she says.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” I say. “I think she just has her ideas of what would be in your best interest to achieve success and happiness….and even though it looks different than she imagined it, youaresuccessful and happy. Look at the amazing reviews you got tonight.”
I show Jae his business page on google. Five star rating after five star rating.
“Do you think she’ll come around?” He asks me.
“She will,” I nod. “She’ll see that you’re happy and successful, which is all she ever wanted, right?”
“Right.”
“You should be so proud of yourself, Jae,” I tell him with a smile. “You did amazing tonight.”
“Thank you, Riley,” He gives me a soft smile back. “Jeez, I smell like fish.” He laughs, getting a whiff of his jacket.
“Do you want to come to my place?” I ask. “You can use my shower.”
“I was hoping you’d ask.” He calls us an uber back to our building. We hold hands on the ride over, and we agree that he’ll stop at the bodega and get some snacks and drinks for us to enjoy over an episode ofStorage Wars.We were both so busy the entire night, neither of us had dinner.
After Jae’s shower, we gorge on chopped cheese sandwiches and chips, where we’re both sitting on the floor, backs against the couch, bellies full. We talk about movies and living in New York City and the best stand-up comedy special to come out this year. Shifting to be on the sofa, Jae motions for me to come sit next to him. I put my head in his lap, and look up at him.
Even his chin is sexy from this weird angle.
“How are you so cute?” I ask.
“It’s something called facial yoga,” He says, totally serious.
“You’re kidding,” I laugh, sitting up.
“I’m not! It works, I swear by it.” He gestures with his eyebrows.
