Epilogue
Julia
“I swore I would never do this for anyone. But here I am. I must really love you,” Rachel said.
“I’m honored and grateful. And I love you too. All of you.” Julia looked around the room at her friends: Rachel, Sonia, and
Jisoo. They say that bridesmaids should never outshine the bride. But she thought hers were the most beautiful creatures in
the world. And were looking smoking hot in their dresses.
“Julia, don’t forget to hold this cross necklace. We want Jesus’s blessing throughout the whole thing.” Julia’s mother had
not stopped crying all morning. In fact, Julia thought she’d probably been crying since the day Tae proposed a year ago.
Julia looked down at the antique emerald ring on her finger. It was her halmoni’s prized possession, the one thing of value
she had hidden during war times and kept with her for better times. Julia hadn’t heard the whole story from Tae as to how
he ended up with this ring and its beautiful silk pouch. But she could imagine. And she let it stay as a secret between Tae
and her grandmother. It was their relationship that started this whole thing between Tae and Julia, after all. And she liked
that they were close.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I doubt Jesus is going to change his mind all of a sudden.”
“Yah, don’t jinx it,” her mom yelled.
“I can finally die in peace,” her halmoni said, sitting in the corner.
Julia’s grandmother and mother had donned gorgeous traditional Korean hanboks, while her bridesmaids wore stunning black cocktail dresses.
Julia, herself, had had her dress made by an up-and-coming Korean designer, and she loved its ballgown silhouette . . . and pockets!
“Nice try, Halmoni. You’ll outlive us all,” Julia said. “I heard from Mom that your doctor gave you a clean bill of health . . .
again.”
“Doctors don’t know everything,” her grandmother grumbled, shrugging her shoulder.
Guess doctors weren’t the chosen ones after all.
The door to the bride’s dressing room opened, and Annette peeked her head in. “Va-va-voom, boss lady. You look gorge. Just
a quick note, the delivery man left a message and said the race car has been dropped off and assembled in the guest bedroom.”
Julia laughed. It was her wedding gift to Tae, moving the race car bed from his parents’ house to their new home in Long Beach.
The two of them had bought a beautiful and cozy three-bedroom cottage in the Bixby Knolls area. Julia fell in love with the
diverse neighborhood, and Tae went crazy over the old home and all the renovation possibilities.
And it was a perfect middle ground for Tae who still helped the community in the Irvine area and Julia who worked in West
LA.
“Thanks, Annette.”
“No problem. I’m here to serve whatever NASCAR kink you and the hubster got going on. Gotta tell you, though, I would never
have called that one.”
Julia rolled her eyes at Annette.
Annette promptly ignored Julia.
“Oh, and these are the cards you ordered. I’ll see you out there. I gotta do a few more Hail Marys or they won’t let me take
a seat in the service.”
“Annette, we’re not Catholic,” Julia reminded her.
Annette shrugged and walked out.
Julia opened the box of business cards Annette had handed to her and pulled one out. Tae Kim and a phone number. Simple. No titles. No need. He did it all.
She loved them. And so would he.
Her phone buzzed (she mentioned her dress had pockets, right?!), and she looked down at the screen. A message from Tae.
Julia opened it and smiled, her heart full like she never knew it could be.
Dear Jules, I love you. I can’t wait to be your husband and to officially be able to say, with all the joy in my heart, that
Julia Song is, from this day forward, and forevermore, undateable.