Chapter 2
Mom has my plate of peach cobbler served up and waiting for me when I return to the kitchen.
“There you are, baby,” she says, sliding a bowl of vanilla ice cream across the table. “I was starting to think you’d fallen asleep on the toilet.”
“Just, um, freshening up.” I force a smile I hope doesn’t look as shaky as it feels.
The pregnancy test is hidden at the bottom of my purse, wrapped in Kleenex tissue like a secret I’m not ready to share.
As I grab the fork and dig into the sweet, fruity, cinnamon dessert, I can’t resist sneaking glances at Jin. My heart stutters in my chest observing how calm and collected he is. He dines on the peach cobbler, completely unaware that our entire lives changed only moments ago.
We’re going to be parents.
I funnel a bite of cobbler and vanilla ice cream to my mouth despite the fact my appetite’s gone.
Normal Monroe would leave only a few crumbs after dessert. She wouldn’t struggle to eat like she did at Tony’s.
“So,” Mom says, leaning against the counter with her own bowl of ice cream, “I was telling the girls at work all about you two. They couldn’t believe my Moni is engaged to a man from South Korea.
Betty—you remember Betty, baby, the one with the bad hip?
—she said it was like something out of a K-drama.
Her granddaughter is obsessed with them. ”
“Mom...” I groan.
“What? It’s romantic! A whirlwind international love affair,” she sighs softly. “Naturally they all asked what Jin does for a living. I told them he’s a tax collector.”
I nearly choke on the small bite I’ve managed to swallow. “A tax collector?”
“Well what was I supposed to say?” Mom shrugs, entirely unrepentant. “I had to tell them something. Technically, it’s not a lie. He collects money from people who owe it, right?”
The corner of Jin’s mouth lifts. “That is… one way to describe it.”
“See? He agrees with me. I also told them you’re very handsome and very polite and that you treat my daughter like a queen. Betty wants to see pictures.”
“Mom, please don’t show your coworkers pictures of my fiancé.”
“Too late. I already showed them the one from my last visit to Busan. Betty said you two make a beautiful couple and will have some cute Blasian babies. I’m so happy for you, baby. Both of you. After everything you’ve been through... you deserve this. You deserve to be loved.”
The sincerity in her voice makes my throat tighten. Emotion that wells up inside me stronger than usual, probably thanks to the life growing inside me.
Suddenly I’m struck by the urge to confess—tell her and Jin everything right now, on the spot. Luckily I come to my senses a split second later, reminding myself I need to process the news first. Then I need to figure out what I’m going to tell Jin.
“Um… thanks, Mom,” I mumble.
“I can’t wait for this wedding. Then you two can get to work on making me a grandbaby.”
It’s the second time within seconds that I’m left almost choking. I sputter in between trying to swallow more peach cobbler, my eyes watering from the effort.
Both Jin and Mom stare with alarm.
“Wrong pipe,” I choke out. “The cobbler’s so good I’m trying to gobble it down all at once.”
“Oh, baby. Let me grab you a cup of water.”
But as Mom bustles to fill up a glass of water, I feel the unblinking gaze of my fiancé. I aim a small, reassuring smile at Jin. His reaction is nuanced, a prolonged and scrutinous stare, but I know him well enough to read it—he’s not convinced in the least.
He knows something’s up.
Which means I can’t keep the news secret for long; I’ll have to come clean sooner than later.
“Sorry about the bedtime,” I apologize a few hours later.
I’ve padded into the guest room where me and Jin have been sleeping during our stay and carefully snick shut the door.
“My mom can be a little old school. I’m honestly surprised she agreed to let us sleep in the same bed under her roof.
I guess she figures the jig is up since I’m thirty and we’re engaged… so obviously we’re, you know.”
Jin half grins, his features slightly sharper than usual. “Your mother is…” he pauses, searching for the right word.
“Overbearing? Suffocating? Mama bear to the extreme?” I offer. “Or to put it simply—a lot?”
“I was going to say relentless.” His partial grin grows, reaching his dark eyes and making them gleam. “But yes. A lot suffices too.”
“She means well. She really does. She’s just…
very excited. Very, very excited. I’m her only child and she lost Dad and it’s been her dream to see me get married.
It gives her a whole new level of happiness.
Plus, she really likes you, which is...” I trail off, shaking my head.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect her to accept our relationship like she has.
Especially the news about your career. You’re not exactly what she pictured for me. ”
Jin’s started prepping the bed, pulling back the covers and tossing the throw pillows to the armchair nearby. He cocks a brow at me as he moves to the other side of the bed. “You mean she didn’t imagine her only baby with a crime lord? Then what did she picture?”
“I don’t know. Um, a fellow teacher? A banker? Someone safe and boring with a 401k and a minivan,” I answer with a light laugh. I’ve come to plop down on the edge of the bed. “Definitely not a man with tattoos and a criminal empire.”
“I have a retirement plan,” he says mildly.
“Oh yeah? Please enlighten me.”
“The Baekho Pa has excellent benefits. Healthcare too.”
“I’m sure legally.” I snort with a playful roll of my eyes.
He stops in front of me, grabbing my hands and stroking his thumb across my knuckles. “Does legality matter at this point, Tokki-ya? You’re already in love with me. Just know you’ll be cared for.”
He’s got a point. I crack a little smile and realize some of the anxiety that’s been eating me up since earlier has evaporated. It’s eased up after only a few minutes of alone time between me and Jin.
…which should be of no surprise. This is the same man that somehow calmed my fears when I was a wanted target of the Baekho Pa.
“Have you spoken to any of your men?” I ask, the syndicate now on my mind. “How’re things going since you’ve been gone?”
His thumb runs a couple more circles along my knuckles, then he sits down next to me. “There’s still tension with the Bulgeomhoe. They’ve been testing our borders, pushing into territories they know belong to us. It will need to be addressed again when we return.”
“Is it serious?”
“It’s nothing I haven’t anticipated. They’re opportunistic, not strategic. Once I remind them of the consequences, they’ll fall back in line.”
The casual way he talks about violence still catches me off guard sometimes—the matter-of-fact acknowledgment that his world operates by a different set of rules.
But I’ve made my peace with it. I chose this life when I chose him. I can’t pretend to be surprised by what that entails.
“And the other gangs?” I press. “The Jujakhoe? The Cheongryong Pa?”
“Quiet, for now. The Jujakhoe keeps to themselves. The Cheongryong Pa is focused on Seoul politics.” He pauses, studying my face up close. “You’ve been paying attention.”
“I’m going to be your wife. I should know what’s happening in your world.”
“Within reason, Tokki-ya. I’ve told you I want to keep you separate from it.” He caresses my cheek then rises to finish prepping for bed.
I mirror his movements, rising to my feet to fluff my pillow and turn off the bedside lamp. I’m sleeping in a pajama set while Jin’s keeping to some sweatpants and nothing else.
We climb into bed side by side with Jin flicking off the final lamp in the room. Darkness descends as we try to get comfortable and wait for sleep to claim us.
“The new school year starts soon,” Jin says conversationally. “Are you ready to go back to teaching?”
“I think so. I’ve missed my students. Kelly’s been sending me updates about all the drama I’ve been missing in the faculty lounge.”
“Drama? Between teachers?”
I grin in the dark. “Oh, sweet summer child. You’ve got no idea. Sometimes the teachers beef more than the students! Just last year we had one guy running a whole scheme selling test answers. Then before that we had the teacher who was sleeping with the principal for a raise—”
“I get the idea,” he interjects. “Teachers are as messy as gangsters.”
“Guess that explains our relationship.” I roll into him, snuggling closer in the dark, with his arm closing around me to keep me there.
“Anything else on your mind?”
My pulse twitches in my veins. “What do you mean?”
“I mean what it sounds like—you seemed like you were distracted earlier. Anything else you’re thinking about?”
Now’s your chance, Moni!
I’m rendered speechless as I lock up in Jin’s arms. My eyes have rounded, and I’ve started naturally holding my breath without even meaning to.
But even as I urge myself to take the bait and tell him, I can’t find the words. I can’t make my tongue cooperate enough to speak them.
“Um… no… nothing,” I stammer. “Just tired from all the traveling. It doesn’t help that my mom’s been keeping us busy every day since we’ve arrived. She’s exhausting in the best way.”
Though the room is almost pitch black, I can still sense Jin’s stare. It’s visceral even in the dark as he peers at me in more intent study that only he’s capable of.
He doesn’t even need to respond for me to know he doesn’t buy the answer. He knows I’m evading the truth.
But he doesn’t push me on it.
That’s one of the things I’ve always appreciated about him—he gives me space, allowing me come to him on my own terms.
“Alright,” he says finally. “We should sleep. Your mother mentioned more touring tomorrow.”
Minutes go by before we’re nodding off.
I welcome the drowsiness, falling asleep to the quiet rhythm of Jin’s breathing and the warmth of his embrace.