11 #3
Mrs. Ku tucked her lower lip inside her mouth like she was afraid. She had never bought jewelry before.
“The pearl and diamond ones are $1,500. And the diamond studs are $3,000. We have larger sizes, but maybe they might be too old-looking for her. This is a high-quality diamond. We have the papers if you want to take a look, and if she wants to insure them with her ring.”
“Her ears are pierced.” Mrs. Ku touched her own lobes, which were not.
“The earring backs have a safety feature so she won’t lose them,” Helen said, showing her how it worked.
Mrs. Ku swallowed. “Is it possible to have some sort of discount? I’m sorry to ask.”
Helen looked over to Mrs. Chung, who lifted her chin slightly in approval.
“If you have the price in cash, then we can take off ten percent.”
Mrs. Ku looked relieved.
“The diamonds, please. I’ll bring the cash tomorrow. Will that be okay? I work right down there. At Star Video.”
“I’ve never been there, but my friend who owns Shrimp Castle already mentioned it.” Helen smiled.
“Do you know Yun’s mother?” Mrs. Ku asked excitedly.
“Yes. I’ve known her and her daughter for a long time,” Helen said, smiling.
“She’s my best customer. She borrows a bag of videos at least twice a week. She knows everything about dramas. Do you watch them?”
“I don’t know much about them, but I like some of them,” Helen said.
“What kind do you like?” Suddenly Mrs. Ku sounded confident and serious.
“Oh, the historical ones and sometimes the love stories,” Helen said. “But truly, I don’t know many of them. I’m always working, so I—”
“Well, please come and see me,” Mrs. Ku said, “if you ever want to borrow videos. Though I guess you can watch them with Yun’s mother, too. That would save money.” Her smile disappeared as she realized she might’ve lost a customer.
“I think she’s far ahead of me in every show, but I promise, when I start watching dramas, I will only go to your store,” Helen said, then gathered the earrings and put them in a black velvet box.
“I will wrap them for you now, and you can pick them up tomorrow anytime.”
After Mrs. Ku walked out of the store, Helen calculated that after the 10 percent discount, the $3,000 earrings would cost $2,700, so her own sales commission would be $270. The wholesale price of the earrings had been $1,500, so Mrs. Chung would still net $930 minus her overhead.
When Helen had worked in Sydney and Seoul for large luxury stores where she almost never met the owners, she had not given much thought to store rent, taxes, utilities, garbage removal, storage, workmen’s compensation, health care, insurance, and all the other variables in running a small business, but working here alongside the owner and Matty, the stock person, was teaching her that they had to survive together.
Everyone had to eat. Mrs. Ku had paid a hefty retail premium, but she left the store happy.
When the day ended, Helen walked over to Shrimp Castle, where there was a line of customers. Helen put on an apron hanging on the hook behind the counter, but Nari waved her away.
“You should sit down. We’re fine. Only five more orders.”
Helen looked around. The drink refrigerator needed restocking, so she went to find sodas in the storage room. Then she found the mop and pail and started on the bathrooms.
After the last customer left, Nari went to the front door and locked it. She turned on the red neon “Closed” sign.
In the kitchen, John was scrubbing the stainless area around the fryer. Lenny had already finished his section and left for the night.
Helen stood by the kitchen doorway.
“How was business?”
“Busy. We sold a lot of fish sandwiches but even more shrimp baskets. Yun’s mother had to call the supplier to bring another shipment for tomorrow morning instead of Monday.”
“I had a good day, too,” she said. “I got a nice job.”
“Mrs. Chung called Nari a few hours ago to tell us. You were busy with customers.”
“You must be tired,” Helen said, seeing his expression. His hair was matted down with sweat and oil beneath the net.
“Shin Taehun came by,” he said without looking up.
“What?”
“He came by to talk with the big Realtor across the lot, and they came in to buy sandwiches. He saw me in the kitchen.”
Helen couldn’t speak.
“He and Danbi just moved here.”
“What about Mary?”
“She’s still in New Jersey. She won’t give him a divorce.” He paused. “That woman is pregnant.”
Helen shook her head in dismay. “You can’t meet him anymore.”
“I didn’t look for him. He found me. Look at me.”
The crisp white apron from the morning was spotted with oil and soapy disinfectant. John wore Nari’s husband’s black rubber boots. His jaw firm, John continued to wipe down the long metal counter.
“He was wearing a suit. He’s going to sell insurance and annuities, he said. Wanted to know if I needed a job.”
Helen checked his face.
“I said no. I have a good job,” he said, removing his hairnet and wiping his brow with the back of his hand.
“Ah, there’s my nice-looking boyfriend,” she said, pointing to his face.
John grinned and went to the sink to rinse out the cloths.