Finding the Right Words

Chapter 8- Goodbye, Everyone I've Ever Known

It was shortly after the 4th of July festivities had ended that our representative came to our door. 

My mom was making pancakes. I was cutting up strawberries that we'd picked from the garden. Who knows where Dad and Pat were. 

Mom and I heard a knock at the door. We have a doorbell, but it's at a weird spot, so most people that don't come to our house often never see it. Mom went to get the door while I took care of the pancakes. 

From the kitchen I could hear a friendly American voice say, "Hello, my name is Julia Mayfield. I'm here for Melissa?"

My heart dropped into my feet. Oh my god, is that-?!

"Yes, she is. Can I ask, are you from...?"

"Yes, I'm the representative from SM Entertainment. I was told that you were expecting me."

"Yes, we were. Come in. We were just making breakfast."

"Really? It's almost noon."

"Alright, it's brunch."

When she came into the room I was able to get a good look at her. Shock of my life.

She was a copper-haired, blue-eyed, lightly tanned, white American. This was the SM Entertainment representative? 

She laughed, then saw me flipping the pancakes. "Oh, hello, are you Melissa?"

"Um... yeah. I can honestly say that you aren't... who I was expecting."

She laughed. "I don't actually work for SM. They contracted our company to handle the process of moving the trainees to Korea, so it would be more comfortable for them."

Ooooohhhhh... That makes sense. 

I went back to my strawberries and held one out to her. "Strawberry?"

"Oh, thank you."

"Do you want some breakfast?"

"...alright, then. We'll talk about your transfer when you're done eating." She smiled encouragingly. I liked this Julia.

When we had cleared the breakfast dishes away, Julia sat down at the dining room table with my parents and I and pulled out a large manila folder. 

"Alright, so I'm sure you've been curious about the details ever since you got the call. Are you excited to go to Korea, Melissa?"

"Extremely!"

"Well, then. Here is your departure document. As you can see here, we'll be giving you about a month to get everything ready to leave. During that time, I'll be helping you with official business, such as getting your passport, packing, and arranging things with SM. You'll be leaving on August twentieth. Your birthday is the fifteenth, right Melissa?"

I nodded. 

My dad piped up "I was worried about that. Technically she's not allowed to live away from us without a chaperone until she's seventeen..."

"You're sixteen now, correct, Melissa?"

"Yeah."

"So then by your departure date, that shouldn't be a problem. I'll have the documents for you to sign to legally allow her to live away from you long before that. Are there any other concerns you have?"

"I want her to continue her schooling," Mom replied firmly.

"We've already taken care of that. SM will be in charge of helping you decide where to go to school, and all of the transfer paperwork. It'll also make sure you have a proper Korean language and culture class, to make it easier to live there. It's all in your contract."