August 18, 2023
New York City
I cannot wait to see him.
Mi-rae pressed her lips together in excitement. Her hand tightened around the bag of wine that she had picked up on the way home. The rustling sound of plastic made her foot tap restlessly.
It was Friday night. And Kim Mi-rae was coming home to her husband.
Mi-rae leaned forward to inspect her appearance in the polished brass of the elevator doors. She could just make out her reflection. The grime of the summer city commute had not exacted too much of a toll tonight. Mi-rae hurriedly extracted lipstick from her purse and blotted on more red. And then she smoothed her hair and turned to assess her navy pencil skirt and white blouse. Her hands flew to her throat as she caught herself grinning widely.
You're acting like this is a date.
She shook her head as she laughed softly.
Marriage had never felt like this.
The truth was that even though Mi-rae was growing accustomed to coming home to Han Ji-pyeong, she still felt giddy whenever she did so. It was a state of surreal normalcy. She felt a rush as soon as she closed her computer down. Her heart fluttered when she rounded the corner and her apartment building came into sight. Her belly flipped whenever Ji-pyeong stopped whatever he was doing and looked at her in that way that he always did — like seeing her again was all that he had been waiting for too. How different it was to come home to someone who could make the ordinary feel like that.
Her thumb rubbed against the rings on her finger until the elevator finally slowed to a stop. Mi-rae swung her laptop case around her back and bolted through the doors as soon as they yawned open.
Her heels rushed loudly across the black and white tile. But then the door across from her apartment opened and Mi-rae skidded to a stop. Her hand waved brightly at Alicia's kind face even as impatience at the momentary delay rippled through her.
"Hi Alicia!"
Roosevelt tugged on his leash as Alicia prepared to tell a story. Her pearls rustled in anticipation.
"Oh that husband of yours, Mi-rae." Her hands perched on her hips. "Do you know that we walked all around Citarella's shopping and then he sneakily paid for my lunch after and there wasn't a thing I could do about it!"
Mi-rae smiled as she imagined Ji-pyeong's smug satisfaction at out maneuvering Mrs. Blanca to pay the bill. Their elderly neighbor looked more than pleased to have been thwarted.
"Alicia, you're never going to win that battle."
A high pitched yap drew their attention down to Roosevelt. The small brown and black mop of a dog lurched towards the elevator. Alicia clucked her tongue at the terrier and pressed the down button. But then she pressed a hand solemnly to Mi-rae's arm.
"I am afraid Ji-pyeong is being a little too ambitious tonight. But take it from an old woman. However it turns out, just tell him it's good. Never discourage a man from cooking."
Mi-rae nodded, smiling, while Alicia patted her reassuringly.
"Don't worry, I'll keep working with him."
Mi-rae dipped her head in thanks.
"Have a good night, Alicia."
The elevator doors opened. Alicia began walking into the elevator but then stopped and eyed Mi-rae affectionately.
"I like the way you always come home smiling now, dear."
Mi-rae could not help but do so again. She let out a breath. Contentment was this steady feeling in her chest.
