Going Solo

Part 32

Hugh

"She was so upset, she looked like she would explode!" my mother said, animatedly describing her 60 year old nosy neighbor, who she'd politely told to stick her nose elsewhere.

"Well, she does hate being told when she's wrong." I laughed, picking at the salad I had ordered.

"Which makes me want to do it all the time."

A bell dinged signaling a new customer walking through the door of the quaint café.

"Sorry I'm late!" Jin began after finding our table.

"Work?" my mother questioned with an eyebrow raised.

"Sorry Auntie."

"You can work all you like, but while I'm here can you give it a rest, just for a little?" she sighed. "Anyway, now that you're here, I have something to ask you both." she said reaching across the table to grab both our hands. "I am sure that if you had some one special, you would have told me about it. And since that is not the case I think that leaving you two alone in this country without someone to take care of you was a big mistake. I should have done this sooner, but I have arranged for you two to meet two very nice young ladies."

"Mom. I don't need much help in that department and Jin here has someone he's gotten very close to."

My mother turned to Jin. "Is this true?"

Jin looked at me, his eyes were freakishly wide and his lips were moving, they were more than likely mouthing silent curses at me. My shoulders shook with laughter. 

"And you didn't tell me there was someone special in your life?"

"Auntie, Hugh is just-"

"No Mom, Jin didn't mean to hide it from you. He just hasn't worked up the courage to ask her out on a date yet, so nothing's official."

"After that vixen hurt you, it's been hard on you. I'm surprised you're even thinking of a woman." she smiled now, her hand gripping his even tighter. "But I'm glad you're feeling better." she said, as if he'd just recovered from some illness. Jin smiled back at her, not wanting to ruin her hopes for him, and said nothing.

"Hugh," my mother called, turning back to me. "I haven't forgotten about you. You are to meet this young woman and that's all there is to it."

"That's not fair! Jin doesn't have to go."

"Jin is healing slowly, but he is at least progressing, which is more than you can say for yourself."

I crossed my arms, offended at the notion. "I am too progressing." I scoffed.

"Progressive in... what's the word in English? Womanizing?"

Jin chuckled and stuck his tongue out when Mom wasn't looking, grateful the heat was taken off him. I returned the gesture, only to be caught by Mom.

"Hugh, would you focus?! The meeting is Thursday next week at 5:00 PM and we've already made restaurant reservations. This is final. A very good friend of mine has a beautiful, capable daughter and I will not have you turn this arrangement down. Just meet her once. Okay?"

"Why does it matter to you anyway? Don't you just like women in general?" Jin pushed.

"Fine. Fine." I raised my hands in surrender. "I'll go."

"And you Jin," my mother stated, "must let me meet this girl."

"Auntie!" Jin pleaded. 

"Fine. At least tell me her name."

Jin sat there searching for words. I was surprised he didn't come up with the name I had. "Her name's Nicole, Mom." I spoke for him finally.

Jin swiveled his head to jab me with a fierce look. I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn't really lying.

"Is she Korean?" Mom inquired. We both slowly turned to her, trying to assess her meaning behind the question and find a way to answer it. "Not that she has to be." Mom added, sensing the atmosphere and picking up her cup of tea. "But you know the last girl you dated was Japanese and you see how that turned out..."

"Auntie..." Jin said, tensing at the mention of Jasmine.

"She's black." I had to say it flat out. I searched her face for a reaction. 

She raised an eyebrow and put down the cup of tea after taking a sip. "Interesting. Can I meet her?"

"I don't think that's such a-" Jin began.

"Yes." I answered. "But not to assess her, Mother. She's just as oblivious to her feelings for Jin as he is to his own. I'll just show you around the office and point her out to you when we pass her by."

"Sounds good to me." Mom smiled. Her eyes looked mischievous as if she had something else in mind. "My boys... I love you both very much. You know that?"

"We do." Jin and I said, unanimously.

We picked up our things, paid for our food, and left. As we exited the building, my mother stopped in front of us, digging through her purse. I leaned against the flamingo pink walls that covered the café and waited for her to find whatever it was she was looking for. She always thinks she's lost something when really, it just lies deep in the bottom of her purse.

"Where is my..."

"Looking for this?" Jin asked, dangling my mother's phone before her face. It had been on the table in the café, and Jin had picked it up before she left it behind. Mom chuckled, her rosy cheeks were pushed up as she smiled. She took Jin's hand and squeezed it. They walked hand in hand to the car and for a second, just as if it were a flash, I saw them as they were 20 years ago. Hand in hand walking together. My mother and the 6 year old boy she loved just as much as her own son.