"God I hate Shakespeare."
"That came out of left field," Lisa replied, as the raggedy old elevator came to a stop on the 12th floor.
As they stepped out into the shabby hallway that led to Roseanne's mom's apartment, Roseanne let out a frustrated groan. "Sorry, it's that damn paper. I was up all night, and I still didn't finish. I suck at writing."
"Look at the bright side, I sold two of your photographs and one of your sketches today."
Roseanne brightened at the news. "Yeah?" She knocked on the door marked 122C. "When were you planning on telling me that?"
Lisa shrugged. "Was gonna wait 'til the next time you got mad at me...but I figured this was a good a time as any."
Before Roseanne had a chance to reply, the door opened and she was swept into hug. Her sister, Alice, kissed her cheek several times before letting go. "The ugly is here!" she announced.
She received a slap on the arm. "Oh, you're one to talk, Ms. Ugly," Roseanne countered jokingly. Alice was anything but ugly, and she was sure she knew it. It had been a few months since she'd last seen her, and as she turned to hug Lisa, Roseanne took the opportunity to observe how well she was looking. Her dark hair was slightly longer than when she'd last seen her. She looked taller and fitter than she remembered. "Have you been working out?"
Alice winked at her. "Joined a gym." She flexed her arm as evidence.
Roseanne glanced quickly at Lisa who was making a show of fanning herself. She laughed.
Clare Park stepped into view a second later. She dried her hands on her skirt as she walked toward them. "Rosie," she greeted Roseanne with a kiss on the cheek, and then turned to greet Lisa. When she stepped away from the girls, she said, "Mason and Ryujin went to the store for some groceries. They'll be back soon." She ushered them toward the living room. "Come, sit. I'll bring you something to drink."
Roseanne sat down as instructed and gazed around the apartment. It was small by anybody's standards. The living room barely fit the couch she was sitting on; but it was home. Paintings and framed pictures of South Korea decorated the walls. Roseanne had never been to the country, but Mason and Alice spoke of it all the time. They'd moved to New York shortly before Mason and Roseanne's mother had met.
"So how's the art world these days?"
Roseanne glanced up into Alice's curious brown eyes and shrugged. She didn't want to say that she'd reached the end of a creative road. "Good," she said instead and tried to convince herself that it wasn't a lie. It was almost too easy to forget that she hadn't done anything in weeks.
"I sold some of her stuff today while she was at class," Lisa boasted proudly. "And tons of people stopped to look and compliment the artwork."
"There is no money in art," Clare announced, returning from the kitchen with a tray of orange juice. "But no one ever listens to their mother."
Roseanne smiled, accepting a glass. "I listen to you."
"You listen to me?" and her mother rolled her eyes. She placed the tray down and sat down on the couch beside Alice. "How many times have I told you to wear something nicer? I don't know how Jungkook puts up with you looking like that all of the time."
Roseanne glanced down at her paint-stained jeans and baggy sweatshirt. "What's wrong with this?"
Clare replied with a look that obviously meant the question did not dignify a response. "I'm just glad you'll have Jungkook to take care of you, is all I'm going to say. Lord knows that boy is going places."
Alice cleared his throat. "Well, I'm pretty certain Roseanne is capable of taking care of herself," she said.
"Well of course she is," Clare agreed in a somewhat defensive tone. "But every woman needs a man to take care of her in this world. And vice versa."
Alice dropped her gaze and took a sip of his drink without further comment.
Though she was used to the one-on-one debates between her mother and sister, Roseanne couldn't help but wonder if they realized she was sitting there. It was strange to feel like an abstract concept, molded this way and that by the gravitational pull of opposing ideas.
Perhaps she would've said something then, voiced thoughts that only presented themselves in the quiet moments between words. Perhaps she would have, if the door hadn't opened then.
Mason Park entered the small apartment with a bag of ice over his shoulder and grocery bags in his hands. An older, taller version of Alice, Mason shared his daughter's dark hair and eyes, but lacked his daughter's easy-going personality. Roseanne respected her father, but she struggled to understand his mindset at times.
Ryujin entered behind her father, carrying several bags of groceries in one hand. Though she seemed taller every time Roseanne saw her, puberty hadn't yet fixed her lanky form and somewhat awkward demeanor.
Alice rose at once to help, and Mason passed on the items to his daughter before greeting his other daughter.
"Rosie," he called her, and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
Roseanne smiled.
"Hello, Lisa," he said, kissing her cheek as well. "How's the coffee-selling business?"
"It's quite the marvel, Mr. P," Lisa answered, brightening at the mention of coffee. "It takes special skill to brew the stuff just right."
"You must be very proud," Mason said, in a tone that managed not to sound sarcastic. He greeted his wife with a peck on the lips and sat beside her. "Are you girls staying for dinner?"
Roseanne shook her head. "I have a lot of homework, actually."
"I don't," Lisa said, pouting. "I love your mom's cooking."
Roseanne glanced at Ryujin. "Hey, Notorious Dork. What's with the wannabe ghetto clothes?"
She gave her a dirty look in reply and adjusted the black bandana around her dark brown hair. "So what's all this big announcement stuff?" She pulled up a chair and plopped down on it, slouching down and looking bored.
Everyone looked expectantly at Alice, as if remembering for the first time that she was the reason for the family reunion.
Alice reclaimed her seat and stared at everyone in turn. Her mood turned suddenly dark and she swallowed. "Um..."
"Are you pregnant?" Ryujin guessed.
"No..." Alice stared down at her hands.
Roseanne stared at her sister in concern. She'd never seen Alice look so sullen. Worry and dread rose to the forefront of her emotions and she struggled to imagine what Alice could possibly have to say. "Are you moving?" It wasn't the worst thing she could imagine, but it was up there.
But Alice just shook her head. It was Lisa's turn to guess: "Joining the army?"
"Getting married?"
"I'm gay," Alice said, glancing up.
The room fell deathly silent, as everyone absorbed the information. The cup fell from Clare Park's hand, spilling the remainder of her juice across the ivory carpet. And like a flag marking the start of a race, there was an eruption of shouting.
Roseanne sank down in the couch, not yet able to muster a response, while all around her, her family spiraled out of control.
Ryujin stormed out of the apartment, shouting, "Dyke!" on her way down the hall.
Mason was on his feet, his voice lost in a sea of words that Roseanne could not distill.
Alice rose, her jaw clenched.
Roseanne glanced at her mother in alarm, hoping she'd step between them and stop things before they got out of control. But her mother was out of control herself, lost to sobs and whispered prayer.
"Alice," Roseanne said in a voice that was not her own.
And her sister glanced at her quickly, her eyes searching hers for ... something. Roseanne didn't know how to help her at that moment, didn't know how to make things better.
As Mason rambled on about morality, Alice seemed to understand what she was trying to say, even if Roseanne herself didn't. She glanced back at her father, eyes filled with anger and pain, and then she quickly walked out of the apartment.
"Damn it!" Mason cursed. Without a glance in anyone's direction, he disappeared down the hallway. A second later, a door slammed closed.
Clare smoothed the length of her skirt as she stood from the couch. She wiped at her tears and excused herself before following after her husband.
Roseanne stared at the empty living room with a detached sense of confusion. What had just happened to her family?
"Well," Lisa said, and Roseanne had almost forgotten she was there, "that went well."