Page 174 of The Waiting Game

They were halfway through breakfast when a nurse popped her head in. “We’ll be taking you to get some testing done soon, Mrs. Yun.”

Grandma Ji-min froze with a cinnamon twist in her mouth, then continued chewing with a slightly sheepish expression.

The nurse laughed. “You can finish your breakfast first.”

Grandma Ji-min dabbed her mouth with a napkin when she was done. “My boys brought me a treat, Gretchen.”

The nurse smiled. “I see that. And I was the one Mr. Hale spoke to earlier when he called ahead to make sure it was okay.”

Jonah shot Felix a warm look, like he was appreciative of Felix being so careful with Grandma Ji-min.

“I’m glad to see you looking so chipper this morning, Mrs. Yun,” Gretchen said. “It seems your boys are good for you.”

“They always have been,” she said, beaming. “But I think it’s time they went home and got some rest themselves.”

Although Felix tried to argue, Grandma Ji-min urged them to leave.

“Go home,” she said quietly. “Talk. Work through this little trouble you had. Talking is the secret to a happy life together, you know.”

Felix could only nod and, to his surprise, Jonah didn’t fight her at all.

Jonah drove them both back to Grandma Ji-min’s place. Felix still couldn’t legally drive so he’d run all his errands in a rideshare this morning.

“How’d you get them to wait for you?” Jonah asked, curious.

Felix shrugged. “With enough money, no one was going to say no to me.”

Jonah rolled his eyes. Though he really didn’t have a leg to stand on. He could never say no to Felix either.

As they drove, Jonah kept stealing glances at Felix.

He did look good this morning.

It wasn’t just that he’d trimmed his beard, styled his curls, and was dressed well. It was that he seemed so much more like himself than he had last night.

“I can see you staring at me,” Felix said teasingly. “You should probably keep your eyes on the road though.”

Guiltily, Jonah returned his attention to his driving. “Sorry. I’m just really glad you’re feeling good this morning.”

“I could say the same about you. It’s been pretty rough the past few days, huh?”

“Yeah.” Jonah sighed heavily as he turned into Grandma Ji-min’s neighborhood. “It has been.”

When they arrived at the house and Jonah unlocked the door, there was a sudden, strange tension in the air and they both hesitated in the entryway.

“Can I show you something?” Felix asked.

“Yeah, of course.”

Felix looked him in the eye. “You have to trust me.”

Jonah nodded. “I trust you.”

He followed Felix into the kitchen and the minute he spotted the bottle of rum on the counter, he understood why Felix had said that.

Felix picked up the bottle, uncapped it, then walked over to the sink, upending it.

Jonah remained silent as they listened to the glug of the liquor pouring out and flowing down the drain.

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