Page 88 of Rules for Rule Breaking
The two then reclaimed their seats, took their first wrappers, and prepared to bring disgrace to their family names as Halmeoni rejoined them at the table.
Bobby Bae
42. WE WILL DISCONTINUE FAMILY MEALS
Homecoming was soon, and Bobby was pleased to be nominated for homecoming court along with half the lacrosse team, a few cheerleaders, and some theater kids. Only the best and brightest were nominated every year.
Bobby took a deep breath and smiled to himself.
He’d been starting every day with a coffee and ending it with another. He’d never been so focused in all his life, running solely on caffeine and intrusive thoughts. If he kept himself busy, he didn’t have time for shower cries. He also hadn’t had time to visit Halmeoni as often as he’d promised, so he was glad to finally have planned a visit.
After sitting for dinner with his parents, Bobby changed into an aubergine-colored blazer and pants and picked up a potted money tree to gift to Halmeoni. He never went anywhere empty-handed.
When he knocked on Halmeoni’s door, he heard voices inside, which immediately caused his palms to sweat.
The door swung open, and Bobby handed Halmeoni the plant. “Halmeoni, annyeonghaseyo.”
“Have you eaten? Make some mandu,” she said in English, taking the plant and leading him to the table.
Halmeoni moved out of the way, and Bobby’s eyes fell on Winterand Emmy rolling dumplings at the dining room table. He wanted to run away, but Halmeoni had already shut him in with the door and her death glare.
“Hey, Emmy,” Bobby said with a nod. “How are you?”
“Wonderful.” Emmy looked him up and down. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle about checking him out. “And you?”
“Never better.”
Bobby sat and stared at Winter, waiting for her to speak first. When they both failed to say anything, Emmy burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, this is just so awkward,” she said.
Bobby blushed and silently started making dumplings. Halmeoni joined in, and they all rolled dumplings in silence. Bobby’s looked even better than Halmeoni’s, Emmy was rolling hers like blunts, and Winter wasn’t even looking at what she was doing because she was too busy not staring at Bobby. She was rolling hers between her palms, which made the filling burst from the wrappers.
A long while went by in silence. Too long. Halmeoni sucked her teeth. “I hope my funeral isn’t like this.”
“Halmeoni!” Winter gasped. “Don’t say stuff like that. It’s bad luck!”
Halmeoni sighed. “I have all my grandchildren together, and you can’t look at each other. Do you think I had family to spare when I came to this country? You are all so spoiled.”
“I’m just surprised to see Bobby is all. You didn’t say he’d be here,” Winter replied.
Halmeoni considered her words for a minute. She put down the wrapper in her hands and commanded everyone’s attention. “Do you all know how I ended up in America or why?”
The expression on Winter’s face twisted. “Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?”
“You should hear this.”
Emmy, Bobby, and Winter looked around at one another and shrugged.
“You’ve never really spoken about this before, Halmeoni,” Winter said.
“I’d really like to hear the story,” Bobby interjected, still unsure of the relevance.
Emmy, Bobby, and Winter kept folding dumplings as Halmeoni leaned back in her chair and looked at the three of them.
“Many moved to America for jobs or school or to avoid serving in the military,” she began. “Winter’s grandfather and I moved to start our family. He bought into the American dream, but I wasn’t convinced. I had a big family with lots of sisters, and they all urged me to go, so we left Korea.
“The airlines used to serve real food on planes back then. On the flight over, they asked us how we wanted our steaks prepared. I had no concept of raw steak. In my household, we always fully cooked our meat, the ghost too. Everything starting from then was an adjustment.”
Bobby smiled. He didn’t want to laugh because he thought it’d take Halmeoni out of the moment and she’d stop. He’d always wanted grandparents, and she was the closest he had.
