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The mauve stucco houses with their terra-cotta roofs and wide-leafed plantings by the front door lined the gently curved streets of Jonathon’s neighborhood. I could never tell the houses apart. Each development bled into the next until all you could see from the freeway as you approached Rancho Bernardo were the rooftops, like a sea of broken clay pots stretching far into the desert landscape.
Uhmma rang the doorbell and then lightly ran her fingers along the hairline of her forehead where beads of sweat had dared to appear. She touched her fingers to the hem of her skirt. I slouched in my too starched, too lacy, too floral dress and licked the sweat off my upper lip. Uhmma narrowed her eyes at me.
The door opened.
Uhmma said brightly, “Jonathon. You get new haircut. Look so handsome. Like college man now.”
Ahn-young-ha-say-yo, Mrs. Kang, Jonathon said. Please come in. He stepped back and out of the way, opening the front door.
We stepped into the marble-floored foyer and I immediately shivered from the blast of air-conditioning. Mrs. Kim called from the kitchen, Do-ru-wah-yo, Mrs. Kang.
We all walked into the large, sunny kitchen where Mrs. Kim was just placing some fruit and rice crackers on plates.
Uhmma rushed to her side and took the plates from her.
Mrs. Kim, Uhmma loudly admonished, you did not have to go to the trouble.
Mrs. Kim smiled. What trouble? Let us take the plates to the living room. She turned to Jonathon. Did you ask Mrs. Kang and Mina if they would like a drink?
Uhmma interrupted, No, no, we are not thirsty. We just came for a quick visit. We do not want to interrupt your dinner preparations.
Mrs. Kim patted the air with one hand and walked toward the living room. She said, We are never too busy for our friends. Come now, sit down.
We all followed Mrs. Kim from the kitchen to the living room. The pristine white couches faced each other, separated by a large, ornately carved coffee table. Each sofa cushion and armrest was covered with round crocheted doilies. Uhmma carefully set the fruit and rice crackers on the coffee table. Mrs. Kim sat on one of the doilies; Uhmma sat next to her on the other one. Jonathon and I took our spots on the couch across from them.
Mrs. Kim focused her eyes on me.
Mina, Mrs. Kim said, you are looking more and more like a refined young lady.
Uhmma bowed her head slightly and smiled in a demure fashion, as though she were the recipient of that dreadful compliment.
“Thanks,” I said.
Uhmma shot me a quick scowl.
I sighed under my breath. To avoid the lecture, I added, Gam-sa-hahm-nee-da.
Uhmma nodded at me and added, Mina has been looking forward to her senior year. Now that she is president of the honor society, she’ll be very busy this year.
Mrs. Kim’s lips turned up in a slight smile that resembled more of a smirk. Oh, she is the president of the honor society now? When did that happen?
I gripped the edge of the armrest.
Uhmma frowned. Yes, remember, Mrs. Kim? I told you last week on the phone.
Oh, yes, that is right. Mrs. Kim raised her fingers to her cheek as though embarrassed to have forgotten.
Uhmma continued to brag, It is a wonder she keeps up all her straight A’s while doing all that extra work at school and still finding time to help her parents. Sometimes I have to tell her to stop studying so hard and go to sleep.
Mrs. Kim leaned toward me but directed her words at Uhmma. She sighed, Mina, how I would have liked a daughter like you. A daughter who stays home. Someone to talk to. This son of mine is too busy to stay by his mother’s side. He is always going out. I still do not understand how he could have gotten such good grades when he was always fooling around and going to the beach. He is too smart for his own good.
Mrs. Kim turned to Jonathon. Did you set aside the books for Mina?
Jonathon nodded.
Mrs. Kim said, The books from the preparation class raised Jonathon’s score more than one hundred points.
Jonathon shifted in his seat, his eyes blinking quickly, as though his contacts were about to fall out.
Mrs. Kim kept her face toward Uhmma but said to Jonathon, Well, go get them for Mina.
Uhmma added quickly, Mina can help. Thank you so much for saving them for her.
Mrs. Kim patted the air again. Nonsense. Why should we not all help each other?
Jonathon stood up and walked back to the foyer. Uhmma took a breath to speak, but then focused her attention on me. She waited until I slowly stood up and followed after Jonathon.
Uhmma’s voice in the distance commented, Jonathon is looking so handsome. Such a young man now.
Mrs. Kim complained, clucking her tongue, Ai, that boy, Mrs. Kang, sometimes he has no sense. Just the other day, at a restaurant, he goes and spills lobster soup on his best suit. On his best suit. Right before he must pack it for college. No common sense, that boy. The smell coming from that suit.
Jonathon and I climbed the stairs for his room. He stepped quickly. I willed my feet to follow. Jonathon got to the top of the stairs and went down the hall, out of sight.
He was leaning up against his desk, flipping through the SAT book when I got to his room. I stood at the open doorway.
“Come in and close the door,” Jonathon said quietly.
I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “Can I just have the books? I really have to get going.”
“Where do you have to go?” Jonathon asked, an incredulous look on his face.
I tried to pretend he had no clue about my life, as though
