Mrs. Right

Hot Wings

I couldn't believe my dad. I was so embarrassed. What must Jimin think of me? Of my family? I headed into the house and walked through the kitchen to the mudroom, passing by the sunroom along the way. I noticed Mom was in the sunroom reading one of her magazines. I grabbed one of the rags from the upper cabinet, turned on the faucet of the sink, and picked up the bar of soap, wetting it until I was able to get a good lather. I then scrubbed my knees to get as much of the chlorophyll off of them as I could. I ended up turning my knees pink in the process.

"Well, pink is better than green, I guess," I muttered to myself.

I then rinsed out the rag, threw it into the washing machine so it could be part of the next load, and headed back outside.

"Addy?" my mom called as I passed by the sunroom again.

"Yes, Mom?"

"Come. Sit for a while. Let the men be men."

I was hesitant to leave Namjoon and Jimin alone with my dad, but I conceded that the worst was probably over considering my dad had figured it all out. I joined her, sitting in a chair across from her. She put her magazine down on the end table and rested her arms across her belly in the usual way she did when she was in a laid-back mood.

"Those young men are surprisingly tall in person. Especially Namjoon. He seems really intelligent, too. He's polite, well-spoken, and carries himself really well," she smiled. If I didn't know any better, I'd say my mom had a thing for Namjoon. Her eyes sparkled a little and she had a lilt to her voice when she said his name.

"Yes, he is highly intelligent. Namjoon has an IQ of 148."

"Wow! That's impressive. He's very charming. I like his dimples," she laughed.

"Yes, his dimples are cute, Mom," I laughed lightly.

"Tell me more about Jimin. I can't believe how quickly he downed that beer!" She then lowered her voice. "He doesn't have a drinking problem, does he?" she asked, her brows furrowed.

"No, Mom," I assured her. "He admits that when he was younger he used to drink for the wrong reasons, but he's a lot better now. Drinking is a big part of Korean culture. Like I said, Jimin is extremely active so he has a high tolerance. He would never let alcohol interfere with his work."

"Oh, okay," she nodded. After a moment of awkward silence, she continued. "He seems kind of shy."

"Jimin is really shy in person with strangers, but he's very extroverted when he is performing. He was born for the stage."

"Ahh. Interesting," she said, raising the pitch of her voice a little and nodding. It felt weird to be defending Jimin to my mom. I wondered what was running through her head. "They're both very nice and polite. I like their manners," she again smiled, bringing a hand up to her chest. Leaving me to again wonder if my mom was smitten.

"They are very humble. They don't let their status as international superstars go to their heads."

"Awww. That's good to hear. I bet you've gotten to know them fairly well."

Suddenly, I heard a large uproar of laughter coming from the back porch. It scared me to think of what my dad was saying to them now.

"Excuse me, Mom. I think I'm going to find out what the hubbub is all about."

"Yeah, why don't you make sure your friends are doing okay. Your dad can be a bit much."

When I got to the porch, I saw Dad standing at the grill, and Jimin and Namjoon were smiling and looking relaxed. I sat down next to Jimin and whispered, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine, Addy. Your dad is really nice," Namjoon commented.

When the wings were finally done, Mom came out to join us carrying a bowl of chips and a plate of veggies and dip. I would have been embarrassed by the casualness of the food, but I knew better. Jimin and the others were always so gracious and appreciative.

"Mmm! These are good! Namjoon said after biting into a wing."

Jimin took a bite and nodded. "Yes, delicious!"

"Yes, it's my special sauce recipe. Let's just say I use a lot of butter," he chuckled.

Jimin and Namjoon quickly looked at me and I shook my head to reassure them. "No, that's just a coincidence. He doesn't know your music," I explained in Korean.

Namjoon asked my dad if he would be willing to share his recipe and my dad, who normally refused to reveal it, offered it up right away. "Seeing how you don't live in the area to stop on by for wings, I'll make an exception. You see, I use them to lure people to come and visit me," he laughed.

Jimin and Namjoon practically inhaled the chicken wings. I could tell Mom and Dad were surprised at how much they could eat by the expressions on their faces. Mom brought out strawberries, angel food cake, and whipped cream for us to enjoy. By the time we were done eating and talking, it was mid-afternoon. Namjoon and Jimin helped clear the table and offered to help with the dishes.

"Oh, no, thank you. It is so kind of you to offer, but you are our guests. Addy and I can handle the clean-up," my mom insisted.

"Oh, okay then," Namjoon replied. "It has been so nice visiting with you, Evelyn and Al. You have made us feel very welcome in your lovely home. Thank you very much for the delicious food and friendly conversation. It was an honor to meet you. We can see where Addy gets her personality from. I hope we can all meet again someday."

"Yes, thank you so much. You've raised a lovely daughter," Jimin added.

Together, they bowed to my parents and shook their hands. I walked them out the front door to the rental car, hugged Namjoon goodbye, and then turned to Jimin.

"I wish I could kiss you right now, Addy, but I understand. I'm praying for the day we can be together again."

I hugged him and whispered, "I love you, Jimin. For now and always." They drove off and I wiped the tears from my eyes, grateful that I had been able to spend time with him, however fleeting."