A Day in the Park✔

21

   "Mrs and Mr Mendoza, Aurora, welcome," Yeji greeted.

   "Yeji, hi…" Aurora said.

     "Where are my grandchildren?" Mrs Mendoza question.

    "Uhm, Selene is in the basement with her friends dancing and Sol is in the living room with his friends playing video games," Yeji said.

    The old woman scoffed, "Those video games are rotten,"

    "Well so far Sol is good and still a teen last I checked,"

    That might have been a little passive aggressive.

   "Where is your husband, he should be helping with our bags," Aurora stated.

    It took everything in Yeji to keep her smile on her lips.

  "My wife Ryujin is upstairs taking care of our daughter. Also, you are a grown woman who is perfectly capable of taking your own bag to your room," Yeji said with a smile.

   Aurora rolled her eyes and went upstairs.

   "Mr Mendoza, please let me take those for you," Yeji said softly, a genuine and gentle smile replacing the fake one.

    "Ah, don't worry about, sweetie. I got them, our room is still in the same area, correct?"

   Yeji nodded, "Just down that way to the right,"

     Mr Mendoza nodded.

    "I would like to see my grandchildren,"

    "I will go get Selene. The living room is just over there," Yeji said.

    The old woman made her way to the living room and Yeji went to the basement.

   "Okay, your grandparents and aunt are here. I've had to remind Aurora that I am married to a woman, which your grandmother scoffed at. Your grandfather is still as sweet as ever.

    I promise you that if your grandmother makes a comment about the pictures of Felix and Hyunjin, I will kick her and Aurora out, because they seem to forget that Estrella was pansexual. Also, I am not going to make it two days with them here,"

     "Breathe, Yeji, breathe," Selene said.

    Yeji took a few deep breaths.

      "Dinner is made, the table is set, Chohee, Maya, you guys are welcome to stay for dinner and even for the night, I know it'll make Selene less stressed. I am extending the invitation to Danielle and Jay as well," Yeji said.

    "Yeji! Where is Selene?"

   "Okay, we should go up now," Selene said.

    Yeji nodded.

   The four went upstairs, Yeji going straight to the kitchen and the three teens going to the living room.

    "Hi, abuela," Selene said.

  "Oh, there is my granddaughter, how are you?" She asked.

    "I am good, how are you?"

   "I am well, who are these young ladies?"

  "Uh, they is Maya and Chohee my friends," Selene said.

    "Hi, Mrs Mendoza, we met when I was ten," Maya waved.

   "How did you and Chohee meet?" The woman asked.

  "At a concert," Selene said without thinking.

  "Concert?"

  "She meant play, abuela," Sol quickly said.

   "Yes, play. My mistake at school we call plays, concerts," Selene said.

    The woman shook her head, "You guys should be going to a private school not that art school,"

    "Sol and Selene go to a private art school," Yeji stated.

    "They shouldn't be going to an art school,"

  "Ana, they go there because it helps them express themselves. The same way Estrella did ballet and the same way Hyunjin drew," Yeji said.

  "Fine, fine, who is this with your father?" Ana asked, grabbing the picture frame of Hyunjin and Felix.

    Yeji pursed her lips, there was a silent conversation between Sol, Selene, and her.

    "It is up to you two,"

   "Uhm, that is Felix, he was dad's boyfriend," Sol said.

   "Boyfriend?" Ana questioned.

   "Yeah, he was in the crash too and he didn't make it," Selene said.

   Chohee pursed her lips and squeezed Selene's hand softly, the action not going unnoticed.

   "I did not know you father was like that," Ana stated, there was a hint of disgust in her words.

   "Aunt Yeji, dinner is done, right?" Sol asked quickly.

   "Yeah, it is, we should eat before it gets cold," Yeji stated.

    "Yes, we should," Ana agreed.

   "Ryujin, dinner!" Yeji called out.

    Aurora came down first. Ryujin following with Ara in her arms.

    Yeji and Ryujin sat at the heads of the table, Ara sat in her high chair next to Yeji. Selene sat between Ana and Chohee, next to Chohee was Maya. Sol sat across from Selene between Danielle and Jay, with Aurora by Danielle and their grandfather next to Ara.

    "The food looks amazing, Yeji," Chohee said.

  "It does," Maya agreed.

   "Thank you, girls,"

    "Selene, your Quinceañera are you excited? I was excited for mine," Aurora asked.

   "What are you doing for Sol since they are twins?" Ana asked.

   "They are both having a quince," Ryujin said.

   "What? Quinceañeras in our family are for women," Ana stated.

   Yeji pursed her lips, "Hyunjin, he promised Estrella that they would both have one not just Selene and I promised Hyunjin the same thing. I am not going against their wishes,"

   Ana hummed.

   "Selene and I are both very excited to be doing this for our parents," Sol stated.

    "Since you both are doing it, who are your escorts?" Aurora asked.

   "Oh, I asked my friend Janelle to come with me," Sol said.

   "What about you Selene? What boy did you ask?" Ana said.

  Yeji scoffed lightly and continued to feed Ara.

   "I actually asked Chohee to be my escort," Selene said.

   Ryujin bit her lip hiding her smile.

   "Oh,"

   "I think it is very nice, sometimes things should be different," their grandfather said.

  Selene smiled softly.

   Ana cleared her throat, "There is something that I ask of you Selene," she said.

   Selene tilted her head.

    "I ask that you are presented with the Mendoza name over the Hwang name you currently hold," Ana stated

    -
  
    Cliffhanger because yes.