Come Back Home

13

A FEW DAYS LATER – IN EUROPE (LONDON) – WINTER'S POV

"What do you mean 'Liam has to sleep in the twins' room the whole time he is traveling with us'?!" Minji asks me, frowning. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I'm dead serious." I immediately replied.

"You know that I'm turning 18 in just a few weeks, right?"

"And I'm turning 43 around the same time. What's your point?" I shrug.

"Okay, where's mom?" She's quick to ask, obviously looking for support.

"She's taking a shower." I say. "But if I were you, I wouldn't bother, sweetpea. Mom and I already talked about it, and she agrees with me."

"Well, can we at least discuss it?" She insists, crossing her arms.

"Not that it's going to change my mind, but... sure, let's discuss." I say in a jaded tone, inviting her to sit down across the table.

We end up staring at each other for a while, without saying a word.

"I know you know that Liam and I have sex." She eventually says, completely catching me by surprise.

Even though Karina already told me months ago, part of me was still hoping that she had just misunderstood "the signs", but hearing Minji saying it so bluntly doesn't leave any more room for doubt: my daughter is sexually active.

"I know mom figured it out a while ago..." She adds. "And she told you, didn't she?"

Crap, what am I supposed to say now? Karina made me promise that if it came up, I would act like I didn't know anything.

"Um... I... uh..." I trail off, not sure how to react.

"What's the point of discussing if you won't even be honest?" She challenges me, locking eyes with me.

Damn, Karina is right. That girl is becoming more and more like me...

"Fine..." I sigh. "Yes, I know about you and the leprechaun... But don't be mad at mom for telling me, sweetpea. We were just..."

"It's okay, mama." She cuts me off. "I was actually hoping she would tell you."

"What...?" I frown in confusion, not expecting that.

"I didn't mean to hide it from you... I was just too scared to tell you myself." She shrugs. "I was sure mom would eventually tell you, and I thought it was for the best, because you would take it better if it came from her anyway."

"Better..." I repeat with a sarcastic chuckle, remembering how badly I reacted to the news, even with all the Martinis Karina made me drink that day.

"I'm sorry..." Minji says, understanding that I didn't take it well. "I get it though... Even I feel weird when I see Beomgyu and Taehyun kiss girls, so I can't imagine how you must feel, knowing that I... um..." She trails off. "But when you were my age, you were already dating mom, and you guys were also sleeping together..."

"It's not the same, sweetpea."

"It's exactly the same, mama! You and mom were even moving a lot faster than me and Liam." She argues. "You were not even 20 years old when you moved in together, and you got engaged just a few months after that! So, why can't I share a bed with my boyfriend for a few days?" She asks, making me sigh.

"I already told you, Minji... I know it's not fair, but it's not the same."

"Why? Because I could get pregnant?"

"Yes!" I immediately say, raising my arms.

"But I'm on the pill and we're careful..." She argues. "And what if we lived in a world where mom could have gotten you pregnant at 18, huh? You know it wouldn't have stopped you."