Doctor Kim

Chapter 36: Epilogue

FOUR MONTHS LATER

The headlights of Minji's car cut through the night as we sped through the rural side streets on our way back to her house. My phone chimed with a text message, and I dug it out of my clutch.

Danielle: How was dinner with Dad?

Hanni: Ugh, please stop calling her that.

I pictured her on the other end of the phone, amused with herself.

"Who are you texting?" Minji asked. Her eyes stayed on the road, thankfully not shifting to see what she'd sent.

"Danielle," I said. "She wanted to know how the fundraiser was."

Hanni: The event was fine. Glad it's over.

The hospital held an annual dinner a few weeks before Christmas that was part party for staff, and part fundraiser. It'd been dry chicken, medical jargon I only half-understood, and plenty of raised eyebrows. I wasn't an idiot. Most of Minji's colleagues saw me as a trophy girlfriend or thought the age difference was scandalous.

"How was it for you?" She asked it like she hadn't been by my side all evening, even though she had.

"It was about what I expected. Lots of stares." I loved the cute black cocktail dress I'd bought for the event but spent the entire night uncomfortable from all the strangers' judgement.

"Fuck 'em," she said. "Most of them are just jealous."

As I stared at her in her sexy suit and tie, the faint lines of silver threading her hair, I understood. If I was any other woman, I'd be jealous of me too. But I was Minji's first choice, and she was mine.

"I know you didn't want to go," she added, "so thanks. I appreciate it." She took a hand off the steering wheel and set it on my knee.

It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, which was good. My formal coat wasn't very warm, and the outside temperature was closing in on freezing.

"You doctors sure fall into the stereotype of loving golf. So much conversation about 'playing the back nine.' I pretended they were using a euphemism for anal just to keep it interesting."

Minji's mouth fell open into an incredulous grin. "Dirty girl."

I shrugged. She wasn't wrong.

We made it home, and while Minji was hanging our coats up in the entryway closet, I went into the kitchen just as Jay appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Hey," he said.

I strived for a bright, casual tone. "Hi."

Would it ever not be weird seeing each other? Vanderbilt was a big school, so we rarely ran into each other on campus, and winter break was the only reason Jay was home now.

He hadn't been home alone, though. There was a girl on the landing of the stairs, standing beside him. She was pretty, with big eyes, full lips, and glossy blonde hair I was envious of.

"This is Iris," he said. "We were just heading out to see a movie." He gestured to me. "Iris, this is Hanni, my dad's girlfriend."

Surprise splashed on her face.

Jay said it all like it was no big deal. "Yeah, she's young. We used to date. Whatever, it's weird." He slipped his hand behind Iris's back and pressed her forward. "We need to go or we're going to be late."

"Nice meeting you," she said automatically, not done processing all the info he'd just dumped on her.

"You too," I lobbed back as they went out the door to the garage.

Sometimes I wondered if he had adjusted better than I had.

Four months ago, Minji had told me we'd figure it out, and we had, for the most part. There were some days that were hard. I only saw her once over Thanksgiving break, due to her job. I still wasn't twenty-one, which occasionally was a pain when we wanted to go out.

Plus, she'd forced me to watch the movie Alien.

My mom was warming to Minji, ever so slowly. I knew she'd get there eventually. She made me happy, and wasn't that what really mattered?

"You meet Iris?" Minji asked as she reappeared, ushering me toward the kitchen.

"Yeah. She's cute." I opened the fridge and grinned when I saw the cans of Dr. Pepper beside a bottle of white wine. "What are we doing tonight?" I asked casually.

She matched my tone. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"Christmas movie?" I volunteered.

"Okay. Gremlins or Die Hard?"

I rolled my eyes. "I've seen Die Hard."

She made an exaggerated sigh. "Damn. I kind of wanted to watch that again."

I plucked the wine from the fridge, closed the door, and set the bottle down on the island with a thump. "Or we could drink this, and you could play the back nine."

She laughed and grabbed my waist, lifted, and seated me on the granite counter top, my legs spread on either side of her hips. "I like this plan much better."

I grinned as she buried her mouth in the side of my neck, causing goosebumps to burst down my legs.

"I'm crazy in love with you, you know that?" she murmured.

"I love you too," I whispered back.

I was still young and had things to learn, but on her I was certain. We'd taken a strange path to come together, but in the end, it was worth it.

She was so absolutely worth it.

THE END . . . .