Addams Family Values

Chapter 3

A few days later, Yoongi dropped off Soobin in front of a paint store in town.

Holding the baby in his arms, he climbed the stairs over the store and found himself in Dr. Kim's waiting room, children's toys scattered around the floor, and the walls covered with large posters of animals and pastoral scenes.

Soobin was just starting to have doubts about coming there when a plump woman came to the door, wearing thick glasses and with a rosy complexion.

"Welcome," she said, clasping her hands together as if she were very pleased. "I'm Dr. Kim, and you are ... ?"

"Soobin Addams."

Dr. Kim came over and gently parted the black shawl protecting the baby. "And who's this?"

"This is Minhee," Soobin said. They'd finally named the baby the night before.

Dr. Kim stuck her finger toward the baby as if to tickle his chin.

"Uh, I wouldn't do that," Soobin said, stepping back. "He likes to bite."

"Well, please come in and join the group," the psychologist said, holding open the door.

Soobin stepped into the room, half a dozen new parents already there, each with a baby in their arms or strapped into a Snugli pressed against their chests. Soobin smiled pleasantly and sat down in a chair across from Dr. Kim.

"Welcome," she said. "I'm Dr. Kim and this is my New Parents Support Group. Having a new baby is a miracle and a minefield, and no one understands that better than another new parent. Let's begin by just going around the room and introducing ourselves."

A young woman to Soobin's right spoke up. "Hi, I'm Young Tiffany, and this is Shin Ryujin." She held up a pink-cheeked, healthy-looking little baby in brand-new pink and green corduroy togs.

"We're all very sorry," Soobin said sincerely. "Really."

Tiffany gave him a puzzled look, and then continued. "My baby is a joy. She's just perfect. But my husband says I get too anxious, and won't let her out of my sight. Do any of you have that problem?"

"I know just how you feel," Soobin said. "Last week my baby was missing for three days."

The other parents stared at him with wide eyes.

"For the first two I was fine," Soobin assured them. "But by Friday...I was, frankly, upset. I looked everywhere, the swamp, the crypt, the trunk of the car. And do you know where he was?"

"Where?" Dr. Kim asked, looking aghast.

"The attic. Locked in a steamer trunk, safe and sound," Soobin said before turning to Tiffany and saying "So don't worry. Babies are like mildew. They always come back."

Dr. Kim cleared her throat. "Uh, Mr. Addams, just what is your new-parent problem?"

"Well, my problem really concerns my other two children," Soobin confided to the group. "They're very jealous of the baby. Has that happened to anyone else?"

"What do your children do?" the psychologist asked.

"Well, the usual," Soobin replied. "They've tied the baby to the lightning rod. They've left him on the road, covered with leaves. Oh, and just this morning, there he was in the garage, covered with honey and red ants."

The others' jaws dropped, positively appalled.

Soobin smiled ruefully. "Kids."

"This sounds very serious," Dr. Kim said to him. "A communication issue. You have to reach out to your children, be completely open. You are risking critical dysfunction. To the older children and the newborn. Is he adjusting? Is there trauma?"