Realize (COMPLETED)

31.

JK

Three months later...

"ORDER UP!"

"Jennie, table three needs more coffee."

"I got it. Let me drop this off." I grab the plates of hot eggs, bacon, and toast and scurry around the crowded diner to table number two. Two teenage guys smile as I serve them and I roll my eyes at their obvious failing flirtation.

I move on to table three, an older couple who for the past two hours have been demanding more coffee. Fuck, how many cups do they need, seriously? The old woman keeps complaining that the coffee is too strong and yet it hasn't stopped her from guzzling down five cups. Her husband, he's just as worse, except he's not as vocal.

I pour them another cup and slap on a smile. "Are you ready for the check?"

"You ready Eileen?"

"Let me drink this last cup, George." The lady rolled her eyes at her husband. I stifle a laugh and walk off, but not before hearing her complain about how strong the coffee is.

Yep...Just another day at Lucky's Diner.

This is my life now-totally unexpected in a I never saw this coming kind of way, but a vast improvement from the road I once traveled on. It hasn't been easy; I won't even entertain the idea that it's been all sunshine and roses since I've been here. No, I was only supposed to be passing through on my way to Portland; not getting stranded in this little city and finding two of the most important people in my life right now.

The night I met Jiyong and Sara it was...Well I fainted...But when I came to, the shock was almost enough to make me pass out again. I couldn't believe it – I awoke with a wide range of emotions that hit me all at once.

I think I was entitled to that.

I'd just met a man who claimed to be my father, and an aunt who really wasn't that much older than me. I didn't know how I was supposed to react to that shit without feeling like I was going out of my fucking mind.

My father...

My fucking father...Jiyong Kim.

They brought me home, to his house. Sara lived down the street but she wanted to stay with me. All I can remember from that night is this huge weight pressing down on my chest, just recalling all that I've been through and always wanting to know why my father wasn't there. I can remember cursing the unknown man for leaving me behind with those horrible people. I can remember praying to God as a little girl after I lost Gran, asking why no one loved me...Why my own mother and father hated me so much. All Dam-bi ever told me was that he was a no good coward who didn't deserve her love. She created this image in my mind of someone who was just as terrible as she was, and I hated him.

Not everyone has good memories of their father.

But, I have none...

And what I expected was for him to tell me he didn't want me-to push me away. I'm the bastard child he never knew so why would he want me? Instead he held me tighter. We cried for hours or at least I did. I was a fucking puddle of tears and snot but I didn't care, this was fucking life changing. My father, the man I'd always wanted to know kicked down the crumbling cement around my heart and showed me what a father can truly be.

I cried until there were no tears left-so to replace that emotion I got angry. I was so fucking angry and I don't think he nor Sara could blame me. They didn't know my story and it'd be a long time before I told them that shit, but I know they aren't dumb. They know something bad happened to me and for that they let me have that time to myself.