Heart & Seoul (10 page)

“Lacey?”

I jumped, putting a hand on my chest. He
scared me. I laughed. “God, Drake, you scared the—”

He came into the room. Moving to the bed, he
sat down on the edge like he was on autopilot. He worked his hands,
staring at the floor.

I went over to him, my heart now racing for
a different reason. I placed my hand on his shoulder. “What’s
wrong? Are you okay?”

He blinked like he was coming out of daze.
“Hana…” He shook his head. “She just said the last thing I ever
thought I’d hear.”

“What?”

“My birth mom.” He looked up. “She wants to
see me.”

I sat beside him, watching as he restlessly
played with his hands. She wanted to see him? Now? I placed my hand
on his thigh. “What do you think about that?”

He shrugged. “I was finally getting over the
fact that she didn’t. Finally settling on it.” He faced me. “Why do
you think she changed her mind?”

This time yesterday, I might have told him I
didn’t know, but this time yesterday I hadn’t approached his aunt.
I hadn’t given her an invitation to our wedding. I hadn’t told her
that Drake would want his family in Korea to be a part of his
life.

I placed my hand in his. “Maybe she realized
that if you’re not too scared to allow her to be a part of your
life she shouldn’t be either.”

He looked away, thinking about that.

“You don’t have to do anything you’re not
ready for.” I kissed his cheek and left him to his thoughts. I’d be
on standby for when he made his decision.

For when he was ready.

Chapter Fifteen

Drake opened up our hotel suite to have the
meeting. He moved around the coffee table, adjusting chairs and
fluffing pillows for a long time. Hana offered to have this
intimate reunion at the agency, but Drake felt it was cold.
Lifeless. He wanted a warm environment, so he suggested back at our
hotel. I couldn’t have been more proud of him.

We sat together on the couch, holding hands.
It was just us for now, waiting with the camera placed in my lap.
Hana was bringing his mother and would act as translator today. In
my heart of hearts, I hoped she wouldn’t be needed for every word
that was exchanged today. It would be so nice for Drake and his
birth mom to understand each other. If only one word. If only one
line.

Three knocks hit the door, and a breath
escaped us both.

I turned to Drake. Wrapping my arms around
him, I said three words: “I love you.”

He managed to whisper the same. I placed a
kiss on his lips, and together, we stood.

Hand and hand, we made it to the door. I
squeezed his hand before I let go and moved on to capturing the
moment of this meeting with the video camera. This meeting would
change the life of the man I loved forever. Because of that, my
life would be changed as well.

He unbolted the door that seemed so much
easier to unlock before. He took his time with it and slowly opened
it.

In came Hana. She bowed, which Drake did in
return, and behind her was Su-Min. She was already crying. She
greeted him, bringing around a woman from behind her that was so
tiny I felt I could crush her with a single hug. She was middle
aged like her sister, her hair up loosely in a pretty bun. She had
his eyes. Drake’s eyes.

Hana gestured to Drake, introducing him to
the woman by his name. She then did the same to his mother, stating
she was known as Mi Hi.

Drake approached her
immediately, towering over the small woman who looked so much like
him. “
Annyeonghaseyo
,” he greeted, bowing.

The tears rolled down her
cheeks, her own greeting muffled because of them. Her little body
shook, then suddenly, she had her son in her arms. He had to bend
just to get to her level. She held him tight, whimpering as she
stroked her fingers through his hair.

The room filled with
tears. His mother, Su-Min, and mine. I pushed my fingers underneath
my eyes, trying to keep the camera steady in my hand with the
other. I couldn’t believe I was given the honor to be a part of
this. That I got be a part of something so special for two
people.

They held each other for a
short millennia, Mi Hi whispering words of Korean in Drake’s
ear.

Hana translated. “She
keeps saying she’s sorry. Sorry she wasn’t braver. Sorry she wasn’t
strong enough to keep you. To meet you.”

Drake pulled back,
releasing a small smile he had to purse his lips to
hold.

Mi Hi touched his cheeks.
She kept pushing her hands through his hair. Over and over. Never
ending. She couldn’t stop touching him, as if making sure he was
real. As if making sure he wouldn’t disappear. She spoke more
words, which again Hana translated. “She’s saying she felt shamed.
She was scared you would refuse her because of her decision for
adoption.”

I knew there had to be a
reason she refused the initial meeting. She feared he would deny
her. She couldn’t have been more wrong.

Drake shook his head. His
nostrils flared once as he swallowed before speaking. “Tell her I
could never refuse her and that I accept her completely. And tell
her thank you for the gift she gave me. I have a good family. I had
a very fortunate life growing up. Tell her that.”

And so Hana did, and the
woman broke down once again, running her hands up and down Drake’s
arms.

In that moment, we noticed
two other people in the room. One was an older gentlemen, a little
bit shorter than Drake.

“This is Yong Sook. Her
husband,” Hana translated when Mi Hi introduced him. “The two met
when she moved to Busan.”

The man before Drake
bowed, then the boy next to him came forward. The boy I knew to be
Drake’s brother. He’d break a lot of hearts that one. He was just
as handsome as Drake.

“Hyo,” Mi Hi struggled out
as she introduced him, her eyes red. “Your brother.”

Hyo approached Drake, grinning. “They said
you looked like me.” He titled his head from side to side. “I guess
I can see it.”

The room chuckled. My God the kid even had
Drake’s sense of humor.

Drake gave a short laugh. “I believe it’s me
you look like, kid. I am older.”

Hyo shrugged. “Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.”

The brothers hugged. One of those one-armed
numbers accompanied by a handshake. Mi Hi’s eyes couldn’t have
glistened more at the sight.

When they pulled back, Hyo said, “The
Internet told me that’s how American friends greet. Did I do it
right?” His dark eyes were hopeful at the words.

I snorted behind my hand. He was such a
cutie.

Drake patted his back. “Perfect. You’d fit
right in. You’ll have to try it out sometime and visit me in
America.”

Hyo’s face lit up. He backed away when Mi Hi
slid her hand into Drake’s. She held up an invitation that was very
familiar, speaking to Drake while she did. Drake’s eyes narrowed a
bit, no doubt wondering where she got it.

Hana touched Mi Hi’s shoulder. “She wants to
meet her. The woman you’re in love with. The woman who made her
brave enough to see you with this.” She gestured to the
invitation.

Drake’s eyes flashed from the invitation to
me, his lips tipped up.

I dipped my head. “I figured you’d want her
to come.”

He brought me to him by my hand, and the
camera lowered. I supposed someone else would have to capture the
moment I was introduced to his birth mom. It was one of many
moments that the camera didn’t see. That the camera had long been
forgotten about due to the love and emotion in the room. The camera
missed the long hour of Drake and Mi Hi sitting on the couch. The
one they spoke exchanging phrases of both Korean and English. It
missed her hand clasped in his while she sat snuggled up on his
side to make him hers forever. It missed Drake telling her about
his life in America, his goals, and how he truly was okay. It also
failed to see Mi Hi’s story of her pregnancy. One, though full of
anxiety and fear for the future of her unborn child, was also
filled with hope. Hope for the day she would finally get to meet
him and hear of the wonderful life she prayed he would have.
Despite the fact the camera didn’t see those moments, it was okay.
Because, sometimes, the best memories are the ones you can only
hold in your heart.

Epilogue

Nearly three years later…

I hopped up from my chair, hooting and
hollering with the rest of Drake’s family as he accepted his
diplomas amongst his peers. He was able to finish his joint degrees
for political science and Asian American studies in two and half
years instead of four, and I couldn’t be more proud. I was also
happy I could get more time with him. Getting his degrees was damn
time consuming, and I missed my husband. He’d be interning for
Senator Cho in the fall along with doing the charity work he did.
He remained quite active in the adoptee community programs
alongside his friend, Natalia, so his time would still be limited.
But with his degrees done now, I would at least get to see him
more. The latest show I was in wrapped up as well, so we’d get even
more time.

The loudest clappers were
definitely his moms. I say
moms
because Mi Hi was able to come for his graduation
along with Drake’s brother, Hyo. This was the second time the two
were in America. The first time being our summer wedding. It was
quite a day, and I cried throughout most of it. Even more so when I
saw Drake’s eyes glass when he met me at the end of the aisle. His
brother and Derrick stood by his side that day. Both given the
honor of being Best Man. So I guess they would have been considered
Best
Men.
I, of
course, had Margot and Adele on my side. We had a melting pot up
there. Colorful and wonderful. Our differences were what made us
such a unique family. We were connected, bonded, despite how
different we were from one another. Color never defined or
classified us, and it had never been black or white for Drake or
myself. Drake was a man of many races. He had various cultures in
his life, and I was the same. A woman of many worlds. My father
handed me over to him, and I joined yet another. Another culture.
Another world. That was the way it should be.

Drake retook his seat on stage after
receiving his diplomas. The students with honors got to sit up
there. He made eye contact with me from his chair, a silent
exchange of love between us. Placing my hand on my stomach, I
smiled up at the man on stage. In just under nine months, another
combination of love would come into the world.

And he’d know tonight.

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About the
Author

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in
Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day.
She resides in the Midwest with her MacBook on her lap and a
cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories
from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters
she writes give her an earful about it.