“No, it’s okay.” I stood up from the bench. Nikia looked up from the swings, recognized him, and waved shyly. He waved back.
“I wanted to make sure you were both all right,” he said, “and to let you know that DeAndre won’t be a problem anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means his lawyer advised him to take a plea deal. He’ll be in prison for a long time.”
Relief washed over me so powerfully I almost collapsed. My knees actually buckled, and Young Chul reached out to steady me. His hand on my arm was gentle but firm.
“Thank you. I don’t know how I’ll ever—”
“You’ll have dinner with me.”
I blinked. “What?”
“You and Nikia. Dinner. Somewhere she’d enjoy. Let me do that much.”
It wasn’t a demand. It was an offer. A genuine one. I looked at Nikia, who was watching us curiously, still swinging slowly back and forth.
“Okay,” I said. “Okay.”
He smiled then. A real smile. And for the first time since everything happened, I felt like maybe things could actually be okay.
“Your mom told me you like art. Is that true?” >> “Yes.” >> “Then I know the perfect place for dinner. They have crayons.” >>
Before he left, he crouched down in front of Nikia again. She stopped swinging and came over, a little hesitant but curious.
“Your mom told me you like art,” he said. “Is that true?”
Nikia nodded.
“Then I know the perfect place for dinner. They have crayons and paper on every table.”
Nikia’s face lit up. “Really?”
“Really.”
As he walked back to his car, I realized I was smiling too. For the first time in months, I actually felt something other than fear. I felt hope.
Young Chul took us to an upscale Korean barbecue restaurant where the staff greeted him by name and treated us like we were royalty. Nikia’s eyes went wide when she saw the tabletop grill.
“We get to cook our own food?” she asked, amazed.
“We do,” he said, smiling. “Want to help me?”
“Perfect. Just like that. You’re doing great.” >> “I did it.” >> “You’re really good with her.” >> “She’s easy to be good to.” >>
For the next hour, I watched him patiently explain each dish to Nikia, letting her use the tongs to flip the meat, praising her when she did it right. She was glowing. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen her this happy.
“You’re really good with her,” I said quietly.
He glanced at me, his expression softening. “She’s easy to be good to.”
After we ate, Nikia excused herself to go wash her hands. The moment she was out of earshot, Young Chul’s tone shifted.
“How are you really doing?” he asked.
“I’m managing.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
