Then she hugged me so tightly I nearly forgot how much the distance between us had bothered me.

Back at her apartment, she pulled crackers, pancake mix, candy, and several other American foods from my luggage.

“Mom, we have food here.”

“Not the food you like.”

She laughed.

But I knew the truth.

Half the things in those suitcases were items she had never requested.

I called them gifts.

Really, I was transporting pieces of home across the Pacific because some part of me still hoped Emily needed them.

She had moved to Korea for work years earlier.

Then she met Joon.

At first, I worried.

Not because there was anything wrong with him, but because he belonged to a world I didn’t understand.

Different language.

Different family expectations.

Different traditions.

Then I met him.

Joon was patient, thoughtful, and clearly devoted to my daughter.

Eventually, I stopped worrying about him.

What I never quite accepted was that Emily stayed.

While unpacking, I casually mentioned the bakery near my house.

“They renovated the whole place. You’d love it now.”

“I’m sure I would.”

Then she folded a towel.

“We’re actually thinking about renewing this apartment for a longer lease.”

I looked up immediately.

“How much longer?”

She glanced at me.

“A while.”

I straightened several boxes that were already perfectly straight.

“Well. Good for you.”

Emily narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“What?”

“You did the voice.”

“I don’t have a voice.”

“Yes, you do. The one where ‘good for you’ actually means, ‘How dare this information personally attack me?’”

I sighed.

“I just miss you. I’m proud of everything you’ve built here. But sometimes I’m allowed to be sad for myself too.”

Her expression softened.

“I miss you too, Mom.”

That should have been enough.

Somehow, for years, I had taken those three words and turned them into an imaginary plane ticket home.

The following evening, Emily was delayed at work.

Joon’s mother wasn’t feeling well, so only Joon and Young-ho came over for dinner.

I had met Young-ho at the wedding and once afterward.

He was reserved, formal, but always polite with me.

I went into the kitchen to prepare appetizers while he and Joon talked at the dining table.

At first, I ignored them.

Then they switched to Korean.

Then I heard Emily’s name.

Young-ho said, “If Emily or Stella ever finds out how much fear influenced the beginning of this marriage, those job interviews will be the smallest thing you’ll have to explain.”

Joon hissed, “They aren’t going to hear anything from you.”

“You can’t hide relocation plans forever.”

“I’ll tell Emily if something real happens.”

My heart began pounding.