Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74123 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74123 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
After their arrests, Mark was released on bail while Candace stayed in jail because no one was willing to pay her bond.
Candace was sentenced to three years for unlawful detention because apparently, she had some outstanding warrants for reckless driving. Mark had a better lawyer who was able to get him probation because he had a bunch of church members testify on his behalf.
A month later however, he went to prison for violating probation when he got into a fight at a strip club.
The Caldwell’s attempted to sue Amina for slander by saying she was spreading falsehoods about them. The judge took one look at the evidence and tossed it out.
“No problem. I’m happy to do it for you. Besides, I’m not doing this completely out of selflessness. I expect to get a souvenir from Korea. Maybe one of those cute traditional dresses. What are they called? I think it starts with an h.
“I think you’re referring to hanboks,” Ethan answered.
“They’re so pretty,” the blonde sighed.
“I bet you would look really good in one Pais,” Amina chimed in from the front passenger seat.
“I’m so jealous about your trip. You two are going to have so much fun.” Paisley gushed.
He didn’t want to burst Paisley’s bubble by telling her that this two-week trip he and Amina were going on wasn’t strictly pleasure.
Speaking to his father was bittersweet because he knew they would never have a traditional father-son relationship but at least he would finally get the opportunity to meet him in person.
Ethan wasn’t sure how Kim Soo-ah would react to him or how he’d feel seeing her or Mr. Cha again, but he was ready for anything they threw his way. And with Amina by his side, he felt like he could conquer the world.
His mother had been worried about them going on this trip but they had her full support. Ethan was able to forgive his mother for keeping his father’s information from him all these years. From her perspective, she’d done it to protect him. Once he understood that, they had never been closer.
Ethan loved the relationship Amina and his mother had developed. She kept asking Ethan when he would propose because she wanted some grandkids.
Ethan smiled to himself and tapped his carry-on bag that rested beside him. Inside was the three-carat ring he planned to propose to Amina with when they arrived in Korea.
“We’re here!” Paisley sang out pulling in front of the airport drop off lane.
She got out of the car and helped Amina and Ethan with their bags.
This past year had been an absolute whirlwind, but Amina was thankful that she and Paisley had become so close.
The office wasn’t the same without her but the new receptionist, Roberta was an older lady who was friendly but didn’t take shit from anyone. Several times she had put Carole in her place. Amina liked her.
With Candace’s arrest, both of Aunt Sharon’s kids were now incarcerated. Aunt Sharon was evicted from her apartment because she got too far behind rent and came looking for Amina to bail her out. Amina had promptly called the police and had Aunt Sharon trespassed, when the older woman showed up at her job.
She never saw Sharon again.
She was glad to have Mark and his rotten parents out of her life. The last she thing Amina heard about any of them was that Mark had been arrested for violating his probation.
Because of his troubles with the IRS, Pastor Caldwell had skipped town when a warrant was issued for his arrest for fraud. Mrs. Caldwell had taken over the pulpit as the new pastor of Christ’s Home, but half the congregation left. Unable to keep up with the taxes on the building, the city seized the property. She now preached to her small following at an abandoned dojo in a sketchy part of town.
Amina got frequent updates from Jasmine. The young woman decided to go back home and raise her son with the help of her parents who were delighted by the arrival of their first grandchild.
And Paisely seemed to be thriving in school. They had become closer than ever.
The best part of this entire year was that her love for Ethan grew more each day. He was a godsend. She knew her grandma would love him.
Meeting her grandmother again in limbo felt like a dream but in her heart, she knew it had been real. Amina would sometimes dream about her grandmother and was comforted to know she’d reunite with her someday along with her mother and father.
Amina gave Paisley a hug. “Thanks again for bringing us to the airport. I’ll be on the lookout for that hanbok. And I’ll bring you some candy because I know you like your sweets.”
Paisley squealed. “Oh, you know me so well, Amina.” She gave Amina another quick hug. “You guys have a great trip. I need to get out of here before I get a ticket.”