The calligrapher's daughter_ a novel - Eugenia Kim [113]
“Yes, Mother, I am. God is good,” I said, copying Calvin’s simplicity that first time together beneath the willows, and I thanked my mother for convincing Father about my need for work.
In the garden we picked ripe summer vegetables. As I described the beach days—avoiding Jaeyun’s dilemma—I confirmed that each element of Calvin’s proposal had received approval from Father. “He’s very pleased with Mr. Cho,” said Mother, tugging scallions easily from the earth. “And more agreeable than I’ve seen him in some time. Naturally we’ll miss you. Is anything harder for a woman than to see her daughter depart in marriage? Yah,” she sighed. “Now I clearly understand why my own mother wept every night for a week before my wedding day. But we’re too blessed for crying!” I checked my mother’s eyes: wet but bright with satisfaction.
“Where is Father?” I asked, suddenly aware that he’d been absent for longer than a walk to town.
Mother straightened from searching the squash vines and her expression darkened. “He’s out with Dongsaeng.”
“He’s home again? Is it another term break?” I had seen my younger brother the weekend before I left for vacation. At fifteen years old, he was a few inches taller than me, his cheeks fully rounded, his waist slim and his shoulders broad. He’d been cranky when I measured him for the winter coat that I’d foolishly attempted to sew at the beach. He remained sullen and silent and the air around him was murky and jumbled. He seemed to be having particular difficulty adjusting to his young-man years, and I wondered if he believed that somehow I had influenced Father’s decision to bring him home after I had graduated from Ewha. He wouldn’t know that I hadn’t told anyone about his falling grades and unsavory friends in Seoul, and he didn’t seem to notice or care how events reported in the newspapers affected his life. When he was home last weekend, I’d asked about his boarding school and teased him about girls, but he only mumbled, “I have to study, Nuna. Leave me alone, won’t you?” Later that day when I brought him a snack, I used all my big-sister skills to draw him out, but he said nothing and refused to meet my eyes.
I had obviously lost track of his school schedule with the excitement of the beach and my betrothal. “Is he home for the weekend? I can’t wait to see him.” I thought my news might inspire him to believe in untold possibilities for his own future. I knew that in many ways Father was stricter with Dongsaeng than he’d been with me.
“The term isn’t finished until July,” said Mother, “but you’ll have plenty of time to see him now.” She turned to comb the vines. “Your brother flunked out of school. He was asked to leave last Monday, the day after you left for the beach.” She smiled weakly. “It’s been a busy week!”
I took the squash she’d found and held her hand. “What happened?”
“His grades and they said his attitude. Aigu, why doesn’t he work harder? He’s so intelligent! If he did the work he’d show them how brilliant he is. And what do they mean by attitude? They must not be feeding him enough. No one can concentrate on an empty stomach.”
I wondered if I should have told about his school troubles in Seoul. I saw that my attempt to protect him by withholding information about his problems might have contributed to his downfall. “Umma-nim, I—”
“Yah, never mind,” said Mother, firmly clasping my hand. “You have a new job to worry about. He’s home now where Father can watch him. We’ll find another school, and I’m sure he’ll be happier at home and do better. Certainly we’ll feed him better!” Mother placed another squash in the