Waiters poured into the room wordlessly with new dinner ware and cleared the mess. Selena was proud as Molly declined the opportunity to drink the highest end alcohol the city had to offer. James and her had sparkling water. The Prix-Fixe per person on a meal like this was more than the family used to live a month on.
As the waiters efficiently cleared the mess and reset the table, McKenna's eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on Molly with a mixture of anger and resentment. But Molly's calm and collected demeanor seemed to unsettle McKenna, making her look uncertain and vulnerable.
Selena, on the other hand, seemed to approve of Molly's handling of the situation, her eyes shining with a quiet admiration. She watched as Molly effortlessly took charge, her confidence and poise commanding attention.
As the meal began, the conversation was stilted, with McKenna's anger and hurt still simmering just below the surface. But Molly's firm but gentle guidance seemed to be slowly bringing McKenna back under control, her tantrum slowly giving way to a sullen silence.
"You must be so surprised to find out that you are Asian," Eun Ho said, looking at Selena. Selena politely nodded.
McKenna's father was half Latin and Choctaw Indigenous. The family had unwanted ties to the cartel. Jonathan, herself and the lawyers had a hell of a time insulating themselves and putting together preventative measures.
Molly and James would stay out of the press. McKenna would finish school abroad and would need to recognize her parentage fully, thus clearing the way for Selena's future.
McKenna's eyes flashed with anger at Eun Ho's comment, but she seemed to be struggling to keep her emotions in check. "I don't care about being half Korean anymore," she spat, her voice venomous. "I care about living a lie, my whole life." McKenna sobbed.
Eun Ho's expression remained calm and serene, but her eyes seemed to hold a deep understanding of the complexities of the situation. "I know this is a lot to take in, McKenna, please." she said gently. "But we need to talk about your heritage and your family's... complicated history."
Selena felt the hum of McKenna's impending face slap from the universe. Everything she taunted her about in her last life sat upon her head. All of it. All though it would be hard for Molly to say and deal with a whole new person.
McKenna's eyes narrowed, her gaze darting between Eun Ho and Jonathan. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice rising. "What's going on?"
"James obviously isn't your birth father. He is blonde, has blue eyes." McKenna's eyes widened in shock as Molly's words hung in the air. She looked like she had been punched in the gut, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. "What... what does that have to do with me?" she stammered.
Molly's expression remained stern, her eyes boring into McKenna's. "Your biological father, I do not know who he was, McKenna."
Selena rationalized that McKenna was deemed to stupid and irresponsible by Molly to know the truth that her father was a drug lord that did not know that she was alive and probably wanted her and Molly dead.
The room fell silent, the only sound was the soft hum of the restaurant's air conditioning. McKenna's eyes darted between Molly and the others, her face a mask of shock and disgust.
Selena watched her, her face emotionless and cool, but her eyes seemed to hold a deep understanding of who McKenna was inside.
Eun Ho looked at her birth daughter, who the question was directed at originally with pity and appreciation. She was as quiet and thoughtful as Jonah, but infinitely more mature. She handled her chopsticks like a natural and ate with a dignified manner. Selena paused and smiled nervously. Eun Ho felt the blood bond between them. Somethings were a matter of being born in - she had her grandmother's natural grace.
Eun Ho's eyes lingered on Selena, taking in the quiet confidence and poise that radiated from her. She was struck by the contrast between Selena's refined demeanor and McKenna's tantrums. Selena's appreciation for the luxury experience was evident in the way she savored each bite, her eyes lighting up with delight.
As Eun Ho watched Selena, she felt a surge of love and pride. She realized that she had been wrong to think that it would take time to love her biological child. Selena's gentle nature and thoughtful demeanor had already won her heart.
Eun Ho's gaze drifted to McKenna, and she felt a pang of concern. McKenna's behavior was a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead
.
But as she looked back at Selena, she felt a sense of hope and gratitude. She knew that she had been given a rare gift, a chance to reconnect with her biological child and build a new relationship.
"So I am half Korean and half white?" Selena asked, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and wonder. She looked at Eun Ho and Jonathan, her eyes searching for confirmation and connection.
Eun Ho smiled warmly at Selena, her eyes shining with affection. "Yes, sweetie, that's right. Your father, Jonathan, is from Scotland originally, and I'm South Korean. You have a beautiful mix of cultures and heritage."
Jonathan nodded in agreement, a gentle smile on his face. "You're also a quarter French."
"You don't have an accent?" Selena said, her eyes glimmered with interest as she processed this new information.
"Am joos realizin' it's pritty hard til capture eh auld week axeint." Jonathan said in his Scottish accent.
Selena giggled and smiled. She looked down at her hands, studying them as if searching for physical evidence of her mixed heritage.
"There's no tartan there, lassie." Jonathan said getting another giggle from Selena. Jonathan smiled broadly hearing her cute little laugh.
"I like that," she said quietly, a small smile on her face. "I like being half Korean and a mix of cultures. I grew up not knowing my racial identity and culture" Selena said.
"I knew I was loved, and that's important. But sometimes I wondered who I was." Selena said a wistful sigh escaping her lips. More food came in and her eyes widened excitedly.
Eun Ho squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You're finding out a lot about yourself, aren't you?" she asked softly. Selena nodded, her eyes welling up with emotion. "Yeah," she whispered. "I grew up not knowing anything about my heritage until tonight."
McKenna looked on with displeasure. "Great I am a bastard and half white trash. Excellent." McKenna said. No one seemed to be paying attention to her anymore.
Molly heard McKenna, her biological daughter's words. She could not doubt that the words stung, but she knew better than to be affected by them. "Wow, even private schools and wealth could not get the trash out of you?" Molly said, giving her biological daughter the hard look that Maria used to intimidate her with.
Selena's cool and collected face changed and a big smirk blossomed on her face hearing Molly tear a strip out of McKenna.
"Most people usually flourish with opportunities. At least I won't have to feel guilty wondering how you would turn out in Selena's shoes. She's at least got some semblance of manners and class and grew up by my side." Molly said. It was a dig both at McKenna and the Lowrie's.
Eun Ho looked at McKenna seeing the defeated look scrawl across her face once she got a taste of the woman's venom. A hush fell across the table. Molly was right, Selena was mature, impressive and collected. There was a certain factor that nurtured that this woman may have done to cultivate this child. The report only showed a turn around in her grades after her medication was remedied.
"Here's the paperwork, correcting your identity. The same thing has been done for McKenna. Listen, we want to make sure we support McKenna as well. She will have a trust fund and we'll always be a part of her life. Like you will be part of Molly and James'. We've made arrangements so you can see your respective parents. It's close enough you both can walk. You will have two rooms." Jonathan said.
Selena's expression changed. She had a headache.Would she have to share housing with this bitch. Fuck, no. She took her pill bottle out receiving a look from Jonah. So did he have it too?
Selena's eyes widened as she processed the information Jonathan was sharing. She felt a mix of emotions: relief, gratitude, and a hint of overwhelmedness. As she reached for her pill bottle, she caught Jonah's gaze and saw a flicker of recognition. She wondered if he suffered from similar headaches.
"Is it... Epilepsy?" Jonah asked Selena quietly, his eyes locked on hers.
Selena nodded subtly, her expression puzzled. She connected the dots.
Eun Ho's eyes narrowed slightly, concern etched on her face. "Selena, are you okay? Do you need anything?"
Selena took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She was stressed. "I'm fine, just time for medicine," she said, trying to reassure Eun Ho.
It was a far superior name brand medication she received now. Gunn had apparently, according to A.A, given her a platinum card that would cover her healthcare at any hospital. Her treatment was VVIP level at Haven Hospital.
Jonathan's expression turned sympathetic. "We'll get you settled in, and you can rest. We have a lot to discuss, but it can wait."
"Molly, McKenna, James here's her birth certificate. After you marry, we will assist James in formally adopting her. Then she'll be 'McKenna White'."
As Jonathan spoke, he handed her the paperwork and property in Selena's name. McKenna's eyes darted to Molly, her mother. A hint of curiosity and concern on her face. She had always felt like there was something missing, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Her health issues were more complex than Jonah's.
"This happened so quickly." Molly said. She rubbed Selena's back to soothe her.
McKenna's eyes locked onto Molly's, and she wondered what her mother was hiding. Her mother ran from the cartel, was she a crack baby? Babies born addicted to crack or other drugs suffered lifelong illnesses, such as heart problems, respiratory issues, emotional issues, seizures and developmental delays. Her heart pounded, her face turned red.
McKenna thought about her own health issues, the frequent doctor's visits and hospital stays. Her mother had always told her it was because of her epilepsy, but now McKenna wondered if that was accurate. It was possible that her mother had been using drugs while she was pregnant, look at her. Would she even make it to college?
As she looked at Jonah, she saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He was smart, he must have pieced it together. The only reason he stayed at private school with her was out of duty. Now he could join his friends. The only thing she had to cling to is the Lowrie's feelings for her and the trust fund. Jonah smirked.
"My illnesses aren't genetic are they?" McKenna asked.
Molly's eyes locked onto McKenna's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. McKenna could see the fear and worry etched on Molly's face, and she knew that she was getting close to the truth. "I'm sorry, McKenna. I'm sober now. But that's not going to make it up to you. Only a lifetime will." Molly said.
"Oh my god. I was a crack baby?" McKenna cried quietly. The dining room fell silent.
Selena looked on, so McKenna had researched her in her past life and used this to insult her.
Was it Gunn who leaked it? She felt vindicated and bad, she remembered how awful the fight she and Molly had. It led to her falling in with Josiah and giving up on life. It led to drugs, sex trafficking, everything.
McKenna's quiet cry echoed through the dining room, and the atmosphere immediately became tense.
Selena's eyes widened, and she looked away, trying to appear nonchalant. 'Crack baby' was something McKenna insulted her with, it was ironic. She was trying very hard not to put her bias from future/past McKenna's on the 14 year olds back, but she made it so hard to believe that she could grow to be anything but the "bitch who made her life a living hell for fun".
The question was 'Why did future/past McKenna lash out at her'? Did she suspect she wasn't Eun Ho and Jonathan's child and figure out her identity? If so, that would be a hell of a reason and Selena did not feel bad at all for taking back her rightful identity. Maybe she could have it all?
The rest of the meal was indeed awkward, the tension palpable. Jonathan's attempts to lighten the mood fell flat, and the group's conversation was stilted.
As they prepared to leave, McKenna felt a mix of emotions: shame, anger, and a deep sadness. She knew that this revelation would change everything, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face the consequences.
As they went outside, Molly mentioned the move to the penthouse, explaining that it was a gift from the Lowries. The house would be emptied. What about the businesses? No one asked her.
"I see the wheels turning kiddo, don't worry the settlement was more than enough to buy the equipment and machines to go to the next step. Mary is still running the machines and Sylvia is using the RFID tags and system you set up to sort and fold. We might even get more clients after we go to Phase 5." James said.
James looked at Selena with pride. She had acquired a lease on an out of business laundromat and bought the machines from the owner.
Along with the use of the machines, it would allow them to open up a turnkey operation when they scaled up. She had already fixed the problems that the place had. It was being renovated and updated by James when the machines were not in use.
"We're at phase 5, we are years ahead of my goals. That means we can start hiring the Disabled Combat Vets that I wanted to. I think we'll stay away from the convicts though. I don't want any connections found between Mom and us. Her safety is the priority." Selena said.
James flicked her. "And yours. Your safety." James said. James awkwardly ducked into the limousine and they drove to the penthouse apartment. The large apartment had 5 rooms.
Selena's eyes widened as she took in the opulent princess room that was now hers. "Whoa," she breathed, feeling like she had stepped into a fairy tale.
The walk-in closet was a shopper's paradise, filled with uniforms, a brand new sewing machine, and an astonishing array of brand-name clothes, purses, shoes, and real jewelry. It was like having her own personal boutique.
As she explored the room, she discovered a beautiful bathroom, a fully stocked vanity with expensive creams, makeup, fragrances, and South Korean cosmetics.
A state-of-the-art computer sat on a sleek desk, with all her files neatly organized. A brand new cellular phone and wallet full of her new identity cards, including a black card and a platinum Haven Health Card, lay waiting.
A welcome home note on the desk outlined a busy itinerary, including a comprehensive health check, salon appointment, spa appointment with massage, and educational assessment.
Just as Selena was taking it all in, James burst into the room, beaming with excitement. "Guess what?" he exclaimed. "I'm getting fitted for a new prosthetic leg! A better one, with more advanced technology." Selena smiled, thrilled for James.
Molly, on the other hand, looked overwhelmed, her eyes darting around the room as if she was trying to take it all in.
Selena approached her, concern etched on her face. "Hey, Mom, what do you want to do with your life now?" she asked gently. "You're only 30. You can get your GED, go to school... the possibilities are endless."
Molly looked at Selena, a smile in her eyes. This was who she raised. She was proud. Even in the face of opulence and wealth her faith was not shaken in her and it meant everything to Molly.
Molly made a resolution to get through this and be her best self to be worthy of the title of Mom her. She had noticed the alcohol in the penthouse and would have the Lowrie's take it back. She would need to call her sponsor later and be incredibly vague about her life problems. She could do this both for Selena and McKenna.