Page 195 of Riot Act

I help them to their feet, and my grandmother smiles at me through her tears. “You’ve grown so big and strong, Tommy. You were such a little thing. I can’t believe how big you are!”

“So many years,” my mom chokes and puts her fingers over her mouth delicately, like she’s holding those lamentations inside herself. She injects her voice with cheer, and I know thereis so much grief for all of us to unpack, but she doesn’t want to focus on that right now. “Do you drink tea, Tommy? Or you, Mr. Sokolov?”

“Tea is good,” I say for both of us.

“Thank you for bringing Tommy back to us.” My grandmother bustles forward in a cloud of lavender scent, taking Young-gi’s big hands in her small, wrinkled ones. “Thank you so, so much.”

“Of course.” His face is as brick-wall as ever, but my grandmother doesn’t seem put off by it. She pats his cheek and leads us back to the living room.

I stare at her back, adrift. My mother hovers at my side. I look at her. Blink a few times.

“Sorry, I…” I trail off.

“I understand,” she whispers to me, her voice tight and choked with emotions. “I understand, baby. It’s okay, Tommy.”

And then we sit, and I have tea with them. And Young-gi stays with me while the three of us cry and laugh and I listen to them talk. My mom calls out for her shift, not even trying to hide the fact that she’s found her long-lost son. It’s surreal.

I don’t know how to contain the enormity of what’s happening here.

But I think I’ll be alright.