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“Don’t worry about it, Hae-Won. Your father and I speak often. We must. He can’t barge into the United States and steal us. We’ll be alright. Just always watch yourself. Be aware of your surroundings. I want you to live here. Free. Doing whatever you love. You need to learn to be strong and not be weak.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Gathering her things for class, Hae-Won took one last look around the apartment, feeling reminiscent for some reason. She kissed her mother’s cheek, waving at her.
“See you tonight, Mother.”
“See you,” said her mother in a quiet voice.
It would be the last time they saw one another. When she returned home, Hae-Won found the apartment empty and ransacked. There was a message on the apartment answering machine.
“I will allow you to continue your education in America. It will be impressive to others here. But you will owe me a favor one day, my traitorous daughter.”
Hae-Won didn’t know what to do. Should she call the embassy? The police? Who would help her? Who would help her mother?
The answer was no one. No one would help one battered, abused North Korean woman who escaped from her husband only to be kidnapped and returned to the country she fled. No one.
Four years later, she met a handsome sailor at a party at the university. He was very forward, insistent on them being together, sleeping together. Hae-Won pushed back, but he continued to persist, refilling her cup, and she finally gave in. It was the worst mistake of her life, leading to the greatest gift of her life.
When her father asked her to ensure that Gordon William did whatever he asked, she simply said ‘yes’ with no intention of following through.
Luckily, William enjoyed a wide variety of women, most of whom resided in San Diego. She was able to avoid him for the most part, keeping him out of her life and out of her bed.
At the insistence of her father, they were to be married before the baby was born. Hae-Won agreed but lied about her name and age at the courthouse, Gordon William not even recognizing that she didn’t use her real name. It didn’t matter. It nullified the marriage. William wasn’t even sober enough to notice that she refused to sign the marriage certificate. The court clerk just looked at her and nodded. No one would care.
It was all a lie.
Gordon left her alone, retreating back to his base in San Diego, only calling her on rare occasions. A few months after her daughter was born, a woman knocked on her door looking for him. She had children with her and was demanding her child support. It was all the ammunition Hae-Won needed. Gordon William would never darken her door again.
Her father was another story.
“Miss Park, are you ready?” She stared at the text message, swallowing. Get to SFO now! We need to leave. “Miss Park?”
“Yes. Sorry, professor. I’m ready.” Sinfonia Concertante was one of the most difficult cello pieces to play. But if she did this final assignment successfully, she would have her PhD. As it always happened for her, when the bow touched the strings, her mind thought only of the music. Her body swayed as it filled her with such emotion and passion she could barely contain herself. The tingling in her arms and shoulders told her that she was near the end. Exhausted and stimulated at the same time, she played the last note and looked up.
“Miss Park?” said the professor, smiling at her. “Congratulations. Dr. Hae-Won Park.”
“Thank you,” she said softly, bowing to the man.
“That was so beautiful,” said the young woman off-stage. She’d been a bit of a protégé for Hae-Won, a young woman wanting nothing more than to make music her profession as well.
“Thank you.” Hae-Won looked up at the two men standing in the darkened hall, walking around them as she did. Finding her cello case, she placed the instrument inside and secured it.
“Miss Park, may we speak with you?” asked Patrick.
“I assume this is about Gordon.”
“Gordon?” frowned the handsome man.
“Gordon William. My daughter’s father.”
“He’s your husband, isn’t he?” asked Patrick.
“No. That was all a ruse set up by my father. We are not legally married. Not now, not ever. I do not wish to have that man in my life.”
“Are you aware that he’s on a plane back to North Korea?” asked one of the men. She nodded, holding up her phone for them to see the text messages.
“Forgive me, Miss Park, but you don’t seem upset by this at all.”
