Work Text:
Trina Rothschild has heard a million things about motherhood, most of them cementing her decision not to have children of her own. To be fair, she doesn’t have the patience to raise a plant, she truly doesn’t think she can successfully raise a human being.
That said, she is pretty damn proud of the young woman Kitty is turning out to be. That is most definitely Dan’s good rearing.
And, as proud as she is, Trina is forced to admit the whole process is bittersweet. After all, she has seen Kitty grow since she was only eight years old and now she is almost seventeen and already facing the world when she should still be coddled at home. Is this what people call motherly instincts? Because she doesn’t like to feel so anxious, constantly worrying about her girl’s well-being.
Oh well, it could be worse. In the end, Kitty is one clever girl.
Trina sighed and decided she needs a cup of tea if she wants to sleep tonight, way too many thoughts are scrambling her head. She wonders how was Dan able to accept all the sudden changes in their once boring lives.
First Kitty left to a boarding school, not exactly expected - she and Dan couldn’t take the silence in their old home so they almost ran away from there the moment they had the chance. Then all the mess in that stupid school, if it was up to her, Trina would have taken her girl out months ago.
But she can’t do that when Kitty loves that fucking place. So, to console herself, Trina tried to sue those fuckers out of their pretty panties… Only problem is Mr Park personally contacted them to apologise and promised to take care of his pervert grandchild while also compensating them. That old man earned Trina’s respect, so she let it go. And, sadly, the new school administration also reached out, apologising profusely for the troubles their old administration caused. Considering professor Lee is becoming the new principal, she is willing to give them another chance.
It still leaves her rather uneasy for Kitty to be all alone in another country.
Then again, is she really? Trina knows Dan is excited to have found Eve’s first child, but she doesn’t know the man yet and needs to know him before she can trust him.
Minho is a totally different issue. That child pulls on her barely existent motherly instincts, how can he not when his step-mother is the only responsible adult in his life? And the woman lives the life of a fraternity girl!
Jeez! Just hearing Minho’s mother sounding so relieved to not have to “entertain” her own child made her blood boil. And the less she says about his father the better.
She wonders how did those two managed to raise such a kind, responsible young man.
Trina heard voices in the kitchen, wondering if Margot can’t sleep. Even after so many years as family their relationship is almost non-existent, but cordial if not a little bit awkward.
“-some Spam next time. I miss it.”
“Koreans have a way to make everything delicious.”
Oh, Minho and Kitty are in the kitchen… At three a.m.
“We really should have brought more ramyeon.”
“And gochujang, the store sold it at a ridiculous price.”
“Mimi, we were at the expensive side of the city, what were you expecting?”
Minho snorted. “Reasonable prices? By the way, can you ask your parents if we may go to the farmer’s market during the weekend?”
“Missing your ginger shroom already?”
“First of all it’s not-” Minho sighed when Kitty started giggling. “I hate you, Covey.”
“You are seventeen, you are not going to suddenly wrinkle if you don’t drink your fermented tea and collagen water.”
Aw, they are so cute. Trina would like to say it reminds her to her first relationship but not really, her first relationship was something so awkward, with so many butterflies, that turned into a brutal breakup just half a year later.
It was never like this: comfortable.
Teen Trina would have never allowed her boyfriend to see her without makeup and wearing the adorable Grinch pyjamas Kitty is wearing.
“Pecky?” Trina asked, startling both children.
She is only a little disappointed to find them standing over a pot, with two packages of ramen on the counter, bowls ready.
“Tri,” Kitty smiled, dimples showing. “There is hot water in the thermos, someone can’t live without his nightly ginger tea.”
Minho rolled his eyes, but nodded at Trina.
“Thank you.”
Trina made herself a cup of chamomile and then decided to join the kids. Oh to be young and be able to eat ramen at ungodly hours without your body rebelling.
“Tri, do you know where they have kombucha tea? We went to three supermarkets already but they only have the flavoured kind.”
Minho did perk up next to Kitty, looking, for lack of a better description, like an eager puppy. Adorable, truly adorable.
“I have a friend that makes it, we are having a little tea party tomorrow evening. Want to come with me? She is really into that ferment thing.”
Kitty’s eyebrows knitted a little, then she sighed. “Sure. I am planning to give dad and Alex some time to talk alone in the weekend, so please help us with that.”
What a strange family she has, Trina thought while watching the children eat, and it’s all hers.
Kitty ended up kicking Minho away so he can sleep while she washes the dishes, Trina stayed back, curious about her girl’s real reasons.
“Okay, Tri, I was thinking,” Kitty drawled, putting her best puppy eyes. Trina knows that expression really well, is the one that convinced her to send her little girl so far away. “How about we get a cat?”
“A cat?” she repeated, not expecting that.
“Yup. Look, I will be fully responsible for the cat when I’m here and will give part of my allowance to take care of it.”
“Honey, that is not the issue here. What made you want a cat? You are more a dog person.”
Kitty sighed, leaning on the counter. “Minho saw a post of a person that managed to rescue a cat, he paid for all the medical treatments but it needs a home now. I was thinking we can try giving it a home. Pretty please, cats are small.”
Trina knows there is a part of the story she is not privy to, but she won’t press. It actually is a good idea, Dan has been looking into adopting a pet.
“Count me in, I will take care of your dad.”
Kitty squealed and jumped into her arms, hugging her for dear life. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I kind of want to surprise Minho and have been talking with the person that rescued the cat. I was planning to sneak out one of these days, can you distract Minho?”
And that is how Trina found herself spending some one on one time with Kitty’s boyfriend. To be fair, it’s not like it’s a hardship. The child is sweet, painfully shy, but very sweet.
“-need to get all in this list for the slimy thingies that are going to start living at home,” Trina showed her phone to Minho.
A list her friend sent her because, against her better judgement, Trina is willing to take care of slimy things for this adorable child.
“Have I ever told you Katherine takes after you?” Minho asked, smiling a little.
Trina smiled. While Trina did not birth nor raise the child, she was present for more than half of Kitty’s life. She still doesn’t know who takes after who, but she likes to think they just have similar tastes and that is why they got along so well from the beginning.
“Dan complains about that all the times. He swears Eve and I would have been good friends.”
A little bout of melancholy hit Trina. She has not met Eve Song, but she has heard so much of her she sort of mourns not meeting her. She also believes they could have been really good friends. Perhaps, hopefully, they will meet in another life.
“Oh, Kitty sent me a list of things she needs to bake,” Trina said before she forgets. “So, just when did my girl started baking?”
Minho smiled a little, managing to look adorable despite towering over Trina. “I am not sure. The first time she baked was during Chuseok, she said she learned watching LJ bake.” Fair enough. “And Alex bakes every weekend, we went to his place and Katherine learnt quite a lot from him.”
Trina hummed. “What do you think of Alex?”
The child grimaced. “Well, he takes his older brother role seriously.” Minho sighed, meeting her eyes for the first time during this outing. “I believe finding Katherine was the closure he needed. He genuinely cares about her.”
Huh, curious. That is something she will judge herself. After all, she has almost a whole month to get to know the boy.
Shopping was surprisingly fun. Minho, for being born in such a rich household, is rather familiar with grocery shopping. In a single evening Trina learned what she hasn’t in years of adulthood. Who knew there is such a big difference between soy sauce types?
Without any thought, Trina gently smacked Minho’s hand away when he tried to hand his card. “Not here honey, you will have to get used to us treating you.”
He is their guest, for now at least. Trina knows teen relationships don’t tend to last, but something tells her she will be seeing this boy for years to come. Better he get used to how things are done at home if he wants to fit in the family.
And, despite his many grumbles, the poor boy’s ears are red. Adorable truly.
Afterwards they went to Suzy’s place to pick up the slimy thingies. Trina shuddered when she saw the biggest one, it looks so ugly, why does it make such a delicious tea?!
Only once she received Kitty’s text did Trina drive back home.
Dan and Alex are the only ones in the living room, both of their eyes are suspiciously red but they are laughing, so Trina doesn’t worry too much.
“Where is everyone else?”
“They went to explore the city,” Dan said, smiling gently. “Oh, Minho, Katherine said you have to pick her bag and take it to her.”
Minho sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I told her to take her emergency bag, but did she listen? Of course not.”
The boy jogged straight to the stairs.
Trina giggled, that poor child will be horrified when he realises he was not his usual overly polite self in his hurry. “She brought the cat?”
Dan and Alex nodded.
“She went straight to her room, Melina said she is getting a cat tower on her way back.”
“I am so glad we gave her the other master room,” Dan said, patting Alex on the shoulder. “So, what should we order?”
Trina smiled, already knowing her little family is growing right before her eyes, at least it is as mismatched as always.
“Mexican?”
Dan perked up, perhaps not even knowing Trina is trying to bring a little bit of Eve to their celebration. She does know the woman loved Mexican just as much as Trina herself does. They really would have been good friends.
That night, leaning on Dan’s shoulder as they watched a drama Trina heard some squeals coming down the hallway.
“What are the odds of Kitty kicking people out of her room?”
Dan laughed, deep and yet soft. A comforting sound. “Two hundred percent. They are all in love with the cat, what it’s name again?”
Trina shrugged, Minho had the honour to name the overly friendly yet scarily skinny creature. Seeing it tugs at her heartstrings and she has no doubt it already has a special place in their home.
Dan sighed a little, Trina shifted to look into his eyes. For some reason Dan looks worried.
“It makes me a little uneasy to see how in love Kitty is. What if he breaks her heart?”
Trina has no real answer to that. She as well noticed how invested those two are in their relationship. There is no awkwardness that is so common between couples at that age and that worries her, she feels like they are going too fast. What if they crash?
“I believe we need to trust their judgement,” Trina said after a moment of thinking. “Minho genuinely cares about our girl.”
Dan frowned at this. “I know and that worries me even more. Look, Kitty has us, her siblings, and her friends. That child has a single friend to lean on, he genuinely worries me. Minho has no support network.”
Ah, Trina thinks she understands now. After talking with Minho’s parents Dan’s fatherly instincts roared to life. To be fair, her barely there motherly instincts also makes her want to keep that child safe and sound.
“Well, I believe we can provide a home for him for as long as he let us.” That appears to be the right answer as Dan relaxed. “So, how did the talk with Alex go?”
Dan smiled, meeting her eyes. “I gave him all the letters Eve left behind and he let me read them. She loved him so much, I like to think she is happy wherever she is.”
Trina smiled back. She too believes that.
A dishevelled Margot led the walk of shame into their room, they all look so ridiculous Trina just laughed. Seriously, four adults looking like kicked children is not something you see everyday.
“Kitty kicked you out?”
Margot and Alex grimaced, LJ just pouted.
“That girl is strong,” Melina nodded, trying to fix her hair. “If you excuse me, I am going to get my dignity back. Goodnight Dan, night Tri.”
Trina watched as the tall woman wobbled away. Alex smiled and bid them goodnight, following his fiancée.
LJ plopped herself at the foot of the bed. “I thought Minho mellowed Kitty out. Nope, she’s just as mean.”
Margot groaned, sitting next to Dan. “Tell me about it. I thought I had one on her because I’m seeing her friend’s older brother. Nope, she has one on me because she gets along with Sebastian AND his parents.”
“You should invite him over,” Trina suggested.
Margot made a face. “Yeah no, too soon.”
Trina and Dan exchanged a look.
LJ groaned. “Let’s not talk about your issues or we’ll be here all night. Dad, Melina says she wants to have Kitty in the bridal party and us in the family section, I say it’s favouritism. Isn’t it, Tri?”
She laughed a little, “well, Kitty is adorable.”
LJ gave her a betrayed look.
And, even if it’s not perfect, Trina loves her family.
For now she will try to get closer to Emmy and Oscar, Alex’s parents, something tells her she will keep seeing them from now on. And, while she kind of likes Alex, Trina gets along better with Melina. Oh well, she has years to get to know the boy better.
If she thinks about it, her family situation would make a great sitcom.