sit and watch for the first few meetings?”
“That’s not my style. I like to make a big first impression, and grab everyone’s attention all at once,” cooed Eun-Mee.
“And why do you even want the money? Your husband makes a lot, I’m sure, as a doctor.”
Eun-Mee sighed. “He does make a lot of money, but he likes to spend it on practical things, like furniture and appliances.” To Soo-Ja, Eun-Mee looked about as practical as a peacock. Even her way of speaking seemed luxuriant, the cadences dripping lazily, stretching out like spoonfuls of syrup.
“He also buys you nice clothes and jewelry,” said Soo-Ja. “I can’t think there’s much he’d deny you.”
“But a woman likes to have her own money,” said Eun-Mee, her eyes betraying a weariness Soo-Ja hadn’t detected before. “And I’m not cut out to work part-time as a perfume clerk or a secretary. In fact, I find women who work outside the home to be rather sad spirits.” Eun-Mee quickly added, “No offense intended.”
“None taken,” said Soo-Ja.
“The thing is, I need money and I need it desperately. I need money more than you do. Or anyone else in this room.” Eun-Mee stared straight ahead, as if hypnotized.
“Why is that?”
“I owe money. A lot of it,” said Eun-Mee. She did not sound like herself, and for a moment, Soo-Ja felt sorry for her. “I joined a women’s savings club in Pusan, and I, like always, enjoyed taking charge. I promptly became the leader—well, actually, I staged a bit of a coup d’état. I mean, if that’s good enough for President Park, then it’s good enough for me—and in my role as leader, I decided on the first investment for us: imported Western goods, mostly cosmetics and perfumes from France. Alas, it turned out to be a scam, and I lost everyone’s money. The worst part is that a lot of the wives and their husbands were patients of Yul’s, and things became very awkward for him. I was so embarrassed!” Eun-Mee looked at Soo-Ja as if they were old confidantes, holding nothing back. She reached for Soo-Ja’s hands again, and this time Soo-Ja let her. “That’s why I insisted that we move to Seoul, even though our friends and our lives, really, are back in Pusan. In fact, I was surprised when Yul so readily agreed to move here. I thought he’d fight me on this. He’s so fond of the families he works with in Pusan.”
Soo-Ja bit her lower lip, thinking of her name and phone number on Yul’s desk. She urged Eun-Mee to go on, though she realized pretty quickly Eun-Mee did not need much prompting to tell her stories.
“So, if I can get money, I can pay back all the other wives, and show my face around Pusan again.” Eun-Mee smiled, glowing, and Soo-Ja understood why Yul had fallen in love with her: Eun-Mee had the gaiety of a child, and, like a child, she could make your anger for her turn into pity, or even affection, in the flash of a second. Soo-Ja tried to hate her, but she couldn’t. Eun-Mee kept you too busy trying to protect her from herself.
“Eun-Mee, I’m sure it wouldn’t take very long for your husband to earn the money to pay them back,” Soo-Ja said to her, trying to be reassuring. “And even if you never did, an investment is an investment. Those women can’t be mad at you for losing their money. There’s always a risk. It’s not your fault; you didn’t know you were dealing with con artists.”
Eun-Mee laughed again. “Hana’s mother, I can tell we’re going to be friends, since you’re so naive, and I find you amusing. Of course I knew the investment was shady. How else did I expect it to return double the amount? I just wasn’t counting on the man to run off with all that cash. Hana’s mother, this is a new society. Everyone looks for an angle, cuts a corner here, gives out a bribe there—”
“Of course I’ve heard that before, but I don’t believe it,” said Soo-Ja sharply, letting go of Eun-Mee’s hands. Their sudden, instantaneous friendship dissipated as quickly as it had materialized.
“I’ll tell you what, if I get the pot today, I’ll share some of it with you—”
“Eun-Mee!” Soo-Ja cut her off. “It’s like a compulsion. You just can’t stop making deals, can you?”
But it was too late. Soo-Ja knew already that she wouldn’t expose Eun-Mee. As sorry as she felt for Mrs. Kang and Mrs. Bae, Soo-Ja