Page 102 of Show Off

“Yes.” His lips press together. “But I knew something wasn’t right.”

That’s news to me. “His sense of smell, you mean. The insomnia?”

“More than that.” He wants to say more, so I wait. “When the disease strikes young, it doesn’t always follow a typical path. Thereisno typical path with this disease, Dal.” His throat rolls as he swallows. “I’ve been talking with doctors, trying to understand if maybe we missed some signs.”

“Same,” Ji-Hoon says softly. “There’s no blood test to diagnose it. Did you know that?”

I didn’t. “So, how did he know for sure?”

“It’s a clinical diagnosis,” Ji-Hoon explains. “Basically, a checklist doctors follow to determine if symptoms fit the disease.”

My uncle nods like he’s learned this, too. “But with no conclusive screenings or tests, people in early stages get misdiagnosed frequently.”

“It’s rarely anyone’s first guess for someone young like Dad.” Ji-Hoon says. “Doctors look first at other neurological conditions. They try to make the symptoms add up, but often they don’t.”

“Okay.” It’s an inexact science, I get that. What’s the point? What do my uncle and brother know that I don’t? “What’s that got to do with?—”

“Have you read up on the side effects of Parkinson’s Disease?” Korain studies my face. “The symptoms?”

This conversation’s making me dizzy. “A little. I did some online searching after you told me.” I know more than I did a few weeks ago, but that’s not much. “Sounds like a lot of it has to do with slow or jerky movements. Stiffness in the arms or legs, or sometimes tremors. Just a general lack of control.”

“Yes,” he says, then clears his throat. “This was an issue for your father.”

I frown. “Dad had trouble with motor control.”

“Among other issues.” Korain looks down at his wineglass, so I glance at my brother.

“I imagine that was very difficult,” I say slowly.

Not nearly as difficult as living in a wheelchair, but Ji-Hoon nods. “Maybe not as difficult as some of the other symptoms.”

I glance at my uncle, who’s still refusing to look at me. He does clear his throat, though. “Your father had difficulty performing his matrimonial duties in a fashion befitting a wedded man of his age.”

Say what?

I look to Ji-Hoon for translation.

My brother shrugs. “Dad couldn’t get it up.”

“Jesus.” There’s something I didn’t need to know.

“What?” Ji-Hoon sweeps a hand from Korain to me. “We’re all adults here.”

“For fuck’s sake.” I drag a hand through my hair. “Why are we talking about this?”

“Because, Dal.” Korain sighs. “Since you’ve just made a spectacle of a woman for having relations outside her marriage, I thought you should know there’s sometimes more to a story.”

“What the fuck are you—oh.”

In a flash of awareness, I get it.

Then I wish I didn’t.

“Wait.” I shuffle the puzzle pieces in my brain, then shove them off the fucking table. “You had sex with mymother?”

“My mother, too.” Ji-Hoon throws up both hands like he thinks I might freak out. “What? I didn’t know either. Not until we saw you on TV.”

Korain lets out a long breath. “We watched the Jamila Jarrett show together.” He looks at Ji-Hoon. “I told him at commercial break.”

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