Tiffany smiled across the lunch table at Hyoyeon.  “The salad looks delicious, and I love your ranch!  It’s so isolated from everything else, and so perfectly situated.  It’s got GREAT decor.”

“That’s Susie Setsuna’s job.  Great fashion design, but she is GREAT at interior decor.  And I like the secludedness too.  I’ve been around people all my years, but now, I just want it to be me and my family right now.  It’s nice here.  Very quiet.  The nearest town is an hour away.  You know, you might want a life like this.  You’ve been bugged by people all your life.  It’s so relaxing here.”

“I’ll remember that when Yul and I settle down!” Tiffany laughed.

“And how is your handsome fiancee?”

“He’s great.”

“Did you invite him here like I asked you to?”

“He had a med seminar, so I didn’t think he could squeeze it in.  I left it at that.”

“It’s just as well, because I didn’t know Eunhyuk was going to have to go out of town for an appearance in LA.”

“Yeah.  It’s just as well because now it’s just us and we can gossip.”

“So?”

“So what?”

“About you and Yul…”

“What about us?” Tiffany asked, cautiously.

“How are you two?  You don’t get much time together.  I know how THAT feels.  I always wanted to be with Eunhyuk all the time, and it drove me crazy that we weren’t together!  You know, when we were engaged, I called him every night at insane hours and talked to him, just because I missed him!”

At that, Tiffany looked up, slightly surprised and smiled.  Inside, she was panicked. 

*We talk to each other every night at insane hours, and the engagement is always on my mind, but then again, I think about the ending of the engagement, not about the fiancee.* 

With that, Tiffany felt comforted.  So long as she looked forward to the end of the engagement, they would be okay.  No emotions or feelings to clutter up her business world.

Hyoyeon leaned back in her chair, and rubbed her now very large tummy.  Her smile suddenly disappeared, and she frowned very quickly.  “Oh my gosh, Tiffany!”

Tiffany was on her feet in a minute.  She ran to Hyoyeon’s side.  “What is it?”

“I think my water just broke.”

Tiffany’s eyes widened and she looked around, panicked.  She quickly guided Hyoyeon to her room, and helped her lie down.  Her eyes focused on the phone on the desk. 

“I’m calling for help.”

She ran to the phone, and instead of dialing 911, she decided to text Yul.  She then gave Hyoyeon’s number into the text, and then called 911.  Unfortunately, the nearest hospital was two hours away.  From the way Hyoyeon started to cry and kick and scream, it didn’t look like it was going to be that easy on Tiffany.
Please, Yul, where are you?

The phone started rang an hour later, after Tiffany had pulled her hair out, and cried with Hyoyeon and reassured her.  “Hello?”

“Tiffany?  You texted me.  What’s up?”

“Oh, Yul, there’s a huge problem here.  Hyoyeon’s water just broke, and the ambulance is two hours away, and she’s really screaming!”

“All right, Tiffany.  Listen to me.  Ask her how early is the baby.”

“Yul wants to know how early the baby is.”

“A FEW WEEKS!!!!” she screamed.

Tiffany brought the cordless with her to her friend and comforted her.

“You heard her,” Tiffany said into the phone.

“All right, and how far apart are her contractions?”

“WHAT?”

“How often is she screaming really loudly?”

“She’s constantly screaming right now.”

“Louder than usual.”

She looked at the clock helplessly.  She then looked at Hyoyeon. 

“How far apart are the contractions?”

“An hour and half,” Hyoyeon breathed out.

Tiffany repeated to Yul.

“Looks like the ambulance will get there in time, but you’ll have to do a lot of the work.  Listen to me, Tiffany you have to do a few things…”

Tiffany collapsed into the seat by Hyoyeon’s bed.  “Whew!  What a trip, Hyoyeon!”

The ambulance had arrived at the ranch in time, and Hyoyeon had her son at her ranch, but had been brought afterwards to the hospital, to make sure she’d be okay.  Yul was right, and though Tiffany had to do most of the work, the ambulance driver and his colleague had helped when they had arrived.
And now, they were in the hospital, Hyoyeon gently holding her son and Tiffany ready to fall asleep with exhaustion.

At that moment, a knock came at the door, and Eunhyuk peeked around the corner.  “Yul said that I had to rush back to the hospital.  Are you all right, Hyoyeon?”

Tiffany smiled.  In all the excitement, she had forgotten to call Eunhyuk.  It was a good thing Yul did…*Yul always remembers to small sweet details, doesn’t he?*

“Yes, I’m fine.  Isn’t he beautiful?”

At that moment, Tiffany realized that she didn’t belong in here, and decided to leave the family to themselves.

As she started down the hall, she looked absently around her, feeling lonely and tired.  She needed someone here for HER right now.  It was an odd feeling.  She felt lonely, and tired and very old.  Everything seemed so much more colorless and empty.  Her life seemed to be missing something.  For the first time, that little emptiness in her heart was swollen and ached.  She wished, for the first time in her life, that someone was here with her.  Him.  She wanted him to be here, taking her in his arms, holding her.

As she decided to that she was overreacting and just needed something to eat, she headed towards the elevators, wanting to go the cafeteria.  Someone down the hall was evidently a Mariah Carey fan, “Whenever You Call” was coming out of one room or another.  Tiffany wanted to cry.  The melody was more than familiar to her.

Love wandered inside
Stronger than you
Stronger than I
And now that it has begun
We cannot turn back
We can only turn into one

She felt the tears accumulating…this was what all came down to, wasn’t it?  In the end, that strange feeling, called love, which did not exist for cold ice queens…

I won’t ever be too far away to feel you
And I won’t hesitate at all
Whenever you call
And I’ll always remember
The part of you so tender
I’ll be the one to catch your fall
Whenever you call

It was just amazing how well Yul knew her…the way he always knew the exact moments to joke with her, and when to be serious…and the gentleness of his touch…a tear slipped down her cheek.

And I’m truly inspired
Finding my soul
There in your eyes
And you
Have opened my heart
And lifted me inside
By showing me yourself
Undisguised

No comment, she thought, as she walked down the hall.  This was depressing.

 And I won’t ever be too far away to feel you
And I won’t hesitate at all
Whenever you call
And I’ll always remember
The part of you so tender
I’ll be the one to catch your fall
Whenever you call

She waited a little and the elevator bell dinged.  She waited for the doors to open and when they did, she couldn’t move.  How did he know?  Her face paled and she was frozen in place, when she suddenly smiled.  There he was, mussed hair, exhausted, just like her, from travel, rather than frustration, loneliness and fatigue.  Here for her.  He put his hand to her cheek, and caressed it lightly. 

Tiffany felt that emptiness quickly being filled, as the wound that was born in her heart suddenly disappeared like magic.  The feeling would not be ignored.  She felt the warmth, creeping into her cheeks, and confusion ading her soul.  But right now, she couldn’t fight them, when she was too tired, and too weak.  She simply hurled herself into his arms, and started to cry, holding on for dear life.
He held her, holding her shoulders, looking at and feeling the security and warmth flood into her.  The feeling of having her in his arms.  She looked up gratefully to him, as if to say thank you, but instead, her arms twined about his neck and her hands pulled his head to hers, as she kissed him gently.

And I will breathe for you each day
Comfort you through all the pain
Gently kiss your fears away
You can turn to me and cry
Always understand that I
Give you all I am inside

 I won’t ever be too far away to feel you
And I won’t hesitate at all
Whenever you call
And I’ll always remember
The part of you so tender
I’ll be the one to catch your fall
Whenever you call