Chapter 43

Minty Breath

Jiyong poured tea over an empty cup and handed it to the one person who has refrained from crucifying him. Sr. Martha said a small blessing and Jiyong continued to pour another, this time for him. He decided to block off everything as he took a whiff of the freshly steeped bouquet the nun gave him.  It was suppose to help ease his mind and unknot the tensed muscles around his shoulder and his leg. It was supposed to help him sleep later.  He looks like a herd of wild horses had run him down.  He was ready to drop but his mind keeps a steady tick tock.   He is missing something he knows, he feels it from the leg that throbs to the gashes that still stung. Guilt is an enemy who likes to sleep with you.

Jiyong took a sip of the warm liquid. It was violet, bitter, gingery, a tad sweet and highly aromatic.

He opened his eyes to find the nun looking at him. He tried to smile, life it seem are full of trying, a half- assed attempt to appear fine.

Sr. Martha held his hand.

It must have been the eyes that seem to understand or the gentle voice that promises safety, Jiyong found himself crying.  It felt like a dam broke that fed the steady tears in his eyes.  The rumbling of the strong current echoes the hollowed wailing of his heart.  It was painful, harrowing like David facing Goliath for the first time.

“Breathe Jiyong.  Nothing is definite, nothing is set in stone.” Sr. Martha said.

He took a deep breath but did not speak. “The Lord rose on the third day. Miracles do happen.” He saw her smile. Well it seems the big guy above decided to send him some reinforcement.

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Minzy pulled the sheets to cover her eunnie.  Her foremost concern is the babies. Their mother is known for her ability to bounce back.  But anger is never good for pregnant women especially not this particular woman whose temper is known to flare faster than tinder.   She shook her hard at the thought of how her frail eunnie managed to hit her Jiyong oppa with a toothpick container,twice.

“Rest Eunnie, please.  The babies are overly excited, we need them to calm down and you have to regain your bearing. Two can be very difficult especially for first time mothers. “  She fluffs a pillow and gently props it behind her patient.

“I will let Jiyong oppa in, ok? He will bring you something to eat, so eat.”

“I am not hungry.”

“I am not asking.” Minzy met her stare. “The babies need nutrition and Jiyong oppa helps you keep your food down.  For some reason the babies are more comfortable when their father is around.”

“Well I am not comfortable.” Sandara voiced another protest.

“For the babies, deal with it.” Minzy said sternly. The doctor refused to let her judgment be clouded by her emotions.

“Can you at least ask somebody else to bring the food?” Sandara said without emotion. She is tired so heaven forbid.

 “Daddy is just outside. He said to just call him when we need anything.” Angela stood from her chair on the corner and held on to her small basket. 

“I can watch over Mama.” The little girl pulled a bottle of lightly scented oil. “I can rub her tummy until she falls asleep, the babies like it when I touch Mama’s tummy.” She took a gasp of breath. “And her toes too.”

“Breathe easy baby, my little miss talks so much. You should get some sleep too.” Sandara motioned for her daughter to come closer.

“But Daddy said I should be careful not to hit your tummy when I sleep.  But I can’t watch my feet when I close my eyes.”  It was the pout that made Sandara laugh.

“Come here, baby.  Daddy can just move you to sleep with him later.”

“But Daddy is only allowed outside. I heard Grand Pa said, no entering her room Seunghyun!” She growled in impersonation.

“We are sleeping downstairs too.” She huffs obviously sad at the prospect of sleeping downstairs. “I want to sleep here. Can I sleep here?  Daddy and I can sleep on the floor.”

“That is enough. Nobody is sleeping on the floor.”Minzy lifts Angela off the floor and deposits her right next to Sandara. “Your mother need to rest baby, you have to be quiet, ok?” Angela gave her a nod before she left the room.

“Daddy and I found a picture of when you were little.” She whispered as she clung to Sandara. “You were missing a front tooth.” She giggled.

“Did Daddy tell you why I was missing a tooth?”

“He said you were naughty.” she snuggles deeper. 

“I was?”

“ Unggh… you tried to kiss Papa.” The child said her words muffled from being buried in her chest.

~flashback~

She tried to kiss Youngbae. She was too busy running after him to have noticed anything until she tripped.  Sandara had fallen face first in the middle of the Choi’s garden during Youngbae’s 5^th birthday. She was bloody, dirty and very embarrassed but Seunghyun was quick to help her up and insisted to bring her to his room. She had suffered a cut lip and a broken tooth but the little her felt like her world ended. Youngbae will never marry a girl with missing front teeth she told her mother in between hiccups.  She was inconsolable.

“I will knock his teeth off if he won’t” Seunghyun promised her.

“No!” The idea of Seunghyun hurting him appalled her.

“All right then. I will marry you, if he won’t” Seunghyun said after a while.

It surprised her to hear him say that, but it surprised her enough to stop crying.  She turned to look at the boy holding his old soccer uniform.  Sandara grinned, a toothless grin. So in cubs shirt and soccer short Sandara returned to the party, surrounded by pretty girls in frilly dresses, holding on to Seunghyun’s hand, her future husband.

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“Did you kiss, Daddy?”

“I always kiss daddy.”

“Me too.  Daddy loves kisses.” Her daughter paused.  “I told him I want to kiss a boy too.”

“What did he tell you?” Sandara pulled on her upper lip to stop herself from laughing.  She can only imagine the horror on Seunghyun’s face.

“That Mr. Perry is a boy and I should be thankful he is letting me kiss him at all.”

“Did you tell Daddy you kissed Luis on his birthday last month?”  Angela sprang her head to look at her mother in surprise.  

“Does it count?” The young girl asked.

“Does it?”

“Don’t tell Daddy.” Angela whispered aghast. Sandara laughed as her daughter ducked right back under her arm and burrowed deeper on her side.

If only life is as simple.  If only.  She heard a knock and the soft click of the door knob.   She found herself staring at Jiyong.  The tentative footsteps he took were silent, like a cat creeping in. She heard her stomach growl. Why can’t her children choose the right parent?  She is carrying them for goodness sake.  She isn’t hungry but then some the prospect of Jiyong with food brought cheers right from within her stomach.

“Hey baby.” He said.

A/N:  Thank you for reading.  Thank you for the comments, please do leave them at the bottom of the page so I get to hear form you guys.  To the new subscribers thank you!  Cira!!! I updated, finally haha.