The handmade sign on the door says to come right in. Sunny lifts her hand to knock but then changes her mind and slowly reaches for the doorknob instead. Jamie looks up at her when her hand freezes mid-turn.

“Come on, Mama!” he switches his sand pail from one hand to another, barely able to keep still; his sandals scrape against the sandy cement ground as he fidgets.

Sunny takes a deep breath and turns the knob, pushing the door open tentatively. She hears voices immediately; some far off, some not so. She closes the door behind them, and they stand in the entry way, taking in the foreign surroundings.

Right away, she notices three picture frames on the wall next to a coat rack, and she puts down the beach bag she’s carrying, leaning in to take a closer look at them. One photo is of Bella and Sophia standing in front of Seoul Tower, and it’s recent, Sunny can tell. Another photo is of Taeyeon and the girls on the beach. And the third photo is of Jamie and the girls at Big Bear.

Sunny fights back tears.

An approaching voice causes her to look toward it, and she’s not expecting the person that appears before them. Her eyebrows furrow at the woman scantily clad in a rainbow bikini top and short shorts, chewing on a carrot stick.

The woman isn’t quite as fussed to see her – she actually seems happy.

“Sunny…!” the woman opens her arms and hugs a speechless Sunny.

When they pull apart, Sunny shakes her head as her mind runs a million miles a second. The woman pats her on the shoulder and looks down at Jamie.

“You’ve really grown, little guy. I was so happy when Taeyeon told me you’re healthy again” she smiles genuinely at him. “You probably don’t remember me; I only saw you twice, and that was a couple of years ago. My name is Jessica”

Jamie squints up at the virtual stranger and pushes his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

Sunny, suddenly feeling very protective and vulnerable, pulls Jamie to her and smoothes down the front of her sundress, resting her hand on her stomach. “I wasn’t expecting… I mean I didn’t know you and Taeyeon are…”

“What?” Jessica laughs, cutting Sunny off “we’re not, Sunny” she continues laughing and turns her head, calling down a hallway, “babe…!”

Sunny hears the pad of heavy footsteps coming in their direction and sees a very pregnant woman join them in the entry way.

“Sunny this is my partner, Yul. And this…” she says, touching the woman’s pregnant belly, “is our daughter Eden… soon-to-be, anyway”

The corners of Sunny’s lips turn up and she sighs. She reaches out and shakes Yul’s hand.

“Nice to meet you”

“So this is the infamous Sunny…” Yul says with a glint in her brown eyes. She glances down at Jamie, “And this must be Taeyeon’s James” Yul holds her right hand out for Jamie to shake. He takes it with his left.

“Taeyeon’s just starting the burgers and stuff on the grill; you two are just in time” Jessica tells them, “she’s out on the deck, and the girls are… everywhere!” Jessica laughs, “There are so many of them!”

“Mama…” Jamie tugs on Sunny’s dress, “I need to wee”

Sunny nods at him.

“There’s a bathroom just down that way, Jamie” Jessica points, “can’t miss it”

Jamie drops his pail and holds himself as he scurries down the hallway.

Sunny smiles at the two women who are holding hands. She notices Yul staring at her with a smirk.

“You look like you’re due any day” Sunny breaks the awkward silence.

“Two weeks” Yul pats her belly.

“I practically myself every time I think about it” Jessica jokes. “I’m going to be a mother. Me!”

Sunny laughs. “It’s quite wonderful, after you get over the initial shock of it all”

“She’s going to be just fine” Yul tucks a strand of Jessica’s brown hair behind her ear.

“Mama…” Jamie comes running back, “can we find Taeyeon now?”

“Did you wash your hands?” she asks him.

He sighs and marches back to the bathroom.

All three women laugh, and Sunny relaxes.

...

...

“…And this is my room” Sophia walks into her bedroom with Sunny and Jamie following behind. She sits on the edge of her canopy bed and watches her guests wander.

“It’s very warm in here” Sunny smiles, “not heat-wise but…”

“Yeah, I know what you mean” Sophia says, “it’s the color palette I chose”

“Quite different from Bella’s room” Sunny observes, as she tries to get a sense of who Sophia Stephanie Kim is these days. The framed prints of Van Gogh and Chagall tell her that Sophia has matured in her appreciation for art. The large bookcase stuffed full of paperbacks tells her that Taeyeon’s youngest daughter spends a lot of time by herself, and willingly so. And, in contrast to her sister, she enjoys the indoors more than the out.

Sunny sits on the bed next to Sophia and looks at her nightstand. Sees a photo of the girls’ mother, and is surprised to see a photo of herself with Sophia at Disneyland placed right next to it. Closes her eyes for a moment.

“Mom said we could have whatever pictures we wanted in our rooms when we moved in” Sophia tells her, picking up on Sunny’s feelings, “we really missed you when you left… I really missed you, so I wanted to have one of you. And that was always a favorite of mine, anyway. Bella and I still agree that that was our best birthday ever”

“It was a lovely time” Sunny smiles poorly through mounting guilt.

“Mama, can we go to the beach now?”

“I need to change into my swimsuit, sweetheart”

“I can take him if you want, Sunny. I’ll watch him”

Sunny is hesitant.

“I won’t let him get in the water, don’t worry. Some of Mom’s friends are down there, too, so they’ll keep an eye on him”

Sunny tilts her head. “Alright… but promise me you won’t go near the water until I’m there with you”

“I promise” he grins.

...

...

Sunny slips the white sundress over her head and lets it slide down over her suit. She feels a breeze coming from the window and peers out. All she sees is blue.

She stands in the bathroom doorway, telling herself not to do it. But she can’t help herself. She looks left to make sure no one’s around and walks right, searching. After opening doors to a closet, another bathroom and an office, Sunny arrives at the end of a hallway. One last door remains, and she doesn’t hesitate to open it.

She knows immediately. The familiar smell envelops her and she knows she’s found what she’s looking for. Sunny looks behind her once before closing the door.

It’s not what she expected: The colors, the décor, the lightness of it all. The queen-sized version of Sophia’s canopy bed sat in the middle of the room makes her smile as she imagines the three of them shopping for furniture.

As Sunny looks around, she spots an old dresser covered in frames and is drawn to it. The photos of a young Taeyeon and her mother catch her eye first. They’re faded and framed in ceramic frames. As Sunny’s eyes scan the other photos, she doesn’t find what any of herself. There is one photo of Jamie, but she is nowhere to be found.

Just as she’s about to overanalyze it, she’s startled by a noise behind her. Turns to find a bikini-topped, sarong-wrapped-lower-half-Taeyeon standing in her bedroom doorway.

Sunny’s eyes widen and she opens to speak.

“Hi” Taeyeon says before Sunny can think of an excuse as to why she’s in Taeyeon’s bedroom, alone, with the door closed. “Snooping?”

Sunny closes .

Taeyeon smirks at her and walks across the bedroom into her closet. Sunny sees the light turn on. She stands frozen in front of the dresser, beach bag in hand, sun dress waving slightly as the breeze from Taeyeon’s open balcony door blows around her.

When the light turns off, Sunny braces herself. Waits for Taeyeon to scold her for invading her privacy. But Taeyeon doesn’t.

She walks out of the closet with a sun hat in her hand and approaches Sunny. “Are you quite finished?” she asks, biting her lip and holding back laughter.

Sunny can’t help stare at the nearly bare torso before her. “No, I’m not, actually” she challenges, once she’s finished ogling.

Taeyeon’s laugh bursts out. “Well… your son is inching his way toward the water, so I think you’d better leave this for later” she says.

Sunny sighs and her lips, unable not to stare at Taeyeon’s stomach and s. “I… guess I’d better get down there then”

“That’s what I just said”

Sunny glares at her. “Irritating as always”

“I would hate to disappoint you”

Sunny rolls her eyes and walks out of the room. Behind her she can hear Taeyeon laughing out her nose.

...

...

Sunny sits on her beach towel and watches Jamie run away from approaching waves. She’s glanced behind her a few times, up at the deck where Taeyeon and Jessica are talking with a few others. It’s odd to her - hearing Taeyeon laugh and watching her flip burgers like it’s something she does every day.

“You can go up there, you know” Sophia sits next to Sunny and towels off her wet body.

“Are you able to read my mind?” Sunny gently laughs.

Sophia shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe?”

“Well… I’m having fun down here, so it’s fine”

“Having fun doing what?” Bella joins them, picking up her towel and patting her body down, “You’ve been sitting and staring off for an hour”

“Sunny, can you put some more sunscreen on me, please” Sophia hands her the bottle.

Sunny takes it and turns toward Sophia, watching Jamie from her peripheral.

“I suppose I just have a lot on my mind” Sunny tells Bella.

“You should just talk to her, you know” is all Bella says before running off to join her friends.

She squeezes the lotion onto her hand and drops the bottle, rubbing her hands together before covering freckled shoulders with it. Looks off in the direction that Bella went and thinks about her comment.

“Sunny…?”

“Mm hmm?”

“Do you believe in fate?”

Sunny thinks for a moment while she squeezes more lotion onto her hands. “Yes. I can’t help it; I’m a er for romance and fate and things like that”

“Do you think fate led us all to be at the museum last week?”

“…Perhaps” Sunny squints into the sun as she watches Jamie digging in wet sand.

“Do you think you and my mom will ever get back together?”

Sunny wipes her hands on her towel. Sophia turns around and faces her.

“There was a time when I wanted nothing else” Sunny admits to the brown-eyed girl, sighing and looking very regretful, “but now… the timing is just… it isn’t right”

“Why not?”

Sunny lowers her eyes briefly. “Because… I…”

Sunny’s cut-off by a splash of water right to her face. Sophia squeals when the water ricochets onto her, and they both look to see Jamie standing with his pail, pointing and laughing.

“James Lee…!” Sunny yells, gasping as water drips down her face.

“Nice aim, boy!” Taeyeon shouts from the deck above them.

Sophia dries her face with her towel and looks at Sunny. Both sets of eyebrows rise up and they slowly turn their heads and face a hysterical Jamie.

His laughter slowly dies down until it’s nothing but a wary hiccup, and Sunny and Sophia shoot up from their sitting positions and run towards him.

Terrified, he runs down the beach, glancing behind him as Sophia gains on him quickly. His shrieks of laughter and terror can be heard from afar as Sophia catches him and Sunny catches up.

They drag him back and Sophia picks up his pail and fills it with water. She walks back to the dry sand, smiling deviously.

“Help me, Taeyeon!” Jamie calls up to the brunette woman.

Sunny looks up and sees Taeyeon with a spatula in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other, leaning on the wooden railing of the deck.

“You’re on your own, James!” she calls back.

Sunny bows her head at Sophia, who bows back and ceremoniously tips the bucket, dousing Jamie’s moppy head with saltwater.

...

...

Sunny finishes changing and helps Jamie dry off, and she tries to wipe off as much sand that’s stuck to his body before he puts on his clothes.

“I’m sorry I threw water on you, Ma” he says with a pitiful face.

Sunny kisses his forehead, hands him his glasses and combs his hair. “It was all good fun, wasn’t it?”

He nods and smiles at her and proceeds to button up his shirt.

...

...

“Alright, girls, from here on, you’re on your own. I’ve been cooking all afternoon and now I’m off duty. Understand?” Taeyeon waits for twelve heads to nod back at her. “Enjoy!”

She walks outside onto the deck and sits on a plush sofa, joining the few remaining adults, who are mostly parents of the girls inside. She sees Sunny and Jamie coming down the stairs and watches through the glass doors as Sunny settles him at the table with a plate of food. Taeyeon can’t help laugh at Jamie’s wide-eyed face as he’s sat at a table and surrounded by girls.

“He looks like he’s in heaven” Taeyeon tells Sunny when she walks outside.

Sunny laughs. “I know it. And they’re all fawning over him, much to the displeasure of your daughters”

Taeyeon stands up and puts down her plate of food, picking up an empty one for Sunny. “What would you like, Sunny… I’ve got turkey burgers, veggie burgers, roasted corn, eggplant and potatoes? There’s salad…”

Sunny her lips. “Mm… I think I’ll have a turkey burger and corn, please”

Taeyeon nods at her and begins fixing a plate. Sunny looks around for a place to sit and sees an empty spot next to Yul. She walks over and asks if she can sit down.

“Of course” Yul says enthusiastically. “I’ve been stuck on this sofa for an hour” she laughs, “I can’t get up on my own”

“Where’s Jessica?”

“She had a work emergency; should be back any time now”

“Ah”

“Here you are, Sunny” Taeyeon hands her the plate of food.

“Thanks”

Taeyeon stands over Sunny and Yul longer than necessary, smiling lazily.

“How many beers have you had, Taeyeon” Yul asks her.

“…Just enough” Taeyeon winks and walks away.

“You’ve stirred something up in that one” Yul says quietly, as Sunny takes a bite of corn.

“What?” through a mouthful.

“I haven’t ever seen her so eager to feed anyone” Yul laughs.

Sunny swallows. “She’s just being a good hostess”

“If you say so” Yul shrugs.

Sunny shakes her head at Yul, but can’t help looking across the large deck at Taeyeon.

...

...

“Oh god, I’m so full!” Sunny holds her stomach.

“You sure can pack it away, for a little thing”

Sunny smiles meekly.

Sunny puts her hand on Yul’s pregnant belly. “So I assume you know that Eden here is definitely a girl?”

“Are you kidding? I was waiting outside my OB’s office at dawn, the minute I knew I could find out the ”

“You look really happy” Sunny sighs.

“I’m ecstatic and petrified all at once”

...

...

“Ready to get out of here, babe?” Jessica rubs Yul’s belly.

“Yes. I’m beat”

Jessica stands and holds out her hands to help the mother of her child off the outdoor sofa.

“Christ, Taeyeon…” Yul complains, “do you have to have such deep cushions on these things? I’m molded in here”

Taeyeon laughs and walks over to help Jessica get her off the sofa.

“If they weren’t deep and comfortable you’d nag just the same” Taeyeon sings.

“Hormones” Jessica deadpans.

“Quite right” Taeyeon agrees.

“You haven’t even begun to see hormones” Yul warns when she’s finally in a standing position, “but if you keep this up, you will know true fear”

Jessica kisses Yul’s temple. “Come on, Mommy; let’s get you home to bed”

“You’re leaving already?” Sunny asks when she walks out onto the deck after checking on Jamie.

“Fraid so. She’s sleeping for two, you know” Jessica says, and opens the door for her partner.

Yul pauses and takes Sunny’s hand. “It was really nice talking with you, Sunny. I hope we see more of you around here from now on”

Sunny smiles shyly and glances at Taeyeon, who avoids eye contact.

“I hope so too” Sunny squeezes her hand, “and if I don’t see you before Eden arrives: Good luck” Sunny leans in to gently hug Yul.

“I’ll walk you two out” Taeyeon tells them.

Sunny stays on the deck, but watches through the glass doors as the three of them walk through the dining room and disappear down the hallway.

...

...

“Thanks for coming over, guys” Taeyeon leans against her front door as Jessica collects their things, “I couldn’t have done this without you”

“All we did was sit around and gain ten pounds” Jessica laughs, “but you’re welcome”

Taeyeon shrugs. “Well, I was nervous. Having all the parents here… some of which I hadn’t met yet... it was good to have you to fall back on”

“Anytime, Taeyeon” Yul kisses her cheek. When she pulls back she looks seriously into Taeyeon’s eyes. “But now you need to deal with who’s waiting for you on your deck”

Taeyeon bites her lip. “Easier said than done”

“How are you feeling about it all? Having her back, all of the sudden”

“I’m not really sure. I feel like I haven’t had a chance to think about it properly…”

Yul nods. “Well, she couldn’t take her eyes off of you the entire evening, so I’d say that’s promising”

“Do I want it to be promising?” she rubs her forehead, “anyway, I’m fairly sure she’s involved with someone else”

“Well that’s never stopped you before” Yul smirks and tilts her head toward her partner.

“…Babe…!” Jessica picks up their bags and throws them over her shoulder, but she refrains from continuing when she sees the hormonal expression of the mother-to-be.

“I didn’t mean that as a bad thing, girls” Yul rolls her eyes, “if you two hadn’t hooked up… well, then, we all wouldn’t be standing here right now”

Taeyeon and Jessica look at each other and decide they can’t and won’t argue with that logic.

“Just talk to her, Taeyeon”

Taeyeon opens the door for her friends. “Yeah…”

“Night, Taeyeon”

“Goodnight”

Taeyeon closes the door and leans against it. She tilts her head back and closes her eyes; gently tapping the back of her head against the door. She rubs her palms against the jeans she changed into earlier, sighing.

The giggles of little girls bring her back though, and she goes to check on her daughters and their friends.

“How are we doing, ladies?”

Taeyeon observes the activities going on in her family room and raises an eyebrow.

“I didn’t know you enjoyed having your fingernails painted, James” Taeyeon sits on the couch next to him, as one of Sophia’s friends paints his nails.

“These are my soccer camp colors” he smiles at her excitedly, “I bet the kids at camp will want their nails painted too when they see mine”

Taeyeon smiles at his innocence. “I bet they will, James”

Bella looks up from her sitting position on the floor, “Mom, can we make the ice cream sundaes now?”

“I don’t see why not” Taeyeon slaps her hands against her thighs and stands up. “Just remember: You make the mess, you clean it up!”

...

...

“Hey”

“Hey”

“Sorry I was gone so long”

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah…” Taeyeon sits next to Sunny on the loveseat that faces the ocean, “I checked in with the kids and got them started on some ice cream”

“Sugar, at this hour?” Sunny laughs. “You’re not going to sleep at all tonight”

“Correction: They’re not going to sleep at all. I will be snug in my bed with the door locked”

“Ambitious”

Taeyeon laughs.

“Is Jamie bothering them?”

“Are you kidding? They’re treating him like a barbie. He’s already had a manicure”

Sunny shakes her head and giggles. “He does enjoy having his nails done”

“I’m glad he’s not a boy’s boy. I mean, I’m glad you’ve continued to raise him to be open and honest and free”

“It horrified you at one point: his openness”

Taeyeon smiles, “Yes, it certainly did”

“But it doesn’t now?”

“Hmm?”

“If he were to talk about your s with you again, what would you do?”

“Sunny, I don’t want to talk with any child about my s, yeah?”

“…Prude”

They grin at one another and Taeyeon props her foot up on the deck railing and rests her head against the back of the couch. And they sit in silence, listening to the waves crash against the shore, and watching the moonlight as it shimmers on the ocean ahead of them.

...

...

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Sunny says after a good half hour of quiet between them.

“What”

“How we’ve kind of… fallen back into old habits so quickly. You know, hanging out with the kids and spending time together”

Taeyeon lolls her head and looks at Sunny. “But it’s not like it was… not at all. It’s been two years. I think a lot of things have changed, don’t you?”

Sunny pulls her legs up and crosses them underneath her. Looks at Taeyeon, “Yeah… things have changed. I’ve changed. You’ve certainly changed” she says in a disbelieving tone.

“What does that mean?”

“Just… you’re more relaxed, I suppose. And you’ve done things – important things with your life that I never expected you would. I’d hoped, but I’d never expected”

Taeyeon looks up at the starry sky. “Hmm, yeah, well, sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to get that push you need to find your way back up to where you can breathe”

They hit Sunny hard, Taeyeon’s words do. And the guilt is written all over her face.

“I didn’t mean that as a dig to you” Taeyeon says, black eyes searching out brown.

“Of course you did”

Taeyeon looks back out at the ocean. “Maybe I did. But not consciously. I’m sorry”

“No. Taeyeon… I’m sorry…”

The doors behind them open and Taeyeon is somewhat grateful for the interruption.

“Hi guys” Sophia walks to the back of the loveseat and leans on it, “what’re you doing?”

“Just chatting. Enjoying the beautiful night” Taeyeon says, reaching back and patting her daughter’s hand. “How are things in there?”

“Fine. Jamie passed out; I think he had too much ice cream”

Taeyeon and Sunny laugh.

“What are you all fixing to do now?”

“Probably a movie”

“Did you clean up the kitchen?” Taeyeon tilts her head back and looks at her daughter upside-down.

“As good as ten year olds can clean a kitchen”

Taeyeon smiles, “That’s all I ask”

“Are you going to spend the night, Sunny?” Sophia asks.

Taeyeon’s eyes roll to the left toward Sunny as she awaits her answer.

“No, no… we’ve got brunch with Sooyoung in the morning”

Taeyeon looks away.

“Actually, we should probably get going…” she says, untangling her feet from Beneath her and standing up, “it’s getting late”

“Right, yeah” Taeyeon stands up and dusts off her backside.

Sophia looks back and forth between her mother and Sunny. “Well, I’ll be inside; I guess” she walks back to the door and turns around, “don’t leave without saying goodbye, ok Sunny?”

Sunny smiles sadly and shakes her head, “I won’t”

The doors close and Sunny sighs.

“She also did not mean that as a dig to you” Taeyeon smiles tightly.

“Yeah… I know”

...

...

Taeyeon carries Jamie outside to Sunny’s car.

“He’s not easy to carry around anymore” Taeyeon whispers, gently placing Jamie in his seat and buckling him.

“I know, I can barely lift him anymore; he’s growing so fast” Sunny walks to the back and puts her beach bag and Jamie’s pail in the trunk of her car.

Taeyeon walks around just as Sunny shuts the trunk door.

“I had a really good time” Sunny smiles. “And if he were awake, he’d tell you the same”

Taeyeon nods. “I had a good time too. It was nice”

Sunny nods and looks around. “So I guess I’ll see you…?”

“Yeah…” Taeyeon backs up and gives Sunny room to pass to the driver’s side. She follows behind a few steps.

Sunny stops at the open door and turns around and looks the blonde directly in the eyes. “Can I call you ?”

“Yeah” Taeyeon smiles kindly, “you can call me”

Sunny takes a deep breath and nods, gets into her car and closes the door, backs out of Taeyeon’s driveway and drives away.

Taeyeon watches until the car is out of view.

How about that ? haha

anyway thx for all of you who left comments and subscribed this fic :)

oh happy weekend :)