“You all just disappeared”

“You looked for us?”

Sunny nods.

Taeyeon shifts and crosses her legs underneath her.

“I took the girls to Seoul. I wanted them to have my mum close by because I was… not in the best place. And then we went to Paris and Berlin… had quite the European adventure”

“I’m so sorry, Taeyeon”

“What’s done is done. Time has passed. We’ve both moved on” Taeyeon shrugs.

“Have we?”

It takes Taeyeon a long moment to answer, “Yes”

Sunny nods and looks down at her folded hands. “It was wrong of me”

“You did what you thought was right for your family”

“No, I didn’t” Sunny quickly responds. She looks at Taeyeon, a regretful and sad expression on her face, “I wanted to hurt you”

“Oh… well, you succeeded. Well done”

Sunny’s eyes well up, but she fights back the tears. “I felt so betrayed, Taeyeon. And I couldn’t see past my own pain. I was angry and hurt, and I had it in my mind that I could never trust you again…”

“I do recall the conversation”

“But when it came time to leave, I couldn't. Jamie was miserable. I was miserable. My mum was already being her old self and I wasn’t even back in Jeonju yet and… I felt like fate was shouting in my face - and she wasn’t being very kind”

“Why were you both miserable?”

Sunny looks over and waits for Taeyeon to make eye contact before saying, “Because we didn’t have you”

...

...

...

Taeyeon sits outside the courtroom, briefcase lying on her lap. She rests the back of her head against the cold wall and closes her tired eyes. Tries to go over the case she’s about to present to the court, but can’t think of anything except Sunny and the conversation they had the night previous.

“Ms. Taeyeon?”

Taeyeon opens her eyes and smiles at the little old man before her along with his large extended family.

“Mr. Kwong” she stands and extends her hand, “how are you, sir?”

“Very good, Ms. Taeyeon, you ok too?”

Taeyeon smiles. “I’m very well, yes. And this shouldn’t take too long today; I’m confident we’ll be able to save your restaurant and fix it so no one can attempt to evict you again” she speaks slowly and clearly to the old man, who always nods whether he understands her or not.

“You come eat my restaurant”

“I will, Mr. Kwong. Very soon”

The bailiff calls Taeyeon in, and she and Mr. Kwong and his entire family go into the courtroom. Taeyeon tries again to clear her mind of Sunny and focus on the task at hand. But as she sets her briefcase down on the table and pulls files out of it, she knows thoughts of Sunny are inevitable, and she doesn’t like it one bit.

...

...

...

“I suppose that’s alright” Taeyeon says into her hands-free device as she drives back to her office, “let me speak to her mum, please”

Taeyeon discusses the details of a sleepover with the mum of Bella and Sophia’s friend with whom they’ve spent the day with. She reluctantly gives in, but only because she has no reason not to. Deep down though, she wants them home with her tonight. But Taeyeon knows she needs to let them have their time away from her, and she knows she could use a bit of time to herself, as well.

“Yes, darling, everything’s set. You two have a good time and I’ll see you when I pick you up tomorrow afternoon… I love you too… tell your sister the same, and mind Megan’s mum…ok… bye”

...

...

...

“Well this is a pathetic scene”

Taeyeon looks up and raises a bottle of white wine to her friend, shaking it quickly.

“That sounds pretty empty” Jessica sits down on the sand next to Taeyeon and swipes the bottle from her. Takes a swig, and then another.

“Oi, get your own” Taeyeon pulls the bottle out of Jessica’s mouth and it makes a popping sound.

“Here, you lush” Jessica produces a new, chilled bottle of white wine and hands it to Taeyeon, who’s currently looking down the mouth of the empty bottle with one eye squeezed shut.

“She alright?”

Taeyeon turns unsteadily and looks up to see Yul standing on her second floor deck with a bundle in her arms.

“Brought the whole…” Taeyeon hiccups, “family did you?”

“Yeah, she’s fine babe” Jessica calls up to her.

“Ok. I’ll be inside making dinner”

Yul walks inside and puts Eden in her portable crib and begins to rummage through Taeyeon’s kitchen.

“Sunny called Yul this morning and told her about your little convo” Jessica tells Taeyeon as she takes a drink.

“Sunny, Sunny, Sunny” Taeyeon smiles lazily, her eyes barely open.

“Do you want to talk about it, or should we just drink”

Taeyeon answers by gulping down wine and then wiping with the back of her hand.

“Give it here, then”

Jessica takes the bottle and drinks a few sips and then pushes the base of the bottle into the sand between their legs.

“I was… doing just fine before she showed up” Taeyeon says with a hiccup.

Jessica smirks to herself when Taeyeon begins to speak.

“You were not fine, Taeyeon. How many gorgeous, intelligent women have we set you up with, only to have you find something wrong with all of them?”

“Lots” Taeyeon smiles.

“And why did you find the need to criticize all of them after every date?”

“That one… she had a horrific laugh. She would’ve… scared my children”

“I guess I have to tell you why. It’s because none of them were a small brunette turned blonde turned brunette with an adorable nose and big doe eyes and an amazing pair of ”

Taeyeon smiles at her friend, here eyes swimming in a sea of Chardonnay. “Her are mint, aren’t they”

“No one else will ever be good enough for you, Taeyeon”

Taeyeon quickly shrugs, “I like being alone” her smile turns upside-down just as fast.

“No, you don’t”

“I’ve got my girls”

“And those girls deserve two mothers, the way you intended them to have before they were born”

“They’re fine” Taeyeon waves her hand and picks up the bottle.

“You’re a fool”

“It wasn’t that long ago” Taeyeon burps, “that you told me to move on and forget about Sunny”

“That was before she showed up in your life again; before you couldn’t shut up about bumping into her at the museum; before I saw the way you still look at her”

“I don’t… look at her”

“Anyway…” Jessica grabs the bottle and puts it on the other side of her, out of Taeyeon’s reach.

“She searched for me”

“I know”

“And she stayed here to be… close to us”

“I know”

“And she said… she said she made a mistake. She said she never should’ve… pushed me away”

“I know”

“…You know?”

“Yeah. That day she came by to see Eden she sort of poured her heart out to us”

“How… awkward for you”

“God, hold your breath or something, will you? The hiccups are getting on my nerves”

“ off”

“Not today, lover” Jessica stands up and hoists Taeyeon off the sand, “come on, let’s go inside”

“She didn’t mean to push me away” Taeyeon says into Jessica’s cheek as she helps her up the stairs.

“Hey, Taeyeon, speak in the other direction or something; I might get drunk off your breath alone”

Taeyeon laughs with gusto right into Jessica’s face.

“”

“You love me” Taeyeon slurs.

“Unfortunately”

...

...

...

“Feeling better?”

Taeyeon hears the voice but can’t see its source through the darkness. She thinks she must still be plastered, or dreaming, until a hand touches her shoulder and the moon illuminates half of an angelic face.

“What… what are you doing here, Sunny?”

“I called Yul and she told me she and Jessica were here watching over you” Sunny covers Taeyeon’s eyes while she turns on a small lamp on Taeyeon’s nightstand, “so I volunteered to take the night shift, seeing as they have an infant and should be at home”

“I don’t need a babysitter” Taeyeon sits up and then quickly falls back, holding her head and burping loudly.

“I think your toilet and this bucket would say different”

Taeyeon squints and looks at Sunny, then closes her eyes and pulls the covers up to her neck, realizing something quite suddenly.

“Why am I ?”

“Because you were sick all over your clothing and had to be thrown into a cold shower”

“And you couldn’t dress me again?”

“I wasn’t the one who had to deal with all of that; you need to thank Jessica when you’re recovered”

“So you’ve been sitting here staring at my ?” Taeyeon squeezes her eyes shut and holds her head when the room begins to spin.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before”

Taeyeon opens one eye and peers at Sunny. Returns her hint of a smirk.

“You can go; I’ll be fine”

“I’m here all night; you’re not going to get rid of me” Sunny picks up a teacup from the nightstand and leans on the bed near Taeyeon. “Here, drink this”

Taeyeon covers and makes a gagging sound, shaking her head and groaning.

“Come on, you big baby, it’s peppermint; it’ll help”

Taeyeon frowns and sits up slightly while Sunny holds the cup to her lips. She sips slowly, very aware of Sunny and her close proximity. Black eyes meet brown – the latter blink slowly and look down.

“Try to sleep some more; you’ll feel better the next time you wake up”

Taeyeon relents and sinks back into her bed, trying to ignore the twisting and swirling in her belly.

“Where’s James?” she asks Sunny.

“He’s asleep in Sophia’s room – I hope that’s alright”

Taeyeon turns over so her back is to Sunny. “Of course it’s alright” she yawns, “this is his home too”

Sunny stares at the back of Taeyeon’s head for a long time, and it takes everything in her to not lift the corner of Taeyeon’s comforter and cuddle in behind her.

When Taeyeon starts to snore, Sunny finally allows herself to release the tears she constantly holds back whenever she’s around Taeyeon. She cries silently, switching off the lamp and settling back into the sofa chair she’s been sat in half the night, propping her feet up on the ottoman and pulling a small throw cover over her body.

Sunny reminds herself that it’s not only Taeyeon that’s causing the constant waterworks. But her thoughts just make her cry all the more. And as regret and fear and joy all churn inside of her, she falls into a deep sleep.

...

...

...

She wakes up disoriented and stiff. As her eyes come into focus, she groggily takes in her surroundings and an involuntary smile forms on her lips. The familiar smell and the sound of the sea comfort her, and she doesn’t even mind the crick in her neck or the ache in her back.

It takes her a minute to look over to the bed, and she’s surprised to see it neat and made and without its brunette occupant.

Sunny gets up and stretches, cracking a few choice parts that are nagging at her. She folds the throw cover and lays it on the back of the sofa chair and then slips on her shoes.

She glances at the clock on her way out of Taeyeon’s bedroom and does a double take.

“Half-ten?”

Sunny hurries down the hallway to Sophia’s room and finds it empty. She walks down the stairs and finds the kitchen silent but smelling of freshly brewed coffee. When she checks the last room and finds no sign of Jamie or Taeyeon she begins to panic a little, until she feels a breeze blowing by her. She sees the doors to the deck open and walks outside.

Sunny stands on the edge of the deck and looks left, down the beach, then right. And she sees them there, walking barefoot, hand in hand along the shore. She leans on the deck railing and watches Taeyeon and Jamie stroll, their hands swaying back and forth as they chat.

Jamie lets go of Taeyeon’s hand to bend down and pick something up from the sand. Sunny watches as he shows it to Taeyeon, and Taeyeon squats down to talk with him, pointing to the object and then holding her hand out for him to place it on. Her heart leaps as she takes in the scene, and she knows in this moment that she can’t separate the two ever again, no matter how complicated life becomes because of it.

Sunny waits on the deck for them and when Jamie sees her he runs up the steps and hugs her, looking up at her with a grin.

“Taeyeon said not to wake you up”

Sunny his cheek and smiles. “I guess I was very tired”

“Can Taeyeon come to my game, Mama?”

They both look toward the stairs when they hear Taeyeon approaching the top.

“Morning” Sunny smiles at her.

“Morning”

“How’re you feeling?”

Jamie lets go of Sunny and walks over to Taeyeon, holding out his hand. She knows what he wants and gives it to him.

“Still recovering, but the walk did me well”

“Look Ma, I found this neat shell on the beach. Taeyeon says it might be a magic shell, and if I make a wish on it, it might come true”

“That’s very exciting, my love”

Taeyeon heads inside, and Sunny pushes Jamie along as they follow her.

“My first wish is…” he squeezes the shell tightly in his hand and closes his eyes, “I wish Taeyeon could come to my soccer game”

Taeyeon pours herself a cup of coffee, smiling at Jamie, and then holds the coffee pot in Sunny’s direction, silently offering her a cup.

Sunny politely refuses by shaking her head, and she sits at the dining room table Jamie’s hair as he blows on the shell.

“That’s quite the wishing routine you’ve come up with, James”

“I really want it to work”

“Mm” Taeyeon walks around the counter sipping her coffee and sits across from Sunny at the table, “well, remember I said it might be a wishing shell, there’s no way to really tell; they’re hidden among all the others”

“I know this is one” he says with an assured nod and wide eyes, “I know it”

“Have you had breakfast, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, Taeyeon let me have sugary cereal” he looks at his mother guiltily after he realizes what he’s divulged.

“Oh, she did, did she…?”

“Punish me if you will” Taeyeon smirks, “but the boy practically salivated when he saw the box on the shelf”

“I think I’ll allow it this one time” she says in a serious tone, trying to keep a straight face when he looks scared. She moves his hair and kisses his temple two times. “We do need to go home though, and get you ready for your match, sweetheart”

“But I want Taeyeon to come, too” he whines.

Sunny looks at Taeyeon.

“I’ll be there, James” she winks at him.

“My shell works!” he throws it up in the air and catches it, “I told you”

“Run and get your socks and shoes on so we can go, please” Sunny tells him.

“Ok!”

Sunny stands and pushes her chair in. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to”

“Sunny, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do” Taeyeon says, blowing on her coffee before taking a sip, keeping her eyes on Sunny as she does.

Sunny raises an eyebrow. “Alright. So I guess we’ll meet you there?”

“Yeah, what time?”

“It starts at noon, at the park where his day camp is held”

“See you at noon, then”

“Ok… see you”

...

...

...

“Why must we suffer through this, Mother? Couldn’t you have left us at Megan’s until after this pee-wee match?”

“Oh, come on Bella, he’ll be so happy to see you. Both of you”

“How long do these things last?” Sophia asks, looking up from her book.

“Not very long, I think”

“Can we go to tea at Tudor House afterward, Mom?” Bella asks.

Taeyeon pulls into the parking lot at the park and looks for a spot.

“Are you asking me to bribe you with tea at your favorite restaurant?”

“Yes” her eldest daughter answers matter-of-factly.

Taeyeon turns the steering wheel and parks her car. “Alright” she sighs, “afternoon tea it is”

“Nice one, big sister”

Bella tips her head triumphantly. “Thank you, little sister”

...

...

...

Bella and Sophia sit on the blanket Sunny brought to the park and pick small white flowers that surround them. Sophia begins to make a chain with hers, while Bella picks them apart and throws them back in the grass.

Taeyeon and Sunny stand to their right, watching nervously as Jamie and twenty-one other little boys swarm a ball.

“Who is coaching these heathens?” Taeyeon asks loudly.

Sunny slaps her arm. “He’s right over there, shh”

“Well you’d think he’d teach them not to crowd the ball like that” Taeyeon points to the mass of bodies as she rubs her arm where Sunny slapped it.

“They’re small boys, Taeyeon”

“This type of play would not be tolerated if he were in Seoul”

“He’s having fun, that’s all I care about”

“How much longer, Sunny?” Sophia stands up and asks.

Sunny puts her arm around Bella’s shoulders. “It’s nearly half-time”

Taeyeon notices the gesture and watches as Sophia leans her head on Sunny’s shoulder.

“Would you two like to help me pass out the snacks to Jamie’s team?”

“Sure” Bella shrugs.

“Ok” Sophia agrees.

The whistle blows not long after, and Sunny opens the cooler and hands Bella a bag of oranges, and hands Sophia some cups and a water jug.

Taeyeon walks to Jamie as the teams go to their separate sidelines, and she picks him up and hoists him up onto her hip.

“I didn’t score a goal” he sighs and wipes a few blades of grass from his lenses.

“You did well, James. But listen, you need to stand back from the boys and wait for the ball to come to you, and then take it down the field and score”

“I’ll try, Taeyeon”

“Good man. Now go on and replenish” she puts him down and smacks his bottom and he runs off toward Sunny and the girls.

Taeyeon stands on the pitch and watches Jamie’s team as they surround Sunny. Laughs to herself when Bella looks horrified at all the grubby little hands reaching into the bag grabbing at orange slices. Looks over at Sophia who has several boys lined up and orderly and waiting for water. Sees Sunny bending down and taking off Jamie’s glasses, cleaning them with the hem of her shirt. Crosses her arms and looks down at her shoes when Sunny catches her staring.

The whistle blows again and little boys scatter onto the field, leaving behind them a trail of orange peels and paper cups. Taeyeon walks over and begins picking up alongside Sunny.

“Thanks” Sunny says.

Taeyeon just smiles.

“I do not pick up trash” Bella informs Sunny.

“Don’t be such a snob, Bella” Sophia rolls her eyes and puts two orange peels into the garbage bag Sunny’s holding, “come help”

Bella sighs, exasperated, but joins in the clean-up.

Sunny leans over to pick up a cup, and on her way back up she stumbles.

Taeyeon sees her and reaches out her hand to steady Sunny. She ends up with Sunny in her arms when one hand doesn’t do the trick.

“You alright?”

Sunny drops the garbage bag and touches her forehead. “Yeah… yeah… I just got a little dizzy”

Taeyeon furrows her brow. “Does that happen a lot?”

Sunny takes advantage of her situation and leans her head on Taeyeon’s shoulder.

Taeyeon backs off right away but keeps her hands on Sunny’s arms, making sure she’s steady.

Sunny tries not to look disappointed. “It’s happened a few times, just recently”

“Does this have anything to do with why you went to see the doctor?”

Sunny backs off this time and shakes her head. “No, I’m fine, Taeyeon, I told you”

“Mama, Taeyeon, watch me!”

They both look over at Jamie running by, chasing after the swarm of boys. Sunny walks to the sideline but Taeyeon waits, watching from behind. She can’t help but be concerned. Has a feeling Sunny isn’t telling her the truth. And as she approaches Sunny’s side, she makes a promise to find out exactly what that truth is.

...

...

...

“Did I do better, Taeyeon?”

“I’m very proud of you, James. A nine to one loss isn’t all bad” she pats his back.

Sunny and Sophia pick up the blanket and shake it off and fold it. Bella comes back from throwing away the bag of trash and stands next to her mother.

“Thanks for coming” Sunny says to them, as she holds the blanket and picks up the handle of the cooler. “And thanks for all your help, girls”

“You’re welcome” Sophia smiles.

“You should come to tea with us, Sunny”

Taeyeon looks down at her eldest daughter and glares.

“Oh?” Sunny shifts the blanket in her arms, “where’re you going to tea?”

“At Tudor House. Have you ever been there?”

“Ah, yeah, it’s lovely”

“Come with us then”

“I want to go to tea, Ma”

“I can’t take him anywhere in this condition”

All four of them look down at Jamie and his dirty, grass-stained body.

“We can follow you to your house and then go to tea from there” Sophia suggests.

“Perhaps Sunny and Jamie are tired and want to go home” Taeyeon tells her daughters.

“I’m not tired” Jamie smiles.

Taeyeon rolls her eyes at him.

“Would you mind coming by the house first?” Sunny asks Taeyeon.

Taeyeon is confronted with three pair of brown and one pair of black eyes.

“No, I wouldn’t mind at all”

...

...

...

“Did you know Sunny moved, Mom?” Sophia asks, as they follow behind Sunny in her car.

“No, I wasn’t aware”

“She lives pretty close by” Bella says.

“So it seems”

“You two should see each other more often”

Taeyeon sighs heavily. “Have you forgotten that she left without saying goodbye to you? Have you forgotten how upset you were, and how you cried, and how you begged me to find her when we went to Seoul?”

Taeyeon instantly regrets her words and her tone.

The silence that follows her little outburst is deafening, and as they pull up behind Sunny into a driveway and park, Taeyeon turns around to face her solemn children.

“I’m sorry”

“You said she had her reasons and we believed you. But she’s back now” Sophia says, “and we’re happy that she is”

“Ok, I can respect that”

“But you need to make an effort, Mom” Bella tells her, “Sunny is, and you pull away every time”

“I don’t want her to hurt you two like that again”

“You mean you don’t want her to hurt you like that again” Sophia challenges.

Taeyeon sighs. “Bit of both, I suppose”

“Mom, if you don’t want a relationship with Sunny, that’s your choice. But we do want a relationship with her, so that means you need to be civil and normal when she’s around”

“Am I not civil?”

“Jeez, Mother, we don’t mean literally”

“So you mean civility in a figurative sense?”

“Mom…”

“I’m merely asking because what you’ve just said makes no sense whatsoever”

“Now you’re just being difficult, Taeyeon”

“Sophia Stephanie Kim, if you call me Taeyeon one more time…”

A loud knock on the driver’s side window causes Taeyeon to jump. Jamie puts his mouth against the glass and blows, laughing hysterically as he does so.

“Leave Sunny to us, but you can have him” Bella says, pointing at Jamie with her thumb.

Taeyeon holds a finger up to James and then turns back to her daughters.

“I’ve heard you. And I thank you for being honest and sharing your feelings with me” she unbuckles her seatbelt, “and if one of you doesn’t grow up to become a psychotherapist, I will consider it a personal insult, as will my wallet”

Her daughters giggle and they all get out of the car, Jamie taking Taeyeon’s hand as soon as he’s able to. And they walk up the driveway toward Sunny, who is waiting for them on her front porch with a warm and hopeful smile.

...

...

...

new chapter!

enjoy reading guys :)