“…so that’s what’s going to happen from now on”

“You guys are acting like my friend Maddie’s parents; like you’re getting a divorce and sharing custody. We don’t even belong to Sunny, and Jamie doesn’t belong to you…”

“We just want to make sure you’re all happy” Sunny smiles weakly.

“You said you and Mom are friends, so why can’t we all spend time together? Why does it have to be back and forth like this?”

“It’s for the best”

Taeyeon’s statement prompts Sunny to look away from the three confused children sitting in front of her.

“Sunny doesn’t want this” Sophia says.

“We both agreed…” Taeyeon starts.

“No, this is because of you” her younger daughter challenges.

“That’s quite enough…”

“No, Mom, this is stupid”

“I have to agree with my sister”

“Why is everyone so angry, Ma?” Jamie pushes his glasses up.

Sunny opens her arms and Jamie walks over to her. She pulls him between her legs and rubs his back.

“No one’s angry, James” Taeyeon shoots her daughters a look.

“I’m going to my room” Sophia stands up and stomps out. Bella watches her leave and then looks at the two adults responsible for her sister’s reaction, shaking her head.

“Why can’t you guys just get it together”

She leaves too, and Sunny takes her exit as a cue.

“Go and get your overnight bag, sweetheart, it’s time to go” she says, standing up and squeezing her son’s shoulder.

“I thought we were staying for breakfast” Jamie whines. “Remember at bedtime, you said you were going to make Taeyeon a special breakfast when she got back from her trip?”

“I made her a special dinner instead, because she arrived early. Go on, now”

Jamie sighs and looks between his mother and Taeyeon, who won’t look him in the eye. “Ok”

Taeyeon waits for Jamie to be out of earshot. “You can stay for breakfast”

“Do you want us to stay?”

Taeyeon shrugs. “I want him to be happy”

Sunny pushes in her chair and it scrapes against the wooden floor. “He’ll be alright”

“This is for the best”

“No, Taeyeon, I don’t think it is. I agreed to it because I want those girls in my life, and I want you in Jamie’s life. But I also want you. I want us all to be together. Yet you won’t move even one tiny brick from that wall of yours, so I don’t have a choice but to go along with this ridiculous idea”

“You did this”

“So you keep telling me”

“I’m ready, Mama”

“I need to say goodbye to the girls; I’ll be right back”

Jamie drops his bag on the floor and walks over to Taeyeon, smiling.

“I have a secret” he whispers to her.

Taeyeon takes a deep breath and forces a smile. “What’s your secret, James?”

“My shell. The wishing shell. I’m going to wish that I can see you all the time and not just on Saturdays”

Taeyeon puts an arm around his waist and pulls him in. “I don’t think that wish will come true. I’m sorry”

“You have to believe it, like you told me on the beach, then it will come true”

He takes it out of his pocket and holds it in a tight fist, squeezing his eyes and mouth shut tightly. When he opens his eyes, he opens his hand too, and blows on the shell. Then he smiles at Taeyeon, who kisses his hair.

“I love you, James”

“Yeah, I know”

...

...

...

Sunny knocks softly on Sophia’s door but gets no response.

“She’s crying” Bella says from her doorway across the hall, “she won’t talk to me either”

“Shall I let myself in?”

Bella nods and follows Sunny inside her sister’s room, where they see her lying on her bed, curled up with a pillow.

“Sophia? We’re leaving; I just wanted to say goodbye”

She only hears light gasps and sniffles in return, so Sunny rounds the bed and sits next to her. Bella closes the door and climbs on the bed, sitting behind her sister.

“I’m sorry you’re hurting” Sunny says, moving strands of hair from a damp, freckled face.

Sophia shakes her head. “Mom’s being impossible”

“This is just her way. We can’t be cross with her for being who she is”

“It’s not fair” Sophia sighs shakily.

“No, it isn’t. But it’s the way things have to be for now”

Sophia sits up and hugs Sunny. “I don’t want you to leave again”

“Hey…” Sunny pulls back and cups Sophia”s cheeks, “I’m not going anywhere, ok?”

Sophia looks down; her wet eyelashes moving rapidly as more tears drop from her eyes.

“You’re stuck with me” Sunny smiles, swallowing the lump in . She reaches out and takes one of Bella’s hands, squeezing.

“Don’t give up on Mom” Bella says, squeezing back.

Sunny tightens her grip on both girls.

...

...

...

“What the hell is wrong with you”

“Afternoon” Taeyeon nods, walking past Jessica into her house, “Wheres Eden?”

“Sleeping. You’re lucky Yul’s out”

“I’m assuming she spoke to Sunny about the other day?” Taeyeon collapses onto the sofa and sets her purse next to her.

“She told you she loves you” Jessica says, obviously frustrated.

“Yes”

“And you told her, let’s share the kids?”

“Not exactly”

“Can I punch you now?”

“I’d rather you not”

“Why are you being such a ing… moron!”

“You know, I’m growing tired of you - my friend, taking Sunny’s side” Taeyeon hugs a sofa cushion to her chest.

“I’m not taking sides, Taeyeon” Jessica sits down next to her. “No, wait, I am. I’m taking the side of logic”

“Which means…?”

“Which means, you belong with her. So get over yourself and let the woman of your dreams back into your life. Make an effort”

“I’m sharing my children with her, how is that not effort?”

“I’m not talking about your kids, I’m talking about you. You!”

Taeyeon sighs. “She wants more than I’m willing to give”

“Did you tell her that?”

“No…”

Jessica groans. “You need to tell her”

“She doesn’t want to hear anything but declarations of love, Jessica. And I’m not sure I can give those to her…”

“Do you love her?”

Taeyeon hugs the cushion tighter and glances at her friend.

“Jesus Christ, Taeyeon, get back into therapy”

...

...

...

“I have something to show you, sweetheart”

Sunny sits against Jamie’s headboard and he scoots up next to her. She opens a small photo album and pulls out a small sheet of paper.

“What’s that?”

“This is called a sonogram printout”

He takes it from her. “What’s a sonogram printout?”

“It’s a photo of my uterus”

“That sounds kinda gross. What’s a uterus?”

“My uterus is here” she pats below her belly, “inside”

“Where the baby is?”

Sunny nods and smiles.

“Is the baby in here somewhere?” he holds the paper up to his glasses and squints.

“That’s right” she kisses his head and takes a deep breath. “Remember when I asked you if you wanted to have a baby brother or sister?”

“Yeah, you said the doctor had to help you put the baby inside of you because you couldn’t do it by yourself, and that’s why you’re pregnant, but you can’t tell me the rest til I’m older”

“You’re right again”

“How come there’s only black and white and gray in this photo?”

“Because that’s the way the sonogram machine works”

“Does the machine make a loud noise?”

“No, it’s very quiet”

Sunny takes his hand and pats it.

“Listen, sweetheart. I went to the doctor again and she took this photo. She also told me that there isn’t just one baby growing inside of me, but two”

“…Two?”

“Mm-hmm”

“Two babies?”

“Yes”

“Wow…” he whispers. “What are they doing?”

“They’re eating, and growing”

“Can you hear them in there?”

“No, but I did hear their little heartbeats”

“Cool. So… does this mean I’m going to have a brother and a sister?”

“I’m not sure, but that would be very exciting”

“Are they heavy?”

“Not yet, but they will be soon enough”

“How big are they?”

“Mm…” Sunny turns over his hand, “they would fit nicely into your hand”

Jamie examines his hand and smiles. “That’s tiny!”

“Isn’t it? But they won’t be that tiny for long”

Jamie turns the printout around a few times. “Why is there an A and a B on here?”

“Because that’s what the doctor is calling them, so she can keep track of how each of them develop”

“A and B? Those are funny names for babies”

“Perhaps you should think of proper names for them”

“I like Taeyeon and… Sungmin”

Sunny his hair. “Those names are already taken by people we love. We need new names. But you don’t need to decide right now, we still have six months to choose their names”

Jamie hugs his mother and kisses her cheek. “Six months is a long time; I can’t wait to see them”

Sunny scoots them both down on his bed, and Jamie lays his head on her chest and holds the paper up for both of them to see.

“Neither can I, my love”

...

...

...

Sunny looks up from her phone call when she hears the two knocks on her office door. She smiles at the knocker and gestures for her to come in and sit. Holds a finger up as she finishes her phone conversation.

“Hi! This is a surprise” Sunny greets as she hangs up the phone.

“I hope it’s okay that we dropped by like this”

“Of course it is” Sunny walks around her desk and peeks into a pink and brown stroller. “She’s gotten so big” she whispers.

“Can you believe she’s already wearing a size two diaper? Jessica is convinced there’s sumo in her future”

Sunny laughs and sits back down at her desk.

“Do you have time for lunch? I passed a cute café on my walk over”

“Yeah, sure, let me just sign-off on these papers and we can get out of here. I’m actually done for the day. I want to pick-up Jamie early from camp and spend some time with him, since he goes to Taeyeon’s tomorrow”

Yul silently watches Sunny work. She leans forward and turns around the two frames facing Sunny.

“Do you think it’s healthy to have this picture of Taeyeon on your desk?”

Sunny briefly glances up as she’s writing. “It’s Taeyeon and the kids. And it’s been there for a while; I don’t have any plans to take it down”

“You’re never going to move on”

Sunny stacks the papers in a tray marked ‘out’ and clicks her pen closed. “Who says I want to move on?”

Yul turns the frame back. “I love Taeyeon, Sunny; she’s a great friend. But I think she’s being a complete about this entire situation. And as your friend, I think you should… explore other options”

Sunny opens to answer but is interrupted by another knock on her office door.

“Hey, Sunny, got a second?”

“Hey. Yeah, come on in, I want you to meet my friend Yul and her gorgeous daughter, Eden”

Sooyoung walks in and shakes Yul’s hand. “Nice to meet you”

“So this is the other option…” Yul says with a raised eyebrow.

“That is one beautiful baby” Sooyoung comments, as she leans over the stroller.

Sunny stands up and gathers her purse and sunglasses. “We’re just heading out to lunch, do you want to join us?”

“Can’t; have a lunch meeting… but…” Sooyoung approaches Sunny, “someone gave me these tickets to a VIP thing at LACMA. Wanted to know if you and Jamie were interested in coming with”

Sunny takes the tickets and fans them out with her fingers. “Hmm, I don’t think an exhibit is exactly Jamie’s thing, but I do know someone else who might love to go”

“Great! Should I pick you up…?”

Sunny glances at Yul, who is watching the entire scene with an amused expression.

“Yeah, that would be lovely”

Sooyoung lets out an elated breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then”

“Ok” Sunny smiles, “see you tomorrow”

...

...

...

“It’s not a date!”

“I don’t think she knows that” Yul sings as they walk to the café.

“She does know. I told her I’m not ready to date right now”

“Sunny, I think I saw hearts in the poor woman’s eyes”

“Oh, stop. Soo is just a friend” Sunny says, while she holds open the door to the café.

Yul pushes the stroller in, and they order at the counter.

While they wait for their food to be served, Yul nurses Eden, and Sunny looks on with a dreamy smile.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do that with two” she sighs.

“Bottles…?”

“No, I want to nurse both of them for at least a year. I nursed Jamie until he was fourteen months”

“You’re going to have to pump. Especially if they end up on the same schedule”

“I suppose”

“Have you asked your mother for any advice?”

“Um, no… she doesn’t even know I’m pregnant”

Yul gives her a quizzical look.

“…It’s a long story”

“Ah” Yul winks, “well, I have mother, too. I get it”

Their food arrives, and the subject changes to something lighter, having nothing to do with babies, s, Sooyoung, or Taeyeon.

...

...

...

“Hi”

“Hello, Sunny”

“How was your week?”

“Busy”

A long pause.

“Mine too”

“Was there something you wanted? The girls and I were about to take an evening walk down the beach”

“Oh… just making sure we’re still on for tomorrow?”

“I’m to meet you at the field where James plays football and take him from there”

“Right”

“…Was there something else?”

“Actually, yes. A friend of mine has tickets to a special event at the museum, and I’d like to know if I can have Sophia for a few hours in the afternoon - I think she’d really enjoy it”

“If she wants to go, it’s fine with me”

“Good. Then I’ll take her from the field tomorrow”

“Alright”

Sunny sighs into the phone.

“Anything else…?”

“No, I guess not”

“Tomorrow, then”

“Yeah”

“Bye, Sunny”

“…Bye”

.....

.....

.....

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