Chapter 10. Mom : Family.

“You okay?” I ask as I feel my daughter tightens her hold of my arm. Soojung and I are at Cedar Sinai Hospital to visit Sooyeon's mother-in-law.

She nods, resting her head on my shoulder as we walks together down the corridor leading to Mrs.Kwon's room. I put my hand around her waist, completely aware of the swelling of her midriff. A tell-tale sign of my grandchild growing well.

“Tired?” I ask again. Soojung has just finished a long filming schedule. “We can always visit later.”

“I'm fine. I just hate hospital's smell. It reminds me of when Sehun brought me in because of my bleeding.”

“Hey. It was in the past. You and your baby are completely healthy now, right?” I hold her closer to my body, knowing how little things might annoy Soojung these days.

“Uh uh.”

“Think about positive things instead. Think about your unnie. She must be happy to see us.”

My oldest daughter has stayed with the Kwons for three weeks now, helping her husband taking care of his sick mother. I came to LA one week ago to take care of my youngest while keeping an eye on my oldest.

“Poor Unnie. She actually went here to help me and to attend business meetings. Now she's stuck in this hospital.”

“Eyyy. Don't say such a mean thing. Your unnie is here to be at her husband's side. To take care of her mother-in-law. Aren't those what family do? Taking care each other? Staying at each others' side through thick and thin?”

“Like us?”

“Yes, like us.”

“Too bad Dad can't join us. I miss Dad.”

I sigh. My husband and I still haven't came to a good term yet. Half of me admits that I'm at fault, for letting a man from the past haunting our 32 years of marriage. Other half of me just can't stop hating my husband for cheating.

“Mom. If you really miss Dad, please go back home. I'll be fine.”

I smile at my daughter who has clearly misinterpreted my silence. “I can't leave. Not when your Unnie now can't stay with you. What if something happens to you in the middle of the night?”

“I'll just call Amber. You've met her. You know how reliable she is.”

I laugh. Amber is sure one super PA. The girl practically goes head over heels just to meet Soojung's needs. “What if you crave for kimbap at 3 a.m again? I'm pretty sure Amber's cooking skill is far below yours. And you are not even a decent cook.”

“Mooom! I wanted to eat the food once and you keep on teasing me about it.” She pouts. “Seriously, Mom. I will be fine. There are neighbors and friends more than ready to help me here.”

“I don't think I can rest well knowing that my pregnant daughter is alone away from home.”

“Fine.” She pouts again. “Don't blame me if Daddy finds another woman back home. You know how he can't live without homemade Kimchi.”

Soojung's words, hitting too close to home, make me look away. My heart aches at the mention of another woman. I wonder, now that I'm not around, if my husband will bring his secretary home. I wonder if the woman cook as good as I do. Or if she's actually just a warm body distracting my husband from her ghost of a wife.

“Mom.” Soojung tugs at my hand, hugging me tighter. “I'm sorry.” She probably senses something is wrong despite the fact that I'm yet to tell my daughters about their Dad's affair.

I give her a small smile. “Always pray for Mom and Dad, okay?” I rub my daughter's arm, lead her to walk faster.

In the end I probably don't want them to know at all.

We finally reach room 308 where Mrs. Kwon is treated. We enter the room quietly and find my son-in-law reclines on one of the couch on the family area. My oldest daughter is sleeping in her husband's arms, her head resting on his chest . The sight soften my heart. I hope this only means they have solved their issue and have stopped fighting.

“Yul Oppa, how are you?” Soojung greets first, bending to give her brother-in-law a hug.

“Hi Soojung. Hi Mom. I'm good. Just a little numb.” He tilts his head toward my sleeping daughter's, smiling. “How are you too, Krys? Has the baby been good?”

“We're good. Both of us.” Soojung looks down at her stomach. She's barely showing at 14 weeks, the cashmere coat she's wearing conceals the small bump well.

“Don't wake up.” I hold Yuri's shoulder gently when he tries to stand and move Sooyeon onto the couch. “Both of you must be so tired. Stay still. How is your mom?” I nod toward the partition that separates patient's bed with family area.

Mrs. Kwon is currently under extensive treatment to stop her cancer from spreading further. None of us knew about her disease before. Sooyeon have called me with the news last week, telling me how sad she feels knowing that Yuri hadn't told her about his mother condition earlier.

“Getting better each day. The surgery went well and we're now just waiting for the follow-up medication and radiation to work.” He smiles. “Mom's inside. She'll be happy to see you. Been nagging us to go home since the first day she woke up after the surgery.”

“I made her Dakjuk. Is she allowed to eat some?”

“Yes and she'll be thrilled to.” Yuri's smile morphs into an elated grin. “You have no idea how much she misses Korean food.”

“Good. Come on, Soojung. Let's get inside.”

Soojung shakes her head. “I'm staying with Oppa. I know he also misses Korean food. Look! We bring Kimbap for you too.” She lifts up the box she has been holding.

“Ooh goodie. You have to feed me though. Your sister practically hogs both of my hands.”

“Why can't we just wake this spoiled Unnie up?” Soojung pokes at her sister's nose. The latter stirs a little before falling back to a seemingly comfortable sleep. ”All of us talking noisily and she stays dreaming.”

Yuri chuckles. “She needs the sleep Soojungie. She has been up all day long tending to my mom.”

Soojung shrugs, opening the meal box. I go behind the partition after warning Soojung not to disturb Sooyeon and to take care of her brother-in-law.

Mrs. Kwon is seriously happy to see me. Her smile lights up despite how frail her physical seems to be. I guess being sick turns her into a much nicer person for she rarely smiled on our previous meetings.

She expresses her gratitude for the visit. We share stories, mostly about family. She tells me about how much she's actually against being treated abroad for she can't bear leaving her invalid husband in a sitter's hands.

“Woman should never let anyone else cater to her husband.” She speaks about herself but the meaning of her sentence hits the aching part in my heart. I quickly change the topic and bring up the meal I have brought. She actually squeals like a kid when I tell her I've made her Dakjuk with actual Korean rice.

I prepare the Dakjuk for Mrs. Kwon but she doesn't want to be fed by me, saying she'll wait until Sooyeon wake up to feed her. I have to hold back a smile because I know that they weren't actually close before. Her story of how Sooyeon helps her taking a bath and massaging her aching limbs warms my heart. I'm so proud that our Sooyeon manages to put her feeling aside and actually taking care of her husband's mom. After wishing her well, and a promise to make another visit, I excuse myself.

I give Sooyeon a tight hug before leaving, telling my dear daughter how proud I am to her in a whisper. Watching Sooyeon bids us goodbye in the arms of her husband comforts me. I know she will be safe.

– 0 --

Our next destination is Soojung's Ob-gyn. Our Soojung is due for another check-up. Her schedule is so tight that the appointment has to be made late at night. We take a taxy, the trip costs us another 30 minutes of time and Soojung is already half asleep on my lap when we get there.

“My poor baby, you must be so tired.” I rub her arm as we sit in the waiting room. “Are you sure you want to continue working tomorrow? Can you ask for a couple days off?”

“I'm fine Mom, just a little sleepy.” Soojung leans her head on my shoulder. “I have thr