OST: Blurry by Puddle of Mudd

Please listen while reading.

Every thing's so blurry
And everyone's so fake
And everybody's empty
And everything is so messed up
Preoccupied without you
I cannot live at all
My whole world surrounds you
I stumble then I crawl

You could be my someone
You could be my scene
You know that I'll protect you
From all of the obscene
I wonder what your doing?
Imagine where you are?
There's oceans in between us
But that's not very far

Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
When you shoved it in my face
This pain you gave to me
Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
When you shoved it my face

Everyone is changing
There's no one left that's real
To make up your own ending
And let me know just how you feel
'Cause I am lost without you
I cannot live at all
My whole world surrounds you
I stumble then I crawl

And you could be my someone
You could be my scene
You know that I will save you
From all of the unclean
I wonder what your doing?
I wonder where you are?
There's oceans in between us
But that's not very far

Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
When you shoved it in my face
This pain you gave to me
Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
When you shoved it my face
This pain you gave to me

Nobody told me what you thought
Nobody told me what to say
Everyone showed you where to turn
Told you when to runaway
Nobody told you where to hide
Nobody told you what to say
Everyone showed you where to turn
Showed you when to runaway

Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
When you shoved it in my face
This pain you gave to me
Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
When you shoved it my face
This pain you gave to me
No this pain you gave to me
This pain you gave to me

You take it all
You take it all away
Explain again to me
You take it all away
Explain again to me
Take it all away
Explain again
Explain again
Explain again

*******************************************************

She tried to talk to phan again thrice after that, but the gates to the house were always locked for her, and her calls were not even answered.

Feeling desperate, she was trying to plan to talk to Aom herself.

******************************************************

After Mr. Manaying finished his dialysis treatment that day, Mrs. phan dragged her feet to the hospital’s administration office. Devastation crept over her when she saw the total of her husband’s bills.

They might lose their house again if they keep it like this........

What would happen to them if they had to rent a house instead of owning one, even a house that’s already small as it is......

From having a house with six bedrooms and a swimming pool to only having a small house with two bedrooms, her husband’s kidney failure had made them sacrifice a lot, especially their daughters, who had to cram into one small room for the both of them.

They could still retain their cheerfulness and were fighting the increasingly heavier poverty day in and day out, but if they had to sell their house and pay the rent..........

She wasn’t sure they could survive.

She was sure it would be too much for Aom, her pretty daughter who’s losing a lot of weight already by working two jobs for the family.

Her eyes were instantly filled with tears when she remembered her eldest daughter. How brave, how selfless, how ready to fight and give her all to her parents........

But......there’s a limit to everything.

***************************************************

The next time Mike’s mother called her, phan picked up the phone.

**************************************************

She’s over the moon when phan answered her call and agreed to meet at a small Japanese restaurant near her house.

She dressed quickly and hurried to the restaurant, almost jumping to sit in front of her friend.

“I left directly after we talked on the phone. I feel like I ran here” she said breathlessly. “You said you want to tell me something important?”

“Yes” phan answered heavily, closing her eyes to inhale deeply before continuing, “Is Mike a good guy or not?”

She nearly screamed in happiness hearing the question, knowing where it would lead.

“He’s a good guy. Although a lot of people think otherwise, but I am his mother. I know him best, and he has a really good heart”

“Perhaps you’re just bias because you’re his mother”

“I’m not. I swear he really has a good heart”

“I’m sorry. I can’t trust your words yet. But......how can you guarantee he won’t hurt my Sushar?” she asked, as a painful lump formed in , and she was calling her daughter with her first name. She always did that when she’s feeling emotional.

“..........I’m not God, phan, I can’t guarantee the future. But I believe my son will be happier with a good girl like Aom by his side. Loving means pain too. If you don’t feel pain, you haven’t loved enough. Even us with our husbands, we fight and sometimes hurt each other too. Yet, we stay with them through all the good and bad times. I can only wish that Aom and Mike could have a marriage like what we have with our husbands”

Her friend said nothing to that.

“Does this mean.........you agree with – with their marriage?”

With difficulty, phan tried, “My husband’s hospital bills—“

“Will be taken cared of. The current bills and the ones in the future. You don’t have to worry at all. So you – do you agree, phan?”

“Yes. Unless if Aom is against this. If she insists to refuse, then I can’t do anything”

“........Aom is very filial. If you tell her that you wish for the marriage to happen, she’ll listen to you”

“Thank you for making me feel worse. I’m the worst mother in the world” phan said, a fresh drop of tear falling on her cheek.

“I’m sorry!” she hurried to say, “We only want the best for our children. And this will be good for Aom too. She wouldn’t have to work two jobs anymore. She even could stop working if that’s what she wants. Or she could work at one of our companies. Take a master degree, publish a book, anything, anything she would want, phan. Surely it will be better for her”

phan nodded. “It does sound good now.....but what about Mike? What if he’s the one who refuse?”

“He wouldn’t. If he does, I’ll make him change his mind”

phan looked at her friend worriedly.

“We should decide a date of their first meeting”

“I don’t know. Isn’t Mike very busy?”

“He doesn’t work 24/7. There must be a day or two off sometime. I’ll find out. And then I’ll inform you?”

“Make it two weeks from now, or more”

“I rather have it two weeks from now, or sooner”

phan smiled for the first time, “Why are you so in a hurry?”

“Why wait if we could have what we want faster?”

“Right”

“So......”

“So?”

“I’ll invite Mike to our house and tell him about the plan”

“What if he directly rejects it?”

“Like I said, I’ll make him agree”

With that, the two women said goodbye.

*****************************************************

Mike apparently had no plans that night, and agreed easily to come to the dinner at his childhood home. There was only Ying and his mother, and they had a great time together catching up since the last time they met a few days before.

His mom opened a bottle of wine after dinner though, pouring a little on her crystal glasses that she usually only used for super special occasions.

Frowning, he asked, “What’s the special celebration? Is somebody pregnant?”

Her mom’s smile definitely vanished after the question, obviously remembering his scandal with is ex, and he apologized, “Sorry, bad joke. Don’t mind me”

“I want to smack your handsome face sometimes, Son. Thankfully, I’m in a very good mood”

“And why is that?” her beautiful daughter, Ying, asked curiously.

“Mike, are you free on Saturday night, two weeks from now?”

“Huh? Me? Um......I think I’ll be back from China already by that time. Why?”

“I’d like you to meet someone” she answered with a flourish.

Mike put down his glass.

“Someone? Someone who?”

“Someone amazing”

Mike stared at his mother, then shared a look with his sister.

“And this person is a woman or a man?”

“A woman. A lovely woman”

“And.......I have to see her because?”

She had thought about it carefully, considering to go around the bush or just go straight to the point”

She chose the latter.

She quickly reached for a phone and clicked until she found a picture of Aom. A very pretty one, sent by her mother.

“Because I want you to marry her”

Mike gaped.

“................................................”

He was actually waiting for his mother and Ying to jump giddily and announced that it was just a stupid joke.

But it didn’t happen.

One, because Ying was gaping as wide as him, and because his mom looked too happy she might fly soon.

“Can you say that again?”

“She’s Sushar Manaying. Everyone calls her Aom. She went to the same high school with you, but a year senior than you. That’s why I know her mother. And I believe she’s perfect for you. Her mother and I agreed to arrange a marriage between you two”

“..........Mom, have you got mad?” he asked incredulously.

“Is this a joke?” Ying asked.

“I’m not mad and I’m very serious”

“Mom, I love you and everything, but you can’t tell me who I’m going to marry”

“Why not?”

“Because this is my life, Mom. No matter how messed up my personal life now, it doesn’t mean you can just point out a random girl for me to marry”

“Aom is not a random girl. She’s very lovely and polite. She takes care of her parents and sister well, and I’m sure she’ll take care of you well too”

“You make her sound like a nurse”

“She’s very caring”

“What is this, Mom? Why are you doing this?”

He was getting furious and got up from his chair, pacing while arguing with his mother.

“Because life has been too difficult for you lately. You need a good woman for you to come home to. You need stability, Mike. And she will be able to give you the support that you need, I’m sure of it”

“Does she know of this crazy plan?”

“I think her mother hasn’t told her yet, we’re waiting for your respond first”

“Ok, great. My respond is no”

“Mike, please meet her first. Meet her once before saying no. How can you refuse a girl without seeing her?”

“Mom—I’m fine. I swear to you I’m fine. I don’t need this, ok? I only need to work, earn money, pay my alimony to Sarah so I can keep seeing my son, run my business well, and that’s it. I don’t have time for a woman right now”

“Mike......you need a good woman more than ever. Please meet her first, just once”

“There must be a catch. She can’t agree that easily, no matter how rich you and father are. My image is bad, Mom. How can a woman agree to marry me so easily? Did you offer her money?”

“...........her father has kidney failure and I promise to settle all his medical bills from now on”

“............I think I’ll go home now. See you next time” he said curtly, walking quickly out the dining room. Better leave immediately than shouting at his own mother, he thought.

But of course, his mother and Ying ran after him.

“She doesn’t know about this yet, Mike! She’s not some cheap gold digger! Her mother promised she won’t tell her about this until we hear something from you!”

“This is ridiculous. I really don’t need this”

“Just meet her once, Mike, please. Do it for me?”

“If I see her once and still decide to refuse marrying her, would you get off my back, Mom?”

“Yes” she lied without any hesitation.

“Fine. Be ready to apologize to her mother”

“You might fall for her at the first sight!” she couldn’t help to say at her son’s retreating back.

“I won’t!” Mike swore, before getting out the front door.

She and her daughter were silent after that, until Ying asked, “Mom, how can you do this to him?”

“What? Look at his ex! Look at his ability to choose his own woman! If Sarah is not a disaster, then I don’t know what is!”

“But it’s so – so coldblooded to arrange a marriage for Mike. You should just let him focus on his work right now”

“Look, I know it’s really hard for him with all the hatred lately. What could be better than a good wife for him to be by his side? What did I do wrong?”

Ying only sighed exasperatedly and didn’t try to argue her mother anymore.

“This girl, Aom? What kind of girl is she?”

She grinned, “You’re curious now, right?”

Ying nodded, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you saying anyone’s daughter amazing. The only one is well, me. Is she really that – great?”

They returned to the dining table and she showed Aom’s picture to her daughter.

“........she’s indeed kinda cute”

“Excuse me? She’s not only cute. She’s lovely and beautiful”

“Mom.......you make me want to see her for myself. You know, just for the sake of it”

She smiled to her daughter triumphantly, feeling more and more optimistic that it really would work to her wishes.

************************************************

Author’s Note:

I hope you like the progress so far. I’m anticipating to write about their first meeting J

I have a speech contest tomorrow and I haven’t practiced, hahaha. Wish me luck!

PS: Let's spazz Aomike on twitter: @vanillasoul257