Chapter Thirty One - Flavor Of Life
Project 86Chapter Thirty One - Flavor Of Life
“As the youngest recipient of the Great Leap Award we are honoured to be able to present it to someone with such an open and big heart, to whom other’s well being is as dear as her own. Tiffany Hwang!”
Roar of applause and standing ovation echoed in the Opera House as everyone cheered the young woman on stage. Her dazzling silver dress shining in the limelight, she bowed and thanked everyone along the walkway. Almost gliding onto the stage with the clinking of her high heels, Tiffany graciously accepted the bouquet of flowers and the crystalline trophy of the Great Leap Award and bowed to the crowd whose applause had yet to seize. As she approached the microphone it finally died down and people took their seats once more.
“Thank you everyone for believing in me. I am extremely honoured and humbled to receive this esteemed award. My only hope is that my work can inspire other young people to keep innovating to make this world a better place. Be excellent and kind to each other, and keep sharing the love. Thank you!”
The night of celebration that followed was a daze and after making her way out from the party at the Opera House it was continued at her rather tiny apartment in the city which was filled to the brim with guests. She was surrounded by friends and family, everyone wanting to share in her great achievement. Her company had finally started to make a profit and her innovation was being shared with the needy like she wanted. It was glorious.
The revelry continued late into the night, the elderly leaving a little earlier and slowly trickling out the younger too began departing. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning the last of the guests left and Tiffany was left with naught but a pile of dishes and one man in the room. As she stared out into the quiet city skyline she felt arms wrap around her waist and she smiled, finishing the little drink she had left in her glass.
“You are amazing darling.”
“Your support helped, Micah,” Tiffany said as she placed the glass onto the table and turned around to face the speaker. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“Always,” Micah smiled and gave a kiss on her forehead. Tiffany smiled and then began to clear some of the more precariously placed glasses onto the table to make sure they wouldn’t fall down and shatter. Proper cleanup could wait till tomorrow.
“I know it’s a little late now, but while we are still in the celebratory vibes of the night there is one more thing,” Micah continued to speak behind Tiffany. There was a nervousness to his voice which caught Tiffany off guard.
“If you don’t mind and would do me the honour…” Micah said and as Tiffany turned around she found him crouched on his knee with a tiny little box in his outstretched hand. The box opened revealing a beautiful white gold diamond encrusted ring. “Will you marry me?”
Tears were immediately in Tiffany’s eyes, a well of emotion which she thought she had all but spent tonight was refilled in an instant and through the sobbing she reached down to kiss Micah and embrace him in a hug.
“Yes, of course yes!”
Tiffany was over the moon with happiness. Tonight had been unbelievable. Like a dream.
-----
“You have to file a lawsuit to keep claim of the rights!”
“But I don’t like suing people, I don’t want to sue!”
“Tiffany, as your lawyer I highly advise you to do so. If you want to make sure that your inventions and products are used low cost for people you need to make sure that you keep your claim,” Kaori, Tiffany’s lawyer and long time friend approached Tiffany lowering her voice to an understanding tone.
They both stood in silence staring out the window of Tiffany’s top floor office, a beautiful cityscape view spreading in front of their eyes as it gleamed in the noon sun, the sea and greenery of the coast painting a beautiful picture out in the distance.
“If somebody starts making your product they can charge people insane prices, and the customers might not know that our product exists at a low cost and affordable price for their care. Do this for the ones who are in need, the people who might suffer from it. I know you don’t like it, but its best,” Kaori said patting Tiffany’s shoulder, “Besides we will most likely find a settlement before it reaches court.”
Tiffany turned to face her friend while supporting her back with one hand, her other resting on top of her oversized stomach.
“Also as your friend, you need to get the hell out of the office and go rest. Stress isn’t good for you or the baby. Stop working. Micah isn’t going to be happy when he finds out you’re out here in the office,” Kaori continued poking her friends shoulder to drive home her point.
“Don’t you dare tell him,” Tiffany snarled playfully at her friend before walking over to her jacket and purse. “Do what you must then. But try to find an amicable settlement. I don’t want to go to court.” Tiffany said as she started to make her way towards the door. “I have to go now; Micah is picking me up in a few minutes.”
“Oh so he knows you are here then,” Kaori gave a little laugh
“Yeah, I had to practically wrestle him to allow me to come here though,” Tiffany laughed as she reached the door. As she pulled the handle she had a sudden quick urge and need to pee before it all came out in a gush drenching her pants and the floor in liquid.
Kaori rushed over as Tiffany turned to look at her friend. “I… I think my water broke”
There was a rush down the building to the car park where Micah had just arrived after Kaori called him to inform that Tiffany’s water broke. Rushing out to the hospital which was luckily close by she was admitted in and prepped for delivery. And it was good that they arrived extremely fast as almost by the time that she was taken into the delivery room she was already in extreme pain and ready to push.
It had been barely an hour since Tiffany’s water broke when the two new parents got to welcome their first born into this world. Riding on the wave of painkillers and adrenaline Tiffany held her new born son in her arms as Micah gently brushed her hair and kissed her head. “Welcome to our family, Jackson.”
-----
The water kept rising and rising and Tiffany was afraid that it would soon engulf the top floor as well. The tsunami had hit without warning as they often did and it was only by luck and chance that they had been still lounging in their room on the third floor when it hit. Following the guidance of staff they were led to the roof of the building where they waited for the water to finally recede.
This was an extreme disaster.
By nightfall the water had finally receded and mostly disappeared from the streets. Her phone also was able to receive a signal to call out. She called her home office to make sure they knew she was alive and to set up the rescue operations. She would need to direct it on the ground here.
Resting but a few hours Micah took their children Jackson and Jennie out of the coast further inland to higher ground into a hotel while Tiffany stayed closer to the coast by the airport. She had called in for emergency supplies to be brought to the scene as fast as possible and had informed local first responders and services of what she was bringing. All the humanitarian products and aid she had built over the years could be put to fast and good use.
Tiffany had directed such efforts before from her home and office, but this was the first time she was in the thick of it and could see the disaster with her own eyes. Her heart was burdened with sadness while her resolve to be even more efficient with delivery and aid grew. She could see the disaster first hand; she experienced the lack of food, water, shelter and medicine herself. She knew how dire the situation was on the ground right immediately after a disaster and would work harder and be the change to help people survive.
For the next few days she worked and directed resources non-stop with barely any sleep. She barely even had time to call or message her husband and family during this time. By the third day she running on fumes alone and was at her limit. Finally a support and administration structure was set up and she herself wouldn’t have to be on the scene at all times to manage the situation. Just in time, as it was then that she collapsed.
Tiffany’s eyes were beginning to flutter open as she felt exhaustion still fill her body. Her mumbling and muttering caused a stir by her side and by the time she could focus with her eyesight she saw Micah’s face full of anguish and relief mixed together. “Where am I?”
“You’re at the hospital. You collapsed from exhaustion and stress and have been in a coma for almost a week.”
“A week?” Tiffany saw the tears in her husband’s eyes and attempted to reach up but her arms refused to listen.
“You worked too hard. Please never do that again,” Micah smiled brushing her hair and giving her a kiss on her forehead. “The doctors said your heart was pumping so hard they feared it would give out.”
“I’m sorry. The children?”
“They’re with Kaori now. We’ve been swapping with her, your parents, my parents and me to stay here with you and taking care of the kids.”
“That’s good, they’re safe. How are things at the coast?”
“Things are good considering. Your quick efforts really saved lives. You did good love, you did good,” Micah said as he gave another kiss on Tiffany’s forehead. “Just don’t do it at the expense of yourself next time.”
“I promise.”
-----
“He is so beautiful my love, just the most darling thing ever,” Tiffany said, cupping the little Heeseok in her arms. The memories of her own children’s birth resurged in her memories, of just how tiny and innocent they were, how completely dependent on her and Micah they were.
“Thank you Nana,” Chaeryoung said, smiling right by Tiffany on the couch. “You’re a great grandmother now.”
“Are you suggesting I wasn’t a great one before?” Tiffany asked Chaeryoung cheekily before both of them burst out laughing. This was the life. The love of a family, surrounded on all sides by them and engulfed in care. To witness the birth of the fourth generation before her time was up. Tiffany couldn’t have been happier, almost.
“If only Micah could be here to see him,” Tiffany sighed as tears of happiness and sorrow intermingled and slipped down her cheek.
“I know Nana, me too. He is here in heart and spirit,” Chaeryoung replied giving Tiffany a hug on her head as the latter played with the little Heeseok. It pained Chaeryoung to see her grandmother in such pain. It had already been almost ten years since her grandfather Micah’s passing, but she knew the pain of a lifetime partners death would never disappear, you could only cope with it.
“How is your father coping with the new board? I know some of them can be rather difficult and unnecessarily stubborn to change. It’s not like Jackson is a stranger to any of them,” Tiffany asked Chaeryoung who now sat next to her watching as her grandmother played with her little newborn.
It had been barely a year since Tiffany officially relinquished the final vestiges of power of the company to her son Jackson, although he had been the president of the company for well over ten years now. With the final control released Tiffany was a nominal board member but rarely went to the meetings as she was too old and tired to do so. His son had been very busy lately and it had been a while since he had last seen him.
“Oh he said they are coming around finally. There is an intense loyalty to you, but they do see him as an extension of you. He has their trust.”
“And how is your husband? I haven't seen him for awhile. He got promoted to senior architect and partner at Micah’s firm didn’t he?”
“That’s why you haven’t seen him much. Becoming the new partner of the company has kept him very busy. I’ll try and get him to visit you soon.”
“Oh don’t bother the busy man with such frivolities. As long as he takes care of you and your child I’m more than happy and blessed. That way he keeps the memory and ethos of Micah’s company alive,” Tiffany chuckled, focusing back on the little darling that rested calmly in her arms.
How she wished these days would never end.
-----
Knock knock knock
The door to her bedroom opened and Chaeryoung walked in, closing the door behind her and then sitting by Tiffany’s bed.
“How are you feeling grandma?”
“Oh quite invigorated really. I’ve barely coughed today,” Tiffany smiled, her wrinkled brow still forming the ever persistent and trademark eye smile. Old age had not taken that away from her.
“You should rest all you can if you want to be good for your birthday tomorrow,” Chaeryoung said offering the drink by the night stand to Tiffany who graciously accepted the help. Chaeryoung’s face turned into a small frown of worry which Tiffany caught.
“My dear what worries you, what’s on your mind?”
“Oh, nothing really worries me I... grandma, you have a visitor. She claims to be an old friend,” Chaeryoung replied apprehensively.
“Oh wonderful. Who is it?”
“She said her name is Yoona. She is waiting by the atrium right now. I told her I’d come see how you were feeling.”
Eyes closing for a moment Tiffany tried to think back for an old friend called Yoona. Through her senior years, through the birth of her grandchildren, her own children, her marriage. Her aging mind searched hard and far before a single strand from a long forgotten corner tugged her memory. There was something there, a name, Yoona. Way back in her early childhood. Oh it had been years, how did Yoona still have the strength to come see her at their age?
“How wonderful that she has come to see me, don’t keep her waiting it has been years since I’ve seen her.”
“Alright, I’ll let her in,” Chaeryoung said as she got up from the side of her bed, her eyes filled with a little worry. The image of her friend Yoona that her grandmother had was completely different from the reality.
The head of Yoona poked in, her long hair flowing down her shoulders as she looked out into the opulent bedroom of the mansion.
“Tiffany?”
“Yes dear do come in.”
Yoona walked in closing the door behind her and made her way to Tiffany’s side pulling a chair to sit down.
“My, you look barely older than you did in my memories,” Tiffany wondered, her wrinkled hand reaching out to touch Yoona’s cheek. It was smooth and soft, not a blemish or wrinkle in sight. No oversized pores, blackheads or acne damaged skin. Pure and angelic.
Yoona grabbed hold of Tiffany’s hand, already feeling anxious and sad having to tell Tiffany the truth and reveal everything. She held onto it before reaching out to brush Tiffany’s thinned white hair, now curled up in the fringe. She placed her hand onto her forehead. “I hate to reveal this to you but… this isn’t home.”
As she said that Yoona let out a little trickle of memory from the real world, pulling back the veil of the dream to reality only ever so slightly to allow Tiffany to see in and let her own mind find the truth and connection.
“Oh dear but whatever do you mea-...” Tiffany stopped mid sentence. The image that flashed in her eyes was so familiar and real, the feeling she felt from it tugging at her senses. That life, it felt so real for some reason. She peeked further into that memory, pulling back the curtain that Yoona had opened for her. She found her father Thomas, her friends Sooyoung, Yuri and Taeyeon. A dream machine that let her adventure there and a catastrophic collapse of reality. Collapsing of reality and dream.
The realization hit her. This was all a dream, none of it was real. Her family, her husband, sons and daughters, grandchildren. Her whole life wasn’t real. The past seventy years she had lived in this world had all been naught but a dream.
Her lip quivering and the first tears rolling down, Tiffany’s hand fell from Yoona’s cheek as her strength was sapped away from her reality collapsing. She couldn’t deny it, she had accepted it already. Her mind was too sharp to not realize or know in her heart that what Yoona spoke was the truth. This was the reason why Yoona looked like she was in her twenties, because she really was.
Yoona’s heart sank seeing the frail and old Tiffany in tears, completely shocked and devastated by the revelation and news. Over seventy years of living in this world, a whole lifetime spent and at the end of her life journey she finds out that none of it was real and it was all a dream. A long, arduous but also rewarding dream. What hurt Tiffany the most was leaving all her loved ones behind, to accept that they weren’t real was too painful. She didn’t want to.
“I’m so sorry Tiffany.”
A few moments went by in silence as Tiffany processed the news holding tight onto Yoona’s hand who gently squeezed it for reassurance.
“It’s alright. At least I really do have a sister waiting for me back there. I have you,” Tiffany’s careful smile masked the pain she felt before opening her eyes to see the youthful Yoona smile at her. “Can I ask you a favour?”
“Of course, what do you need?”
“Can you wait until tomorrow before you take me? I… I want to say goodbye to all my family and tomorrow is my 97th birthday. I know they aren’t real, but to me…” Tiffany faltered, her eyes beginning to well up once more thinking about the whole situation. All the emotions and feelings she had felt for these people had been real, even if they themselves had all been just a dream.
“Only if I get some cake,” Yoona smiled and released her grip to wipe the tears on Tiffany’s face. “All of this may have been a dream, but all the emotions you felt living here were real. The experiences were real to you and there is nothing wrong with that.”
“Thank you,” Tiffany said smiling back before feeling a whole world of nausea and tiredness. “I think I’ll need to sleep now. You can ask my granddaughter Chaeryoung to show you the guest room, you can sleep there.”
“Alright Tiffany, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Yoona said giving her hands one final squeeze before walking out. She found Chaeryoung and was guided to the guest room where she spent the night of this dream world.
A final day of mirth and love, Tiffany was enclosed in a circle of her loved ones as her dream age of ninety seven was celebrated by the family. She got to play with her great grandchildren for a little while, could give life advice to her grandchildren and comfort their worries, and could hug and kiss her children one last time. They would disappear out of existence once she left but they would forever live in her heart and mind. And maybe one day in the future, some of them could be reincarnated in the real world as her children once more. They wouldn’t be the same people, but their memory would be carried on in her life in another form.
After all the cake was eaten, all the hugs, kisses, and words of love were shared, the birthday came to a close and Tiffany said goodbye to her relatives before her children Jackson and Jennie helped her into her bedroom. Tiffany said one last goodbye, Jackson feeling weird at how final her mother’s goodbyes were, reassuring her that he would come and see her tomorrow and that she would see another sunrise. Jennie herself already an old lady also hugged her mother and told her to stop being so dramatic. Jackson wasn’t wrong, Tiffany would see another day just not in this world.
A few minutes after the departure of Jackson and Jennie, Yoona walked into Tiffany’s bedroom to find her staring out at the sunset, the sun having just dipped below the horizon and was painting the sky in oranges and purples with the last rays of its light.
“Are you ready?” Yoona asked as she sat down next to Tiffany on the bed.
“I think so, yeah,” Tiffany replied as she looked over at Yoona and reached out with her old wrinkly hands to her. “Let’s go home.”
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