"Look a this one!"

Wayne said as he pointed at an old picture at Wes' photo album. They were at Wes' house that afternoon, as they want to do their assignment in English together. Sylvia and Diana took at look at the photo he was pointing. "Zheng is such a cute little toddler!" he said. The two girls gushed as they looked at Wes' photo. "Awww... such a cutie pie! I want a son as cute as him in the future!" Diana said. Upon hearing that, Wayne just let out a smile. 

"Ah, this must be your dad when he was younger?" Dylan said, pointing a picture to Wes at the other album. Wes took a look at it, then nodded his head. "Yes. I think it was taken during his first year as a doctor." Wes said. "He looks a lot like you!" Sunnee told him. "Then, when I grow old, you guys now how I would look like." Wes said. 

"Is this Aunt Melody? She looks a lot like Pei Ci when she was younger. The difference is that Aunt Melody had a long, curly hair." Diana said, showing the picture to Wes. Wes nodded his head. "Yeah, that was Aunt Melody way back in college I think." Wes explained. 

"And little Fei Fei and Zheng! OMG, you look so cute together!" Diana said, pointing at another picture. Wes and Sylvia looked at the picture Diana is looking at. "I remember this!" Wes said, looking at Sylvia as he smiled. "It was my birthday! Just a few weeks after you and Aunt Melody settled here in Willow street, right?" she said. Wes nodded his head. 

Wayne turned another page, and saw a picture of a woman holding a child, which he assumes is his mother. "Eh, Zheng, is this your mom?" Wayne asked. Sylvia's eyes widened upon hearing that question. for years, the topic about Wes' mother is taboo in their household. She also knew Wes isn't comfortable talking about his mother. 

"Wayne!" Sylvia reprimanded him. Wes looked at the picture. Sylvia saw the hurt expression in his face as he stared at that picture. "No, I don't know who that woman is." Wes denied. But Sylvia knew better. That was the only picture left of him and his mother. "Oh, then this woman must be fond of you before, so she had a picture with you?" Wayne asked. "Probably." Wes said. 

"Wes, I'm sorry to ask, But, we've gone through your photo album, but I don't see a picture of your mom somewhere..." Dylan said. Upon hearing that, Wes looked away from him. Sylvia looked at Wes. She knew he doesn't want to explain things to them. "Uhmmm... most of Zheng's pictures with his mom is with his dad. I think he lost the album when he was moving between countries. Right, Zheng?" Sylvia said as an alibi. Then, she looked at Wes. Wes looked at her, and smiled. "Yes, that's right." he said. He was thankful that Sylvia was the one who answered for him. 

Dylan just nodded in understanding. "I understand. My little sun also left some of her childhood photos back in Thailand. Right, Nee?" Dylan said, smiling at his girlfriend. Sunnee nodded her head. "Then, should we start making or essay about our childhood for our English class?" Diana said. Everyone agreed with her. 

Meanwhile, Wayne kept on staring at the picture of the of the woman he found in the album. "But when you look at it, this woman has the same eyes as Wes..." Wayne muttered. Then, he looked at Wes, who was busy typing in his laptop. "Then, this must be his mother. No wonder, Zheng doesn't want to talk about this picture..." Wayne thought sadly. 

"Sylvia, you looked a lot like your mom when she was young. And your dad looks a lot like...." Diana looked at Wayne, and then back at Sylvia's picture with her parents. "Looks like Wayne with a mustache..." Diana commented. "And how about your mom and dad. They look a lot  like Ella jie and Chun ge when they were younger." Wes said as he took Diana's childhood picture with her parents. 

"Look at P'Wayne's parents when they were young. They looked like someone from our class..." Sunnee said, pointing at Wayne's picture on the table. Everyone looked closed at the picture, and gasped as they realized who looked like Wayne's mom and dad. "Sam and Ya Lun?!" Everyone shouted. 

--

Wes looked at the door after hearing a knock. "Son, can I come in?" he heard his father said. "Sure dad!" he told him with a smile. Qin Yang let himself in, then took the chair right next to Wes. 

"Doing your assignment?" Qin Yang asked. Wes nodded his head. "We have to pass an essay for our English class tomorrow. It's about our childhood." Wes told his father with a smile. "So, what have you written  in your essay so far?"  Qin Yang asked. "I wrote about you, Aunt Melody, the time we lived here in Willow street..." Wes explained. Qin Yang just nodded his head. 

Qin Yang looked at his son. He thought, maybe this is a good opportunity to talk about his mother. "Zheng, do you remember the time we used to live  in our old house? You, me, your Aunt Melody and... and your mommy?" Qin Yang finally asked. Wes paused for a while, and looked at him. Then, he slowly nodded his head. "Remember how we had good memories back then?" Qin Yang told him. "But mom left us, right?" Wes said with a hint of pain in his voice. "After  mom left, I got bullied at school. I waited for her to come back, but she didn't. For  me, it wasn't as good of a memory than the time I spent here in Willow Street." he added. 

Qin Yang lelt out a sigh. "But... but Zheng... if you had the chance to see your mother again -"

"No."

Wes told him. Qin Yang could see the hurt in his son's eyes. "I don't want to see her again. It's better that way, that we're living our own lives, and she's living hers. It's better that way. And besides, if she does want to see me, she should have done  it before. I  guess, she never really loved me at all."  he told his father.   

"Zheng, you mother has reasons why she never came back for you. Don't ever think that she never loved you." Qin Yang said. Wes let out a sigh. "Why are we talking about this, Dad? Can we not talk about her. I just want to forget her. For me, she doesn't exist  anymore." Wes  said as he turned his attention to his computer. Qin Yang looked sadly at his son. "But I have to, son. I want you to see your mother and forgive her before it's too late..." he thought. 

Then, he smiled, and patted his son's back. "I'm sorry for being a little bit nostalgic. I've been away for so long, and sometimes, things just come back to me. And since you were young, we never got to talk about your mother. I was thinking, maybe now that you're older, you can be more open about her." Qin Yang said. "I'm sorry dad. I couldn't help but be hurt and mad when someone talks about mom. I hope you understand." Wes explained. Qin Yang smiled, and nodded his head. "I  understand. Anyway, I'll leave you to finish your assignment, all right?" his father said. Wes just nodded his head, then his father left his room. 

--

Wes sat on his desk, and stared at his assignment. He had a hard time finishing his essay the night before, especially after his dad started talking bout his mom. As he closed his eyes, he memories of how he was bullied and teased after his mother left him flashed before him. 

"Your mother never wanted you!"

"Your mommy doesn't love you!"

"Maybe you're not a good son so she left you!"

"Look at him, he doesn't have a mother!"

Then, he heard a soft voice calling him. "Zheng... Zheng..." he slowly opened his eyes, and saw Sylvia giving him a smile. "What's wrong? Why are you so quiet?" she asked. Wes let out a smile. "Nothing.  I just.... I just didn't have enough sleep, because I had a hard  time finishing this essay." he said. Sylvia held his hand, and squeezed it. "Are you all right?" she asked. Wes nodded his head. But Sylvia knew him better, for she knew something is bothering him. 

"Zheng, you know you can tell me what's going on in your mind. I'm not just your girlfriend... I'm also your best friend." she told him. Wes let out a sigh. "I don't  know why dad suddenly wants to talk to be about my mom. I just feel that since she's  out of our lives for years now, dad should have forgotten all about her, right?" he told her. "Do you really hate your mom that much, Zheng?" Sylvia asked. Wes furrowed his brow as he stared outside the window. 

"Have you felt what it's like to wait for something you know that will never come back? Have you felt hurt because the person you loved most left you without any explanations? For the past years, I was hoping she would come back for me, but she didn't. I endured being bullied because I don't have a mom. And I want to blame her, because if she didn't hurt dad, dad wouldn't have left me in Aunt Melody's care. It felt that because she wasn't there for me, I felt I was incomplete, and I blame her for making me feel that way... I hate her for making me feel this way..." he explained. 

Sylvia held his cheeks, and  turned his head to face  her. "Zheng, you are not incomplete. You are your own person because of the circumstances you are in. And for me, you will always  be complete. And don't blame your mom for what she did, for all we know, she must have her reasons. Please  don't hate her because  she's still your mom." she told him. 

Wes let out a sad smile at her. "Do you know why I hate sweets?" he asked. Sylvia shook her head. "The day my mom left, she gave me cookies. And after she left, anything I taste sweet just reminds me of the  day she abandoned  me." he told her. Sylvia was surprised at what he said. "I'm so sorry, Zheng. I didn't know..." she said. Wes let out a sad smile. "You're the only person I told about that. Aunt Melody and dad didn't know my reason for not liking sweet foods." he said. 

Sylvia pulled him into a hug. She wanted to comfort him, because she knew how painful it is for Wes to open  up about his mother this way, "Zheng, I may not be able to understand what you're feeling now, but I want you to share your pain and sadness with me. At least, it will help get something off your chest." she told him. Wes took a deep breath as he hugged Sylvia back. "Having you here is more than enough for me. With you, I don't feel alone at all." he told her. Then, he looked at her, and smiled before kissing her on her forehead. 

--

Qin Yang looked at his ex-wife's medical files, and then looked at Dr. Guo. "This doesn't look good..." Qin Yang told him. The young doctor sighed before nodding his head. "If her condition worsens, we have to prepare for the worst." Dr. Guo told him. Qin Yang closed the folder, and massaged his temple. He thought that now he's back to be Jane's doctor, her condition will be better, but he was wrong. "At this rate, we wouldn't be able to to a transplant on her." Dr. Guo said. 

Qin Yang opened his eyes, and looked at him. "Do we have news about the donor?" he asked. Dr. Guo shook his head. "We have no qualified donor for now." he told him. "Let's prepare him for a blood transfusion then. Hopefully, she would be better if we do this." he told the younger doctor. Dr. Guo nodded his head. "Then, I shall instruct the nurse then." he said. 

After Dr. Guo left, Qin Yang went to visit his wife at the hospital. As he went inside the room, he was greeted by Allie, who was visiting her mother. "Uncle Yang!" Allie cheerfully greeted him. Qin Yang smiled at the little girl. He walked towards her, and patted her head. "It's nice to see you again, Allie." he told her."Is Zheng ge ge with you?" she asked excitedly. He looked at his wife sad, and she just smiled sadly at him. Then, he turned to Allie and smiled. "Zheng ge ge is still at school. Don't worry, one of these days, you're going to see him visiting mommy, OK?" he assured her. Allie smiled, and nodded her head.

"Allie, Uncle Yang and I will need to talk. Would you like to go buy something at the cafeteria first?" they both heard Jane say. "OK, mommy!" Allie said, As soon as Allie left the room, Qin Yang approached Jane's bed, and sat beside her. "How are you feeling today?" he asked. "I feel like a candle that's slowly burning out... but I have to look tough in front of Allie so she wouldn't worry." Jane said weakly. "I instructed the nurse to give you blood transfusion, so you can regain your strength, OK. After we found the suitable donor for you, we'll go with the bone marrow transplant." Qin Yang explained. 

Jane looked at him sadly. "Is it even worth it?" she asked. Qin Yang gave him a confused look. Then, she let out a sad smile. "The moment the doctors diagnosed my illness, I know death is inevitable. I only want to continue living so that I could give Allie more happy memories, and to change all of my regrets..." she lamented. "I'm not going to let you die. Not on my watch." Qin Yang said firmly. 

Jane reached for his hand, and held it. "You are a good doctor, Qin Yang. The best, if I can say. By now, you should have known that you can't save everybody, including me...." she said. "Jane, I will do my best to make you well, so you could live. Your daughter needs you. Your son needs you too. Don't give up now." Qin Yang said. Jane let out a smile. Then, a tear from her eye as she looked at him. "If Zheng could forgive me for my shortcomings, for leaving him behind, then my life would be fulfilled." she told him. He put his other hand on top of her hand, and gazed into her eyes. "Just give me time. I'm going to make Zheng see you." he told her. Jane shook her head. "If he wants to see me, I want him to do it with his own will. I want him to forgive me because that's what's inside his heart. Please don't push our son to do something he doesn't want to do..." Jane said. 

Qin Yang could only sigh as he looked at her. "Don't think too much for now. Just focus on gaining your strength because you'll need it for the transplant, OK?" he told her. Jane nodded her head. Qin Yang tucked her in, and kissed her on the forehead. 

--

Qin Yang stared at the only remaining family picture he had on his wallet. He let out a faint smile as he stared at how happy their family was once happy. Then, as he remembered Wes' reaction regarding his mother the night before, he became sad. 

"Hey, dad! You're early?" 

Wes said the moment he got home. Qin Yang looked at his son, and nodded his head. He immediately hid the picture on his wallet. "It was a slow day today, so I got to get off early." he explained. "Good! Hey, I'll cook dinner today, anything you want to eat?" Wes asked. Qin Yang looked at him as he threw a brown envelope on the coffee table. "Anything is fine with me. What's this?" Qin Yang asked as he took the brown envelope. "That's the results from our physical exam last week. Nothing to worry about, I'm still healthy as usual." Wes told his dad before going up to his room. 

Qin Yang opened the envelope, and read the content. What captured his attention is Wes' blood type. "Not only my son has his mother's eyes...." he thought as he stared at the paper in front of him. "He also have the same blood type as Jane..."