(9) How To Tell A Truth {2}

Sinb let out a sigh as she entered her house. She just finished dropping Yuju at the latter's condo and now she just wants to rest. But something kept making Sinb into worry mode, her mother. 

How would she tell her mother about her situation? She knew Jessica would not be pleased about her behavior and probably lecture her for days! But being pregnant could be another thing, she just does not know how her mother would react on it. She just knew that it would let her mother down. 

"I'll just think about it tomorrow," Sinb said to no one in particular and went to the living room. She decided to watch netflix first before going to bed. 

The baby won't mind

'I don't want a sickly baby and mother too. I want both of you to be healthy you know?'

Sinb looked at her wristwatch and the time read 10:45 p.m. She does not go to bed later than  one in the morning since she was usually doing paperworks . That was just her body clock. But having a baby means she needs to sleep early. Now how could she work with a baby just adds to her gazillion of problems. 

Just then, as if the heavens does not want her mind to rest from worrying, a call from her dreaded mother came. Oh darn it. If it was her other mother, she would surely answer it because Tiffany, though acts prima donna sometimes, was just a big uwu mommy when it comes to Sinb. But the call was not her. 

It was a call from hell. 

Sinb does not really want to answer it but knowing the cold queen? Nuh-uh. "Yes mom? You need something?" 

"Clean the other room and I'll sleep there," Jessica ordered her daughter. She just came out of the office and was lazy to go to her own house knowing it would be a two hour travel. Besides, her daughter's house was less than an hour travel from her work, it would be convenient for her to stay there. 

Wait, did she heard it right? 

"R-right now?" Sinb stuttered. Oh good Lord! Why of all days?!

"Why?" Jessica's tone suddenly changed from the cute to cold. "Are you fooling again Sinb?" 

"What? NO! I-I was just surprsied," Sinb stuttered as she ran a hand through her hair. How the hell did she come up with that? Oh gosh, her mother's going tonight! Would she tell her now? She needs to, but how?! "E-everything's the same since you last had your sleepover here so no need to worry."

"Okay!" Jessica said cheerfully. Sinb swore that Jessica's duality sometimes puzzled and make her kill herself. Why and how does people change their attitude in just a flick of a second?! "I'll be there in 45."

To say Sinb was worried was very high key. She was already panicking after her mother's call. It was like the little Sinbs in her head now pressed the emergency button and Sinb thought she was having a major anxiety attack.

She could not keep secrets to her mother, because Jessica would always know. Her mother has ways in which she would never have any ideas. So before Jessica knows her secret with her eagle eyes and crazy instincts, Sinb should tell her. 

The only problem was...how?

How would she tell her mother?

----

"You won't say anything unnie?" Eunha started to ask. She was not angry nor pissed that her sister came home late (Really, it was all in Yerin's head.) She was just worried becasue Yerin was a clumsy person. A reckless being, in fact. Add to that was Eunha was aware of how Yerin would act out of impulse making the latter run into some trouble and Eunha does not want that.

 
Seriously, Eunha was sure that her unnie was made out of bad impulses without the older noticing. 

Their parents were awae of this thing too. Yerin was a bright child, always bringing smiles to every person she meets. She was also bold and outgoing and this personality had made their parents happy too. But sometimes, this also brings harm to her. 

Yerin was sensitive. She was easily hurt. And when she does, she always belittles herself, always thinking it was her fault. This trait was triggered when she experienced being bullied when they were in their elementary  years. Eunha was a witness to what seemed a harmless teasing at first. Yerin's classmates would often go about telling her that she was a teacher's pet. A goody-goody student. 

To Eunha's eyes, those were some praises for her older sister and she felt proud by that. But then she remembered how Yerin would only smile at those and cry inside their shared room. Eunha does not understand it at first. Why would her sister cry over some praises?

Then a day came and Eunha started realizing that those were not praises for her older sister but rather a scorn to hurt Yerin. Eunha the noticed how Yerin would not have any friends in her class and realized that maybe it was the reason why Yerin would always be popular to the young ones. It was because Yerin was not accepted in hers and so she would often hang around Eunha and her friends. 

And when Eunha expected her sister to be mad to those who were bullying her, she also learnt, that while Yerin has an outgoing personality, she got a low self-esteem. Yerin would not get angry at others and focuses on where she came short. She always asks on what she did wrong. Always thinking that her actions were all but harming others. She could not and would not put blame on anyone but herself. And how ironic it must have been to anyone of us, but that was Yerin and Eunha vowed to protect her dear sister at all costs.

----

Jessica surprised Sinb by coming home fifteen minutes early to what she told her daughter. She went skipping down the front lawn of the house and entered without knocking. She did not bother since Sinb always leave the door unlocked when the latter was inside the house. Talk about an open house.

"Sinb baby!" Jessica greeted as she immediately settled her things on the living room. "I'm here!"

----

Sinb spilled the milk she was drinking when she heard her mother's loud greeting. How come she was early?! She immediately wiped the spilled milk on the table and cursed herself for being surprised and nervous.

"Omo! What happened here?" Jessica asked as soon as she saw the  spilled milk and Sinb frantically cleaning the mess. "And why are even drinking milk baby? I never knew you're into milk these days. Last time I checked you're a walking coffee machine."

Gosh, here she goes now with her questions!

Sinb ran a hand through hair again while trying her hardest to have an eye contact to her mother. "Uhh, guess I want some change? You know it's hard to run in all caffeine mom."

"But you never liked milk," Jessica answered. "Wanting to chnage something should not be so drastic."

"Is drinking mlik such a drastic change for me?" Sinb asked. "Anyways, why didn't you say you'll be here early?"

She needed to divert the conversation to her mom and not herself. She does not know how to dodge questions if her mother would continue sticking her nose on why she was drinking milk in the first place. 

Darn!

She just decided to drink milk for the baby! If only Yerin's voice was not clouding her mind reminding her to be healthy, maybe she would not get herself a freaking milk to drink. Heck, she does not even know why she has one in her fridge when she does not drink it. 

"I just want to sruprise you," Jessica said and turned to pout. "I'll just go to the bathroom. Mother nature's been calling me."

The bathroom?

Did she just say the bathroom?

Oh freaking canoodles! The PTs are still there!

"Uhh..me too mom! Wait, let me go there first!" Sinb blurted and suddenly ran through the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She hurriedly looked for the used PT and that bag Yuju bought. 

"Sinb?" Jessica said while knocking at the bathroom door. That's weird, she thought. "I've been on the road and you're just here baby, I should be the one hurrying to get inside!"

Oh no, how am I going to hide these?!

----

"Are you even asking?" Yerin returned a question. She was still tensed at the moment because Eunha might be mad at her. Again.

"Alright," Eunha sighed dissapointingly. "I won't push it if you don't want."

Yerin side-eyed Eunha for a second. Does she know already?! But how? Did Umji told her? Oh God, please no. She does not know how to explain things yet. 
Eunha got up from where she was seated and went in front of Yerin with eyes screaming of concern. "Okay, I'll put aside on why you're late and for what I've seen awhile ago."

Wait. What she has seen awhile ago?

Oh crap.

She must have seen Sinb! Oh freaking mother of a frog!

"Let's talk about you and Joy, unnie." Eunha started. 

What? Oh. 

"What about us?" Yerin asked. 

"I haven't seen you arounf with her lately," Eunha started. "I was kind of expecting that you would invite Joy in our movie date, but I was surprised it was Umji you invited. What happened?"

Yerin hesitated to say the truth but it's now or never. If she could not say that she would become a mother, then maybe she could atleast say what happened between her and Joy right?

"Unnie?"

----

Sinb put in her pockets the used PT and hid the bag inside the medicine kit. 'Mom would not open this kit. This should be fine.' Sinb thought to herself as she searched for possible things her mother might notice. 'Okay, good.'

"I'm done," She said to her mother as she opened the door. 

"You're being weird," Jessica asked suspiciously. "What did you do?"

'Keep it cool Sinb.' She tol herself. "I peed. A reaction maybe from the milk? You know how I hate it right?"

"Told you," Jessica said as she entered the bathroom. She could not hold her own anymore and so she dismissed her daughter. 

Sinb, on the other hand, ran to the garage and threw the used PT on the trash bin. 'There, good bye you damned PT!'

----

"Now what exactly are you doing?" Jessica asked now that they were watching some shows on tv. She was wondering why Sinb kept on changing the channels when there are some decent shows on.

 
Damn! Why do shows tonight talk about nothing else but babies and unwanted pregnancies?! The freak?! It does not make me calm you know?!

"I-it's because," Sinb stuttered.

"Hmm?" 

"A-actually I want to talk to you about something," Sinb nervously started. This is it, Sinb thought. She was embracing the thought of Jessica disowning her after she admit that she was pregnant. Sound absurd now that we are in the modern world but, hey, a nervous girl could think of the worst right?

But before Sinb could tell her the news, Jessica's phone rang. It was her friend, Taeyon, and they were talking about something important. Sinb took a glance at her mother and once Jessica glanced at her, Sinb diverted her focus to something else. 

Oh god, why does telling the truth so freaking hard!

----

"W-were not a think anymore Eunha," Yerin answered after a long pause. "S-sh---"

"I'm so going to kill her!" Eunha said. How dare she broke up with her sister?! 

The bunny stomped her feet out of frustration and went to dial something on her phone. Yerin knew Eunha would call Joy about the situation and maybe get into a fight with the latter. And Yerin does not want that. Joy already left her and there was nothing to save. 

"Don't call her please," Yerin begged as she tried to grab the phone out of Eunha's hand. "I-I was the one who broke up with her."

Oh Mama Mary, why did she lie yet again?

"You're a terrible liar unnie. I know you will not do that," Eunha said to her softly. "You love her so much and I know you're willing to give more for her..."

Those words made Yerin remember all things she and Joy did in the past. Those dates they had, those times they would go mountain climbing, those bonding moments they had on the kitchen. Those simple things. Those simple hobbies of Yerin Joy would share with her. 

Yerin bowed her head. Okay, so maybe the pain was still there, and maybe it still hurts her so much. Tears are threatening to spill from her eyes. No, she can't do this in front of her sister. She just can't, but she did anyways. 

"Unnie..." Eunha said and went to hug Yerin. She was still missing big parts of the story but she got one answer. Her sister and Joy were no longer in a relationship and for how many weeks or months already, she does not know. And maybe she will no longer care about that in the future because right now was her top priority. Yerin needs her the most.

Yerin closed her eyes as if to stop the tears from falling and let Eunha hug her. For weeks she tried not to think about Joy and for that, she may have well succeeded in doing so. But she could not just hide the truth for it always has a way to creep outside the crevices and cracks of who we are. And for Yerin, she knew all too well that Eunha memorized those flaws and cracks she has. 

She was thankful that Eunha knew her too well. She does not need to talk about it. But sometimes, and even now, she was being racked up to that realization that Eunha knows her very well. Too well even for her own comfort. When all Yerin wants to do was to forget Joy already, Eunha was there to bring it up. 

And what good timing, she thought sardonically. Because when she was about to tell a whole new truth about herself, something she finds very hard to admit, Eunha was interested in knowing her past truth. And it does not do any good for Yerin, because what she will say was far worser than the previous. 

"You'll find someone better unnie," Eunha gently said while Yerin's back as if to ease the girl of the fit she was currently having. "It may sound crass to you unnie, but you're in for an even greater thing. You'll find someone more cool than Joy, and would give her world to you as much as you would for her. I just know it unnie. Maybe she's even running now to meet you."

I hope so Eunha. I hope so.

----

"Kids these days," Jessica commented after her talk with Taeyon. Taeyon asked her about some advice since her niece Momo got into some unwanted pregnancy. And the worse of all, Momo does not know who the other mother was. "Have you heard of Momo lately?"

"No I haven't. Why?" Sinb asked. To tell the truth to her mom, she was not even paying attention to almost anything, but thinking on her pregnancy symptoms and how to tell this to her. 

"Well, Momo got pregnant and she won't say who the other mother was." Jessica said dissapointingly. "Why are kids so impulsive nowadays? There are a lot of contraceptives but they won't use it! Ugh, it makes me so mad with these rash decisions! That's why I'm encouraging you to focus on work first Sinb and when the right time comes, then do it by God's will. I won't even stop you!"

What?!

Why does Auntie Taeyon have to call for that?! Now Jessica would be really mad if Sinb tell her of the news.

"Oh, what is it you want to talk with me?" Jessica asked. 

Damn! She even remembered it! 

"Uhh.." Sinb trailed. How will she admit it now? 

"I don't like wasting time Sinb. You know that." Jessica tried to warn her to spill the beans already.    

 
Then as if Sinb's mind went blank she abruptly told her mother, "I have a new girlfriend." 

"What?" Jessica asked. "How about that other girl, what was her name? Oh, I just remembered, I don't even freaking care on what's her name."

Ouch. Really? Well that definitely helped me a lot mom.

"We broke up." Sinb said. Damn, why did she even say she has a new girlfriend?! Sinb knew she was making another mistake. "And then I found a new one?" 

"You've been fooling around Sinb," Jessica dismissed her. "I told you to stop it. It won't do anything good for your career." 

"B-but," Sinb stuttered. Oh great. What a mess it has been. "I-I'm serious about her!" 

Jessica became silent after that. From all that Sinb dated, she and Tiffany knew that their daughter was not serious and maybe just trying to get under her skin. But not until Eunseo came into Sinb's life that Jessica had been worrying over her stubborn girl. Sinb would say that she was not serious about Eunseo but Jessica saw the changes in her baby girl, and she does not like it. More like, if Sinb gets serious one day about her relationship, Jessica does not want Eunseo for her daughter. 

And now that Sinb told her of the news that she and Eunseo were a thing now of the past, Jessica felt relieved. But that was short-lived because Sinb told her she had a new girlfriend. And Sinb, for the first time, admitted to her that she was serious. 

"You're not joking right?" Jessica asked for confirmation. 

Sinb, who blurted out another mistake could not take it back. Ugh! Whatever, I'll think of what to do next. "N-no mom. I'm serious on this one." 

Sinb saw how Jessica's eyes darkened for a moment and the hell she was scared when she saw that. She knew her mother was pissed at her. But she just can't blurt out something in the lines of 'hey mom, I'm pregnant too.' That would really blow the roof out. 

"Oh yeah?" Jessica challenged. "Then let me meet that lucky girl. I want to know her." 

Oh shoot.

 
"I-I could work on that," Sinb nervously assured Jessica. 

"Tell her I'll meet her at the office next friday." Jessica said and went upstairs to her room. Her mood suddenly dropped to a negative zero upon hearing Sinb's news. 

This is so going to be my end. 

-oo0oo-

(10) Be Prepared