When Wendy Shon Seungwan was born 10 things happened immediately. The heavens opened up. Ten doves flew above the family. The doctors broke out into dance. Wendy cried and everyone knew a singer she would be. Her mother smiled, as though pumping out a baby was child’s play. Her father lifted himself from the floor he had fainted onto a couple minutes ago. Wendy went full term, with absolutely no heath problems, she came out smiling. When they cut the umbilical cord the world sang hymns. 

Seungwan would grow to never suffer from aches and pains. Never heartbreak. At 18 she graduated high school and had been accepted at one of the top universities stateside. With heavy hearts but pride in their eyes Seungwan’s parents sent their little girl off to the land of the free. Where she would meet Irene Bae. A Korean transfer with the fairytale life, she met Kang Seulgi the knight in Irene’s fairytale. The two had transferred at the same time and comforted each other through all the trials and tribulations. And now in a country that was accepted of same couples they began dating. 

Together the trio would rock their university. Wendy and Irene would follow their dreams to be dispatchers. Finding jobs quickly. Seulgi followed her dreams to be one of the first female S.W.A.T officers. Life was good. Wendy missed her parents. But she felt whole. Filled. Satisfied. And then she got a 911 call from a frantic Spanish woman. 

“My daughter is choking!” She yelled. 

“Ma’am I need you to calm down. How old is your daughter?” Wendy was already alerting police and writing up any and all information she had. 

“She’s 24. She’s not breathing!”

“Ma’am help is on the way. I’m gonna stay on the line. we’re going to get through this together. I need you to put your ear to your daughters mouth, do you hear a whistling. Or maybe wheezing?”

“What? I do not understand.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry. Your ear. Put it near and tell me what you hear.”

“Ay Dios por favor. Ay señor mi Bebe. Por favor. Ayúdame.”

“Miss stay calm. Everything is going to be okay. Tell me what you hear?” 

“Like. Like the bell”. 

“A bell? Like a door bell?”

“No no! The bell!” Racking her brain and knowing she was running out of time Wendy shot up from her seat and began yelling to the hive of dispatchers. “I need a Spanish speaker!” A woman in the back rose her hand. Walking over to Wendy. “A whistle. I need the Spanish word for whistle and the Spanish word for wheezing and quick.”silbato? Ma’am is it like that?”

“Sí! That. That!”

“Okay ma’am that means her airway are clogged. I need you help to clear it a little bit okay? Open . Tell me if you see anything in .”

“No. Nothing”. 

“Okay tilt her head back okay? I need you to pinch her nose. The paramedics are five minutes away Okay? We can do this. Pinch her nose. Make sure you tilted her head back. Squeeze her lips together a little and I want you to take a deep breath and breath for your daughter”.

Wendy fought the tears in her eyes listening to this mother wail and fight to breath for her child. She listened as she begged god to save her baby. She clenched her fist as she too prayed the paramedics would arrive on time. When help arrived Wendy stayed on the phone for as long as she could. Wanting to hear anything. Wendy ended the call when she no longer heard anything. Asking the paramedics to keep her updated. 

For the rest of the night. No matter what call came in. What report she wrote. The mother stayed on her mind. It was unprofessional. But the paramedics had kept in contact, and the paramedics had relayed what hospital room the woman and her daughter were in. And despite the handbook saying no. Straight laced Wendy broke the rules. And visited the woman. 

“Are you sure you wanna do this?” Wendy nodded. Watching the floors go by. “What if they’re creeped out by you”.

“I don’t know Irene. I just can’t get it out of my head. You had to hear her Irene. The absolute pain in her voice. The fear. That was the cry of a momma bear who nearly lost their cub.”

“I just don’t want you to get disappointed is all.”

“I think. Just knowing she’s alive and well will lift my spirits. I don’t think anything could disappoint me”. Irene just nodded. Knowing she’d follow along with Wendy no matter what. 

Arriving at the door was an odd experience for Wendy. Room 573. Joy Maribel Ruiz Garcia. That’s a mouth full is the first thing Irene said upon reading the sign. 

“Yeah it is”, Wendy whispered. Unsure of why she was even whispering. The moment just felt so weird. She was so nervous all of a sudden. It was Irene who opened the door. All steel and no fear. As if knowing Wendy would have just stared at the wooden door all night if not for her. 

Wendy and Irene managed three steps in. There in a chair, holding her daughters hand was a middle aged Spanish woman. But the young woman whose hand she was holding was by no means Spanish looking. In fact. She looked more like Wendy and Irene than she did her own mother. “Oh excuse me. I must be in the wrong room. Is this Joy Garcia’s room?” 

The woman stood. Nodding her head. “Yes. This is. Who are you? The nurse?”

Wendy shook her head, wiping her hands on her work pants. “No. I’m the person you called. I was the 911 person. I know this might be weird. But I just wanted to check on you and your daughter”. 

It was like something out a movie. The women had pulled Wendy into a hug so tight she thought she felt her back realign. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. This is my baby. You help me so much.” 

Wendy looked at the women. She had always known she helped save lives. But looking at one. And a normal person saying she was saving lives, felt different. Like it was real. Here this woman lie, still breathing. Because she had helped keep her breathing till help arrive. 

“She’s your daughter?” 

“Yes. Yes. My only baby. We fight so hard for her. We come from Puerto Rico. When she was just a little girl. Mi niña es mi mundo”

“I’m sorry. I don’t speak Spanish”. 

“I say my daughter is my world. She’s everything”. 

Wendy went home that night knowing she would visit Joy tomorrow. She went home with a smile so bright she was able to completely ignore the sounds of Seulgi and Irene’s relentless noises from the room next door. Sure. Her picture frame fell from the wall and cracked. But Wendy was a hero. So it. She’d just glue it together again. 

Wendy would visit Joy again. And again. And again. Never seeing the mother again. She met Joy’s father the next day. He thanked her profusely also. And this time Joy was awake and holy smokes was she a sight to see. 

Her hair came down her shoulders in waves of perfection. Her eyebrows tweaked as if by angels. Brown eyes so deep Wendy thought she might drown. And a voice so sultry and sweet it buttered Wendy’s croissant right up. Oh she is a beauty. 

Wendy and Joy would meet this way. Fated by the gods. And in no time. They would have exchanged numbers. And when Joy checked out she sent a photo to Wendy. And Wendy was the punchline of the joke for a week with how whipped she had become. But she didn’t mind. She was falling. 

——————————

I tapped my foot. Whistling into the air, this is awkward. If Joy and her mom don’t think I can hear them then they are sorely mistaken. 

“Miss?” I jumped. Taken by surprise by the little boy in front of me. Where had he come from? 

“Hi.”

“I’m Mateo.”

“I know. We met at the door remember?”

Oh he’s so cute. “I know. Are you Titi Joy’s wife?”

Oh sweet baby Jesus. I started pounding into my chest as I began choking on air. Wife? Holy . Too soon. Way too soon. “Um no. We’re just together.” 

“Oh okay. What do you want to do when you grow up? I want to be a firefighter”.  I smiled. 

“Well actually. Since I’m already grown up I already have a job”.

“What is it?” I was just about to say it when the front door burst open. Three men coming in. Cases of Medalla, Heineken and Coranas in their hands as they laughed. It only took them a couple moments to notice Wendy. 

“Hey. Who are you?”

“Oh um. I’m Wendy.”

“Wendy huh? Wendy who?”

“Uh. Wendy son.”

The man holding the coranas turned to the man holding the Heineken. “Oyè es una chinita”

“Who you waiting for?” 

“My girlfriend. Joy. She’s in the back with her mom”,

Immediately all three men started yelling out choruses of ‘oohhh’s and ‘aahhhs’s 

“You’re mari’s girl. I love it! Come here. Come here. We family girl.”  What am I supposed to do? Mom and dad always said. You walk away from the pack of men. You don’t get closer to them. If Irene were here she’d drag me outta here by my hair. But Joy said. They’re affectionate. We got this Wendy. Just give em a hug. 

“I’m Junito. I’m Mari’s big cousin”. I nodded as I was pulled into a tight hug, good lord this man smells good. As I was pulling away he kissed my cheek. I fought everything in me not to wipe my cheek. “This is Joshua my little brother. He’s mari’s baby cousin. They went to school together and ”. I nodded as Joshua pulled me into a hug. And once again I was met with a startling observation. This man smells like happiness on a summer day holy cow. 

“Hi it’s nice to meet’ya Wendy”. 

“Likewise”.

“And that’s Jaime, he’s the neighbor”. 

And the same thing was repeated. They smell delicious you know eh? Like a midsommer nights dream. But who the hell is Mari. 

“Um. Junito who is Mari?”

“Oh oh my bad. That’s Joy’s middle name. It’s maribel. We just call her Mari for short.” 

“Yo! Yah come into my mother’s home. Her dwelling and yah don’t even come say hi!” I jumped up startled, Joy looked so at home. She looked so different then she does with me.  She looks so much more comfortable as she came over, all tall and y. Oh man, lookin all skookum in tight jeans. Jesus take the wheel my body is ready. A couple moments later were all seated on the couch and I’m fighting not to make noise because everyone I move the plastic on the couch makes a noise and it sounds like a fart and I can’t handle that kinda embarrassment. 

Don’cha’know that kinda embarrassment lives on forever? 

“So Wendy. What do you do?” Just like Joy had said. Her mother did offer coffee. And she was currently passing it around when Joshua asked me the question. “Oh I’m a dispatcher.”

Joy’s mom lit up like a Christmas tree eh. Just bright eyes and brighter smiles. “Wendy!”

I nodded smiling. Unsure of why she was shouting my name. “I call you when this one was choking!” I nodded again laughing. 

“Yeah that was me. We met that same day in the hospital remember?” 

“Ay Dios Yes! Joy why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Joy shrugged. 

“I thought you knew ma.”

“Siempre.” I don’t know what she said. But by the roll of her eyes I could tell. She was talking . We continued talking. Talking about Joy. Me. Her life. My life. My family. My friends. 

It was almost midnight when I realized the time. “Oh babe it’s getting late. I gotta get home.”

“Oye Joy. Es mejor que ella queda aqui”. 

I need to learn Spanish. “Actually babe. My mom says it’s better if you stay here tonight with us. It’s late you know?” 

Oh wow. My girlfriend just told me to spend the night. Groovy baby! 

————————

“I can’t believe your mom is letting me sleep with you.  I thought you said she was religious.”

“I’m almost 30 Wendy. She can’t really tell me who I sleep with. She’s only Pentecostal when I mess up. And she loves you already. You’re the girl who saved her daughter”. I smiled wrapping my arms around Joy’s center. 

“I really like your family so far. They’re sweet.”, I lifted my head, chin resting on Joy’s chest as I gazed up into her eyes. 

“In Spanish we say, que Bella. For things we find beautiful. Like when we see a chihuahua we say. Ay. Que Bella. When we see a sunset we go. Ayyyyyy que Bella. And when I see you, I think. Que Bella. You’re beautiful. You know that?” 

My hands found their way around Joy’s neck, her hands gripping my waist. We hadn’t kissed all day. And mama is ready for some lip action. 

“Wendy!” 

In 0-60 we went from damn girl show me what those lips do to kids in a bible study holy crap. 

“Mateo! Go to bed!”

“Pero tití!”

“Pero tití Nothing! Go to bed!”

The little boy stomped his feet and walked away. Pour on his pink lips. I turned to Joy. “Where does he keep coming from?”

———-//////———-//////———-

Translations 

Ay Dios por favor: oh god please. 

señor mi Bebe: lord my baby/ sir my baby. 

Por favor. :please 

Ayúdame.: help me 

silbato: a whistle 

Oyè es una chinita; hey she’s Asian (Informal. Comes from comida de China. Which is Chinese food. And now. They say chinita for anyone of Asian decent that’s a female. Can be offensive to some) 

Siempre: always 

Es mejor que ella queda aqu: it’s better (safer) if she’s stays here 

Pero: but (as in; I like water, but I like flavored water better( 

 tití!: aunt. 

skookum: Canadian slang for being impressed