The sun's rays peeked trough the window and fell on the clean, fresly changed bedsheets of a sickly woman. Her bones could be seen clearly, and her hair limp and streaked with gray. She was sitting up in bed, propped up by five big white pillows, but she was so skinny and frail that she hardly made a dent in them. She was writing something on a small piece of paper, the back of her hand attached to an IV. The woman looked up from her writing for a moment, remininscing about last week's events.

"Your time is running short, ma'am. I'm afraid the treatments have only sped up your..."

"My death?"

"Well... Yes. We don't think you have much time. But--"

"Ho- how much time, exactly?" she asked hesitantly, not sure that she wanted to know when she would die. "Enough time to say goodbye?"

"... about a week, maybe more."

She closed her eyes in acceptance. "A week... Doctor, but what about my sweet Tiffany? My daughter. My other children-- Michella will understand, she's 19, and Leo. He's always been more attached to his father than me... but Fany... How will I tell her I have to leave? She's 11..."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hwang." He looked like he was about to say more, but stayed silent. He squeezed her hand gently and left the room.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, and for a bit she felt so angry at the incredible unfairness of it all. She opened her eyes when she felt someone's gentle hands wipe her tears away. "You know Tiffany isn't her real name, dear."

It was her husband. She couldn't help but smile at the memory of their argument. It had been so long ago... "We should have named her Tiffany, not Stephanie. Tiffany is such a nicer name."

"Maybe to you, dear wife, but everyone else thought otherwise."

"Only because you bribed them with candy!" She protested, smiling.

Her husband raised his hands over his head. "Guilty as charged!" They laughed together, and for a moment everything seemed okay. It felt like she didn't have cancer, she wasn't going to die... "But Tiffany or Stephanie, she'll be our sweet Mi-young."

"You know she doesn't like that name, she says it sounds too ancient korean for her taste."

He chuckled. "That's our daughter, all right." The mood dropped dramatically. "So... how are you going to break it to her?"

"I..." she bit her lip helplessly. "I'll do it. Soon. I promise."

She finished writing, and with shaking hands, tucked the piece of paper into a small heart-shaped locket necklace that hung on a long chain around her neck. The chain was so long that the locket reached her stomach. She it nervously, a frown set deep in her worn out face.

The door opened and a young nurse leaned in. "Mrs. Hwang, you have a guest, it's--"

"Mom!!" A little girl with a 'Hi, my name is Fany' sticker skipped in. She wore a sunny dress that matched her happy character. The sick lady, Mrs. Hwang, immediately smiled brightly.

"Tiffany! It's you!"

"Mom, I missed you," the little girl said, running over to hug her mother. She stepped away suddenly, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "You smell funny, mom."

Mrs. Hwang chuckled weakly. "That's just my medicine, dear."

"Oh." Stephanie stepped closer to her mother's bed. "Why do you have to take medicine, mommy?"

"Because..." she hesitated, frowning slightly. "I'm... sick."

"Sick? Do you have the cold, mommy?"

"N-no..."

"Oh." Stephanie looked confused.

"Fany..."

"Yes, mommy?"

"I... I might have to leave you soon."

"Leave? Why?" Stephanie looked panicked.

"Because it's... my time."

"Your time? What does that mean, mommy? Please don't leave me!"

"Fany..."

"Yes, mom?" she said anxiously.

"Be a good girl, Fany."

"I will, mommy!" she said earnestly. Don't go!"

Mrs. Hwang sighed. "Everything will be allright, Fany."

"But why do you have to leave? Don't you love me?"

"I do!" she said strongly. "I love you so much, Tiffany. So much..."

"It's not fair, mommy. Why can't I go with you?"

"You can't, Fany. You have to wait your turn."

Tiffany pouted. "But I don't want to wait. I want to go now!"

"No, Tiffany!" she said sharply. "You don't. You can't. Don't you ever think of following me when... whin I'm gone."

"But..."

"Promise me, Fany. Promise me you won't. Pinky promise that you'll be a good girl and stay with daddy."

"Mommy..."

"Promise, Mi-young. For me."

Tiffany swallowed, and nodded resolutely. "I promise, mom. I'll stay with Daddy." Mrs. Hwang exhaled in relief and closed her eyes.

"But if I'm a good girl, will you visit me sometimes?"

She chuckled. "I won't need to, sweetie. I'll always be with you..."

Tiffany perked up. "Really? Where? How?"

Mrs. Hwang reached up and placed a trembling hand on Tiffany's heart. "Right here. I your heart. I'll always be ther to laugh with you, cry with you, smile with you, comfort you. Remember that, baby. Always. People you love never truly leave you. They're always here." she tapped her heart again. "In our hearts."

"Can I see you sometimes?" Tiffany asked,placing her hand over her mother's. "Can we... can we play together?"

Mrs. Hwang smiled sadly. "We'll see, Fany." she choked on her words, tears filling her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. With shaking hands, she took the locket necklace off of herself and held it out. "Here, Fany. Take it."

Tiffany widened her eyes in amazement and joy. "Mommy, it's so pretty!"

"It's yours now," she said, and dropped the necklace into her daughter's hand.

"Mine?"

"Yes, baby, all yours. It'll be my little present to you. And when you're older, you'll understand better."

"Thank you, mommy!"

"Take care, Tiffany. I love you. I'm- I'm so sorry."

"Mom, don't cry," Tiffany pleaded.

"I love you... Tiffany... Sing to me. You have such a... beautiful voice.." she smiled weakly. "You should bee a singer when you grow up."

"Mommy, I only sing for you!"

"Sing, Fany, please. Sing our song."

"I search for love
When the night came and it closed in
I was alone
but you found me where I was hiding
and though I'll never ever be the same
It was the sweetest voice that called my name
singing

You're not alone
For I am here
let me wipe away your every tear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest nights
And I'm the one that's love you all your life
All your life

You cry yourself to sleep
cause the hurt is real
and the pain cuts deep
All hope seems lost
With heartache your closest friend
and everyone else long gone

You're not alone
For I am here
let me wipe away your every tear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest nights
And I'm the one that's love you all your life
All your life"

"Thank you, Tiffany... Be happy without me, okay..." another tear. she closed her eyes, and her breathing slowed.

The heart monitor displayed a solid, green, straight line.

"Mom?" Tiffany called. There was no response. "Mom? Mommy, wake up! Don't cry! Wake up. Wake up! mommy! Mom!" Tiffany shook her, getting more and more desperate by the second. Doctors rushed in, and Tiffany kept on shaking her lifeless mother, the locket clutched in her hand, chain flying around. "Mommy! Mommy! Wake up, wake up, please!" Tiffany turned to the doctor, tears of desperation flowing down her face. "Why?! Why won't she wake up? Why is she ignoring me? Does she hate me? Why isn't she waking up?!"

"Leave the room, child," the doctor said. "This is not a place for children. Nurse, take her away. She's in distress."

"Yes, sir." a nurse grabbed Tiffany's wrist and pulled her away from her mother's bedside.

"Mommy!" she screamed, choking over her tears. "Mom! Answer me! Please..." There was no reply. No answer from her beloved mother.

The nurse led her out of the room and shut the door behind them. As soon as the door closed Tiffany's cries for her mother were overcome by her sobs. The nurse, about to leave, saw how traumatized Tiffany was and paused. "I'm... so sorry, miss. Go on home. There's nothing here for you."

Hey, strikingmatches here. Sorry if I made Tiffany sound too childish...

Well, here are the facts that I found:

1. she was 11 when her mom died

2. she has 2 older siblings, Leo (1 year older) and Michella, (8 years older)
3. Her mom wanted to name her Tiffany, but her father wanted to name her Stephanie
4. She didn't like her korean name

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