One Year Later. Boracay Island.

“ AAhhh Mama!!!” I heard Sasi squeal. When I looked up from my newspaper out onto the beach, I saw my two lovely ladies Dara and Sasi playing with a Frisbee. God, what would I do without them? They are my life.

Dara and me have been through soo much and Sasi has seen things which she should not have seen at such an young age.

After that incident, things were not quiet at all in our home. Dara woke up in the middle of many nights, screaming and shouting and most off all traumatized. Even though she went for therapy it did not help, till she put her heart and mind into it. She did it because she had to show her daughter that she had to be strong and fight all odds. That’s what she did. She fought her fears by facing them, reliving them. She let me in to fight with her and I did fight for her.

“ Daddy!! Daddy!! Come play with us!” my daughter called out for me!

“ No baby, you play. I still have the finish reading the papers.” I replied.

“ Oh come on daddy! Play with us…or do you want to play with me?” Dara shouted out. After all these years and after so much heartache and trauma, Dara is still my Dara- Womanly, dreaming, lovely and im totally crazy in love with her. I laughed at her statement.

“ Oh come on Sasi, Daddy will not come to play. Lets go for another match.” She shouted in joy to Sasi.

“ I’m gonna win this time too, you see mama!”

“ Oh, I was just letting you win.”

“ Oh pish posh, you lost to me!”

“ I will win this time.” She ran to Sasi and started to tickle her. They both fell on the sand and laughter arose and filled the open beach air. It was such a joy to see such a peaceful, happy scene.

I still remember the night of that incident. Dara could not move a muscle. Sasi was traumatized. I was dead looking at the both of them. I did not know what to do. The only glimmer of happiness is that I found them both alive. We rushed both of them to the hospital. The amount of blood loss Dara had was crazy. The minute I touched her I felt the flow of blood down her legs. I knew I lost my Pixel and Apple Pie. My beautiful twins. When we got to the hospital, Dara had lost her consciousness. She was pale and cold. When I turn, my daughter was wounded. She was looking somewhere into the deep dark sky. Every time I kept calling her, she never responded. She had this expression that I cant, till date explain.

We got them both to the hospital and I did not know where to be. My mother and father rushed as well. They took care of Sasi while I stayed with Dara. i waited outside till the doctors examined her. When they came out after and hour, but what felt like a lifetime, I asked them about her Dara’s well being.

“ Well, Mr. Choi, she is doing well.”

“ Oh thank god.” I puffed.

“ But sir…”

“ Yes….”

“ Your wife, she was pregnant…”

“ Jesus…” I choked.

“ Sir, im afraid we could not save your children.” The doctor said. I dropped to the chair.

I did not know how to react. I was stunned by the word that I heard. I lost my beautiful little children who were unborn. I wanted to nurture them and most of all, I wanted to be there when they came into this world. It was my chance and I lost it. I lost my first chance with Sasi because of Ga In and now I lost my second chance because of Ga In!

“ But how is Dara, is she doing alright? Can I see her?”

“ Sir, she is doing fine. Her spine has had a little disk shift. But we have take care of that. Her ribs are broken and she has broken a ligament. she’s lost a lot of blood She is in a very tender state, however we have saved her. We cannot allow you at the moment to meet her, but will let you now when she has awaken.“  The doctor said.

Dara did not open her eyes for three days. I literally lived in the hospital- Ate there, showered there, just sat outside her hospital room door. I kept looking at her through the little glass window, praying and hoping that she would wake up and I could hold her. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to feel her breath on me.

In the mean time Sasi was still the same. She had no change. The doctors had examined her and confirmed that she was in shock and for a small girl, the gun, the bullet firing and all the blood traumatized her. Sasi did not blink an eye. She kept staring into thin air. I tried to do so many things to distract her. but nothing happened. The nurse kept telling me that she woke up at night screaming and then never slept or spoke a word. I lost my two-unborn children; I don’t want to loose her. I took her regularly for walks in the hospital gardens and told her funny stories, but she would not react to a thing. I wanted to cry. I cried. My wife was wrapped in bandage and my daughter is traumatized. Oh god why?

Then finally on the third day the nurse came running to me while I was drinking water by the water dispenser to inform me that Dara had woken up. I could believe my ears. I ran! I ran to the love of my life.

Finally they let me into her room. Dara’s eyes were still closed.

“ Speak to her.” the doctor whispered.

“ Dara… Baby… wake up…” she would not move. i took her hand.

“ Love, baby, wake up. look at me.” I sobbed, a tear from my eyes dropped on her pale hand. She did not move. I looked up to the doctor. He looked at me with sympathy. I gave it another try. “ Dara… baby please wake up. im here… your Siwon is here baby. Please. I want you. I really cant live without you. Baby pleases.” I cried. I could not take it to see Dara like that. I held her hand and cried into it.

“ I wont let you go Siwon.” I heard a very feeble whisper. When I opened my eyes, Dara was awake with the most softest smile.

“ Oh my god Dara.” I gasped and hugged her. She whimpered in pain. I got to my knees and cried on the nook of her neck.

“ I thought I lost you again.” She said.

“ I almost died.” I confessed.

“ How is Sasi?” she broke her words.

“ She is doing well.” I lied.

“ And…Siwon… Pixel and App…”

“ Dara, its ok… we have Sasi. Sasi has us.” I said. She understood and her face changed. I know she was hurting.

“ Baby I love you and you have no idea how happy I am that you are awake. Please get well soon. I feel so cold without you. I need you to hold me. Please. “ I pleaded her. She cupped my face softly and went back to sleep.

15 days later, Dara was able to move around and the doctors looking after Sasi agreed to Dara be there with Sasi during therapy. They insisted that if Sasi spoke to her mother, some reaction would be seen. As they had predicted, the moment, Sasi saw Dara, her eyes changed. She blinked, moved. It as like as though ice had melted. she ran to her mother and hugged her. Dara did not have the strength to lift Sasi in her arms and hug her, but she made the effort. The moment of embrace between the mother and daughter brings tears to me even today. This was the height of emotion for me.

The following days, Dara stayed by Sasi’s side, till she felt better and I stayed by the side of my two ladies.

During this time, the SG got back to us. it was confirmed that Ga In, Yan Suk and Michael were dead by bullet shot and strike of rod. There was no case against Dara as she used the weapons as a defense. Moreover, with the criminal record of all three, it was easy for the police to charge them and not have anything under Dara. However, Dara always had the images running through her mind, which reminded as a reason for her untimely screaming wake ups. The police also informed us, if in the future anything of such sort happened and even suspected, we should get to them and special procedure will be put in place.

Finally the day we could all go home arrived. Dara’s parents had flown into the city when she was admitted. When we arrived at our home, our parents were waiting and for the next month, they literally loved with us, taking care of us three. Watching Dara’s parents take care of her was a beautiful scene. Even Dara reciprocated. She missed them and now when she was receiving all their love and kindness, it was overwhelming to her. She was smiling all the time. Moreover, Sasi had both her grandparents. So I made a request to my in-laws.

“ Mr. Day, why don’t you and Ann move to Korea?” I said loudly which made the room go so quiet.

“ Yay!” Sasi shouted in joy as usual.

“ i…. Siwon… its….”

“ Please dad…” Dara asked. Her mother and father could not believe Dara was asking for them to move.

“ Ok darling… ok…anything my princess wishes.” Her dad said.

“ Yay, Grandpa, you will have to play with me everyday!” Sasi jumped on him.

“ Always darling.” He said. That moment, Dara turned to me and mouthed, “ thank you.” I smiled at her lovable gesture.

Now one year later, Dara and me finally took a much-needed break from work and from the thought of our lost Pixel and Applepie. There were nights, Dara would be crying alone in the balcony and many nights I drowned tumblers of whisky. But we had to get over it. We have Sasi now. Besides, Dara and me still want more kids- a bigger family, but may be we will take our time. I could not give her the traditional honeymoon, but we are a couple, who are way past that tradition. We wanted to spend sometime together, spend some time with our daughter. There no other better place I could think of than Boracay. All of us love the beach and Boracay was the place where me and Dara came for, for our first trip together. I bought a water bungalow as a surprise and gifted it to Sasi. She loved the place. Even though she does not really know the worth of it, she loves. That’s all I want.

“ Daddy! Mama lost to me again!!” Sasi came running to me with her sand feet.

“ I did not loose. I made you win.” Dara followed.

“ No Daddy! I did win.” She turned to me and said.

“ Yes darling you did win.” I said with a smile to which I instantly received a happy smile.

“ Sasi go wash up, lets eat breakfast.” Dara said.

“ Ok…” she skipped off.

Once when Sasi went upstairs to her room, which over looked the South China sea, Dara came over and sat on my lap.

“ You ok?” she asked me.

“ Yes baby. Why?”

“ No… you seem off…”

“ I’m just fine…its just this holiday was really amazing and we have to leave tonight and then tis back to pavilion. So….” Dara kissed me.

“ We have to get back to reality sweetheart and I promise you I’ll work hard to make your reality as sweet as possible.”

“ I know you would, but I don’t want you to. We are together into this and lets make our reality a heaven…” I sighed. There was a moment of silence between us and Dara was playing with my shirt button.

“ You know, Sasi will take a while to wash up…” she leaned in closer to my ears, “ do you think you could pull off a quickie?” she asked bashfully. I laughed.

“ Are you challenging me Mrs. Siwon?”

“ I guess I am Mr. Siwon.”

“ Then I think I better prove myself.” I said with a smirk which, instantly made her warm and blush. I carried her to our room and pulled off three quickies.

Ready for the Airport

“ Sasi come on fast, we’re getting late!” I told my daughter who still is not ready. We were honestly getting late. Its time to go home and get back to reality.

“ Wait, I’ll go see where she is.” Dara said and walked back onto the house.

“ Come fast, we really need to leave like…… right now.” sometime, women of any age take a long time to dress up and leave. I’m already pitying the guy who will marry my daughter. As I waited, Dara’s phone rang. Before I could go and get it, it stopped. I ignored.

“ DARA!!!” I shouted.

“ COMING!!” she replied but no person could be seen. I was getting tensed that we might miss our flight.

Right then her phone rings again. I pick it up and see some unknown number. May be some work related. She has been busy since we arrived here.

When I look up Sasi is being dragged by Dara. “ Finally!” I say and literally push them into the car.

“ What took you so long?”

“ Why don’t you ask your daughter?”

“ Whatever. We are going to be so late!”

“ Not my fault!” Dara shouted.

“ Well you should have gotten ready sooner!” I shout back.

“ You should have let me!” she shouted back and I flip my head towards her with my eyes wide. I can’t believe she dropped such a statement in front of Sasi. Sasi was anyways engrossed into her dollies and talking to them. Dara saw her and then looked at me. We both ended up laughing like two mad people! That’s what we are, two mad people in love!

Dara’s phone rings again and our laugh reduces. I still can’t stop smiling.

“ Hello!” she answers.

Suddenly her face went dry, pale, and bloodless. Fear was creeping up her face like an old demon. I don’t like this situation. Who the hell is on that phone?

“ Dara baby?” I touch her thigh and she was cold. Definitely something is wrong!

“ Dara!! Who is it!! Give me the phone, let me talk.” I said as I was balancing the steering wheel of the car, having one eye to the road and one eye to Dara.

She suddenly gasped. That did it for me. I know that gasp and it’s not a good one. I stopped the car by the side; hit the emergency on the dash board.

“ Well, you know what? F*** you! if you have the guts, face me and fight me. I have nothing to be scared about. Im not the same Dara you met all those years back. so, if you have the balls, see me eye to eye. Then, I’ll talk to you.” she cut he call. Oh god. What now?

“ Who is it Dara? Speak to me.”

“ Siwon…”

“ Yes baby…”

“ Its…Max…Maxime Andree” she said loud and clear.

“ Max? wha…what did he say?”

“ He said its time for me to pay my debts. He is trying to get back for the time I escaped in that Jeju Hotel.”

“ !” I cursed under my breath.

“ But you know what? im strong, I have you and hell, I can handle a pistol.” I looked up at her.

She looked at me; I saw strength, power, arrogance and confidence.

“ I’m ready for any of his of his games Siwon.” She said.

I smiled at her and said,  “ Game on, baby.”

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The End