AAE -- For Better For Worse

Part 3 -- Chapter 04

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

"Something smells wonderful," Hyung-Chul enthuses as he crosses the short distance from the entry foyer into the kitchen, where Sun-Mi is busily chopping vegetables.

 

Sun-Mi turns to him with a smile. "It's my Auntie Jin's recipe for daegu maeuntang," she refers to the codfish stew bubbling on the cooktop, "I've been craving it all day! It's my first time, so I hope it tastes right."

 

"I'm sure it will," he predicts encouragingly. "Your cooking skills have improved a lot these days."

 

 

Since resigning from her job at MBS's London Bureau, Sun-Mi had dedicated herself to her new domestic role with the same enthusiasm and diligence she had put into her broadcasting career. First on her list was to take on the marketing and cooking responsibilities, wanting to improve her culinary skills now, while she had the time, before their baby was born.

 

"You always say that," she tut-tuts the compliment, having resorted more than once to tossing out her efforts and making a last-minute carryout run to the Aririang before he arrived home. "But the truth is, I'll never be as good as Auntie."

 

 

Setting his bulging briefcase on the floor, Hyung-Chul comes up behind Sun-Mi and circles his arms around her waist.

 

"It's not your cooking skills that are important now," he reminds her, lightly patting her six-month pregnant belly. "How's the baby?"

 

"The doctor says everything seems fine," she passes on the promising news. "But my blood pressure was elevated, so she recommended I get more rest."

 

Taking a whiff of Sun-Mi's perfume, Hyung-Chul, tickling her ear with his lips, murmurs playfully, "The stew is not the only thing that smells enticing. What are we doing for 'dessert' later?"

 

"Aya!" she retorts, jabbing her elbow back into his stomach to discourage further amorous inclinations. "I'm going to sleep early," she notifies him. "I've been going all day since half-five this morning, and I'm tired!"

 

Wanting to be a dutifully supportive wife to her husband, six days a week Sun-Mi rose early to wash up, dress, and put on her makeup while Hyung-Chul was still asleep. Then, while he got ready for work, she prepared their breakfast and his lunch box, and sent him off for the day.

 

"I'm sorry, how was your day?" he belatedly backtracks, knowing she is more amenable after airing her concerns first.

 

"This morning, I did the housekeeping and laundry, and had my appointment with the doctor. She reminded me we need to sign up for our prenatal classes," Sun-Mi recalls the reminder as she fills him in on her schedule.

 

"Then in the afternoon, I shopped for maternity wear and bought this," referring to the floral patterned Dior housedress under her apron. "Later, I met with Father Kim, and stopped at the fish monger for fresh cod."

 

"Don't you usually meet with the Father on Saturdays?" Hyung-Chul recalls. "Why see him today, too?"

 

"I wanted to talk as soon as possible about transferring my RCIA to another parish," she elucidates her purpose.

 

"Why would you want to do that?"

 

"I'm afraid that tongues will soon start wagging, now that I'm showing," she reveals her concern. "Already some of the ladies at the Rosary Confraternity are staring at my belly, and it won't be long before someone figures things out when they learn of my due date. I don't want our child to be born into scandal and carry that shame."

 

"What did Father Kim say?"

 

"At first, I was afraid to tell him my reasons, but he sympathized with my situation," Sun-Mi shares what happened. "We talked about how even as Catholics, we still carry societal prejudices. Although we have God's forgiveness, and should forgive each other, it doesn't always work out that way. So he said he'll recommend a new parish for us. Usually, they would require me to restart the RCIA process, but he'll see what he can do."

 

"Then you're still set on becoming a Catholic?"

 

"I already stretched my promise to your mother, getting married first," she sighs resignedly, "I have to follow through..."

 

 

She starts chopping again, to hint that she was done talking, for now, and wanted to get back to work.

 

Hyung-Chul gives her a quick hug-from-behind and steps away. "I'll go and change now."

 

"Dinner will be ready soon. Did you bring a lot of work home tonight?"

 

Now that Sun-Mi was at home, Hyung-Chul had also started bringing back work most nights instead of staying late at the office.

 

 

"Just the new contract with our affiliate in Jakarta," he replies. "I have to go over it for my morning review meeting tomorrow."

 

Hefting his briefcase, he starts off to his home office, but then turns back.

 

"I also need to call my lawyer in Seoul," he adds, "Now that Kim Eun-Ki is President, he's calling a special election for the Board. That's going to foment a proxy fight for control, and I want to be ready when it comes. It shouldn't be a problem, but I thought you should know."

 

 

As he is talking, the phone rings.

 

"Can you get it, Senior?" Sun-Mi requests. "My hands are messy."

 

Putting down the briefcase again, Hyung-Chul goes into the living room and picks up the call, "Hello?"

 

After listening to the caller, he glances at Sun-Mi briefly, then says, "Just a minute. I'll get her on the phone with me, first."

 

 

Hearing this, Sun-Mi washes and dries her hands, then joins her husband.

 

"Let's sit down," Hyung-Chul tells her.

 

They sit together on the couch and he puts the phone on speaker. "Go ahead, Ms. Song."

 

"Sun-Mi?"

 

"Yes, Auntie?"

 

"It's about your father. He's had a severe heart attack," she breaks the news with a tremor in her voice. "They just brought him out of the ER, and took him to the ICU."

 

Sun-Mi anxiously looks over at Hyung-Chul, panic in her eyes.

 

"Tell me he's all right, Auntie!" she pleads desperately. "He's going to recover, right?"

 

"He's still unconscious, and the doctors say he's stable now, but they don't know how much damage occurred," Jin-Suk conveys the status. "If you can come back, you should as soon as possible, just in case."

 

"But ... but Daddy was in good health. He never had high blood pressure, or anything like that. How could this happen?" Sun-Mi searches for a cause.

 

"Actually, things haven't been so good here, and your father has been under a lot of stress," Jin-Suk reveals. "Soon after we returned from the wedding, the police arrested him for multiple counts of tax fraud..."

 

"Someone must have filed false charges against him," Sun-Mi interjects, declaring her faith in her father. "Daddy never did anything wrong to anybody!"

 

"He was able to get out on bail, and his lawyer provided additional evidence that led to the felony fraud charges being reduced to administrative bookkeeping errors," Jin-Suk continues. "But the stigma stuck, and he was branded a criminal in the public eye."

 

"But Daddy wasn't convicted of anything!" Sun-Mi protests. "Isn't he innocent until proven guilty?!"

 

"In theory, yes. But in practice, people don't want to take risks with their money. Customers were threatening to cancel their construction contracts, and creditors began demanding immediate full payment. Last week, caving under the pressure, he declared his company bankrupt. Everything was a mess. They even demanded the house and his car for the debts," her aunt describes the distressing situation.

 

Sun-Mi is indignant. "Why didn't anyone tell me this before? Why am I always the last to know?"

 

"Your father didn't want to bother you with his troubles," Jin-Suk explains. "He just looked at it as bad luck, and expected to clear things up eventually. He always sees the best in people, and so didn't realize how quickly everyone would turn against him. Or what was coming next..."

 

Jin-Suk pauses for a breath, then asks, "Sun-Mi are you sitting down?"

 

"Yes, Auntie," Sun-Mi assures her. "Why?"

 

"Just yesterday, new charges were issued against your father, for conspiracy to murder..."