AAE -- For Better For Worse

Part 3 -- Chapter 08

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

 

"I'm going out now," Sun-Mi calls to Hyung-Chul from the foyer as she slips her feet into a pair of nude Chanel cap toe slingback pumps. "Your breakfast is on the table."

 

First, though, she stops to inspect her appearance in the wall mirror. At 29, she is 'still as pretty as the day we married' according to her husband. But Sun-Mi critically focuses her attention on the growing number of fine lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth, a reminder of the inexorable ticking of her biological clock.

 

The delay provides Hyung-Chul just enough time to emerge from the bathroom, fresh from the shower, to intercept her.

 

"We need to talk first," he states, grabbing Sun-Mi's wrist to prevent her from moving.

 

"About what?" she spits back, irate at both his rough treatment and his insistence on bringing up a matter which she prefers to avoid.

 

"This."

 

 

Releasing her wrist, he holds up the letter that had arrived in the previous day's post. Returning home, he had found it, unopened, on the kitchen counter. Her refusal to discuss the contents had resulted in an acrimonious dispute that ended with his overnight occupancy of the living room couch.

 

"I'll be late! Can't we talk tonight?" she impatiently proffers an alternative.

 

"How? You know I'm flying out this afternoon," he reminds her. "Anyway, putting it off won't change anything."

 

"I'll look at it later, when I have time," she continues to defer.

 

"Read it for yourself, now," Hyung-Chul demands, thrusting the blood test results in Sun-Mi's face so she can't avoid the truth any longer. "It's like I told you. You're not pregnant."

 

"I don't believe it. It must be a false negative," she declares, unwilling to accept another failure. "I'll go in for another test."

 

"What's the point? You'll only be disappointed again."

 

 

After almost two years of trying, despite utilizing the latest medical research, special diets, and traditional remedies to ensure a successful pregnancy, Sun-Mi had failed to conceive. Fertility testing did not identify any conclusive reasons, and with consultation of an IVF clinic, they decided to proceed with artificial assistance. As Sun-Mi was under 30 and healthy, their doctor had predicted a high possibility of success.

 

The two-month cycles of injections, medications, procedures, constant monitoring, tests, and counseling were stressful for Sun-Mi. She willingly endured the physical discomforts, mental stress, and recurring bouts of hormone-induced anxiety and depression with tenacious hope that it would produce a baby in her empty womb. Yet each cycle had ended in failure and crushing disappointment.

 

 

"It's time we faced reality," Hyung-Chul argues, "This isn't going to work, no matter how much we want it to."

 

"You don't know that, for a fact!" Sun-Mi persists, "As long as there's a chance, we have to keep trying!"

 

"I understand how you feel. But when will it be enough?!" Hyung-Chul makes his point unnecessarily harshly, his voice rising with frustration at her obstinance. "Doctor Lee recommended that after five tries, we should consider something else."

 

"Then let's find another doctor!" she stubbornly digs in her heels. "I won't give up!"

 

"Doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results, is insanity," he paraphrases the adage derisively.

 

"What?! You think I'm insane now, too?!" Sun-Mi retorts angrily, her body tense with indignation. She grabs the report from his hand and tosses it to the floor at his feet. "I know how disappointing I am to you! But can't you leave me even a shred of dignity?!"

 

 

Turning on her heels, she stomps over to the door.

 

"We're not done here!" Hyung-Chul bellows at her back. "Where are you going?"

 

She hesitates, her hand on the door handle. "Where else? I'm going to Mass, and Confession. Maybe God will have mercy on us, and spare this baby, if I pray harder."

 

"Do you really think that's going to help things?"

 

"I know you don't agree, but I have to do something!" she dismisses him succinctly, then without looking back, slams the door in his face.

 

 

Hyung-Chul stares at the door, remembering, as a child, seeing the same expression on his mother's face as she refused to accept the reality of her broken marriage. Instead she retreated into a cocoon of religious piety, attending Mass and praying every day for a futile hope that God never fulfilled.

 

After taking a deep breath to settle his mind, he decides to go after Sun-Mi. He opens the door, half-expecting that she had already taken the lift down. But Sun-Mi is still in the corridor, leaning against the wall beside the lift, sobbing.

 

He approaches her, gently taking her hand, apologetic, "I'm sorry."

 

She pulls her hand away to wipe her cheeks dry. "Do you actually care?"

 

Hyung-Chul draws Sun-Mi into his embrace, softly stroking her hair. "I'm disappointed about the baby, too," he admits. "I feel so helpless, watching your struggles and not knowing what to do. Because I was frustrated, I said those things to you. I was wrong. Please forgive me."

 

"It wasn't just you," she accepts part of the blame for their spat. "Why are we fighting over this? What has happened to us?"

 

 

Interrupting them, the lift chime sounds and the doors open.

 

A man in a Teleflorist uniform steps forward, then stops when he sees the oddly-paired Asian couple -- the woman perfectly coifed and dressed to the nines, the man unshaven in bathrobe and slippers. Noticing the door of his destination is open, he makes a snap assumption.

 

"Ms. Sun-Mi Jin?"

 

"Yes. That's me." Embarrassed, she steps free of Hyung-Chul's arms.

 

"I have a delivery for you," the courier states, handing Sun-Mi a solitaire red rose surrounded by a cloud of delicate white Bristol Fairy.

 

Sun-Mi takes the bouquet. "Thank you."

 

"Have a good day," the courier replies, looking at Hyung-Chul with a smirk.

 

He releases the door button, and the lift doors slide shut.

 

 

"What is this?" Sun-Mi asks her husband, remarking half-jokingly, "Were you anticipating we'd have an argument?"

 

"Actually, I arranged for a delivery of flowers every day I'll be away," he explains. "But I neglected to change the starting date after my trip was delayed."

 

 

Sun-Mi detaches a card from the bouquet and opens it, reading aloud, "For the special flower who graces my life with joy -- I miss you, Sun-Mi."

 

She looks up at Hyung-Chul, fresh tears running down her cheeks.

 

"Why are you crying?" he worries over her, "I just wanted to make you happy."

 

"I am happy," she assures him. "It's just that sometimes, I get distracted and forget."

 

"If you want to try again, we can," he softens his previous stance. "It's up to you. I don't want this to come between us anymore."

 

"Me, either, especially now that you'll be away for a long time. I'll talk to Doctor Lee again, and think about it first," she decides.

 

 

Making up is always sweeter after a fight...

 

 

Gazing at her lovingly, Hyung-Chul takes Sun-Mi into his arms again.

 

She kisses him on the lips. "You know, even though you haven't left, I'm already missing you."

 

"I really will miss you, too," he affirms. "I'm counting down the days until we can be together again."

 

"You said we weren't done here," she coos enticingly, beaming her dazzling smile. "So don't start counting yet."

 

"But what about Mass? Won't you be late?" Hyung-Chul brings up her daily commitment.

 

"I think God will forgive me, even if I don't make it at all today," Sun-Mi reasons as they walk together back into their flat. "He's the one who decreed that 'a man shall be joined to his wife'..."

 

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Thirty-two roses later...

 

After flying into London Heathrow on Cathay Pacific's redeye from Hong Kong, Hyung-Chul's first stop is the florist.

 

Bouquet in hand, he rides the lift up to his penthouse flat. Instead of letting himself in, he rings the bell. Shortly he hears, through the door, the distinctive click-clack of Sun-Mi's Givenchy kitten heel mules, then her muffled voice...

 

"Who is it?"

 

"Flowers for Ms. Sun-Mi Jin," he answers in a low, hoarse voice, holding the bouquet to block the view of his face from the peephole.

 

 

But his subterfuge doesn't fool Sun-Mi.

 

The door flies open and she lunges forward. "Senior!" she exclaims loudly, reaching up to fling her arms around his neck. "How was your flight? Did you sleep? Are you hungry?" the questions tumble out without waiting for answers.

 

Ignoring her chatter, Hyung-Chul clasps his hands behind Sun-Mi's waist, demanding, "Let me look at you!"

 

 

She loosens her arm lock on his neck, leaning back. He gazes at length, refreshing in his mind every minute detail of her features, until Sun-Mi fidgets impatiently.

 

"What is it?" she frets, "Is something wrong with my face?"

 

"No. It's just that you look prettier than I remember," he flatters her. "How is that possible?"

 

Beaming widely, Sun-Mi unabashedly boasts, "Don't you know? Thinking about Senior coming home always makes me sparkle more brightly!"

 

 

He releases her from his embrace and they go into the flat, Hyung-Chul towing his carryon bag. After closing the door, Sun-Mi turns to him and delivers a lengthy 'welcome home' kiss.

 

"It's good to be back," he sighs, holding her tighter, deeply inhaling her fragrance. "I wish I'd never have to leave you again."

 

"I'm glad you're here," she concurs, resting her head comfortingly on his shoulder. "But having you underfoot all day would drive me crazy!"

 

 

They laugh, then Sun-Mi repeats her questions...

 

"Are you tired?"

 

"No, I slept well on the flight."

 

"Did you eat? I can make breakfast," she offers, "or something to drink. Coffee?"

 

"No need. I had coffee and breakfast on the plane."

 

 

She looks up at him, musing as she flutters her eyelashes, "Then there's nothing you need me to do for you?"

 

"I didn't say that," he murmurs, sporting a rakish grin as he bends down for another kiss, "Actually, I was thinking about that -- what you could do for me -- I was coming here."

 

 

But Sun-Mi makes him settle for a brief smack on the lips. "It's only 9am," she reminds him. "There's plenty of time for that later."

 

"You have something better to do?" he complains at being put off.

 

"Maybe... but I have a surprise to show you, first," she teases his curiosity.

 

"I have a surprise to tell you, too," he hints back to her. "But you go first."

 

She returns a smile for his courtesy. "Come with me."

 

 

Taking his hand, Sun-Mi leads him along the hallway to the closed door of the nursery, where she stops and requests, "Close your eyes."

 

"Hmmm... I feel like I've been here before," he jokes, recalling the day she had shown him the newly decorated nursery to announce her pregnancy. "This better be remarkable!"

 

"Tsst... Don't say any more, until you see for yourself!" she reproves him mildly. "Now, don't peek while I go inside."

 

"All right, I won't," he promises.

 

He hears the door open and close.

 

"You can open your eyes now," Sun-Mi says from behind the closed door. "Wait there, please, until I tell you to come in."

 

 

Listening to the muted sounds coming from the nursery, Hyung-Chul's anticipation builds as he wonders what surprise Sun-Mi has in store for him this time. Growing impatient, he reaches for the door handle.

 

"Don't you dare!" she warns, somehow reading his mind. "It's just another minute."

 

Finally, chomping at the bit, he hears her invitation...

 

"You can come in now, Senior."