Every Year, It's Not That Year

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Linda's house is out of boundary. The squad has no way of cracking the code of hygiene just to break inside her house.

In short, without special invitation from the Queen, nobody is allowed to step inside the palace.

This evening, and only this evening, Stephanie is granted special permission to visit the Queen's resident because on behalf of Mrs Yang, Stephanie is bringing a pot of herbal chicken cooked by her mother, there's no way Linda could say no.

The kids were creating havoc in their playroom, the only room where mess is legalized in this house.

Linda is walking back at forth, clearing the fridge, defrosting meats that she needed to cook tomorrow for lunch.

'Sometimes I really just wish these kids grows up fast and they could manage their meals and life, yet sometimes, I wish time would slow down so they won't grow up so fast.' Linda shakes her head and sigh, writing a list of groceries she needs to buy tomorrow.

'It's hard, huh.' Stephanie made an idle comment as she picked the potato chips that Linda offered.

'Which is why,' she rolled her eyes at Steph.

'What?' Stephanie chuckles by the accusations.

'Sperm bank, really? Steph, I'm not a single mother but I'm crying for help sometimes. I don't know how are you going to manage by yourself.' Linda stares at her.

'But your house became lively and crowded,' Stephanie pointed at the room where the kids is.

'The only thing that I felt significantly after I became a mom, is that, I felt lonelier than before, because, I don't know how to describe it.' Linda felt a twinge of guilt, she loves her kids, but the shit about being a mother is real, it's the loneliest job in the world, especially when your kids is sick.

'You look okay,' Stephanie didn't know what to say.

'Okay?' Linda spatted the words like it's the most offensive word, but she forgive her anyway, because, what does Stephanie know about motherhood anyway. 'Before we get to that, let's be honest, what happened to you and Park?'

Stephanie began to push her glasses inwards and avoided Linda's penetrative glance. 'Things are going normally?'

'You two are the most idiotic peoples I knew, and the reason why I am not exploding is because both of you are my friends.' Linda couldn't contain her impatience. 'Remember the kimchi? You asked me to hide the kimchi you made for his birthday and our room smells like garlic fermentation factory for a week.

Stephanie remained quite, she doesn't know what she is expected to say.

'When you broke up with Daniel, which is expected, by the way, Park got himself a girlfriend. And it's been what, eight years, nobody is initiating anything except sleepover at your house?' Linda felt the oxymoron of the relationship they are trying to preserve.

'Precisely eight years, things remained good the way it is,' Stephanie shrugged, looking down at the chips like a kid being reprimanded.

'Tim and I used to hate the hell out of each other, and look what happened? Things still remained good the way it is, if you don't take the first step, you are going to just waste all your time, Steph.'

Stephanie never thought tonight would turn out to be pressurizing like how the first day of intern would be.

Linda knew she hit the threshold and have hit all the right spot before she step down from the podium and leave Stephanie alone.

August 2009

As days passed, Stephanie's hectic work schedule, time differences and Daniel's impatience has ceased all sparks in their relationship.