"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it." - Maya Angelou
What would you do, when you lost everything, career, family, money and self esteem?
This is a story of fall from grace with a (un)healthy dose of smut.
After receiving the call from my sister, I quickly wrapped up my work in Seoul and flew back to Malaysia, the next morning. My mother suffered a major stroke. She was comatose and admitted to the high dependency unit. Her doctor advised us to be on standby.
My sister picked me up from KLIA and went straight to the hospital. The minute I entered the hospital room, I saw my mother lying still on the bed, surrounded by all the tubes and medical equipment. My dad was sitting next to her. His face was very drawn. After his "Ern.... you are here." when I called him, he didn't say anything else, but he stood up, to give me his seat.
When we arrived at the hospital, they were in the mist of moving my mum to a private room. Looking at my mum, my whole body shivered, it was hard to reconcile, the pale, yellow body still body on the bed was my feisty mum. Holding her cold hand and staring at her unconscious face, and the slow rise on her chest, I was just thankful, she was alive. Silently, I made a deal with God, I will be a better son, a child she would be proud of, I will take care of my dad, and even my nasty sis, just give me a chance to repay her, to be filial to her and to ease some of the pain that I caused her... As a child, we always think that our parents are invincible, indestructible, that it was their responsibility to be there for us, and that we will always have the time and opportunity to repay them for all their sacrifices. That we would have time. Such a delusion!
My last memory of her was coming back home with YBY to have steamboat, 2 months ago and her apologizing to Bai Yi, that she has been feeling tired lately, unable to cook her usual feast, and had to serve him steamboat instead. The brat and I were like "What?? Dafuq!!" We had been helping her the whole afternoon, preparing the steamboat's stuff. The only thing that YBY did was drinking with my dad. Both of them, acting like a pair of lovers in front of us, serving each other, he picked food for her, and she did the same. Each telling the other to eat more. And the bloody YBY, shameless flirting and complimenting my mum. Right in front of our salad!
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Hello, are we invisible here? And her husband was smiling, eating and drinking his beer, made no move to defend his property. My sister rolled her eyes exaggeratedly while complained bitterly, just too much difference between biological children vs the favored god child.
My mum, ignored our glares and bitching, was grumbling to Bai Yi that we don't spend enough time with them. Bai Yi, the traitor that he was, helped her to scold us and promised that he would bring both of them to visit Korea, personally.
My mum was overjoyed, hearing that she smirked when she glanced at me, as if to say, see, even though you have no time for me, other people have.... Hello, that other people are my boss. Of course, he has time for you, with his whole team, inclusive of mua, slaving for him.
After YBY promised to bring her and Dr Ian, along, my sister jumped ship immediately, forgetting that it was supposed to be, us against them. Since this would be my parent first trip to Korea, YBY decided to go big - Jeju, Seoul and Busan. All three of them started planning the itinerary excitedly. their voice kept increasing...must do this, must eat that, must visit the palace....My dad and I looked at them bickering in amusement and continued eating.
