Every Kind of Way

Song

While I'm having dinner with Tee, Kate, and Jim, I tell them how much pressure grandmother is placing on me. They know of the arrangement. None of them agree with it, but it's out of all of our hands. I keep looking down at my phone hoping that Mon texts me. It's really late she should already be home by now. I never worry about anyone, but Mon has become an exception. We've barely exchanged a few conversations here and there, but I already cared for her.

I was brought out of my thoughts by my friends.

"Seriously Sam. You don't have to obey her all the time." Jim said.

Kate scoffed. "Easy for you to say, Jim. You know how dramatic her grandmother can be. If Sam doesn't obey her, she could end up like Engfa."

I hadn't thought about my sister in a long time. As soon as she walked out the door of grandmother's house, no one heard from her again. She didn't even try to reach out to me or Song. I understood not speaking with grandmother after everything that happened, but what did Song and I do to deserve such indifference?

I looked up to Engfa. She was everything I ever wanted to be. Whenever I looked at her, I felt strong. I felt protected when I was with her. Then she left us alone with Grandmother.

"What would you have done?" Tee asked.

"Probably the same as Engfa." Kate responded.

"Just when I thought what happened with Engfa was bad. It was nothing compared to Song." Jim stated.

Talking about Song was prohibited at Grandmother's house. Any mention of Song or worse Engfa and she would yell and scream until even the servants quit. Song was meant to run the company after Engfa left. She had all the potential to do it. Song thrived under grandmother's pressure. She enjoyed working in the company, she did everything grandmother asked of her. The only thing she asked in return was that grandmother let her play sports every once in a while. At first grandmother was reluctant, but eventually she gave in.

I had heard that Song was dating someone from her team a few months before everything happened. I asked Song about it, and she grabbed my hand and dragged me away from everyone in the house.

"Ok Sam you have to promise you won't tell anyone especially after what happened with our sister. I'm dating someone. Her name is Ice." I was shocked. She barely had time to do anything other than work and sports. When did she get a girlfriend? I was so excited for her.

"Tell me everything!" I was pouting like a little kid.

"Ok, ok. She's part of my soccer team." I screamed excitedly and Song had to cover my mouth.

"Sorry! Wait, so you're a lesbian like Engfa?!"

"Guess it runs in the family." She laughed and I teased her a lot about it.

I met Ice a month before Song's accident. She seemed really cute and nice. Every time we got a chance to go out as sisters, Ice would go with us as well. I enjoyed her company. It was like having two sisters again.

On the night of Song's accident, I had a bad feeling in my chest. I asked Song to stay at the house, but she said she would be home quickly. She just had to finish some paperwork for tomorrow. That was the last time I saw my sister alive.

Grandmother entered a stage of depression I had never seen her in before. Song's death really took a toll on her. She barely talked or left her room. I went to school and then back home. I didn't see or talked with anyone for almost two weeks until my friends came to visit me. I spent time with them and felt a lot better. I still felt alone, but not as much as I did before.

I went into grandmother's room and talked to her.

"Grandmother, you know I'm never leaving you right?" She started to cry. I hugged her as tight as I could. "I always keep my promises and I promise you I will never leave you alone." After that day, grandmother started paying attention to me once more. At the beginning it felt good, but then she started pressuring me about my future.

I didn't know how much pressure my sisters felt until I was the one dealing with it. I made a promise that I would never break, and I didn't. Grandmother is everything that I have left in this world, and I won't fail her. Even if I am unhappy with her choices, she's only thinking of what is best for me.

Engfa is gone. Song is dead. Grandmother is all that I have, and I will be there for her no matter what.