Yes, It's Another Cliché Love Story

Twenty Two

Joey's POV

“Do you really have to go?” I asked Lee. I knew he had to. I had convinced him into going but I still had to ask.

“Babe, you asked me to go,”

“I know but we’ll miss you,”

“We?” he asked moving closer.

“Me and the kids and ma,”

“Not as much as I’ll miss you,”

It had been two years since mom had attempted to take her own life. We stayed with her for a few months before we moved back to Lee’s apartment. Sherry got married to her boyfriend and had to move abroad therefore she left the kids with me which was a dream come true.

However, Lee’s apartment wasn’t big enough for the four of us so we moved back in with mom. I never thought it would be possible to be living under the same roof with everyone I loved. 

There were times I thought I was putting a lot of pressure on mom, having all of us around, everyday, but she was happy. She still had days when she needed to be alone and we let her be.

“Why do you think he’s asking for you after all those years?”

“Maybe he just wants to die with a clear conscience,”

“Whatever the reason, I want you back in a week,”

“If you hadn’t asked me to, I wouldn’t be making this trip,” he leaned in and gave me a kiss.

“I don’t want you to live in regret and I’m proud of you for taking this step,”

There was a faint knock before we pulled away.

“Come in,” I shouted. Liza peeped in before coming in. “Hey baby girl, what’s up?”

“I don’t want Aju-c to leave,” she said before tears rolled down her beautiful cheeks.

“I’ll only be gone for a week princess,”

“What if your family asks you to stay longer?”

“I’ll just have to say no, because my other family will be waiting for me,” our bedroom door flew open and a crying JJ stood at the doorway.

“JJ, what’s wrong baby boy? Are you hurt?” I asked concerned. He shook his head. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

“I don’t want Aju-c to leave us,” he said crying louder.  Kim Lee Young had not only become important to me but to my kids as well.

“Come here baby boy,” Lee said. JJ ran to him and he hugged them both. “I promise you that I’ll come back no matter what,”

“You promise?” Liza asked doubtfully. She was a skeptic like me.

“Cross my heart and hope to die,” he hugged them again, “I love you guys so much,”

“We love you too,”

“Come here Joey,” Lee said. I went and joined in on their hug.

I had planned on making that night, one Lee would remember the rest of the week but the kids had other plans. They insisted on sleeping on our bed that night.

I couldn’t take Lee to the airport since one of us had to be in the office. However, he called me when he got to his destination. We also talked after his visit from the hospital and every day after that.

A few days after his arrival, his father got discharged and he and Lee got into a heated argument that made Lee leave the house and wanted to take the first flight back. Unfortunately, the old man got worse and was rushed back to the hospital.