I've Never Dreamed

Part 28

"Are you-" Jiao stops herself.

*Jiao noticed that Mei was troubled, so she looks over Mei's shoulder to see the picture only to freeze*

"Excuse me for a moment." I say staring down at the picture waiting for someone's response, "Please." I add on.

"You're excused." Kim Young mumbles aware of why she's leaving. She wasn't ready yet...

-

I dart out the hotel room and run into the public restroom. Tears start running down my cheek as I stare at my Lee's beautiful face in the picture. I miss her so much! I remember every little detail about her. The way her hair felt in my hands as I'd try to braid it, the way she'd always brighten up the day no matter what happened. Even the feel of her skin when I'd hold her and tell her not to be scared of anything. She was my life. Lee was only 5. She had a bright future ahead of her, that we already planned out together! She was just too young...

My eyes switch to my precious father's face. His smile was one of a kind. The way he'd read  books to me, and make me laugh with the different voices he'd imitate. He used to always dance with me and mother when Kim Young would turn on his favorite tunes.

*More tears flow down Mei Li's face when she thinks of Kim Young*

"He was probably so upset when they died..." I say in between breaths.

------- Flashback

Mei was left in shock, alone.

-

*An hour passes, then two hours, then three. Mei's still sitting behind the piano. She doesn't know what to do. Should she call her mother? Wake up her brother? Call the police? The child is shaking with tears rolling off her chin and staining her pajamas. Her sister's blood is only inches away, and her eyes are still wide open. Mei can see how scared Lee was, to yell her father's name, by the look in her eyes as she lies there, lifeless on the floor. Her father is lying there right beside of Lee, also lifeless*

"Father...you're not really gone..." I smile and stand up, "You're just playing...and this was all just a joke. Lee, get up you goof..."  I mumble still standing in one spot. I see the color red everywhere. I mean they can't be dead! "Father, this isn't funny. Lee get up."  I demand, but I get no response. Not even a slight movment.

*Mei sinks back down to floor. Now the tears won't stop coming out*

"Lee, we're supposed to go see the mountains!" I shout. "Papa! I did not desire this! This is not my birthday wish!"

*Mei hadn't called her father 'Papa' since she was 5 years old. She thought it was too childish and she wanted to grow up to be just like her mother. So she dumped her child like things behind, but now they're flooding back*

"It's my birthday Papa! I-It's my Bir-rthday..."

*Mei Li suddenly gets light headed and passes out hitting her head on the edge of the piano.*

-

"Mei? Can you hear me?" I open my eyes slightly seeing a beautiful women hovering above me. My mother.

"Y-yes ma'am" I respond and she collapse on me.

*When Mei Li's mother got home from work late, she walked in only to she her husband and daughter dead, while her other daughter's passed out on the floor. She immediately woke up her son and called the hospital. That's where they are now*

"Excuse me." A male doctor comes into the room, "Hi Mei, how are you feeling?" The doctor smiles and I just cry. I can't stop. I want my Papa and my sister here!

"Why did they have to go Mr.?! Why did they leave?" I cry out, and my mother comforts me until I stop yelling.

"What's the results doctor?" Mom asks the doctor.

"Your daughter has suffered through a good deal of depression and because of her fall, she went into a horrible concussion causing her to be hospitalized for 3 days. Mei Li is very lucky to have survived this with her memories still intacted. Your daughter has now been diagnosed with Syncope. When she deals with too much stress or too much exercise, then her body will give out on her and she will faint." The doctor reads off his clipboard leaving me speechless.

"I understand that, but how do you fix it?" My mom asks annoyed with what the doctor's saying. Her voice is scratchy and she looks very tired. I hate when mother's like this.

"Medication. The loss of oxygen in her brain is what's causing this ma'am. She just needs to drink plenty of water and eat healthy. We will provide you with free medicine for 2 years. She must then take one pill when she wakes up, and one before she goes to sleep." Mother nods at his response and the doctor leaves the room.

"It'll be okay, my princess." Mother rubs my head. She always calls me princess while father always calls...called...me queen.

"I know. Can you tell me what happened?" I'm lying. Nothing will ever be okay again, and I know exactly what happened. I just need to know what everyone else thinks happened.

"Uh-"

*Areum-Li (Mei's mother) is wondering if she should tell Mei the tragic death or not. By the look Mei's giving her right now, she believes the truth is the best way*

"It was said that your father commited suicide and after Lee saw him, she did the same." She pushes the words out of her mouth fast.

"You don't believe that, do you?!" I sit up at her words, but my head starts throbbing and I lay back down.

"I do...there's just no other explinations, Mei."

"How could you say that?! That was Papa and Lee, Mama! They weren't clueless! We were just at the park having fun and laughing. Lee and I made a promise together, and father just got a new book! There was no reason for them to kill themselves!" I argue and mother starts crying. "I'm sorry mama, I didn't mean to make you cry..."  I don't want her to cry, but how could she believe such a fib?!

"It's okay dear. Just get some rest" I force a small smile onto my lips at the sound of her kind vioce.

*Areum-Li places a kiss on Mei's forehead and leaves the room. Mei will never look at her mother the same again.*

-------Present

"Mei? You in here?" I hear Jiao's voice from outside the restroom stall I'm silentlly crying in.

I can hear her breathing heavily. I brought her pills and a water bottle. I totally forgot that Kim Young didn't know the whole story. Kim Young knew that they didn't kill themselves, but he didn't know who killed them, or that Mei witnessed everything.

*Jiao takes a seat infront of the stall Mei's in, and slides her pills underneath the door with a bottle of water.*

"You need to take two." Jiao says to me in a calm voice that reminds me of my mother. I nod my head, and open the pill bottle and take two. I know she can't see me, but I don't really want her to. Jiao hasn't seen me cry like this since I was 8 years old, and that was when I told her everything.
"I'll be in our room. Come out when you're ready." Jiao says again, and leaves the restroom.