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One day, Eunmi was at home and Mark was at his work. Hani, Wendy and Joshua were all in university and she had a normal housewife's life. She opened the mail and read aloud.
"Bills, bills, bills, check, bills... Hmm I wonder what this one is," She found a letter by someone anonymous and opened the envelope.
Dear Eunmi,
It's me, Henry. I know this is sudden, as we haven't spoken in so long, but I wanted to tell you something.
Eunmi's heart raced and she started to feel light headed. She continued to read the letter.
I wanted to tell you this but you had gone that day and I wasn't able to give you any details of Joshua's burial. I know it's long overdue, but my parents wanted to give you the information on where Joshua was buried in case you wanted to visit him. I hope you go see him, Eunmi. He hasn't seen you in so long. I hope you're doing well and happy. Please don't reply to me either. One day, let's all meet. My family and yours. Here's the address to his burial site.....
Sincerely,
Henry Hong
The feelings and emotions she was hiding in her all these years suddenly came rushing back to her. She couldn't keep it in anymore. She still had the wound from her first love and she knew no matter how much she tried, she would never be able to forget Joshua. Her tears were flowing much more. Probably because she was holding it all in. All of a sudden, she heard the front door open and her son, Joshua, walked in. "Mom! Surprise! I'm home!" He turned the corner to where he saw his mother. He ran to her when he noticed his mother on the floor, crying. Asking his mother what was wrong, she wouldn't answer as she was still in tears, holding her son in her arms.
It was then he saw the letter. He picked it up from the floor and read it. Confusion and shock was written across his face and he comforted his mother.
"Mom, I'm right here. I'm not dead." He said, but she just kept on crying. The memories of Joshua filling her mind, flooding her heart. When her son noticed she was still in tears, he just held her in his arms and comforted her.
After the tears had fallen and she was calm, Joshua took his mother out of the house and to a nearby park. They sat together on a bench and after a long, suffocating silence, he asked his mother what had happened and what the letter was about. She just can't not tell her son what really was going on. It was too late to lie and it'd only make matters worse. So Eunmi decided to explain every detail to her son.
After spilling her dark and sad past, she told her son that he was named after her first love. Her first love which can never be replaced. At the end of their conversation, he too cried. Feeling the pain of his mother, the pain she held on to since she was 18. They went home after and she showed Joshua something that no one knew she had: a jewelry box. But this box wasn't only just a box. It had a secret compartment that can only be opened by key. She took the jewelry box to her son, sitting on her bed, waiting. She turned to open her drawer and pulled out a small box. She took out the key and opened the jewelry box. Joshua watched his mother carefully. She lifted the top and pictures, handwritten letters, notes and jewelry were scattered in the box. She put her hands over the pictures and took a deep breath. Joshua watched slowly, admiring his mother and looking at her soft stare at the box. She lifted a picture and it was a younger, youthful, 18 year old Eunmi, with her arms wrapped around a boy, around the same age. In the picture, the boy stared at her with immense love and care. Eunmi smiled at the photo, one by one, her tears came out. It wasn't exasperated nor exaggerated tears but silent tears. Joshua took the photo and saw how young and beautiful his mother once was. Of course, he still thinks she's beautiful, but it was different. She was more... happier back then. He turned the photo around read the handwritten note.
To my beautiful angel,
Happy birthday Eunmi. I wish you many more birthdays and I hope I'm with you on every single one. And remember, I love you.
From Joshua H.
Joshua finished reading and looked at his mother. She looked endearingly at the pictures and smiled when her son read the message aloud. "Do you love dad?" Joshua suddenly asked. She looked at Joshua, smiled. "Of course, sweetie. I love your dad so much. He saved my life. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for your father loving me and caring for me so much. I love your father and I will always love him." Joshua was comforted by his mother's words. He took more pictures and it was his mother's high school graduation. The same boy, held his mother in his arms and they honestly looked like a beautiful couple. Joshua knew his mother and the boy loved each other so much. He was suddenly hit with the realization that the boy died young and his mother was left alone. He hugged his mother and felt safe in her arms.
"So, he was your first love?" Joshua whispered. Eunmi smiled. "Yes, and I thought that he'd be my last. But fate has a way of changing things. I was young then and I was so dumb. I've said and done so many things I regret and yet, I never regretted being with him. He showed me what real love was. He showed me real comfort and when he left I learned how to be independent and I knew I was lucky to have known an angel who cared for me so much." Joshua thought to himself and a question arose in his mind. "Why'd you name me after him? Does dad know?" Eunmi knew sooner or later, that she'd have to explain it but she didn't know how to. She hesitated before she said anything. "I named you after him because you reminded me of him. When you were a baby, I felt like I had to name you Joshua. The name suddenly came to me. And when I told your father, he said that it was a good and fitting name. As for telling him the story, I don't think I'll tell him yet. I, myself, wasn't prepared to tell you. But I'm thankful that you're understanding. I'm afraid your dad will hate me if I tell him." Eunmi said, putting her memories back in the jewelry box and locking it up. "No mom, he won't hate you. He's calm and understanding. You know, that's where I get my understanding part from." Joshua smiled, trying to comfort his mother. She chuckled and wiped her tears away.
"I hope so, angel. I hope so." She prayed in her heart that Mark would understand.
