Authors: Ong Xiong
They looked at
each other and grinned. There was so much honesty in Cherry, Sue couldn’t hate
the woman.
CHAPTER
53
“Love Child” was
the headline of one of the papers Jackie brought.
“…according to
sources, Khyba and Dr. Sue Thao had a brief affair in the summer of 2001 when
Dr. Thao came to South Korea as an international student. The affair ended when
Dr. Thao returned to the states. Dr. Thao terminated the pregnancy shortly
after learning…”
“…according to
sources, Sue Thao gave birth to a healthy baby boy before giving the child up
for adoption. Her family would not allow her to keep a child conceived out of
wedlock… She married several times in Hmong tradition… Sources reported that
the marriages didn’t work due to the disgrace involved…”
“…Khyba’s recent
knowledge of his fatherhood led to the couple’s matrimony…”
“How...?” Sue
asked, overwhelmed at the amount of articles on her and Jae. The articles
contained so little truth with so little information. She was shaking.
Shame.
Bastard
.
Seeing Sue’s
distress, Jae took the papers from her and embraced her.
“We don’t know,”
Jackie said. “Soo Young is looking into that, which is why I am here. Soo Young
wants you two in a press conference to clear this up. Johnson wants you to call
him. Sony Pictures is getting nervous.” To Sue, Jackie explained, “Soo Young is
Khyba
Hyung
’s publicist. Johnson is his agent.”
Jae nodded and
instructed Jackie to set up a conference call while he led Sue to her bedroom
for privacy. “I’m sorry to drag you into this. I will need to do the press
conference, but you don’t have to.”
“I can do it.”
“The press can
get nasty.”
“I can handle
it.”
“Suzy…”
“This is your
job. How can I be your wife if I don’t accept this part of it?”
“Does that mean…”
“Yes,” she said,
placing a hand over his heart.
He hugged her
tightly. “Are you sure?”
She nodded.
Things happened
quickly after that. The time and date for the press conference was set. Sue
made arrangements with her new boss to extend her leave. Cherry came to offer
Sue and Jae some support before returning to Japan. She also offered Sue some
advice to overcome her nervousness. Michael had already returned to New York
before the release of the articles and called to offer his support.
The day before
the conference, Jae told Sue about the legality of their marriage. She asked
him what he would have done if she said no. He shrugged and said, “Find another
way to convince you.” She left it at that.
On the day of the
press conference, Sue found herself anticipating it. Soo Young and Cherry had
prepared her and she felt she was ready. But, she was still nervous and she
paced around their hotel room, waiting for Jae to come get her. She came upon
the pile of files on the breakfast table and began straightening them.
She sat on the
bed with the files in her hands and nervously played with the folders, looking
at the clock. A knock sounded and she startled, dropping a folder to the floor.
While picking it up, she saw a piece of paper with her father’s name on it.
Curious, she read it.
“Suzy?” Jae asked
from the door. Seeing her, he went to her then stopped at the look she gave
him.
“When are you
going to tell me about this?” Sue asked, holding up the paper she just read.
“You bought me? No, correction, you sent your assistant to purchase me?”
Jae took the
paper from her and scanned it. It was the marriage contract drawn between him
and her father with the dowry price. “I didn’t purchase you. I married you.”
“Married? You
paid for my head. That’s called buying, not marrying!” She laughed without
humor. “If you knew what I was really worth, you could have bartered for me for
free. The price for my head started at nine-thousand and dropped to two, a discount
for getting knocked up!”
Jae ran a hand
through his hair in frustration. “It’s called a dowry. I did what was required
of me to obtain your hand in marriage.”
“You did what was
required to
own
me. My hand was mine to give and it’s free.”
“Don’t twist
things to fit your prejudice, Sue. I did what I had to; what else do you want
me to do?”
“Try trusting.
Better yet, try honesty. If you couldn’t tell me this, what else are you hiding
from me?”
“I’m not hiding
anything from you.”
“Then what do you
call this?” She snatched the paper back from him. “This is called dishonesty.”
“I was going to
tell you after all this is settle.”
“Why didn’t you
tell me yesterday? Or the day before? Why wait? It wasn’t going to change what
was done.”
A knock at the
door ended their discussion. Jackie arrived to inform them it was time to meet
the press. Everything went well. Sue answered questions with calm and
professionalism. When their relationship was questioned, they answered with
honesty. One piece of advice Cherry had given her was to be as honest as
possible. Stick to the truth and she wouldn’t have to keep track of her lies.
All the while she
smiled and defended her relationship with Jae, she was internally preparing
herself for the inevitable.
CHAPTER
54
“I made a huge
mistake before; I’ll not do it again!” Sue said angrily. The press conference
was over and they were back at her apartment.
“We’re back to
that? We make mistakes, we move on. We forgive. It’s part of living, Suzy. I’ve
already apologized. I’m here asking for a second chance—”
“And I gave it to
you! I trusted you! I trusted you so blindly,” she said through tears. “I
trusted you, and you couldn’t trust me enough to let me make my own decision?
Don’t touch me!” She released all the anger she had stored for him. “I’m not
some property you decided you wanted and purchased! What happens when you get
bored or see someone better?” She wiped her tears. “What happens when I do
something you don’t like? What then?” she shouted at him. “Rub it in my face
how much you paid to get me?” She cried and yelled and didn’t care that she
could hardly see through her fogged, tear-covered glasses. She was hurt. She
had been betrayed once more. “How could you?”
“Your father
requested. I complied,” Jae said. “Blimey, Suzy, don’t look at me like that.
Don’t…”
She moved away
from him.
He dropped his
hands in defeat. “I would have found a way to pick the stars for you, if that’s
what it’ll take to get you. As it is, I’m only human, Suzy. I’ve made a
mistake. I’m sorry.”
She didn’t
respond to him besides the shaking of her shoulders and her muffled cry.
“Damn it, Sue,
what do I have to do to prove to you I love you?”
“Leave, Jae. The
week is up and it’s time for you to leave.” She walked away from him. He
reached for her. “Don’t touch me!” she bellowed.
Jae grabbed her
arms and forced her to look at him. He had seen her angry before but this time
was different. She had hatred in her eyes. If he had one memory to erase
forever, it would be the look of those eyes at that moment. “Don’t do this,
love. We’ve wasted enough time.”
“Leave, Jae. Go
home.” She tried to free herself from him.
Jae clenched his
jaw and tightened his hands on her arms.
“Go back to your
life and let me try to live mine.”
After several
seconds, Jae said, “When you come to your senses, you know where to find me.”
He let go of her arms, turned and walked away with Tyson following.
Before leaving,
Jackie placed his card on her dinette. He opened his mouth to say something but
changed his mind and silently left.
Sue took off her
ring and hurled it at the door.
CHAPTER
55
Day one: Jae
left. She told him to leave and he did. Sue cried herself to sleep.
Day two: She
cried and slept.
Day three: Sue
started her new position. Her new colleagues gave her suspicious looks. One
offered congratulations. Luckily the Emergency Room kept her busy and there was
no time to socialize.
Day four: Day to
day work was getting easier.
Day five: “Go
home, Sue,” commanded her supervisor.
“I still have
rounds.”
“Go. You need
some rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“Go. That’s an
order.”
Sue reluctantly
went home. She showered and ate. She hadn’t had a proper meal since Jae left.
She hadn’t slept in her bed since Jae left. She entered her bedroom only to
dress and pack a day bag then slept on her couch. After twelve hours, she got
up and returned to work.
Day six: Still
working.
Day seven: Mai
text: Comin home. C u soon.
Mai text: Home.
Mai text: Where r
u? Still @ work?
Day eight: Mai
text: R u @ work? Need 2 talk 2 u.
Mai text: Hiding?
Me? Khyba?
Mai
text: Comin 2 c u.
Mai met her
sister at the hospital’s cafeteria. In appearance, Sue looked fine. She was
even smiling as she greeted her colleagues. If Mai didn’t know Sue, she would
have thought the woman in front of her was just fine.
Sue smiled and
hugged Mai. “What are you doing here?” Sue asked.
“Didn’t you get
my messages?”
“No, I’m sorry. I
haven’t checked my phone. What’s up?”
“Oh, not much.
Just curious to see how my big sis is, that’s all.”
“I’m good, how
about you? How’s school?”
“School’s fine.”
“I transferred
funds into your account. Use it wisely.”
“You know, you
don’t have to do that anymore.”
“Force of habit.
Mai, I’m fine. You don’t have to keep looking at me as if I’m going to break
down and cry. Really, I’m fine.”
“If you say so.
Gross, this coffee’s disgusting.” Mai grimaced at the taste of her coffee.
Sue smiled
half-heartedly.
“I’m heading to
Germany in the fall,” Mai said. “It’s not what you think.”
“And what am I
thinking?”
“I’m only seeking
what you sought, Sue. I’m graduating in May, and I want to travel.”
“Germany?”
“Yeah.”
“Gaotah and Jess
going with you?”
“No, just me.
Jess’s getting married and Gaotah’s heading to California. Look…” Mai sighed.
“Stop searching for four-leaf clovers and go after Khyba. What he did might
seem like betrayal to you but if you weren’t so prideful, you would see that
that man loves you.”
“And how would
you know what he did?” Sue asked.
“Mom and dad. As
soon as mom called and said to come home for your wedding, I knew something was
up. I talked to Teng and he told me what Khyba did. I can put one and two
together and get four, you know that. If you didn’t try so hard to ignore the
rest of the world and open your eyes and ears as well as you do at your job,
you would know.”
“Go home, Mai.
Just be careful what you’re searching for. You might not like what you find,”
Sue said, getting up.
“Always the
philosophical one. I’ll keep that in mind,” Mai said. There was no point trying
to reason with Sue. When she made a decision, it was final and nothing could
change it. To Mai, it was nothing more than stubbornness and lots of pride.
Only Sue could figure out what she needed to do. “Just take care, sis. Oh, and
just so you know, mom and dad are still planning your wedding… With the change
in plans, you should talk to them. Don’t you at least want to have a wedding of
your choice?” Sue was already leaving the table as Mai spoke.
Week three: Sue
spent the last week in the hospital, working. It was easy to stay busy, even
when work was slow. Sue found something to do. Her parents came to see her one
day but they didn’t say much. Sue asked her parents to wait with her wedding
plans until she was ready. To her surprise, her parents agreed.
Week four: Sue
finally left the hospital for a break. She was craving for papaya salad and the
best and closet place to get some was at the flea market on Minnehaha and Rice
Street.
“Where’s your
husband?” Sue heard a familiar voice, then again, after being in the hospital
for so long, almost any voice she heard sounded familiar. She ignored it,
thinking the question was meant for someone else. “Sue! Didn’t you hear me?”
Sue turned to the
person talking to her. “Angela… I’m sorry, I thought, never mind. What were you
saying?”
They had drifted
apart through the years since their return from South Korea. Sue saw Angela
during some family functions, but their conversations were the usual greetings,
nothing beyond that.
“Where’s your
husband?” Angela asked again, looking around for a glimpse of Khyba.
“Home.”
“Oh.” Angela’s
eyes stopped roaming and focused on Sue. “You look good. How are you?”
“Fine, and
yourself? I heard you had a daughter. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. We
are having a party next Saturday to welcome her. You and your husband should
come,” Angela said in Hmong. Then in Hmonglish, Angela continued, not waiting
for Sue to accept or deny the informal invitation. “You know, I met him once.”
“When?” Sue
asked. She was paying for her purchase and was not paying attention until now.
“That day your
father called. You know, when we were still in Seoul.”
“Did you talk to
him?”
Angela nodded.
“Only briefly, then you arrived with Tony and I left.”
Sue’s mind was
racing. “What did you say to him? How…how did you know he was Jae?”
“Jay? No, no, I
met Khyba, your husband, the man I saw on the news. I never met Jay.”
“Khyba? Did he
say his name was Khyba?”