Time doesn’t fly, but it does pass. Each day I go to school. Each evening I text Hae-in or FaceTime with him. I have even written a few physical letters. I am coping. He is coping, still this has been harder than I imagined it would be. So far Neighbor Song is doing well. There is a part of me that wonders if part of Hae-in going to Jeju and staying there isn’t a bit about running away. I still don’t know who he was engaged to. One thing I am sure of is that Neighbor Song won’t speak out of turn, ever. Yes, I want to ask her who that woman was. Why am I so afraid of asking Hae-in that question? Another worry hovers on my imaginary horizon. Hae-in hasn’t said a word about me meeting his parents. I have met them before, when I was like eight years old. Still, I would feel more secure if I had a concrete place and time to see his parents. It is probably just a guy thing. I spent time Jason’s parents way after he spent time with mine. This is stupid, and yet I can feel my insecurities growing. Texts and FaceTime can’t bridge the gap of actual time in each other’s presence. The distance is starting to scare me.
My phone buzzes. Its my mom. I pic up my phone. “Hi Mom.”
My mom says, “Hey Izzie.” Her tone is familiar. It is the one she uses when something has happened. A name pops in my head. No, please not that. My mom continues, “I just got off the phone with Ji An, Neighbor Song was admitted into emergency.”
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
My heart begins to thud in my chest. I manage to ask, “Is it bad?”
“It was sudden. She was in the garden hoeing when she just fell over unconscious.”
I bite my lip. “Has she regained consciousness?”
“No not yet.”
I feel the warmth of my tears sliding down my face.
My mom says, “All we can do is wait and not jump to conclusions.”
My brain has already landed on a conclusion. By the tone of my mother’s voice, I think she has landed there too.
*
It is after 10:00 p.m. I am propped in my bed reading. My brain keeps doing the time difference math thing. I have not heard from Hae-in and I am really worried.
My phone rings. It is Hae-in. Fear washes through me. I brace myself and answer, “Hello.”
“Hi!” There is joy in Hae-in’s voice. “Granny is conscious. Her speech and memory are good. She’s going to have to have a bunch of tests run.” His voice breaks, “But, she’s still here and she’s still herself.”
With tears in my voice I whisper, “I am so glad.” The bad thing didn’t happen this time and I am thankful, so very thankful! I ask, “How are you?”
“Better. She really scared me. My dad is on his way. I have to pick him up from the airport in a bit.” I can hear the relief in is voice. I am thankful his dad will be with him soon.