Palace to Plunder (AMBW)

7 RH

"Take back what you said." Qi Tai spat, stepping in the doorway of our bedroom, blocking my exit. I had just put Joon to bed, and I honestly was too tired to be dealing with this man anymore tonight.

"Excuse me?"

"Take it back. What you said about going back to America." He stalked forward and close until our bodies were less than 3 inches away.

"Get out of my way, Levi." I hissed and tried to walk past him. He wrapped his arm around my torso, dragged me back and shoved me onto our bed. I huffed and let out an exhale before he climbed on top of me. "What are you doing!"

"You don't realize how much I'm doing for you and my son." He loosened his tie and leaned forward.

"Get off." I whined.

"Take back what you said." He repeated.

"Why should I?" I hiccuped through a sob. "Why should I be the one to take back what I said?" I rolled over to my side and pulled a pillow into my face, hiding my tears in the pillow case.

I felt him gazing at me as I cried. I just wanted him to understand how I'm feeling right now. I feel so, abandoned. I was in an entirely different country, one with different customs and ways to do things.

I didn't even know how to get around the city own my own yet, and the person I needed the most to help me was always too busy or working late. Only for him to excuse himself by saying that he was working so hard because of me.

"I want to go home." I mumbled into the pillow.

Qi Tai sighed, leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead before rolling over onto his side of the bed. We both stayed that way for the rest of the night.

~

I woke up alone in bed again. I had slept in really late, as a result of last nights tears and the stress my body was going through. I rubbed my swollen eyes and yawned.

I went ahead and did my morning routine, the usual. A shower, breakfast and then checked my phone for any messages. I'm glad I did. My phone was ringing, and it was an unknown number.

"Hello?" I answered, my voice still groggy from last nights crying.

"Joon Eomma?" I heard the daycare lady speak.

"Yes?"

"This is Somi. We need you to come and pick up Joon early today."

"What happened?" I bit my lip nervously.

"He got into an argument with one of the other students and he had a little accident."

"What kind of accident?"

"He peed on himself."

Oh god. I went into Joon's bedroom and grabbed a pair of clean clothes for him. "I'm on my way."

~

"Do you want to talk about it, aegi?" I sat Joon on my lap, and pushed his curly bangs out of his face. He remained silent, fiddling with his toy car. "You have to talk sweetie," I kissed his cheek and he looked up at me with a sad look. "What happened today?"

"I want Appa."

"You can't talk to me about it?" I frowned.

Joon looked down and scratched his face. I could tell he had been crying. I sighed and placed him on the bench beside me, before going through his bag. I pulled out his art book and a few crayons.

"Do you know what I do when I'm sad?"

Joon shook his head and bit his lip. I spread out the book on his lap and handed him a crayon.

"I take a picture that reflects how I'm feeling. You can make one." I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, and leaned closer to him. I pointed at the empty page, gesturing for him to express himself.

After about 15 minutes, he tapped my knee and showed me his drawing. It was 3 stick people, I assumed me, his dad and himself. Two of them had angry faces, and one of them a sad one. "Is that me and Appa?" I pointed and he nodded.

"Eomma," He whined, "Don't leave."

Poor thing. He must've been spooked about our argument. I can see why he had an accident. He probably thought I was going to leave him behind. "I won't, Joon." I sighed. "Mommy was just upset, I don't mean it."

Truth be told, I loved it here. It was just my husband who was driving me away.