The Falling Petals...🌺

Another-sleepless-night....

At 6:15 PM, we reached home. The door was open and I was the first person to enter, carrying my airbag on my shoulder. While entering the drawing room I saw Dae's mum. She seemed to be very worried - a mother whose child was fighting the most crucial battle of her life. Keeping my bag on the ground, I went to her and she hugged me like her own son.

I whispered in her ears, "Everything will be fine, absolutely fine."

"Yes. Now that you have come, she will be fine," she said patting my back with affection.

Meanwhile, I saw Mi-hee unnie and Ami unnie. I met them, answering their questions about my hassle-free journey. We sat on the sofas and chairs in the drawing room. A little later, her dad came in from the other room. I got up to bow to him and he, too, inquired if my journey had been fine.

We then sat discussing whatever had happened during the last two days. He was describing the probable conditions in which the accident had taken place. Amid our discussions, there were moments of long silences and deep breaths which we all were trying to break with our positive words.

I then saw Nari coming out of the kitchen with some water and tea on a tray. "Look at her face and the grief which has replaced her sweet smile," I thought to myself. She came and placed the cups on the table in front of us. She was about to leave without talking to me, when I said, "Hi, Nari."

"Hello. How are you?"

"I am fine. And how about you?"

"I am fine too," she said, picking up the used glasses and silently returning to the kitchen.

"She's terribly sad," Eomma said to me.

"I can understand."

We continued talking for a little while, after which everyone got busy with their respective tasks. I then saw little Daewon running out of the other room with his toys. He recognized me immediately and, coming to me, he asked, "You've come again?"

"Yes. I have come to see you, dear," I answered, taking him in my arms.

"What have you got for me?" I was expecting this question. "Well, I have chocolates for you sweetheart! But you will get them if you give me 10 kisses," I said, gently pressing his sweet cheeks.

He did not say anything, but started kissing me and counting, after which I handed him his chocolates. He was so happy that he rushed to his mother to show her.

"Never forget to get chocolates for Daewon," was Dae's sweet command for me. She kept reminding me of such sweet and caring tasks which had so much importance in her life.

We had our dinner at 9:00 that night, after which we were discussing who would be the two persons going to stay in the hospital for the night. Every male member in the family was willing to be there and I counted myself part of this family too.

"You might be tired after your journey. So better you rest here at home," Dad said to me.

"No, I'm fine. My journey was hardly 3 hours..."

I badly wanted to go to the hospital. I wanted to be as close as possible to her. But then, a little later, Dad finally decided that Dong-in and Hyungnim would go to the hospital and I should remain at home that night. Pil-woo had to go to his office to complete some work.

I was disappointed. I badly wanted to see her. But now, I had to spend another sleepless night without seeing her.

At 11:30 I was in bed, in Dae's room. Alone, I was looking here and there at the things in her room and trying to recollect what she used to tell me about them during our conversations. The computer on my right, her closet on the left and the store-room, attached to this room, full of books. The disappointment of not being able to make it to the hospital that night was reduced a little by the thought that I was going to spend that night in her room, on the bed where she used to sleep.

With all these thoughts in mind, I don't remember when I fell asleep. I must have slept for a few hours. The next time I woke up, there was a little noise coming out of the attached bathroom. The lights in the room had been switched off and there was a blanket covering me from shoulder to toe. I checked my cell to see the time. It was 5:00 AM. Somebody then switched on the light in the bathroom. I tried to figure out what that sound was. Soon, I realized that it was the tap water falling in the empty, giant tub in the bathroom.

"Ah! She used to tell me this," I thought with a little excitement. Dae used to tell me about this irritating thing in most of our "good morning" calls.

Completely awake now, I smiled, remembering her narration. How well she had described this moment, which was so painful for a person who wanted to sleep. And just like she had told me, her mother came out of the bathroom and turned the green night lamp on before leaving the room. I felt as if I had won some championship for knowing, in advance, what would happen. How well I knew my Dae, I thought. We were made for each other...

I covered my face with the blanket, trying to escape that greenish light and the sound of water falling in the tub.

"Jesus! How does she bear this every morning?" I wondered and went back to sleep.