Fan Fiction |
by MetalAZNWarrior
Standing in a busy airport, Joey (Bernice Liu) holds her cell phone tightly in her hand. She looked at it and after debating, she decided to give Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) a call. To her dismay, the operator picked up and said that the number was no longer in service. "Before I left Hong Kong, I gave Chris a call, but his phone was busy and I could only leave a message. Two years later, I still can't reach him. Maybe we're not meant to be." Abruptly, she hears the announcement for her flight and rushes to the gate. "Whether or not we're destined, but ill-fated will be decided when I'm back in Hong Kong."
[Hong Kong, Park]
The sun shines over the sky as Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) does her morning exercises. She shakes her head thinking about her kids, who are all probably still in bed. As lazy and problematic as they can be, she loves them with all of her heart and wouldn't trade them for the world. Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) was now seven-months pregnant with twins, again, and Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) had to work harder to support his soon-to-be family of six. Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) had changed her profession to being a director at TVB studios. Nim Chi smiles thinking about how happy Ah Yat is now to be working on bigger things. She's no longer an insignificant extra and it is also nice that she's able to work everyday with Ah Hong (Johnny Tang). After much delay, Gam (Louis Yuen) and Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) finally married. Although Sa Sa (Kingdom Yuen) no longer lives with them after she married 11th brother (Lee Kwok Lun), she is often still hopping around at the house and at "Tung Mat Yuen." Indeed, the Kams' 8A apartment was more than crowded now. However, there was still a vacant room. Looking at her watch, Nim Chi decides that it's time to head back home.
[Family Apartment]
Upon exiting the elevator, Nim Chi could already hear the sounds that made her apartment building home. Dai Chuen (Johnny Ngan) and Kiu (Helen Ma) were bickering loudly once again in 8B. Even without opening the door to her apartment, Nim Chi could already imagine the hustle and quarrels of everyone trying to use a single bathroom. The bathroom problem had gotten so bad that it was divided into shifts of couples. She opens the door and enters.
She lights incense sticks for her husband and sister-in-law, who was really her husband's first wife. "Brother Wah, sister Bing, you guys can truly rest in peace now. Everyone in the family has someone now and although they may fight, we all live peacefully together." During her walk to her room, she couldn't help but notice that there was one room that didn't have noise coming from it. This room had belonged to three, or rather four, owners.
From the start, it was Ah Nin's, but after he moved to Shanghai, the room was left empty. Its second owner was Ah Sing (Hawick Lau). Ah Sing is Nim Chi's birth son, who she thought was dead. Actually, her mother had lied to her and given Ah Sing up for adoption because she didn't want her daughter's future to be ruined. Luckily, Nim Chi was able to meet up and reclaim him. Unfortunately, he left the family to marry an Island Princess, Fiona, and hadn't been home since. Ah San (Steven Ma) lived in the room during his down times after he lost his fortune. He's the son of family's savior. Like Ah Nin and Ah Sing, he left the room after getting his riches back and marrying Ah Lam (Linda Chung). Lastly, the room had been used as Foon Foon and Hei Hei's nursery. After Sa Sa moved out, their crib was moved into Nim Chi's room and the room was once again tenantless and served as a storage closet.
Nim Chi opens the door. The room felt cold and there was no longer the smell that said someone had lived there once.
["Tung Mat Yuen" Café]
The morning business was busy once again at "Tung Mat Yuen" as Ah Wong (Tony Lam) and Mr. and Mrs. Chuen catered the customers. For over 30 years, "Tung Mat Yuen" has been the neighborhood's favorite. Nim Chi sits at the cash register, feeling bored. Abruptly, someone covers her eyes and she hears the sound of a box being placed on the counter. "Who dares mess with me?!" she yells. She was about to give that person a beating when she sees that it is Ah Yuet.
"Ma Chi! We only wanted to suprise you. You don't have to be so excited!"
Nim Chi blushes. It had been a habit of hers ever since her police cadet days to be overly suspicious and cautious. In unison, Ah Yuet, Ah Lo, Ah Yat, Ah Hong, Gam, and Ying Gei all wish her a happy birthday. Nim Chi is startled. She had forgotten her own birthday!
"Mother-in-law, I hope you like the present. We all teamed up money and got it for you!" Ah Lo explains.
Nim Chi opens the present and discovers a gold statue. "We told them to make it from our family portrait that we took awhile ago. This way, you can always look at us and remember what a loving family you have!" Ah Yat says. Nim Chi feels the miniature replication of her family in her hands. There she was, in the middle with everyone crowding around her. But, it wasn't complete. Her eyes begin to well with tears and she starts to sob.
"Ma Chi, don't you like our present?" Ah Yuet is worried.
"I told you it was too small so she wouldn't like it!" Gam whispers to Ah Lo.
"Well, maybe if you gave more money we could have made a bigger one!" Ah Lo fights back.
"Hey, I'm busy with my plans with Ying Gei for 'making people' we can't afford that now!"
"Good luck with that. You've been trying for awhile now with no success. I bet that sister OK (Yvonne) won't get pregnant until my second set of twins are married!"
"Why, you...!"
"You guys be quiet! Don't you see Ma Chi's state?" Ah Yat scolds.
Nim Chi's voice is shaky. "It's not that I'm not happy with the present. I am," she pauses, "But it's not complete. Ah Sing and Ah Nin are not in this! How can my family be 'complete' when my two sons are missing?"
"But Ah San is there," Ying Gei says.
"Aiya, godsons cannot compare with birth and step sons!" Gam pinches her.
Tears stream down Nim Chi's face. "It's been so long since we've heard from the two of them. I'm worried. Something is wrong."
"If you want, we can go to Shanghai and beat up big brother for worrying you!" Ah Yat pats her mother. She stops and thinks. "But you're right. It has been so long since we've heard from them. Before, Ah Nin would call often. But, it's been months and he hasn't sent a letter, E-mail, or even gave us a quick call. As for big big brother..." Ah Yat is cut off when the phone rings. It is only a customer ordering a meal.
"Don't worry about it, Ma Chi," Ah Yuet gives her a hug. "How about this. We'll take you to Shanghai and the Islands to find Ah Nin and Ah Sing."
"That's right!" Ah Lo adds. She thinks to herself, "It would be a great time for a vacation as well."
Nim Chi wipes off her tears. No matter what, her family was always there to support and comfort her. She laughs, "I look so ugly now that my makeup has run from these tears! Aiya, how embarrassing for me to cause such a scene! I'll have to go up and wash my face."
"Ma Chi, don't say that, you're always the most beautiful mother in the world to us!" Ah Yat smiles and gives her a hug.
"Your beauty comes from the inside anyways..." Gam jokes.
"Oh no! It's 8:30 AM! Time to get to work otherwise we'll get a warning letter!"
Everyone runs off and Nim Chi watches, shaking her head and smiling. She looked at the statue sitting on the counter. Although she was calm, her soul was still empty and her heart was incomplete. "Ah Nin... Ah Sing... what happened to you two?"