| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
“Ge!” Mandy called out.
Ray jumps around to see her standing there. “What are you doing out here? You scared the world out of me!”
“I just opened the door. I thought you saw me since you just walked past me like seconds ago.”
“Of course I didn’t. Why would I be alarmed if I already saw you?”
“Why are you pacing back and forth? Did you drop something?”
“No. I’m just thinking.”
“Are you leaving Auntie in there alone just to pace in the hall?”
“No, Mom’s with Jess. They went grocery shopping together. In fact, all they’ve been doing is sticking together and ignoring me since Jess came back yesterday.”
Yes, Jessica came back yesterday, which is a day after Charmaine and Joey. She had decided to join Ray for Christmas after all. It had been a great surprise for them all.
“Sounds like someone’s jealous,” Mandy teased.
Ray stops pacing and turns to Mandy.
Mandy still has on a smile. “What?”
“I’m not jealous, okay?”
“You mean that’s not why you’re pacing out here?”
“Of course not. I’m just deciding whether to confront them today or wait until after Christmas.”
Mandy looks puzzled. “Confront who? About what?”
“You wouldn’t understand. Just leave me alone for a bit more.” Ray goes back to pacing and jiggling his key chain again.
Mandy suspects it might be what they’ve been anticipating so she steps forward. “Ge…”
Ray’s a bit surprised to hear Mandy’s serious tone, especially since she’d been doing nothing but tease him since Jessica came back. He stops pacing again and turns to give her his full attention. “What?”
Mandy clears her throat. “Do you happen to…uh…did you…”
“What?” Ray asked anxiously.
“Is this about…um…you know…”
Ray has on his confused look. “What?”
“Does this have anything to do with Tim?”
Ray studies her with his radar on before answering. “It depends on how much you know.”
“If I say you’re the last person to know, would you be mad at us?”
Ray points his key chain at her. “So you’re in on this too?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hide it from you but when Charm was talking to the guys and I heard her so I agreed to keep it quiet until they find another way to break it to you.”
“So Charm knows? This is just great! You weren’t kidding. I am really the last one to know.” Ray begins pacing again; his jiggling intensifies a bit more than the previous pattern.
“I…”
Ray stops and turns to Mandy. “Sis, don’t start crying or the neighbors will think I’m responsible for this.”
Mandy nods, not trusting her voice.
“I’m not mad at you, okay? I’m just trying to sort things out and how to ask the guys. I don’t want to get started on the wrong side. I just need to…”
“What are you two doing out in the hall?” Wallace’s voice asked from down the hall.
Ray turns to see Wallace and Cyndi walking together. Ray watches them until they’re right in front of him, still not knowing how to make light of the situation.
“Well?”
“Okay, everyone already knows, I don’t see a point in delaying the matter any further. In my apartment…ten minutes.”
Cyndi’s confused. “I guess I shouldn’t be around?”
“You’re definitely in. I’m going to call Yoyo and Nnadia up. They should be nearby and let’s pray that Mom and Jess aren’t back in time.” He turns to Mandy again. “Tell Charm to meet us in my apartment.”
Mandy nods and makes her way back inside.
Wallace and Cyndi follow Ray inside instead of proceeding to Wallace’s apartment. They wait patiently in the living room while Ray makes the call to Yoyo and Nnadia. Although Ray looks fierce, but he still remembers to maintain his courtesy, bringing out some sodas for them.
“I don’t think we should be messing with alcohol right now since I need everyone’s head clear for possibly half an hour,” Ray said.
“What’s wrong?” Wallace asked.
Ray tosses the soda to Wallace. “You’ll find out in a bit.”
“Thanks a lot!”
Ray has on his innocent look. “What? You caught it.”
Ray sits down at the loveseat before handing Cyndi her drink.
“Yea. I will also face the consequences after I open it too.”
“Correction, you’ll be facing the consequences in a few minutes.”
Cyndi turns to Wallace. “You want to switch with me?”
Ray eyes Wallace suspiciously as if trying to say something along the line of “Dare to switch?”
Wallace looks at Cyndi. “No, I’m fine.” Then he turns to Ray again. “What’s with that look? Like I’m that low and switch.”
“Good that you’re not that low yet.”
“Are you getting back at me?”
“What?”
“I was irritated with you awhile back so now you’re…”
Ray points at Wallace. “I have a very good reason to, not like you.”
“What?”
The door opens at that time so Ray doesn’t get a chance to shoot back his words of attack. They all look up to see it’s only Charmaine and Mandy.
“What’s the big deal here?” Charmaine asked, walking in. “Don’t tell me you want to gather today instead of tomorrow. But that’ll be fine too since you would want to have a cozy family dinner without outsiders, right?”
“Wipe that smile off and take a seat, Miss Sheh,” Ray snapped. “You’re as guilty as the rest of them.”
Charmaine has on a serious expression again. “What’s wrong?”
“You’ll know in a bit. We’re waiting for Yoyo and Nnadia.”
Charmaine turns around to look at Mandy but Mandy doesn’t say anything. She just pulls up a chair and settles down, not wanting to upset Ray any further. Charmaine turns her attention to Wallace and Cyndi – who are not any better off than Mandy, so she finally pulls up a chair herself and settles into it as well. They stay silence for about 5 minutes – mostly out of fear that Ray might snap at them if they do anything. However, Wallace’s the only one brave enough to be tapping on his soda can and looking up towards the ceiling.
“Stop tapping already!” Ray exclaimed out, annoyed.
Wallace turns to Ray. “I’m bored. What if Yoyo’s stuck in traffic?”
“Too bad,” Ray said passively.
As if to dismiss Wallace’s hypothesis, the door opens at that time. They all turn around to look – glad for something to do. Ray stands up abruptly from his seat and walks towards the door.
“What’s he doing here?” Ray demanded. “Aren’t we talking about him?” He turns to Yoyo. “Didn’t I tell you?”
“Ray, calm down,” Yoyo said. “He wants to be here. We might as well get things over with, right?”
Ray knows that Yoyo’s right so he turns back to the others instead. “All right, waiting time’s up. Let’s get started and over with before Mom catches us. And close the door behind you, Gallen.”
Wallace snaps his attention towards Charmaine and Mandy upon hearing Ray calling Gallen by his real name instead of “Tim”. Charmaine shrugs her shoulders at Wallace and turns to look at Mandy also. Mandy shakes her head, indicating it wasn’t her who spilled the beans.
Ray sees their gestures. “Stop bullying my sister. It was Yoyo.”
The other three join them at that time by the coffee table. Yoyo’s the only brave one daring to sit next to Ray at the loveseat while Nnadia pulls up a chair to sit next to Charmaine. Gallen ends up sitting next to Wallace on the sofa. Wallace had signaled for Cyndi to edge a little over to make room for Gallen seconds before. After they’re all settled in, they turn to look at Ray.
“Okay, it’s not that I want to get mad at you guys, but because since every one of us already know, there’s no point in hiding it. I was thinking about it earlier. I know I won’t rest or enjoy Christmas until I get it out so let’s do it today and get it over with, okay?”
The others turn to look at each other and then back at Ray again.
“Silence agreement then.” He turns to Gallen. “Honestly, I never thought it was you.”
“Uh…” Gallen managed.
“Not because I trust you too much either. I always thought it was Jacky.”
“Uh…”
“That was the reason why I’m more suspicious of you and taking it the wrong way. That was why I ask Yoyo to help me.”
Cyndi’s the only confused one in the room. She keeps looking from one to the other for an explanation, but doesn’t dare to ask.
“In fact, I’m all right with it,” Ray continued. “But I just want to know when each of you knew.”
“Several weeks back,” Mandy muttered out softly.
“Sometime before Mandy,” Charmaine confessed.
“Couple days ago because I saw him and Uncle talking,” Yoyo said. “He gave me his card and told me a bit more after that.”
Ray turns to Wallace since he’s the only one who didn’t say anything yet, which Ray would’ve expected him to go first.
“Six months ago,” Wallace said finally. “But only after the mess in the hospital. I meant the night Jan was brought in, not later. Jacky took me aside and told me.”
“That means he knew before you.”
“Of course he knew before me. He read all our files before coming here after all, right? That was why he knew that Gallen was tagging him half of the time at first.”
Ray turns to Gallen. “Care to add anything in?”
“The only thing I did right in this is finally exposing myself?” Gallen said.
“Don’t tell me you knew Yoyo was tagging you.”
“If she knew better, she wouldn’t tag me in her car. Do I look that dumb and cowardly that you guys have no faith in me?”
“So it wasn’t my luck or cleverness?” Yoyo asked, sounding slightly disappointed.
“You are clever that you can pick up on the clues. But I must say it has to do with my guilty conscience too. Maybe I’m getting too involved with my clients and going past the line. I will tell Mr. Cho tomorrow and request to leave so maybe that way, we could still be friends one day.”
“Knock it off with the cheesy talk already, man,” Ray said. “Why should I chase you away? So old Daddy could pin another mysterious dude on me? Come on now. It was driving me crazy already with figuring out who you are. Now I have to start all over again?”
“But…”
“Forget it. I just want to know the truth. If you think of it more carefully, it’s not so bad having someone I know around, right? Besides, no revenge is better than letting my friend cashing in on my father’s money!”
Ray’s sudden excitement tone causes everyone in the room to be surprised. They look at each other once before turning back to Ray. Only Yoyo and Nnadia are the ones not looking confused like the rest.
“Ray, you’re scaring them,” Nnadia said. “Quit it already. It’s not April’s Fool. Let’s get something to eat. We’re starving.”
As if to prove to the others of her hunger, she gets up from her chair and heads towards the fridge.
“Get me a soda,” Yoyo said.
“Coming right up,” Nnadia said.
Yoyo turns to the others again. “You guys can breathe now. Ray is just kidding. I can’t believe you guys know him for so long and still can’t pick up on his style.”
“They don’t know him like you and me.”
“True.”
Wallace points at Ray. “You’ve been putting us on for the last fifteen minutes?”
Ray smiles. “What do you guys think? I was the last one to know. That serves you guys right.” Ray gets up after that and heads into the kitchen also.
Yoyo leans forward in her seat. “You guys can move around now. Ray’s all right. If he could forgive his own father, what is this? It’s just a small matter.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll just head over there to change before coming back here,” Wallace said, tugging on Cyndi’s arm as he stands up.
Cyndi finally gets up from her seat and follows Wallace to the door. “Could you please tell me what’s really going on?”
“That means I’m not the last one to know?” Ray asked upon hearing that.
“Most of the guys know, not all the girls know,” Wallace yelled back to Ray.
“Great to know then.”
“I’ll give you the best Christmas gift ever for scaring my girl like that!”
“Or do you mean yourself?”
“We’ll see.”
Nnadia and Ray walk back into the living room after that. This time, Ray sits next to Gallen while Nnadia sits next to him. Ray hands Gallen a soda before biting into an apple he just washed.
“Stop sitting around being so stunned, man,” Ray said. “Come off it already. You guys think that I couldn’t handle it? You guys under-estimate me too much.”
“You scared the world out of us with that serious attitude,” Charmaine admitted.
“Like I said, serves you guys right.” He sees Mandy’s expression. “Sorry, sis.”
Mandy smiles weakly. “As long as you’re all right, I’m fine.”
Charmaine puts a hand on Mandy’s shoulder to comfort her before turning to Ray again. “You say that we’re bullying your sister, but you’re the one always scaring her.”
“Can’t I just have some fun?” Ray asked. “She has been teasing me since yesterday.”
“She was just kidding. You’re being mean.”
“All’s fair in jokes and pranks.”
Before Charmaine could return his attack, they hear the door opening again. They all turn around to see Ms. Bak and Jessica at the door. Ray jumps up from his seat at that time and helps his mother with the grocery bags. Yoyo and Nnadia get up also. Charmaine turns to look at Mandy, trying to see if she’s all right. She sends Charmaine another weak smile before standing up also. They make their way to the door and help carry the grocery to the kitchen. They end up sorting out groceries and talking about other things. Ray comes back to the living room a minute later and tries to strike up a conversation with Gallen – who’s still unsure whether Ray’s serious about forgetting the whole matter.
*****
“You scared the world out of me the other night by calling in the middle of the night and now you’re acting like nothing’s wrong,” Jacky said. “I can’t believe you would prank your brother like that. I should’ve listened to others and take it more lightly.”
Maggie smiles. “I know you always care for me so I had to try. Besides, it’s Christmas, I don’t want to spend it alone.”
“Like I want to.”
“Ge, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“How come you didn’t take Jan jie along as well?”
“You know she’s not really my girlfriend. Why should she come along?”
“I know you like her.”
“Enough with me, how about you?”
“What?”
“Found any potential candidates yet?”
“You know I can’t get marry until you do.”
“Why are we even following tradition anyway? There’s no one left but us. Besides, you’re a girl. If you have wrinkles, you can’t get married.”
Maggie hits him on the shoulder. “Ge! You’re so mean!”
“I’m mean? I’m just urging you to get marry here.”
“I don’t want to. I’m only 22.”
“Before you know it, you’ll be 30. And then you’ll be come crying to me.”
Maggie hits him on the shoulder again.
“Eh…if you hit me anymore, this stuff is going to end up on the floor. We won’t have any dinner left to eat.”
“We can always order out.”
“You’re just too much, sis. Talking about that, take some cooking classes. You wouldn’t want to poison your future husband later.”
“Ge!”
“Hand me that plate, will you?”
Maggie does as told before resuming the conversation.
“Seriously though, I thought about it on the way here,” Jacky said.
“What?” Maggie asked.
“Let me finish, will you?”
Maggie nods.
“How about moving in with me?”
Maggie wrinkles her face. “What?”
“I’m serious. What’s the point of living here when you have to face them all the time? What’s with them and leeching off you? Just because you’re the most famous among our family doesn’t mean they could do that to you.”
“They’re not that bad.”
“You’re just too soft. If I wasn’t related to them and if I didn’t promise Mom and Dad before they left, I would’ve arrested those people myself. One of these days, they’re going to ask you to serve their sentence for them. You just wait and see.”
“Ge, why are you being so harsh on them?”
“I’m harsh? They’re the ones who sold their son to…”
Jacky could see Maggie’s head turning towards the floor so he stops. “Sis, it wasn’t your fault, okay? You didn’t know.”
Maggie nods.
“Anyway, that’s not the point. Think about it. Would you rather spend weekends alone at this empty house or come back with me?”
“Our parents left this place for us after all. Don’t you think it’s unreasonable to just drop everything and leave?”
“The land isn’t what matters, sis. They want us to always get along no matter what. It’s their last wish.”
“Still…”
“I’m not going to force you if you don’t want to, but I wouldn’t have to worry as much anymore. Promise me you’ll think it over?”
Maggie could see how concerned her brother looks so she nods.
Jacky smiles at last before turning back to tend to the stove.
*****
It is Ricky’s turn again to take watch and he silently prays that it will be over soon. The longer they have to tend to her, the more eager they become. It’s a miracle how they could get Jan’s mom out of the house for that long.
“You don’t have to take turns watching me,” Jan said weakly. “I’m all right. I just need to rest a bit more.”
“Jacky and the others are already gone,” Ricky said. “How long are you going to keep this up?”
Jan coughs at that time. “I’m not keeping it up. I just think that I’ll get better soon. After all, it has been more than a week now.”
“I don’t know how Jessica could’ve covered up for you for so long. If it were me, I would’ve already blurted it out.”
Jan attempts to smile. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t tell you?”
“Does Huxley know?”
“What does it have anything to do with him?”
“That’s a yes, right?”
Jan nods. “But it’s not important. Everyone in the shop knew I was sick but I told them it’s cold.”
“Some cold this is turning out to be. This has got to be the worst Christmas, huh?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I meant for you.”
Jan smiles. “It’s not that bad. Somehow, I’m glad I’m sick.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Because I know that I have the best cousins ever in this world.”
“That’s silly.”
Kenneth walks into the room at that time with a glass of water and a medicine bottle in his hands. “Last round of the night and then you can turn in.”
Jan smiles. “Yes, Doctor.”
“You want to go home first?” Kenneth asked Ricky.
“Are you kidding me?” Ricky asked back. “I’m stationing myself here throughout the night.”
“Don’t say that,” Jan said. “It’ll make me feel even worse.”
Ricky turns back to Jan. “We’re the world’s best cousins, right?”
Jan smiles before taking the water and pills from Kenneth.
“The only thing is hope that your coughing fit will die down by tomorrow or Auntie’s going to be really suspicious. She could only stay at our house for so long, you know.”
“Maybe we can ask our parents to think up of something else to distract her,” Kenneth said.
“Auntie’s not dumb. We already tried numerous ways to get her out of the house these past two days. She’ll definitely catch on if we keep luring her away from here.”
Kenneth smiles. “I know a way she’ll definitely buy it.”
“What?”
“Huxley.”
“Come again.”
Jan hands the emptied glass back to Kenneth before tuning in to the guys’ plan also.
“Tell her that we think Huxley’s suitable for Jan so we should lure Auntie to their house for tomorrow,” Kenneth continued. “Jan should be better by tomorrow night and ready for Christmas dinner.”
“That’s a tricky one,” Ricky said. “What if Huxley thinks of it as real?”
“Who in the world would tell him? Just give Auntie some ideas and suggest that she test him while she’s over there to visit tomorrow morning.”
“Okay. Might as well. Whatever time we can stall.”
“It might not be a good idea though,” Jan said. “I don’t want Mom to misunderstand or pursue it further later. I…”
“I’ll go with Auntie to make sure she doesn’t blurt it out by accident, okay?” Kenneth said.
“But…”
Ricky turns to Jan. “I know you only have your heart for Jacky so no need to worry. We’ll make sure Huxley doesn’t even have a chance.”
“Talking about that, don’t give Jacky the wrong idea either.”
Kenneth and Ricky turn to her at the same time.
“I…”
“Is that why you’ve been acting cold towards him?” Ricky asked. “I meant I thought that you were just avoiding him because you don’t want him to know that you’re sick. And you don’t want him to worry either.”
“That’s part of it.”
Ricky wrinkles his face. “Huh?”
“Don’t tell me you’re backing out because you’re no longer 100% healthy,” Kenneth said.
Ricky turns to Kenneth. “What?”
Kenneth turns to Ricky. “She doesn’t want to burden Jacky.”
Ricky turns back to Jan. “That’s ridiculous!”
“I don’t want to remind him anymore similarities between me and Benny,” Jan said.
“You’re not going to die.”
“Ricky!” Kenneth shouted out.
“It’s the truth!”
“Whatever it is, it will remind him of what happened before,” Jan continued. “He will feel responsible for it even if it wasn’t his fault and that he was nowhere near me when it happened. He will feel that he jinxed me, do you guys know?”
Kenneth and Ricky could see Jan’s face getting a little paler so they nod, not wanting Jan to exert herself anymore – or using her leftover energy to explain it to them.
“But I feel like he’ll get over it one day,” Kenneth said. “I mean he will move on from that past and want to start over. He will want a future with you in it.”
“I don’t want to take that risk,” Jan said.
“He won’t give up, you know,” Ricky said. “Even if I only know him for a short time, but I know he’s the type to never give up unless he gets an answer. He asked me earlier about you.”
“What about?”
“Because I didn’t want him to associate you to Benny so I told him that you’re not really a Chan.”
“What?! You’re crazy!”
Jan ends up coughing again so Kenneth ends up running outside to get more water for her while Ricky tries to calm her down. When Kenneth comes back with another glass of water – including a whole bottle for backup, he could see that Jan’s lying on her bed again. She’s not coughing anymore but her face still looks red from the coughing fit. He places the water bottle on the table next to her bed before sitting down at the empty chair next to Ricky’s. Jan sits up again and takes the glass from him. She drinks a bit and gives it back to him before propping a pillow up to lean against it. She then turns to Ricky for him to explain. Ricky could see that both Kenneth and Jan are eyeing him so he has no choice but to tell them the story he told Jacky. When he’s finished, Jan couldn’t peel her eyes from his face while Kenneth lets out a gentle cough.
“That’s just clever but so twisted at the same time,” Kenneth said. “If Auntie finds out, you’re dead meat. And shame on you for making Uncle Joe look bad.”
“No one knows, okay?” Ricky said. “Besides, I didn’t lie about both aunties being twins, right?”
“They’re the ones who aren’t Chans. If we weren’t there when it happened, I swear I would’ve believed you too.”
Ricky smiles. “I know, I’m a great actor.”
“And a very low one too, putting Uncle Joe on the line and not to mention…”
“Let’s forget it, okay?” Jan said. “I’ll straighten it out with Jacky later.”
“You better wait for tomorrow though if you want to do anything like that,” Ricky reminded her. “It’s late.”
“Talking about that, let’s get out so Jan could sleep,” Kenneth said.
Both Kenneth and Ricky get up at the same time. They pull their chair back against the wall so if Jan gets up at night and leaves the room, she wouldn’t trip over it by accident.
“You want the light on or off?”
“You know she wants it off,” Ricky jumped in before Jan could respond.
“Thanks, guys,” Jan said.
“We’re not your cousins for nothing.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, kiddo.”
Kenneth lets Ricky go first before turning back to Jan with a smile. She returns the smile before he switches the light off. He then closes the door but keeps it ajar so he could hear her from across the hall. He has decided to sleep at one of the guest rooms while Ricky stations himself in the living room – in case Jan’s mom comes back later and discovers them. He would be able to alert them if that should happen.
*****
Jacky turns over to his left side again, adjusting his pillow a bit. He feels hopeless that he still attempts to sleep. It’s not that near morning that he should fear about lack of time, but he just can’t seem to stop his mind from spinning. He knows that he’s glad to be back home and spending some times with Maggie, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Jan’s strange behaviors the days he spent there. Is she just messing with him? Or is there something else? Then his mind returns to what Ricky told him. How could that be? How come Jan never told him anything like that? But then again, who would want to share such sensitive stories? He turns to his right again to see the clock reading – 2:00 A.M. He closes his eyes again, forcing himself to go to sleep. He knows he needs to focus and give Maggie the best possible Christmas to his abilities. She’s his only sister after all. He should carry it out if he really means it.
He has no idea that somewhere in the darkness of the night, someone is also thinking of him and is unable to sleep – not just because of a severe flu that is thrashing at her lifeline.
© Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
Re-posted: Friday, October 16th, 2009