Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
After Doug and Erin split up with the girl, he decided to walk her back to her destination but she declined “It’s not that far Doug. You have your mission to do.” She smiled with admiration “Tell Jessie I said hi.”
He nodded “Okay.” It took him a good 10 minutes to walk to the tiny food shop where he ordered the soybean milk to go. He looked around while waiting and caught eyes with the girl that he helped earlier. She was eating by herself but the minute she saw him, she got up and rushed over to him.
“Hi, hero!” She said brightly.
Doug smiled “Hi…and my name is Doug, not hero.”
“Oh…” The girl shrugged “It’s just a word if you think about it. Where’s your friend?”
“She had some business to do.” Doug pointed to a table as they sat down together “You live around here?” he was starting small talk.
“Yeah, I’m looking for a job.” The girl let out a sigh as she slouched down and placed her chin on the table.
Doug smiled at the girl, she was cute “What’s your name?”
Her head turned upwards but never leaving the table “Why should I tell you?”
His brows arched up “Okay…you don’t have to. I’ll just call you ‘Leng Mui’ (little girl).”
She sat upright with a smile “I’m just kidding. They call me Shelly, but my real name is Sheila.”
Doug nodded “Cute name for a cute little girl.” He patted her head adoringly.
Her smile faded “I’m not a little girl…just because I’m short and petite. I’m almost…” she counted the numbers with her finger and finally came up with it “25.”
He thought she was kidding as he nodded unconvincingly “Sure and I’m really 50 years old.”
Sheila smiled teasingly “Your pretty handsome for a 50 year old guy.”
“Thank you.” He nodded with a grin. The owner called out his order number as he got up and took the bag. Doug turned to Sheila with a curious look “Where are your parents?”
She rolled her eyes “You don’t believe I’m 25 do you?” he only smiled in return and she pulled out her wallet and showed him her driver’s license “Now do you believe me?” Surely enough, she was as old as she said she was.
Doug was a bit startled because he truly thought she was younger than she said “Sorry, I doubted you. Anyways, it’s not good for a girl to be roaming around alone. Why don’t you go home?”
“I told you, I’m looking for a job. My mom is always so paranoid about me meeting people. She didn’t even let me go to college…I’ve only had part time jobs in the past few years.” Sheila explained.
He nodded curiously “That’s strange…but anyways, I have to go now. I’ll see you later.” He waved to her hastily and rushed off, hoping that he’ll catch his bus. Unfortunately, he missed it by a few minutes. He glanced at his watch, the next bus would be there in an hour. What would he do in an hour?
“Miss your bus?” A voice asked.
He turned to see Sheila sitting on the pavement “You followed me?”
Sheila smiled “Um…no.”
Doug moved his eyes to her “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.”
Like a daisy, she popped up and took his hand “I thought you’d never ask.” She skipped along while Doug looked down at their entwined hands. He broke away making Sheila stop abruptly, she turned to him questioningly “What’s the matter?”
He shook his head “Nothing, I can walk on my own.”
Her grin appeared as she nodded “Oh…Mr. Doug is shy…I see.” She giggled when he blushed and tried unsuccessfully to cover it “I’m just teasing. Come on. I live in that apartment.” She reached for his hand and then suddenly dropped it “Oh, sorry…I didn’t mean to touch you.” Her eyes widened with fear.
Doug smiled “Okay…I get the point.”
Sheila laughed and began walking down the street until she came upon her apartment building. Her smile faded as she recognized the girl that helped her earlier, she was sitting on the steps of the stairs “Miss?” she began.
Erin looked up, she looked flustered but quickly straightened her face at the sight of people “I’m okay.” She got up and smiled at Doug “Mission accomplished?”
Doug was a bit concern for his fellow agent “Yeah…how about you? Did you find what you were looking for?”
She shook her head dazily “I chickened out.” She turned her attention to Sheila “Hi, I’m Erin…I guess we didn’t get a good introduction.”
“Sheila, but they call me Shelly.” The girl had a friendly smile.
Erin’s smile faded as she slowly stepped back “You're…Sheila…”
Doug instantly noticed something wrong as he took a hold of Erin’s arm to keep her from tripping over the stairs “Erin, are you okay?”
She twisted her arm out of his grasp and turned to the side “I’m okay…” she took a deep breath and turned to Sheila “Is your last name Kam?”
Sheila nodded looking confused “Yeah, how did you know?”
She could feel the blood draining from her face. The cold sweat overcoming her body and she was feeling weak. She leaned back against the wall and Doug was quick to pull her back up “Erin, what’s wrong? You look pale.”
“Let’s take her inside.” Sheila suggested as they walked up the stairs. When she got to the front of her door, she knocked on it lightly “Mommy…It’s me!” after a few moments, there was still no answer “Mommy??” her voice sounded scared. She banged on the door suddenly “Mommy!!! Open, it’s me…Shelly.” She turned to Doug looking like a scared puppy “Something’s wrong. She’s always home!” she was frantic by now pounding on the door.
Erin and Doug exchanged glances “Open it, Doug.”
He nodded as he pulled Sheila aside, the girl looked confused “You don’t have the key…” her voice faded when Doug pulled his leg back and gave the wooden door a kick, it instantly opened and appeared the feeble woman sprawled out on the ground, she was unconscious “Mommy!!” the girl raced over to pick up her mom with the help of Erin.
The woman was not responding to them “Call an ambulance.” Erin said to Doug as he nodded and did as she told.
The three of them rode in the ambulance van with the elder woman on a stretcher. She was still unconscious but at least breathing. Erin mind was racing, she wasn’t sure if it was the right time to tell Sheila that she was her sister and the lady that raised her had been lying all this time. Would she see her as an enemy? Her thoughts were disturbed when Doug nudged her “We’re here.”
She looked up startled and then got out of the van. They took her into the emergency room while the doctors tested and probed to see what was wrong with the old woman. When they walked into the waiting room, Sheila was the first one up “How is my mom?”
The doctors sighed sadly “I’m sorry, Miss. We tried, she had a heart attack. You might want to see her before…” he was even saddened to give the girl bad news “It will be a miracle if she lives past tonight.” He shook his head.
Sheila wiped the tears from her eyes harshly as she thundered into the room that the nurse had given her. Erin and Doug were close to her heels “Mommy…” she muttered over and over until her mother responded.
The elder woman looked even worse then when they found her unconscious. She smiled at her daughter with the most loving eyes that Erin has ever seen “Shelly…” it was a mere whisper “I’m sorry…” her smile faded and was replaced by a painful expression.
“Why?” Sheila smiled through her tears while gripping on her mom’s hand.
“I lied…” the woman took a few short breaths “I’m…not your…real mother.”
Sheila was in utter shock at first, but she shook her head “That’s not funny.”
“I know it’s cruel…but it’s the truth Shelly…” her breathing quickened “You were only a couple of months old…I was babysitting you for my neighbors.” Her eyes were distant as she finally told the story she’s kept for so long “There was a fire…No one lived…but I heard the policeman say, there was a little girl outside. I know you had a sister but I…” she paused to catch her breath “I was selfish…I was lonely…and looking at you only reminded me how much I wanted my own child. But when my husband died, I knew I would never get that wish…I’m so…sorry…”
Sheila continued to let the tears flow, her face wrinkling in pain while she held onto the woman’s hand. The same woman she’s called Mother for years, but have now come to realize that she was really an orphan “I’m not mad…” Sheila gulped back the tears “I don’t care if you’re not my blood mother, you raised me, you taught me right from wrong. You ARE my mother.”
Erin stood silently still while slow tears crept from her saddened eyes. She fixed her vision on one spot while she silently cried. Doug was saddened for the young girl but when he looked over at Erin, he noticed her crying. He didn’t know she was an emotional person, she actually appeared cool and almost cold at times to him. But there she was, crying for a complete stranger.
“Take care of yourself…” The dying woman’s last words before she closed her eyes and drifted away forever. The heart monitor came to a halt and the constant beep sound made it clear that she was not returning.
“Mommy?” Sheila’s voice whispered softly. She reached her arms around and hugged the woman lovingly while she sobbed.
Erin couldn’t take the pain as she rushed out of the room “Erin!” Doug called. He glanced back at Sheila and ran after Erin. He found her standing outside the hospital garden, covering her cries. He was never great at comforting people but his heart came out to her “Are you okay?” he placed a hand on her shoulder.
She nodded and took a few steps forward “Yeah…go back and see her.”
“Why are you so emotional over this? You act like that woman’s your mother or something?” Doug asked.
She laughed at the irony of the words “No…but she’s the mother of my sister.”
Doug furrowed his brows in confusion “I don’t get it….” Suddenly the old woman’s words sunk in and he realized she was the sister the policeman took away. Sheila was Erin’s younger sister! “Oh my God…” he whispered.
Erin turned around with a smile over her tear stained face “You’re quick.” She let out a sigh “I guess it’s fate that I would find her today, the day that the woman who raised her as her own daughter would pass away. But…how do I tell her?”
“You have to tell her, Erin!” he urged “You’ll regret it.”
She nodded “I know…but I’m just afraid…”
“That she won’t accept you?” Doug finished for her. Erin smiled in answer “Don’t worry, what’s the worse that can happen?”
“I guess you’re right.” Erin sighed “I have to face the music.” The two returned to the room and found the doctors and nurses trying pry Sheila away from her mother’s lifeless body. Erin was once again saddened by the scene as she gently pushed the nurse away “Let me try.” She reached her arm around Sheila and pulled her back with a bit more force “You have to let go some time…” she said wisely.
The girl looked up at her with a distant look “I can’t…where will I go? What can I do?”
Erin looked up at Doug with urging eyes “Her mother was nurturing in every way possible, not to mention over protective. I think she was afraid Shelly would find her real sister or someone would find out the truth.” It was only his guess but in truth it was exactly why the woman babied Sheila and would not let her do anything involving another city and people.
“Come live with me.” Erin said softly. Sheila looked up at her blankly “I’m serious…” she smiled.
“But…I…” Sheila wasn’t even sure why she couldn’t decline the girl’s generous offer. Something about her eyes were so familiar and warm. And the smile, it was welcoming. After a moment, she nodded “Okay.” Erin was shocked that she agreed so easily but she had never felt happier in her life.