Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
After the lobster legs were devoured, Chuck walked Erin to the restroom to clean her hands. They returned to the room “If your bored, you don’t have to stay with me.” She knew it was not his part to take care of her “I’m okay by myself. The doctor said I could go home tomorrow.”
“I’m not bored.” Chuck replied “But I think you need to take a walk.”
“That sounds good.” Erin grinned, “Actually, I’ve been waiting for someone to offer. I thought it wasn’t right to ask. Are we going to walk around the hospital?” she felt a cartigan sweater wrapping around her shoulders.
“No, I want to go somewhere a little further.” Chuck said mysteriously.
Erin laughed “But you can’t tell me?”
“You’ll know when you get there.” He took her arm and began leading her out of the hospital. They drove together to a memorial park just outside the skirts of Kowloon. The drive was silent but not awkward. She wondered where he was taking her but she also enjoyed just being out of the hospital.
He pulled into the parking lot of the Yeung Memorial grounds and placed his car in one of the stalls. Chuck got out and opened the door for Erin to exit. He was careful with her head as he pushed her gently towards the steps “Where are we?” she asked finally.
“You’ll know.” He paused her when they reached the endless stairwell “Watch your steps.” He moved his head back and forth to make sure she was hitting the steps.
When they reached to top, he was out of breath while Erin took in a lung full of air “Are we on a mountain?”
“Yes.” Chuck replied shortly as he took her along the path that led to two large rounded head stones in a shape of an igloo. He paused her in front of the stones “Ga Jei, Jei Fu…I brought Erin to see you. I know what you’re thinking…it’s about time!” he let out a short chuckle as he thought about his sister’s response would be just that if she were alive “I will take Shelly here when she’s ready. But I know Erin has been waiting for this day her whole life.” Her smile had faded when Chuck began speaking. Cold shivers ran down her spine as she listened to him talk to his sister “I’m sorry it took so long to find her. Your daughter is a tough little cookie and she has no problem holding up her own grounds. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, you should be proud.”
Erin cover her shivering lips as she choked back the tears “This is not funny, Chuck.”
“It’s Uncle Chuck.” He replied, his eyes were red too as he finally let the secret out. It has only been one month but it felt more like 10 years.
Her smile showed through her tearful face “I…I have an uncle?” she asked unsurely. Some part of her still thought it was a cruel joke, but the other half was shocked beyond words.
“The last time I checked, your mother was my sister.” He cracked “I recently found out but every time I wanted to tell you, something came up and I had to schedule it for another day. I was afraid you would not accept this truth…”
“Accept it?” Erin asked with a laugh “I have an uncle!!! I have family!!” She bursted into tears when she felt him reach out to hug her. She cried with glee “Uncle Chuck.” The words were foreign to her but yet they flowed.
Chuck was smiling as he released her and turned to his sister and brother in law’s graves “I was worried for no reason. She’s accepted me, Ga Jei. You can rest in peace now.”
“Can you take me closer to their grave?” Erin requested.
“Of course!” He took her arms and supported her over the brick step and over to her parent’s graves.
Erin knelt down on the cemented ground as she gave them three respectable bows “Mom, dad…Sorry, it took me so long to come see you. Thank you for watching over me all these years. Without your blessings, I wouldn’t have been able to find Shelly and now… Uncle Chuck. For years I blamed my unfortunate life on you both for leaving me behind. I’m sorry. Perhaps you had plans for me that I did not see. Obviously patience was not a virtue I got from either of you. But don’t worry about me. I’ve found my own family at the P.R.A.”
Chuck joined her on the ground “Ga Jei, don’t worry, I’ll watch out for Erin. She’s a great agent. I can’t believe that I’ve been searching over 20 years and when I had given up hope, I eventually found her.”
Erin smiled as she turned to her left where Chuck was “Can you tell me more about my mom?”
“Of course.” He made himself comfortable on his bottom against the cold ground “She was a very happy person. Always smiling and joking with others. She was a wonderful host during parties. I hated it because she would always make me wear these God awful looking suits in sky blue or lavender. But I was only 15 then. Our parents died early and we use to dig the trash cans to get food. That is until she met your father, he was a filthy rich man who dealt with jewelry back in the 1970’s. But after the fire that took their lives, it was split up amongst the shareholders. They decided to sell the company after the Yeungs’ 30 year old business. I was very disappointed for him but I was considered an outsider, plus I didn’t care about money. I traveled the world with the money I made being a waiter. Ga Jei use to thrust crap load of bills into my hands every time I returned but I would just save it in this tin box under my bed until it over flowed. Then I had to go to the bank.” A distant look in his eyes as he recalled the fond memories he shared. Erin was intrigued as she titled her head and a content smile on her face “I never understood why your parents wanted to make a will. I use to try to discourage her but she was so persistent.”
“How about the Keungs?” Erin asked curiously “Where did they come in the picture?”
“They were the other owners of the jewelry company. Your father and TK’s father was best friends for decades. Nothing could split them apart. It was Mr. Keung that talked your father into doing the will.”
“Do you think the fire was an arson?” Erin wondered out loud.
Chuck nodded “That’s what I thought at the beginning, but who ever did it left no clue behind. I thought it might be TK, but he was only 10 years old…it was impossible for a young kid to start a fire.”
“What did the will say? Ted told me it was the reason why TK had to kidnap Shelly to get me to marry him.” She had too many questions and it felt wonderful for them to be finally answered.
“I was present when the will was signed by both families. I was actually too young to be a witness but your parents were insistent that I sign. You can thank Darren for his great snooping work. He found the lawyer that did the will, he even managed to take the files from his very hands. It read that if TK does not marry one of the two daughters by the time you turned 35, he would not get a single dime in the inheritance. Instead, the money will automatically go to you and Shelly.”
“But he still doesn’t get his share?” Erin wasn’t sure why the will was written that way. But she was certain something fishy was lurking behind the will.
“No. He gets zip if he does not marry one of you two girls.” Chuck explained “Why do you think he was so frantic to find you both? He wants the money and that’s his only target. He’d kill you when his plan is accomplished.”
Erin had no doubt that it would be to that conclusion “Why would his parents not give him the shares?”
“I don’t know.” Chuck shook his head blankly “I wished I was more observant back then. I use to hate it when Ga Jei would pressure me to go over to the Keung’s house. I vaguely remember TK, I know he didn’t like our family very much. He use to ignore me but he would be so nice to you. He would earn a praise from his father and mother. I think he knew how to get their attention. But I sensed that his father was not very fond of him for some strange reason.”
“Did they have any other friends?”
“Not that I know of.” Chuck turned to her oddly “Did you think of something?”
“I’m not sure. But I have an instinct that everything is not as simple as black and white. The colors are missing.” Erin frowned.
He looked up at the gray clouds “Talking about colors. We should go back. It looks like it's going to rain.” He quickly helped her up. When they got to the steps, he paused her “How about a piggy back ride?”
Erin laughed, “I don’t want to die like this.”
“Hey, I may be a bit round but I still have the strength to carry my niece down a few measly steps.” He said with offense.
“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Erin felt Chuck lunge down in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he began taking her slowly down the steps. A smile plastered on her face the whole ride down. When they got to the bottom, she hopped off onto the ground and at the same time she could hear Chuck wheezing “Do I have to carry you now?” she teased.
He shook his head “I’ll be fine.” He voice was so hoarse that it made her stifle a laugh “This is funny?” this time his voice cracked and it only made her laugh out loud “I’m glad you find my pain and suffering amusing!” he touched his throat “Great, now I’ve lost my voice.”
“Becca should be happy.” Erin laughed at the picture of Chuck’s expression in her mind.
***********
They returned to the hospital to find Erin’s next shift, Darren. He sat in the room reading a newspaper. He didn’t bother looking up at them “Hey.” He muttered.
Erin turned her head up to Chuck “Why couldn’t you send Dopey? I don’t want Grumpy with me.” Erin teased.
Darren folded the newspaper calmly as he sighed and turned up to them “You’d be Grumpy too if you had to wait here for two hours while nurses run in and out in a panic and screaming for God's mercy because they lost a patient.”
Erin covered her mouth while Chuck looked guilty “I guess we did forget about the time.”
“Oops.” Darren commented sarcastically.
“Sorry.” Erin apologized “Uncle Chuck took me to see my mom and dad’s grave, we got carried away.”
Darren’s face brightened as he stood up “Uncle? You told her!” he was happy for them “I told you she’d be happy!” he patted Chuck on the back roughly as he bounced forward a litle.
“I have you to thank.” Erin smiled as her head leaned towards Darren’s voice “I really owe you big time.”
“Don’t mention it. I’d do it for anyone.” Darren replied humbly but he was beaming at the compliment.
She laughed, “This is coming from the guy that use to threaten to kill me.”
“Hey, I never did! I simply implied that I would torture you to death if you didn’t do what I asked. I mean is it THAT bad?” he rolled his eyes.
Erin smiled “Why don’t you ask my Uncle?”
Chuck crossed his arms “Don’t be picking on my niece when I’m not around.” He warned.
“Great, now we have to treat you like a princess because your Uncle is the lieutenant.” Darren joked “But don’t worry, no one ever dares to pick on the ice queen, she’d rip your heart out and eat it for lunch.”
“Was I that bad?” Erin asked. So many things have happened within the past year and a half that she couldn’t remember the old her. It has been so long since she even smiled let alone laughed.
“No.” Darren reassured her.
Chuck nodded to him “Okay, I’ve got to run back to headquarters, I’m expecting a call from Joe. With the Mayor being kidnapped, it has reached the government and they’re not too happy about it. I’ll call you guys with any news.” Darren nodded as he watched him leave.