Mister Night - Chapter 187

Hi.

It’s me Atalia.

Welcome to a new chapter of my life.

I know that you might have been wondering, “what happened after they got married?”, so I am here to tell you.

Firstly, when we got home, Aria had become a pro walker, and had been saying even more words.

I felt a little sad, that she hit such huge mile stones while I was away, but I got over it, as she got older.

Just like in a flash, she was old enough to go to school, and she was no longer our little baby.

She fun, and full of life, and loved playing Princess dress up with her dad and sister.

One evening when I came home I found all four of them in Ji Ah’s room playing a variation of Dragon’s and Princess, and they both decorated Shiwoo in pink Tootoo’s. glitter, and even makeup, while Adrian was their knight in Shining armor, or should I say Knight in batman blanket, and he slayed the dragon.

It was so cute and heart warming to see, so I didn’t disturb their bonding time, and just got dinner started.

Shiwoo heard me in the kitchen, and came out looking nothing like he did before, and I tried to hide my smile as he kissed my cheek.

“So, what were you guys playing?”

“Ah you know. Race car stuff.” he responded, and I cackled.

“Race car stuff? Huh? I almost swore that I saw you Princess Shiwoo, ruler over all Candyland, but I guess I saw wrong.”

“Wait you saw that?” he asked wide eyed, and I smiled walking over to him removing a pin from his hair, and some blush from his cheeks.

“Yes babe. I saw it all. It was so cute.’

“No no no. I didn’t like it I promise. I’m a man.”

“Honey I know that you are man, for it takes a strong man to play princess dress up with his kids. Besides, you look good in pink.” I said, and he smirked.

“Ah yes. I look good don’t I? Well if you need anything, I will be in my kingdom, being a ruler a and stuff.” he said sashaying away, and I laughed shaking my head.

Those days when everybody is happy, were the days to cherish, but it wasn’t all ways this happy.

“Mom. What am I?” asked Seoyeon one day at the dinner table when she was six, and I froze looking at Shiwoo, and he shrugged.

“Well what do you mean baby? I don’t think I understand.”

“‘What am I mommy? Am I black or am I Asian? The kids at school say that I am black, but when we go to Jamaica, they say that I am Asian. So what am I?”

“Oh.” I said looking at Shiwoo asking for help, but he just dodged my gaze, “well baby you are both.”

“How can I be both?” she asked sounding confused and frustrated, so I took a deep breath trying to formulate a coherent sentence.

“Well you see baby, when two races mix they make a product which is part of both of them. I am black, and daddy is Korean, so you are blaisian. You all are mixed, and are 100% Black and 100% Asian. You are to honor and respect both history, and love them both for that is what you are. You all are blaisian kids, and you are the most beautiful blaisian kids that I know.”

“Exactly” said Shiwoo, and I rose a brow signifying me asking if now is when he felt like helping.

“So who do I play with? Black kids or Asian kids?”

“Well I am glad that this was brought up, so let’s use this a teaching moment. Adriel, Adrian and Aria, you are to play with kids of any race, and do not decimate against anybody for the color of their skin, the texture of their hair, the language they speak or their culture you hear me? If you do discriminate you are racist, and we don’t like racists. All races are equal and we should all respect everybody. Don’t play with a kids because they are a certain race, or don’t  not play with a kid because they are a certain race. Play with everybody and be nice to every bodied, unless they bite or are rude, but not because of their race.

“Okay.” they three said and I nodded smiling.

“Okay. Now that that’s settled, eat up before the food gets cold. It’s movie night.”

“Yay!” they cheered and hurriedly cleaned and washed their plates, before running for their blankets and stuffies.

“Hey. You handled that question really well. I’m sorry I didn’t help, but I didn’t want to say anything that would cause even bigger controversy. You are more educated on the topic of race than I am, and I am not using it as an excuse for not helping, but I am glad that you took over. You’re the best.” he said as we cuddled on the couch and I smiled.

I wish I could say that that was the last time thee topic of questioning themselves was, but as they got older, and got even more exposed to the internet, their curiosity grew.

“Mom. Why don’t they teach us about slavery?” asked Adriel age ten.

“Well honey I guess it’s because it’s not their history. They will teach you about the Korean war and such.”

“Yeah, but that’s just my Asian side, I want to learn about my black side.” she said, and I pointed to myself.

“Uhh hello. Woke black woman here. You can ask me anything.”

“Yeah, but your always busy.” she said sighing and I stopped what I was doing an took her by the hand to the kitchen table, and we had a a little chat.

I told her of everything she wanted to know, and what I knew, and by the end of it she was crying.

“Oh no baby I’m sorry. I should have toned it down a bit.”

“No no it’s fine. I wanted to learn of the history so I should have known better to handle it. I’m just gonna go umm uh, to bed.” she said sniffling, and I hugged her tight before she did.

The topic of slavery was truly quite gruesome, and I think that I too did cry when learning of it in Primary school, but no matter how hard it was to tell of, we should educate our younger generations for them to not take anything for granted, and to know what our ancestors went through.”

“Ughh I hate this stupid curly hair. Why couldn’t I have straight here like Aria!?” screamed Adriel age 13.

She recently got her period, and I guess her hormones were haywire lately, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to strangle her.

I put the knife down onto the chopping board, pausing from chopping the peppers as I slowly looked at her as I saw her with a brush stuck in her frizzy from brushing hair.

“Seoyeon, your hair is quite beautiful, and so is Ji Ah’s. ”

“No mine is not! Why is it so hard to maintain, and why does it eat so many products? I tired of it!” she screamed and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“All you hair needs is a little patience, and love-”

“Patients and love? All it needs is a scissors and buzzer.” she said cutting me off as Shiwoo walked into the kitchen looking between us both.

“What’s happening here? Adriel what is all the yelling?”

“Shiwoo. Please to get your daughter before I do.” I said and she groaned somping away slammming her door, and I was about to walk to her room and drag her, but Shiwoo held onto me until calmed down.

“It’s okay aein. Let her breathe. She is going through chnages, and she is comfused. She is now a teeanger and just wants some space. She will come to her sense, and apologise soon. Trust me. She cant do without you.”

I sighed as I listened to his words for he was right, “okay. I guess you’re right. I’ll give her space, and be here for her when she needs me. Anyways, how was work?”

“Work is work. Nothing really special. Stock rises, and stocks fall. Hoow about you? How was work?”

“You wouldn’t believe the day I had. Some lady came in and wanted me to represent her cat in court becasue a dog bit him. I had to explain to her that I couldnt reprsent the cat, but I could go as her loayl and recive compensation from the owner of the dog so that she could take the cat to the vet, but no. She said that she wasnn’t the one who got but so why would she need a loyal, and she got mad and now I’m strssed.”

“A cat? Ha ha. Wow.” he said aughing at me.

“Don’t laugh. I’m already stressed as is.”

“I know baby I know. I’m sorry. Here. Let me take over dinner.” he said, and I smiled.

“Aww thanks babe. I’m gonna go check on the kids.”

“Cool, but remember, be gentle with them.”

“Okay okay got it.” I said waving them off as I walked towards their room.

I knocked on Adrian’s room door, and I heard shuffling, and groaning after thud noise as if he fell, and he opened the door sounding out of breath, “hey mom. Whats uh, what’s up?”

“Hey you. I was coming to check up on you. Is uh, is everhting okay?”

“Yup. Everything is fine.” he said horriedly, and I rose a brow.

“Can I come in?”

“No!” he said urgently and I frowned, for he has been like this ever since his voice cracked and got way deeper, and he had been growing a stache, “it’s quite messy and I don’t really want you to see it.”

“Come on babe. It’s no problem. I’ve seen a lot of messes.”

“No!” he screamed as I pushed opened the door going in, and my smile faded as I saw a bottle of lotion on his desk, and a sock on the floor.

“Oh.” was all I could say and I stepped back out, “I’ll uhh, I’ll go check on your sisters. You can, umm, you can get back to doing what you were doing.”

“Mom I-”

“No no don’t explain. You deserve privacy.” I said still unblinking as I walked backward smiling oddly and into Ji Ah’s room.

“Mom?” asked Ji Ah when she saw me, “are you okay?”

I quickly ran over to her and hugged her tightly, “please don’t be like your siblings, and stay my baby forever please.”

“Umm. Okay?” she asked and I sighed letting her go.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. I know why you want me too be your baby. Adrian is a jerk, and Adriel is quite a, yeah you know.” she said and Shrugging, and I sighed.

“Ughh tell me about it. It was like only yesterday they were in the hospital, but now they are going through changes, and have their period, and are masturbating.”

“What’s masturbating?” asked Ji Ah, and my eyes widened.

“Uhh, its uhh, something you shouldn’t know-hey what are you playing?”

“Oh. Just a plant game.”

“Sounds cool.” I said and she smiled as I watched her played for a while until I had to go, “well I’ll see you at the dinner table. I’ll go male sure that appa hasn’t burned the kitchen down.”

She laughed, and I kissed her head before leaving.

I sighed as I walked to the last door, my hand hesitant on the lock, but I turned and opened it after knocking none the less, and I felt as if I was walking into a dragon’s den, but not like when they were playing when they were younger, but like and actual dragon.

The dragon was still my baby.