surgery – Minna Hong

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Out of Sight, Into Mind; chapter eighteen, part two

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Minna Hong • 0 Comments

“Can I go to bed now?” Danny asked, stifling a yawn.

“First you have to talk to the detectives,” I said, taking his hand in mine. “Then you can go to bed. Ok?”

“Can I have a snack before I sleep?” I hesitated because I knew it wasn’t good to eat before sleeping. However, who knew how long it’d been since he’d been fed?

“Sure, baby.” I took Danny out to the living room, but neither Martinez nor Daily were there. I had a hunch they were looking around for clues to Kayla’s kidnapping. “Detective Martinez?” I called out. “Detective Daily? We’re ready for you.” A minute later, the two of them came hurrying into the living room.

“Danny, we’re going to have to ask you some hard questions about what happened,” Martinez said, motioning for Danny to sit on the couch. Danny pulled me down with him, which didn’t please Daily.

“So you can help find my mommy?” Danny asked, clutching my hand. Daily shot me an annoyed look, but I met her eyes defiantly. I wasn’t going to sugarcoat the truth to a boy who’d gone through so much. Sure, I hadn’t told him everything, but he had a right to know the basics.

“Perhaps Ms. Hsu can wait in the kitchen,” Daily said through gritted teeth. So much for our budding friendship.

“I want Auntie with me!” Danny said, his voice shrill.

“I’ll tell you what,” I said, trying to calm the rising storm. “Why don’t I go into the kitchen and make tea and find some food? You can have ten minutes alone with Danny, but then I come back. What do you say?” The question was ostensibly directed at Daily, but it was more for Danny than the cops.

“Can I have some cookies?” Danny asked in a small voice, squeezing my hand hard.

“Sure. Milk and cookies,” I said, hoping there was unspoiled milk in the fridge.

“I’ll take coffee,” Martinez said, pulling out his notebook.

Duck, Duck, Dead Duck; chapter fourteen, part three

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Minna Hong • 0 Comments

“How is he?” Mona asked my mother once we found her. Mona had a lead foot and we beat the others by at least five minutes.

“I told you to stay home,” my mother said wearily, slumped over in her chair. She suddenly looked older than her age as she stared at the floor. Since it was the usual beige carpeting, I knew it wasn’t the fascinating design which held her attention. “The boys are coming, too, aren’t they?”

“Yes, they are,” Mona said, her tone aggressive. “How’s Ba?”

“Still in surgery,” Mom said, her own tone wan. “I haven’t talked to a doctor since I last called you.”

“How is he?” Hank shouted as he ran down the hall. The others were far behind him as he skidded to a halt. Mom went through the explanation again, and we all sat down to wait. Rafe sat besides my mother and was whispering something in her ear. I was too proud to try to eavesdrop, but I was dying to know what he was saying. I vowed I’d corner my mother later and ask her. I had a hunch it had to do with something from Rafe’s past that he wouldn’t talk about, and it irked me that he’d tell my mother something he wouldn’t tell me. Whatever it was, it seemed to make my mother feel marginally better, so I was thankful.

It seemed like hours since we arrive at the hospital, and it may have been so. Time had slowed down to a crawl. Every time I looked at the clock, it was only minutes after the last time I checked, and yet, half an hour chunk of time managed to get swallowed up before I could blink. I watched as desolate people shuffled by. Some had that dumb look of agony in their eyes which could only signify death. Some were bleeding profusely as they waited to be served. One man had a dazed look of joy which I took to mean that his wife had just delivered. Mostly, though, there was every shade of pain known to humankind. It’s ironic that while hospitals were necessary and even helpful, most people were deathly afraid of them. I wasn’t, but I didn’t particularly care for them, either.