Who We Were

Later

CHAPTER ONE

Jace did not live far from the hospital. Depending on the London weather, he would either walk or take the underground train, a form of London’s public transport. But since it was a rare, beautiful, sunny morning in the month of March, he decided to walk home. As he did, he thought about the surgical procedure he had just performed. It had been a challenging, and yet, one of a kind procedure, that had taken him nearly six hours to complete. As he became lost in his own thoughts, he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going and accidently bumped into someone, knocking them hard on the shoulder.

"Hey!" snapped a woman’s voice rather loudly.

Jace immediately turned to face the woman and he was just about to apologise when he suddenly stopped; he was looking into a face of someone familiar. He was shocked, confused and speechless. He wasn’t sure if she was who he thought she was. Even the woman was looking back at him with exactly the same reaction.

Kiki? Jace asked.

Jace? Jace Lee? the woman asked back.

Kiki, is that really you?

Yes, it is. It is… the woman said excitedly.

I cannot believe I am seeing you here, right now, at this moment, Jace said, just as excitedly.

I know. Same here. This is so unexpected.

And before either of them could say another word, they gave each other a hug. Jace couldn’t believe it. After all these years, he had no idea how much he had missed Kiki until right then at that moment.

I am so happy to see you, Kiki said.

Likewise. You have no idea, Jace said, as they finally released each other from the hug.

So what are you doing here? he asked.

I’m in London for a stopover, but I have to leave for the airport soon.

That was when Jace realised Kiki was dressed smartly in what looked like a flight attendant’s uniform, holding a trolley suitcase by her side.

Look at you. You look so…so grown up, Kiki said.

And you look like a flight attendant, Jace added.

I sure am, thank you.

I cannot believe this is happening. It’s so surreal. Do you have time for a quick coffee?

Sure. But it has to be a quick one.

Great.

So Jace and Kiki made their way to a nearby coffee shop for a quick coffee and catch up.

Kiki was one of Jace’s childhood friends. They both went to the same high school together in Connecticut and were also in the same grade; the last time they had seen each other was at Jace’s farewell party. Nearly twenty years had passed and he never thought he would see her again, especially in another country. As they both started catching up on lost time, Jace learned that Kiki was working as a flight attendant for a major airline company, and that she was only in London for a one-day stopover before she was due to fly back home to Hong Kong.

I cannot believe you are now a neurosurgeon. I’m so proud of you, Kiki said.

What about you? You get to travel the world, Jace said.

I can’t believe we never kept in touch. How come?

I have no idea.

Are you in touch with anyone from high school?

Mainly Cooper. He’s a sports doctor now and based in New York and LA.

Wow. But I’m not surprised, Cooper has always been into sports.

What about you? Are you still keeping in touch with anyone?

A couple, but only occasionally. Oh, you remember Melodi, right?

Jace was suddenly taken by surprise. It had been a long time since he had heard or even thought of Melodi. Before he knew it, memories of her, both good and bad, began rushing back to him.

Yes, of course I remember Mel, he said, as he tried to hide his surprise.

I don’t know if you know, but she’s an author now and she’s just had her first book published. She’s having a book-signing event in a couple of days’ time.

Even though Jace was still surprised to hear about Melodi, he was also glad to learn that she was doing well.

Wow, that’s amazing.

I know. She deserves it. She has worked really hard to get to where she is.

So how is she?

He was suddenly curious to know where she was and what she had been up to all these years.

She’s good. She’s back in Hong Kong and we are still the best of friends.

That’s really good to hear.

Oh, Jace, I’m so glad we bumped into each other.

Same here.

Listen, I’ve got to make a move. I know this has been short, but I need to be at the airport in a couple of hours.

Kiki looked at her watch before reaching into her handbag. She got out a business-like card and a pen and began to scribble something down.

We have to keep in touch. Here are my contact details. She stopped scribbling and handed the card to Jace. I’ve also written down Mel’s email.

Jace didn’t say anything as he took the card from Kiki. When he looked at it, he saw that he was using the same email and its chat site as Kiki and Melodi.

I’m using this email and chat site as well.

Good, now we have to keep in touch.

Of course.

You should get in touch with Mel.

Jace didn’t say anything. Even though it had been a long time since he last saw her, there was still the slightly awkward feeling of renewing the friendship, but then again, he thought, it has been a while. Maybe things will be different this time. Then he realised he didn’t know how to give Kiki his contact details.

Wait, I want to give you my contacts.

Don’t worry. Just drop me a message.

Jace and Kiki stood up and the pair hugged each other one last time. Suddenly, Jace couldn’t help but feel a little sad at seeing Kiki go. Meeting her again had brought back so many memories and he didn’t want to let those memories go.

It was really good seeing you, Jace said.

Take care. And don’t forget to drop me a message. From now on, I’ll contact you whenever I’m in London.

You better.

Oh, Jace… Kiki said, holding him tightly.

They reluctantly let go of each other. Kiki then gave Jace a smile before hurrying off. Jace just stood and watched as Kiki made her way to the entrance of the nearby underground.

CHAPTER TWO

It was late in the evening when Qingshan and his parents arrived in the city of Jiangning. They were tired, exhausted and hungry. They had been travelling for almost a week. They had gone from the back of a truck, to resting at the side of the road at nights, and then taking the train to Jiangning. There were times during the harrowing journey when they didn’t have enough to eat and they tried desperately to ignore the hunger pains. They carried very little money with them and therefore were unable to buy further supplies, so the family had to survive on what they had packed for the journey, which consisted of only bread and water.

As Qingshan looked around him, the city was bustling and packed with people, shops and market stalls. There were bright lights and excitement everywhere. There were many nice looking cars that drove on the small road that ran in between the city. The people were dressed in a variety of attire, some like Qingshan and his parents in ordinary, simple clothing, while others wore smarter, cleaner and more expensive apparel and shoes. Some were even dressed in clothing he has never seen before – clothing from another culture, another place. It was a new environment for Qingshan and his parents; they had never been to a city like Jiangning before. Everything seemed to be so loud and fast-paced. As the family looked around, there was so much happening they didn’t know where to start looking for Uncle Wu’s restaurant. In his letter, Uncle Wu had written down the address together with the directions of how to find it. He had also advised them to ask someone for directions, as Qingshan and his parents had no idea where to begin they decided to take his advice. Qingshan’s father approached a lady at a market stall. The lady looked at the address on the letter and immediately knew where the restaurant was situated, giving him clear directions on how to get there. However, even with her directions, Qingshan and his parents were not sure if they would get it right.

The lady said it was quite straightforward and that it wasn’t far away. As the family made their way through the crowded streets, they kept an eye out for the name of the restaurant. Meanwhile, Qingshan was filled with all kinds of emotions. He was excited, and yet slightly scared of his new environment. Everything was new to him and he was finding it hard to take it all in. In fact, he was more focused on looking and exploring his surroundings than looking out for Uncle Wu’s restaurant. His thoughts, however, were soon interrupted by the sound of his father’s voice.

Look, there it is, his father called out over the loud and bustling noises surrounding them, as he pointed straight ahead.

Qingshan looked towards to where his father was pointing and saw a bright and busy restaurant packed with customers. The restaurant itself was huge, spread over two storeys, and they could see customers dining from the second floor through the open windows. When they approached the restaurant, they searched the crowd for Uncle Wu, but there were too many people around, it was impossible to spot him. Qingshan’s father was about to stop a waiter to ask for Uncle Wu when they heard a familiar voice calling out to them.

"Hey, you finally made it."

Qingshan and his parents immediately looked around. It wasn’t long before they saw Uncle Wu making his way down a flight of wooden stairs situated in the middle of the ground floor.

Welcome to Jiangning, my dear family, Uncle Wu greeted with a warm smile, as he approached them.

Dear cousin, it’s good to see you, said Qingshan’s father.

We got lost and didn’t know where to go, so we had to ask for directions, added Qingshan’s mother.

Well, I’m glad you’ve all made it here safely, Uncle Wu said. And then he turned his attention to Qingshan. My boy, how are you? It’s so good to see you, giving Qingshan a firm pat on the shoulder.

It’s good to see you too, Uncle Wu.

You must all be exhausted from the long journey. Let me show you where you will be staying. The place is actually located right above the restaurant, Uncle Wu said, cutting the conversation short.

So Qingshan and his parents followed Uncle Wu as they made their way out of the restaurant. They turned to a corner where there was a long, narrow, wooden, old looking flight of stairs. They started making their way up the stairs one behind the other, with Uncle Wu leading the way. When they reached the top there was a wooden door. Uncle Wu reached into his front pocket, fumbling for a few moments before taking out a key and putting it into the keyhole. He then pushed the door open and stepped inside, followed by everyone else.

Sorry, I haven’t had any time to give this place a clean. I’m always so busy, Uncle Wu said.

Please don’t worry about it. We are grateful you are providing us with a roof over our heads, said Qingshan’s mother.

Qingshan and his parents were going to be staying with Uncle Wu in his apartment. The size of the apartment was small, but spacious, due to the lack of furniture. There was a small kitchen, a living room, three small bedrooms and a bathroom. All the windows and the curtains were closed, making the place look slightly dark and gloomy. Qingshan could even smell the dust hovering in the air around him.

You may all rest and settle down for a day or two before starting work. Settle yourselves in and then come down for some food in the restaurant. I will introduce you to everyone tomorrow, Uncle Wu said.

Thank you again for this opportunity, said Qingshan’s father.

Please don’t mention it, we are family. I have to get back to work now, so I’ll see you all later. Please make yourself at home.

As Qingshan looked around at his new home, he couldn’t help feel a little homesick. During the entire journey to Jiangning, all he could think about was the new start to his life. He had felt excited, wondering what city life was going to be like, but at that moment his excitement had suddenly vanished. He didn’t know how he was going to fit in, or if indeed he could. He felt like he was in a strange, unrecognisable land and did not feel welcome quite yet.

CHAPTER THREE

It was the launch of Melodi’s first book and she had just completed her first book-signing event at a local bookstore where she used to work. Her next promotional trip would be to Beijing. There were quite a large number of people at the event, including her best friend Kiki. Melodi couldn’t believe just how many people had turned up; she had never really expected it to be such a success, especially as it was her first book. If she were to be truthful, she felt a little overwhelmed and yet secretly delighted that she already had so many fans. After the event was over, Kiki approached her filled with excitement.

Congratulations, Kiki squealed.

Thank you. And thanks for being here, Melodi said.

Are you kidding? I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.

I cannot believe how many people came.

I cannot believe it either. You are officially famous.

Not that famous yet.

So when is your other book signing?

This weekend in Beijing.

I wish I could come, but I’ve got a flight.

It’s all right, you are here now.

I’m sorry that Chad couldn’t come.

Let’s not talk about him, Melodi said, trying to brush off the last comment.

She didn’t want to think about Chad as she knew it would just ruin her day. She just wanted to think about her book and celebrate its success.

Melodi!

Melodi turned to see who was calling her. It was her book agent, Jennifer.

Melodi, well done again, Jennifer said, as she approached her and gave her a quick hug.

Thank you for all your help, Melodi said.

Oh, please, you made it happen. I’m now looking forward to Beijing.

Likewise.

I’m going to leave you ladies to enjoy yourselves. I need to get back to the office, but I’ll speak to you soon, Jennifer said, giving Melodi a nod.

Yes, speak soon.

Jennifer hurried off leaving the two ladies to make plans.

Come on, let’s go somewhere and celebrate, Kiki said.

The pair left the bookstore and made their way to a nearby restaurant for a celebratory lunch.

As they started catching up on what they had been doing since the last meeting, Kiki told Melodi about her recent flight trips. It has been almost three weeks since they last saw each other and they had plenty to talk about. Every time Kiki had to go away on her flight duties she would usually be gone for about three to four weeks at a time. The longest she had ever been away was for three whole months, but that rarely happened, maybe once or twice a year. Even though Kiki was constantly away, she and Melodi would still keep in touch on a regular basis through an email and its chat site.

Oh, speaking of travelling, you’ll never guess who I bumped into when I was in London.

Melodi didn’t say anything as she waited for Kiki to continue.

Jace.

Melodi was surprised to hear the name and simply repeated, Jace?

Yup.

As in Jace Lee from high school?

Yup.

Melodi couldn’t believe it. Oh, my goodness, you saw Jace?

It’s funny how I bumped into him.

Kiki went on to explain how Jace had bumped into her unexpectedly. Melodi couldn’t believe it. It had been a while since she had last heard of him and it came as a huge shock and surprise to her.

So, how is he? And what’s he doing in London?

He’s good. He’s a neurosurgeon working in a private hospital.

Wow, that’s good to hear.

It was true, even though she was a little taken aback at the news, she was glad to hear that he was doing well in life. She had no idea he was a surgeon.

I even mentioned you. I told him about your book.

Melodi raised her eyebrows.

You did?

Yes, I also gave him our contacts. I gave him your email. I hope that’s all right?

Sure. Why not.

Melodi didn’t know what to think or say. It had been so long since she had last thought of him, or even heard of him for that matter.

Maybe it’ll be good for you both to be in touch again, Kiki said, as she interrupted her thoughts.

Yes, maybe, Melodi said.

She was glad to hear about Jace, but at the same time, she couldn’t help feel slightly awkward about the situation. It was probably because they never had the chance to say a proper goodbye to each other and a part of her wished that he would reach out to her. However, another part of her wasn’t so sure it was such a good idea.

CHAPTER FOUR

Lei-Li was in one of Jiangning’s most expensive art shops getting a painting done for her father’s upcoming birthday. Her father loved to collect paintings, especially the most expensive and rare ones. But for this year’s birthday, Lei-Li wanted to do something a little different for him, so she decided to do a painting herself with a little assistance from a professional painter, who also happened to be the owner of the art shop. She could paint, but not as well as a professional. The piece she was painting was an imaginary scene of nature. She knew that her father was going to like it because the piece was unique and personal. He had never had a painting quite like the piece she was working on. She had spent three days in the art shop and was glad that the piece was finally finished. She told the artist she would come and collect it on the day of her father’s birthday.

After leaving the art shop, she decided to make her way to her favourite bookstore. She hadn’t been walking for long when she heard her name being called by someone behind her. It was a man’s voice and it sounded familiar. Having a clear idea as to who it might be, she decided not to look back and carried on walking. However, before she knew it, someone stepped out right in front of her, making her stop abruptly. She rolled her eyes; she had been right in her assumption.

Leave me alone, Huojin, she said, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

What’s the matter, my princess? I’m so happy to see you, like always, Huojin said, in his usual arrogant and pretentiously charming manner.

I’m in a hurry, Lei-Li said.

She took a quick step to the right and attempted to walk past Huojin, but he was too quick and managed to step right in front of her again, making her stop abruptly.

What’s the hurry, my princess? Aren’t you happy to see me?

Please don’t call me princess. I am not your princess, Lei-Li said, desperately trying to remain calm.

It was difficult because every time she saw Huojin her blood would boil and she would immediately become angry. Even the thought or the sound of his name would trigger her anger.

Now, come on. Do we always have to meet like this? We don’t have to hide our feelings for each other.

You are crazy.

Am I really?

Yes!

And then Huojin cracked a laugh. Lei-Li was on the verge of eruption.

You don’t have to behave like this. No matter what, I will never give up on you.

Well, you’ll be wasting your time.

Not when it comes to you.

Huojin, just leave me alone.

So where are you off to now?

It’s none of your business.

Lei-Li took another step, this time to the left, and walked right past Huojin. Once again, he managed to block her path, but this time, she didn’t say anything. She just rolled her eyes and let out a heavy, deep sigh. At this point, she was so angry she couldn’t speak; but she could see herself causing him some physical damage. She clenched her hands into tight fists and, as she did, she could feel her fingernails digging into her skin.

Just to let you know, I look forward to seeing you at your father’s birthday party.

Whatever. Now, I am asking nicely, could you please step aside and let me go, Lei-Li said through clenched teeth.

Very well, my princess.

Huojin gave Lei-Li a smile, which made her want to punch him in the face, before stepping aside. She then walked straight past without looking at him.

See you at the party, Huojin called out.

Lei-Li did not look back or showed any sign of response as she hurried her way back home.

CHAPTER FIVE

After getting a couple of hours rest at home, Jace returned to the hospital early in the afternoon. He was about to meet his new patient, a ten-year-old boy, who had a rare cancerous tumour in his brain. When he entered the private hospital room, the patient was sitting in an upright position on the bed, whilst a woman, who looked like she was in her late thirties, stood on the other side of the bed. Jace could see that the woman looked slightly anxious, whilst the young boy was quiet and solemn.

Good afternoon, Jace greeted in a polite and professional manner, as he walked into the room and gently closed the door behind him.

He stood momentarily in front of the closed door.

Good afternoon, doctor, the woman greeted politely, her voice quavering slightly with nerves.

Meanwhile, the young boy remained quiet and solemn as he looked at Jace.

I’m Mary from the orphanage, the woman introduced herself.

Nice to meet you, Mary. I’m Dr Lee.

Jace made his way over to the bedside and opened the young boy’s file, which he had been carrying under his arm.

I know you have already spoken with Dr Connelly, but I would like to ask the young boy some questions, Jace said.

Mary didn’t say anything. Instead, she just nodded. Jace then turned his attention to the young boy. This time Jace spoke in a slightly softer tone, although his facial expression remained unreadable.

Hi there. I am Dr Jace Lee. What’s your name?

There was a brief pause before the young boy spoke.

Ashton, he replied softly.

Nice to meet you, Ashton. I’m going to be your doctor. I’m going to take very good care of you, OK?

Ashton didn’t say anything as he nodded his head.

Now, Ashton, in order for me to take care of you, I will need to ask you a few questions. Is that all right?

Once again, Ashton didn’t say anything, but just nodded his head in confirmation.

Can you tell me how you are feeling at this very moment?

Ashton thought for a short while before replying.

OK.

Are you feeling any pain in your head or anywhere else in your body?

Ashton didn’t say anything but slowly shook his head.

When was the last time you had any headaches or pain in your head?

Once again, Ashton thought for a short while before replying.

Not that long ago.

How often do you have it in a day?

Ashton shrugged his shoulders. I don’t know really.

OK. Do you tend to forget things?

Sometimes.

When did you start having the headaches or pain in your head? Can you remember?

Ashton thought for a short while before replying again. Maybe around six months ago. I don’t know.

All right, that’s fine, Jace said, as he closed the file.

Just as he did, Ashton suddenly asked him a question.

Doctor, am I going to die?

Jace looked at Ashton, surprised at the question.

Ashton, please don’t ask questions like that, Mary said softly, but abruptly.

It’s all right, Jace said.

Jace didn’t have an answer to that question. He also didn’t want Ashton to worry too much, but at the same time, he knew he couldn’t lie. He could only be realistic.

You are not going to die at this moment. All I can say and promise you is that I will do my very best to take good care of you and get you better again, now that I can promise you. Now, you are going to be here for a while, so I can give you permission to make this room your own. How’s that sound? You can move all your toys from the orphanage and put them in here. You can even put posters up if you like. Make this room as homely as possible.

Ashton looked around the room before turning his attention back to Jace; his expression remained solemn.

OK, he said.

But Jace couldn’t read the expression on Ashton’s face.

Ashton, we have to take this one step at a time. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s not going to be an easy journey, but we can get through it by taking one step and one day at a time. Do you understand?

Ashton nodded. Yes.

We’ll get started on the tests first thing tomorrow morning. For now, I want you to rest.

Ashton didn’t say anything as he nodded again.

A nurse and myself will come and check on you regularly, so you’ll be fine. You are under our watchful eyes, especially mine.

Ashton didn’t say anything.

All right, I will leave you to rest.

Thank you, doctor, Mary said.

Meanwhile, Ashton still did not say anything. Without another word, Jace turned and made his way out of the room.

By the time Jace arrived home, he was feeling extremely tired. He only had a couple of hours sleep before he had to go back to the hospital. As he lay in bed, he tossed around, unable to sleep. His body was tired, but his mind was awake. After much tossing and turning, he decided to give up trying and watch some television. So he got up and made his way to the living room. He sat down on the couch and turned on the television. He didn’t have cable, and it was way past midnight on a weekday, therefore there was nothing on to watch. He thought about what to do next, and decided to check his emails. It had been days since he had last checked them. So he turned off the television and let out a loud sigh before getting up and making his way over to the dining table where his laptop was. He sat down and turned it on. After logging in, he saw that he had a few new emails. Most of them were junk, but there were some from his friends and family. After going through them, he decided to reply to them at another time, as he just couldn’t be bothered. Then something came to mind; he remembered the business card Kiki had given him. Without a second thought, he reached for his wallet on the dining table and opened it. He had put the card in one of the pockets inside the wallet. Once he found it, he