There was a soft knock on the hospital room door and Mrs. Xiu stood up to get it. Before she opened the door, she turned to look at her daughter, worried that Xiu Ling might not be in the right condition to accept guests, especially the one she believed was standing on the other side of the door.
Xiu Ling nodded at her mother. The only person she wanted to see then was her son, others were equally terrible but since she knew that was impossible, she might as well see what other challenges the world had decided to throw at her.
Both mother and daughter assumed the person outside the door was Mrs. Lin, probably there to complain about the inconvenience caused by Auntie Sun's sudden departure or just about life in general. In spite of her privileged position in life, the woman had an uncanny ability to complain about being wronged by life at any given moment.
It was why they had treated the situation with such solemnity.
However, to their surprise, the guest was not Mrs. Lin but Auntie Sun.
The elderly maid walked into the room, nodded at Mrs. Xiu who held the door open for her and greeted Xiu Ling, "Young miss, good afternoon. I am glad to see that you are doing well. I am here to inform you that the little master is well taken care of, do not worry about him."
Mrs. Xiu frowned in contemplation when she heard Auntie Sun's voice. She had heard it somewhere before and she was trying to place it then.
Xiu Ling did not notice the weird expression on her mother's face because Mrs. Xiu was turned away from the direction of her bed.
"…Thank you," was all she could manage in response to Auntie Sun.
Since Auntie Sun had given up her employment at the Lin family household, the question of her loyalty had become a moot point. Xiu Ling had always seen Auntie Sun as a motherly figure in a time where she had no one to rely on and that was how she decided to view the elderly maid then.
Xiu Ling smiled at Auntie Sun and attempted at small talk, "Come, take a seat, Auntie Sun. I overheard from the outside corridor that you are leaving your post at Lin family, why is the sudden leave? Is it because of an emergency? Is there anything I can help?"
Auntie Sun took the seat beside Xiu Ling's bed and Mrs. Xiu soon joined them as well.
The elderly maid smiled kindly and said, "Thank you for your offer, young miss but I simply feel like it is time for me to retire. I can feel my age catching up to me whenever this weathered body of mine creaks as it moves around the large house. I will be returning to my children but I am grateful for your concern, young miss."
It was then that it hit Mrs. Xiu, "Wait, that voice! You are the person who left the voice message on my phone telling me about Xiu Ling's birth, telling me to rush to this hospital!"
While the news came as a shock to Xiu Ling, Auntie Sun just acknowledged it with a mere nod.
"How can I ever thank you?!" Mrs. Xiu said in a voice choking with appreciation.
After Xiu Ling recovered from the shock, she only had one thing to say, "But, Auntie Sun… Why?"
Instead of answering her, Auntie Sun said, "It was my daughter who convinced me to quit the job and go back home." It appeared like she was still answering the previous question.
Xiu Ling was about to interrupt her and remind her the actual question when Auntie Sun continued, "She is pregnant with a child and is going to give birth to a baby girl soon. When the fateful day arrives, she wants me to be there to accompany her through the whole process.
"She says, how can a mother misses out something as momentous as this? And I thought, she could not have been more right."
At this point, Auntie Sun turned to look at Mrs. Xiu and the latter was baffled beyond words.
The room was silent for a very long time as if giving time for what Auntie Sun had just said to sink in.
Xiu Ling was the first to break. She grabbed hold of Auntie Sun's hand and said, "Thank you, Auntie Sun, thank you for everything. My mom is here thanks to you and that meant the world to me. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you."
It was unclear whether it was the hormones or it was the emotions, right then Xiu Ling felt overwhelmed with tears. Mrs. Xiu was equally touched. The three women stayed in that room for quite some time until Xiu Ling was engulfed by fatigue.
As Xiu Ling drifted off to sleep, Auntie Sun and Mrs. Xiu shuffled out of the room to give Xiu Ling the chance to get some much-needed rest.
…
Once outside, Auntie Sun asked Mrs. Xiu, "Sister Xiu, would you like to stay by your daughter's and your grandson's side?"
Mrs. Xiu was shocked by this sudden question but she answered unhesitatingly, "Of course. I would give up the world to stay by their side."
Auntie Sun nodded as if she expected this answer and she elaborated, "I can help you put in a good word with Mrs. Lin and secure for you the post of the homemaker at the Lin household.
"However, do understand that the term homemaker is merely a glorified name for an in-house maid and you should expect to be given the treatment and the respect, or rather the lack of respect, of one."
Auntie paused for a minute to give Mrs. Xiu some time to think before continuing, "Sister Xiu, so will you accept this job offer or not?"