Thread by @gooseislands

I've got the sads, join me
#mdzs #JiangCheng &Jiang fam🔪💀 MCD (not jc)
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JC had done well for himself. He did better away from his parents. And that was fine

He kept in close contact with his mother- distance really had made the heart grow fonder

His father... not so much

They both ended up and cordial strangers. Like the uncle you saw during the holidays and were friendly with... but that was it.

And that was fine. He has stopped needing things that his father was incapable of giving years ago.
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He was on his way to pick jfm up from the

airport. His evening arrival had been delayed hours- it was nearing midnight.

They were both exhausted and mutually decided to skip the cordial catch-up chit chat

His father zeroed in on the guest bedroom as JC took his luggage

"Goodnight"
"Goodnight- see you in the morning"

Maybe, if he had known that would he the last words he ever spoke to his father, he would have been, would have said something better, more meaningful

(But in the back of his mind, he's grateful they weren't fighting)

JFM is found dead the next morning- a stroke they think

The holidays shift from fun gathering to mourning funeral with the efficiency of a family of businessmen

For all that yzy and Jfm's relationship had been rife with conflict- they were incredibly close and had shot down even the idea of divorce.

Yzy didn't take the news well, but for such a strong woman it was still startling to see her collapse

(No one was expecting JFM to drop dead at 62. And for all intents, it was a healthy 62)

That was the worst part, that it was so sudden. No time to rationalize or come to terms.

Just thrown in the paperwork going through every grieving step at once

YZY collapse was the beginning of the end. A wasting 'sickness' that left her bedridden or weak more often than not

It was barely a year later before she needed around the clock care

Jyl visited when she could and called every day, but she had a small (ever growing) hord

Of Jin/Jiang brats underfoot.

(And wwx- he visited to get closure for the both of them, but that was enough. A respectful distance was better for them both)

And JC, for all that he had grown the most away from his parents, was still his mothers favorite (even if it didn't

look like it to outsiders)

He came every day after work. Yzy didn't talk much anymore, but he would hold her hand. Tell her about his day and keep her company.

And he knew she was listening bc she would squeeze his hand.

"JLs starting middle school next week"

*squeeze*

"I know, it was just yesterday he was in diapers and now he learning algebra. Here, we took some photos at the park yesterday before he messed up his hair"

*squeeze*

And so it went. Yzy didn't get better. But she didn't get worse. Just suspended in a hospital bed

-

It was late, almost time for JC to leave

"Mom, you've been strong for so long, but I know you miss dad" *squeeze*"you don't have to be strong for us mom, we're going to be just fine. It's okay, you can let go. Dad's probably doing something stupid without you around"

*squeeze*

Jc gave his mother's hand one last tight squeeze that she returned just as fiercely and then leaned in to kiss her hair.

"Goodnight mom, I love you"

-

He got the call just after he arrived home.

His mother had finally reunited with her husband.

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