Surprise

Pulling her hair into a messy pony, a young girl ran down the stairs humming softly. As she turned the corner, the piercing sound of the doorbell was heard throughout the house. Almost running into her parents, who stood in the open doorway, she asked,

"Why are you standing there? We need to get the kids."

Shoving her parents out of the way, she ran into a hard chest. Rubbing her stinging nose, she looked up to see her smiling grandfather.

"Grandpa!"

The shock only lasted a moment before she wrapped her arms around him.

"My little Snowflake! I missed you!"

His Korean was loud in her ear as he hugged her tightly.

"I missed you so much! Wait! Are brothers with you?"

Her cheery voice traveled through the house as she tried to peer over his shoulder and away from her grandfather's embrace.

"Do you think we wouldn't come for you, baby sis?!"

Holding her hands, her twin brothers spoke simultaneously, gently pulling her towards them. The girl struggled to get out of her grandfather's arms and into the arms of her older brothers. To no avail, her grandfather had a tight hold on her.

"Grandpa! I want my brothers!"

She yelled as she kicked her feet and grabbed her brothers. They both laughed, and he finally let go of her allowing her to fall into her brother's arms.

"Brothers, I missed you so much!"

She laughed as they picked her up and spun her around. Squeezing her, they replied in unison,

"I almost died from missing you! I love you so much!"

"I love you the most!"

Her voice dripped with honey as she pressed her forehead to theirs. Her grandfather came and wrapped his arms around the three siblings, silently saying so many words as they hugged. Robert and Shekinah looked at the scene before them and couldn't end it. They hadn't seen their daughter so happy in years.

"Did he come?"

Her hands rested on her brother's shoulders as they held her like a child. Her worried voice and questioning eyes made the men feel guilty. They looked at each other before her grandfather's low voice rang in her ears,

"You are the head of our family, little one."

She looked at him, puzzled, as she spoke,

"What do you mean? He's the heir o-"

She stopped short as she looked at the three men in front of her.

"You don't mean. No, he wouldn't. He couldn't!"

Horror and shock mingled on her face as her family watched her crumble. Her parents went to get her but stopped short when one of the boys spoke,

"He said he didn't think he would be able to let his little empress get married."

His sad eyes looked at his precious little sister, and he couldn't bear to say more.

"After you left, he moved back into the ancestral mansion. He would spend all day buying things for you and training the boys to help when you take over. He tried to make the transition as seamless as possible."

She listened to her grandpa with tears streaming down her face. With their limited knowledge of the Korean language, Robert and Shekinah knew they were talking about her biological father. Realizing her father was dead, she buried her face into her brother's neck and sobbed while her grandfather rubbed her back. Ten minutes later, she had calmed down a little and was able to squeak in a small voice,

"How?"

"Organ failure."

Her grandfather's voice was regretful as his head hung low. She nodded and heard her great-grandmother's cane thumping on the ground.

"How dare the head of our families display such a disgraceful appearance!"

Her great-grandmother roared from behind them. Scrambling to get out of her brother's arms and wipe the tears off her face, she got on her knees and bowed in respect to her great-grandmother,

"This granddaughter greets great-grandmother. I have committed a mortal sin and beg for forgiveness."

Her parents had never thought they would see their daughter act out a scene they saw in dramas and would have laughed if not for the woman walking up the steps. The ancient-looking woman shorted and looked at Robert and Shekinah as she spoke in English,

"We didn't come to visit. So let's get down to business."

The girl looked up at her brothers, clearly worried, as her parents ushered everyone inside.