(BGO)- It's been nearly 23 o'clock and she hasn't seen her daughter-in-law back yet. Mrs. Minh has put the curtain on the bed for a long time but can't sleep. She lay down to calculate, it's easy for this whole month Huong to come home late at night, but the reasons she gave are very vague.
There was a time when Huong said she had to work overtime because the agency was preparing for an important industry event. The next day, he said that he had a project that needed to be completed urgently, so the whole room had to work day and night to keep up. She heard about the office like a duck listening to thunder, so she didn't know what to say. It's just that, oftentimes, I suddenly think that my daughter-in-law is only 26 years old, in a bright spring but away from her husband, how can I trust her.
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Thinking about many doubts, I don't know if my daughter-in-law works overtime at the real office or is wandering somewhere. There are also weekends when Huong returns on time, mother and daughter eat together, go to the supermarket to shop for daily necessities. The conversations between the mother-in-law, the daughter-in-law and her son, who are working far away, are also very enjoyable. So her suspicions remained in the middle.
After being married for more than two months, the company received a large contract in the West, Central and was sent to supervise the work, expected to stay for a long time. Mrs. Minh understands the construction industry, having a job is earning an income, so she dared not stop her son. She just fenced off with her son, that she just got married and left her wife at home alone, the mother-in-law of the old daughter-in-law was different from the past, so isn't it difficult for Huong. Hearing her mother say, Trung shrugged and laughed. He trusts his wife very much and also believes that she will not make him awkward.
When her son was away from home for a few weeks, Huong began her journey to leave early and return late. Huong told her to lock the door in her sleep first, she had her own key, so she would open it when she returned. The rented house is not very spacious, about 60 square meters built in a tube house style, divided into a living room, two bedrooms and a small kitchen and toilet. So lying in her room, she could hear the sound of the shower in the bathroom. Huong goes to work with the uniform of the office, but every morning she prepares more clothes to put in her own bag and put in the trunk of the car. Late at night, Huong's clothes are the clothes she brought in the morning. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became, if Huong didn't go out to meet and date someone, why should she change clothes? She was anxious to pick up the phone to call her son, even though she knew it was late, she would be so upset if she didn't call.
- How do you see your wife and children, but come home late every day, what kind of work?
- No, Mom, Huong works at the real office. My wife and I video call each other every day, she tells me everything wherever she goes.
- Oh my gosh, why are you so counting. Who knows when ghosts eat dinner?
- Don't think about miscellaneous things and then your mother will lose her feelings. Living together for a long time is first for love, then there is faith. I've known Huong for 5 years, not just a day or two.
Mrs. Minh knew she had no reason, so she agreed and hung up the phone. But she thought, she will have to find a way to find out, but it is not good to sell credit and semi-doubt like this. She began contemplating a plan to spy on her daughter-in-law.
***
The next day, at the end of the day, she drove to the front of Huong's office, sat down at the iced tea shop by the roadside to observe. As she speculated, Huong did not do anything at the office. The outfit in the morning to work has been changed to a knee-length skirt and a collared T-shirt. She wore a mask to cover half of her face, but she still realized that Huong had reapplied her makeup. Rushing to follow Huong for a distance, she lost track, because she had to give way to the car at the corner of the roundabout, when she exited, she did not know which way she went. After a moment of hesitation, she had to return. A missed follow-up stimulates curiosity even more. She was adamant, if she doesn't know now, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, she'll be able to track down the top anyway.
On the second day of tracking down her daughter-in-law, Ms. Minh became more and more sure that something was wrong when Huong saw her drive into a restaurant a few floors of bright electric lights. Here, the traffic is crowded, the people in and out are also all members, employees, families, manual workers also have, but there are also many elegant and luxurious people. After thinking for a while, she returned to the car. Because when she went, she did not bring money with her, thinking that going into the shop alone would be too embarrassing. She discreetly glanced around, hoping to see her daughter-in-law sitting somewhere in the bar, but had to accept it.
Another restless night, she planned to "catch up" to see how. Waiting for her daughter-in-law to open the door, she pretended to have woken up to go to the bathroom, asking:
- Are you busy now? What state agency keeps forcing employees to work overtime?
– Yes… well… things go on and on, mom… Nowadays, many state agencies also have to do business, mom, so they are very busy.
She knew that Huong was lying, but did not expose it. She wanted to collect evidence for authenticity and then said it was not too late. Today, she was about to take a photo, but in a panic, her phone fell, and when she looked up, Huong was nowhere to be found. Tomorrow, she will definitely be more prepared tomorrow. Past three or three busy, she will not return empty-handed. She did not hate this daughter-in-law. Huong is gentle, resourceful and very understanding. But if she did something wrong, sorry for her son, she would not tolerate it.
On the third day, she stopped driving and decided to hire a motorbike taxi for safety. Huong still drove straight into that big restaurant. Now well prepared, she confidently entered, choosing a corner table near the entrance. This place has a panoramic view inside, she will be able to easily observe and search for Huong. Looking through the menu, you can see that there are not only expensive Asian and European dishes, regional specialty drinks, but the restaurant also has many dishes suitable for families with young children, office rice. The space is airy, the decoration style is quite elegant and gentle.
Upstairs there are private dining rooms, upstairs there seems to be a coffee shop, a karaoke room, and a movie room too... Ordering an office meal, while waiting for the food, she used the excuse to go to the bathroom to look for her daughter-in-law. Discreetly looking around the first floor did not see, she crept up to the second floor. She walked slowly, listening intently as she walked through each closed room, fluctuating with fear. Now she was nothing more than a mean stalker. Suddenly, a voice from a dining room with a half-open door made her stop.
- He offered Miss Huong a cup. Terrible, she looks even more beautiful since the day she got married. As for me, I have a very similar dream...
Hearing the man say the swinging words, Huong was silent again, her face was hot. While confused as to how to see Huong's face, the door suddenly opened wide. The waitress came out, whispered into the walkie-talkie, and ordered a new dish. She quickly glanced inside. The dining table has 3 men and 2 women, but no Huong. Turns out it was just someone with the same name. After a quick glance, she hurried down, as if afraid of her shady work being exposed. While eating and focusing on observing for nearly an hour, she determined that Huong was somewhere in the other dining rooms, either having coffee, singing, or… watching movies. But now, if I go to search again, I really don't know which way to go, and then it's bad to get people's attention. She left, her mind confused, bringing with it a growing skepticism.
***
The rattle of the door opening let her know that Huong had returned. Hearing the sound of running water in the bathroom made her heart flutter. She got up and gently tiptoed to the bathroom. Through the half-closed door, she saw Huong using gauze to clean her thigh, her mouth rubbing in pain. She pushed the door, startling Huong, the cotton in her hand fell to the red floor. Looking at the long cut on her thigh that was bleeding, she panicked:
- How are you, Huong? What makes this mess?
– Yes… Mom, I… I…
Without waiting for Huong to answer, she quickly turned on the light and asked her out. Gently handling the wound for her daughter-in-law, hearing the soft moans, she did not dare to let go of the blame. As if understanding her mind, Huong gently explained:
– Actually…, my agency is not busy at all. I work as a waitress at a restaurant after work, mom. Today there was a scuffle at a guest table, unfortunately, the wine bottle broke and hit my leg. My wife and I have bought a small piece of land on the edge of the city, and also want to build a house next year, so I try to work, add and take care of big things. We want to settle down to make you more comfortable, and then have a baby… Mom… I'm sorry for not being honest with you!
She sat quietly listening to Huong's explanation, realizing that she was the one who made the mistake. The daughter-in-law is so kind, but she is suspicious of her negative things. Holding Huong's hand, she smiled in relief.
- Why are you apologizing? I worked hard for my husband's family. Thank you, my daughter!
For the first time, she hugged her daughter-in-law's shoulder without the slightest feeling of separation and awkwardness like so long ago.
Mai Dinh's short story
Magnolia grass
(BGO) – I told my wife, last night, he dreamed of Ha coming back, wearing a beret hat, To Chau military uniform, a backpack with a toad, all stained with red dust. Ha stared at him and then confusedly pulled out a grass doll from her toad bag.
I'll always be you
(BGO)- It's almost six o'clock in the afternoon, but it's still too hot. The stuffy atmosphere is uncomfortable! This body must be stormy. It's easy to get close to this month, God has not given any rain.
Backward
(BGO) – Thinh sat down on the ground, grabbed a fan hat and took a fan. Sweat trickled down his bronzed face. The curly hair on the front of the forehead is stuck in a question mark shape.
