Christmas Eve Wish

1. When she arrived at the gate, the loudspeaker played the melody of a familiar song. Dusk was gradually falling, the winter winds swept across the fields, pouring into the cold, distant village. Cu Khang sat on the porch looking out at the road. The road was wide, running back towards the mountain, where his father was working.

- Why don't you come inside? It's cold out here! She gently reminded her son.

Cu Khang looked up at his mother with red eyes. It turned out that her little son was crying. That afternoon, she had to hurry back to her maternal grandparents' house to discuss the upcoming death anniversary. Before leaving, she told her son not to go out and to stay home to study, as the final exam was coming up. Listening to his mother, he only dared to step out onto the porch and look around, but he couldn't understand the lesson. Because he was missing his father. Missing him so much that his heart ached.

She remembered the days when Khang was still a toddler, every afternoon he would pull his mother's hand to the alley to wait for his father to come home from work. He took off his mask and smiled brightly. He clapped his hands loudly. His father lifted him up and put on his head a hat with a star attached. Just like that, father and son laughed and played happily together. She looked at them smiling, her heart filled with happiness.

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2. It has been almost half a year since he returned home. He was assigned to a border post in a district bordering a neighboring province. The district is in the highlands, with many hills and mountains, and the people still have many difficulties, but they live very affectionately and harmoniously. He called home and told her to stay at home, even though it is far away, he gets to live in a warm military-civilian relationship. The unit helps and supports the people in many ways. She feels somewhat reassured when he looks mature and has many good plans. Many nights, dreams come across her, making her feel sad as a woman who has been away from her husband for a long time. She once cried secretly, intending to confide in him, but then she thought again, she shouldn't be selfish. He still has a job, still serves the army. She herself is a teacher, comes into contact with students every day, brings knowledge, tolerance, and kindness to teach them, so why should she only care for herself? Thinking so, she feels light-hearted and enthusiastic about her work. Cu Khang's obedience is also a source of motivation that helps her not feel empty when away from her husband for a long time.

The day he told her he was going to work in the highlands, she looked at him, trying to control her emotions. He knew his wife was worried, so he encouraged her a lot. Cu Khang held his father's hand, sobbing. He comforted him by promising to buy him lots of gifts when he returned. She saw him off for a while, then quietly watched him go.

In the early days in the remote highlands, during breaks between shifts, he always called her. He told her many stories up there. The people were simple and honest. They loved the soldiers away from home, often wrapping corn, pumpkins, and wild vegetables. He and his comrades were sent down to help people roof houses, build bridges across streams, or go to the fields to harvest rice and potatoes when the season came. Listening to him, she felt sorry for the people up there who still had many shortages and felt proud of her husband. She encouraged him to complete his mission well, and at home, she tried to take care of both sides of her family.

3. Christmas is coming soon. Time flies so fast that it feels like it was just yesterday. It's been almost a year since he left home, and he's gradually gone through the joys and sorrows of life, the hardships and worries. Last Christmas, he was given a leave of absence to take her and Khang for a walk, to church...

Khang was busy writing a letter to Santa Claus. Yesterday, after school, passing by the street, he saw shops selling Christmas trees, Santa Claus clothes and many other cute things. Khang asked his mother to buy some. His sister told him that he had to be good and study well to get presents on Christmas Eve. He nodded and looked far away, seemingly thinking about something. He missed his father. His father loved him very much, often kissed him and was ready to put him on his neck and walk around the yard or take him around the alleys.

Suddenly, Khang looked up at the sky with gray clouds, wondering if his father missed him at his distant workplace. Christmas was coming, and his father would no longer come back to take him for a walk or to church.

- Do the friends up there get to celebrate Christmas, Mom?

Surprised by her child's innocent question, she hugged her child.

At night, when the cold winter wind blew, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Khang's words were still in her mind, when she asked him what gift he wanted from Santa Claus. She pretended to ask, but she had read the content of the letter he had carefully written to send to Santa Claus. But contrary to what she thought, Khang wished to have many gifts to send to his father to share with his friends in the highlands, making her choked up and emotional. She would secretly buy these gifts according to his wishes written in the letter to Santa Claus.

4. The road from home to the church today seemed wide, airy and clean. The rows of trees gradually receded behind. The spacious two-story houses had also begun to light up. Cu Khang hugged his mother's waist tightly, whispering about many things. The car had just passed the ecological area next to the park. Along the bank, there were stone benches placed under the year-round bougainvillea arches. He and his wife used to sit and talk and watch their child happily play. Happy days. Many good plans. The child's hearty laughter. The affectionate gaze of her husband... She suddenly smiled.

The church was large and decorated with colorful lights and flowers. It was the first time she went to church on Christmas Day without him by her side. Every year, he usually arranged his work at the office to take her and her child out to eat, then stopped by the park for Khang to play for a while, then went to church to watch the mass. Although he and she were pagans, the cold winter weather and Christmas songs always urged her, making her eager to join the crowd heading to the church on Christmas Eve... She let the images of the past suddenly appear, surrounding her soul. Khang left his mother's hand, ran around the tree, then chased after the sound of crickets chirping somewhere under the thick grass. Looking at his innocence and carefreeness, she felt her heart lighten.

Suddenly, she looked up at the bell tower. Tonight, the gifts in her son's wishes would come to the children in the highlands. As for Khang, the understanding and sympathetic child, he would receive a thank you letter and the most anticipated gift.

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