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Illustration: Phan Nhan |
While trying on lingerie in the tiny fitting room like a tall box, Ha was suddenly startled to hear a soft, silky voice coming from outside. The voice was very familiar.
- Honey, both of these fit me perfectly. But I like orange better than purple. Can I have the orange one?
A few seconds of hesitation, the guy muttered:
- Why is the orange one 50 thousand more expensive when they are the same? Take the purple one.
- Maybe because orange is hot.
- What's so hot about it? I wear this shirt outside, so why do I need to be hot?
- …
- Why does a small shirt cost more than half a million?
- This shirt helps to lift your bust beautifully.
- Oh my, beauty and ugliness are all the same. How can a squash become a grapefruit?
- You… it's my birthday, you said you would give me a gift…
Ha quickly got dressed, shook her hair to straighten it, and pushed the door open. She gently greeted Lien and her husband. It was Lien, no one else. Not many people had a voice as soft as silk that made even women swoon like Lien.
A faint paleness flashed across Lien's pale face. She looked up at Ha as if she wanted to explain something, but in the end, she only stuttered: "Ha... Ha...".
- I'll give Lien the orange shirt. Lucky, I was planning to buy Lien a birthday present but I didn't know what she would like.
Speaking quickly, Ha walked quickly to the cashier. Both her husband and Lien seemed too embarrassed by everything that was happening. Lien stammered a few awkward refusals. The sound of the receipt printer cutting through her explanations. Ha shoved the bag into Lien's hands, not forgetting to glance at her husband standing absent-mindedly near the fitting room.
- Okay, let's go home before it rains. Happy birthday, Lien.
Ha did not turn back even though Lien called out softly. She pretended not to hear. The sad music from the speaker blared: “Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away…”.
Stepping out of the store, Ha smiled as she encountered a gentle morning rain that had just come to town. The rain carried with it clusters of oil flowers that spun like tiny pinwheels sent down from the sky. They were cute and unexpected, like a small gift Ha had just given to Lien.
***
Ha met Lien again that afternoon, at the stone bench of the Uoc Mo apartment building. There, Ha had more than a dozen friends, all of whom were close and intimate because they shared the same situation - being parents of special children. Ha's child was hyperactive. Lien's child was autistic. Thy's child was slow to speak and slow to develop... The children went to speech therapy and psychological classes. If they hadn't met here, they probably wouldn't have met. It seemed like everyone knew each other quite well. The gossip of mothers in the same situation was a small happiness in the time waiting for the psychologists to intervene with their children. Especially on afternoons like this one, gray clouds rolled into halos hanging over their heads.
Lien graduated with a master's degree in pharmacy in England but only worked for three years at X University, where her father-in-law was the principal and her husband was the head of the department. That was two years after she got married and had a child, and little Suri had not shown any signs of psychological abnormalities. Since the doctor diagnosed Suri with autism, Lien accepted to quit her promising job, to take her to school, go out, and teach her. Playing with her children is also therapy for children like Suri. Although they did not say it, some mothers who heard Lien's story could not hide their desire to have a stable family like that to take their children to and from school.
Only Ha vaguely felt that things were not as Lien said. The unexpected meeting this morning showed Ha that her feelings were not wrong. Lien did not hide her shyness when she met Ha. Lien also did not hide her tired eyes, which was something she had never seen before.
- Ha, Ha, do you know…
Lien's voice began again, soft as if soaked with water.
It is true that Suri's father had pursued Lien during her years of studying away from home. It is true that Lien was easily conquered because of his handsome, gallant, and knowledgeable appearance. Lien also easily gave up her first love in Vietnam to accept Suri's father's marriage proposal when they were both doing research in England. Both families supported him because both parents were intellectuals, so they could be considered a good match...
Only after living together, especially after Lien quit her job to take care of the children, did Suri's father show his increasingly domineering and stingy personality. He measured every penny, counted every penny of the market money, the expenses of his wife and children. It was normal for him to want his wife to buy a purple bra that was 50 thousand cheaper like this morning. I had to give up, for the sake of the children - Lien smiled bitterly.
What to say to Lien now? If Ha had any power over Lien, for example, as her older sister, Ha would advise Lien to end the relationship. Why do you keep clinging to it and burdening yourself with the responsibility of “for the sake of your child” and having to live in torment and suffering with a man who only has an outer shell but you know that inside is just layers of hardened gravel and sand. Well, let’s say he hasn’t done anything too bad, like scolding his wife and beating his child. But aren’t harsh words like this morning Ha encountered a slap straight to his wife’s soul on a special day, her birthday? Ha wants to say to Lien, Lien, think about it, that’s mental abuse. In many situations, mental abuse is even more destructive than physical abuse. Has it been a long time since Lien looked in the mirror for a long time to see what her pale, lifeless skin says behind the layers of foundation and blush?
It was raining. July rain was always as strong as a ripe woman. Not the vague, angry kind of a young girl, but passionate, urgent, filled with many feelings as if all were being released, heavy. The story Lien told, Ha listened to, in harmony with the rhythm of the rain. It did not flow smoothly into the air, but anchored in Ha's heart like a sharp cut. Ha had to turn away, avoiding Lien's gaze to hide a few hastily falling tears. Luckily, the sound of the pouring rain conspired to help Ha hide the hoarse, stinging sniffles in her nose.
The sudden rain stopped what Ha wanted to say. Honestly, looking at Lien's slim figure and hearing her wet voice, Ha did not have the courage to say the thoughts that were dancing inside her.
***
These days, Suri is picked up and dropped off by her grandmother. The grandmother is over fifty, tall and strong, next to her slim granddaughter. That image is less heartbreaking than seeing the little mother and daughter staggering back and forth in the rain.
Lien broke up. When Grandma Suri announced it, Ha secretly hid a smile. Ha was more happy than sad when she heard the news.
- You know, the girl doesn't want to break up, but her husband has set a condition: if they don't break up, they won't be husband and wife anymore. Her husband won't provide money for Suri's education or medical treatment. Suri's illness is so serious, but if she doesn't have money for education and medical treatment, what will happen to her?
- …
- Her husband said they were just temporarily breaking up, so he could focus on pursuing his important scientific research and earn money to send to the children. But when he came home from work, his mind was tense, Suri would throw a tantrum, piss and poop all over the house, he had no heart to live, let alone think about anything. He just wanted to take his child and jump into the river… When Suri's illness was cured, his mood would improve, and the family would be reunited. She believed what he said. She still hoped that her husband would reconsider and take her and her children back when Suri's illness was better.
- …
- That guy is weird. He acts like Suri is like this because of Lien, so now Lien has to bear it all. I've read hundreds of articles about autistic children. Like Suri, it's most likely genetic.
This disease gene is usually dominant on the paternal side...
- Actually, there was no other solution. Lien hid it from me, and later she accidentally let it slip out and found out that the first time she went to court, she tore up the petition. The second time, her husband prepared a stack of signed petitions, about a dozen pages. The girl tore one, and the husband took out another. She tore a few, and then couldn't stand it anymore, and fainted. The judge couldn't stand it either, and asked: "Could it be that this man was once your husband? Come back and reconcile, and wait until the new year. The year is almost over, isn't it?" Of course, the husband didn't agree. He also complained that today's matter couldn't be put off until tomorrow, let alone next year. At that time, there were only 5 days left until the 30th of Tet.
- …
Grandma Suri almost monologued. Her voice, sometimes sad, sometimes angry, sometimes sorrowful, led Ha from one emotional zone to another. In Ha's mind, she wondered how a fragile woman like Lien could endure all of that without choosing a better solution, which was to be ready to let go. Sometimes, with a breakup that no longer had love, a woman who puts herself in a position of being ready to let go and think about new good things will suffer much less.
Lien attempted suicide but was saved in time. Ha felt confused when she heard her grandmother Suri's announcement in the gray rainy afternoon. Ha's vague thoughts just a few days ago, unexpectedly happened faster than expected.
Lien agreed to divorce the day before, but the next day she discovered that her husband had a lover. It was a young, unmarried colleague who used to come over and ask her husband to guide her on her research topic. The girl still greeted “sister Lien” sweetly every time they met. As soon as she stepped out of the courthouse door, that little girl stood opposite, waiting to give flowers to Suri’s father. Both of them smiled brightly. Lien immediately ran out into the street… Now she is in Cho Ray, her arms and legs in white casts. Suri went to the hospital and cried loudly because she was scared. Her grandmother had to stand far away, holding her grandchild, keeping her from disturbing the other patients, tears streaming down her face.
***
Ha managed to get to her son’s therapy class before it started to rain. The rain came every afternoon as if it had been scheduled. In the hallway of the apartment building, Lien had been sitting huddled up for some time, her face down, hiding her exhaustion after days of recuperation.
Grandma Suri was hit by a car yesterday and sprained her ankle. - Lien smiled, half announcing, half justifying her presence. Ha nodded slightly and remained silent, not knowing where to start the story, especially when the rain had just come pouring down, splashing water into the hallway, making both of them feel cold.
- Only the rain knows when it will stop falling. Just like only you know when you will stop being bitter. Right Ha? - Lien said suddenly.
This morning, when Lien woke up, she hugged her pillow and cried. Suri found her and hugged Lien. She was mumbling and couldn't express anything, but looking at her clear eyes, Lien felt she had to be stronger. Her innocent eyes were full of trust. And Ha, you know, looking at her eyes, Lien saw that she loved her very much and trusted her very much. Many people say that autistic children always have special things...
A rainstorm had just passed by very quickly in Lien's eyes. The single mother in front of Ha shook her head, letting her hair fall down, quickly wiping away the hot crystal drops that had just fallen. The rain had not stopped falling yet, but at this moment, Ha held Lien's hand and said that Ha would always be by her side. And Ha also trusted and loved both Lien and Suri very much.
Source: http://baolamdong.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202408/mua-chua-thoi-roi-f8e2bbf/
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