6
Dad disappeared for a while.
But I was still uneasy. Dad was a ticking time bomb.
And even though Mom acted like nothing was wrong, I could tell she was hurting.
The past few days, I’d often caught her spacing
out, her eyes red. If she really didn’t care about Dad anymore, why was she crying?
I was scared. What if her strength was just an
act, and she would cave in.
Sure enough, I was right. Dad showed up again.
く
Maybe Carol talked him into it, but this time, he
was trying to be friendly, and booked a
restaurant, inviting Mom out for dinner.
Mom seemed distracted after the phone call.
I told her not to go, and although she agreed, she sneaked off at the last minute, not wanting
to tell me.
Dad had chosen a restaurant that looked fancy,
but wasn’t actually that expensive.
He wanted to spend little money but give off a
big impression.
When Mom arrived, he’d been there for a while,
and the cheap cream cake was there as well.
Seeing Mom, he pulled his hand away and
rushed over.
:.
<
10:17
100
He wiped his mouth and pushed the cake in front of Mom. “Bought this especially for you.
Didn’t you always complain that I never bought you cake? Go on, try it.”
Special for Mom, but he’d already dug into it.
Mom put down her purse and looked at the missing chunk of cake. Then she took a bite.
“How is it?” Dad asked.
Mom put down her spoon, and didn’t touch the cake again.
“Chuck, why did you ask me to come out here?”
Dad’s gaze flickered, and he blinked and smiled.
“Donna, I’m sorry about being angry, it was all
that anger, you should never put it to heart.”
Mom didn’t respond.
Dad glared at her. He had never acted so
servile to Mom, and it was weird to him. But he
sucked it up. “Donna, do you remember when
we first met?”
He talked without Mom’s permission. “Then,
you were only seventeen, and you came to me
every day, hearing my new poetry.”
“Yes.” Mom interrupted, her expression blank.
“At the time, I never thought of studying at
school but wanted to hear poems that you had
written.”
Dad was embarrassed.
“Donna, we were happy. And I was so stupid,
Donna, please forgive me, and allow me to
amend it, how does that sound? The kids can’t
live without a father.
Now he knew the kids needed a father.
>
Mom smiled without warmth and got up.
“Chuck, in all honesty, I’m sad that you left, but
there’s no need to. These years, I thought I
could never live on without you. After you’ve
left, it’s nothing. Without you, I can still live. We
don’t need others to amend to that.”
She grabbed her bag and was gonna go, but
Dad grabbed her.
“Donna!”
Dad got angry.
“I don’t think you are that heartless and want to
give you and me another chance.”
“Chuck, please don’t make things bad for
yourself.”
Mom shook his hand.
<
10:17
“Yeah, Donna!” He took a bit, and showed his
test results.
100
“Tell you the truth, I got cancer, and without it, I won’t be here soon.”
Mom was shocked and surprised at his results.
He was wearing the beanie, and his hair was growing out, and he looked so old.
Seeing her hesitation, he tried to cry. “Donna, you wouldn’t leave me to die, wouldn’t you? We have been together for so long, and the money is only 500k. It’s not too much to you.”
“Chuck.”
Mom was shaking and angry. “Now I know why
you came back. So all you wanted was me to
get you money to treat your illness! I never
knew that you didn’t change and knew that you
were wrong, all you wanted was money!”
10:17
100
Dad didn’t know Mom was conscious, so he
replied, “Donna, don’t speak so loud, don’t think
I’m that bad!”
“Why not, it’s obvious and you got me money,
you couldn’t amend to that.”
“Donna, stop!”
Dad was angry, and said, “After being together
for such a long time, help me. I only wanted
500k.”
“Ask yourself what you were thinking when you
left.”
Dad was about to say something.
The women in the corner were getting a video.
Mom said, “I won’t give you money.”
She grabbed her bag and went away.
