In her dim eyes, small peach blossoms were blooming on each of her little grandson's good fingers!
The old woman used all her strength to wrench the door from her daughter-in-law’s hand, then slammed it shut and locked it from the inside. Ignoring the hoarse cries of her grandson calling “Grandma.”
When the motorbike picked up Xoan and her mother and left, the old woman was still standing inside, her legs like nails, unable to move. Alone in the small house, she did not bother to turn on the lights. Darkness had already filled the house, swallowing the old woman over seventy, huddled in a mahogany sweater. If it were not for the neighbor Thuong knocking on the door, she would have probably sunk into the darkness.
- Grandma, why is the house so dark without the lights on? Have you eaten yet? The kitchen is so cold, you must not have cooked anything. Today, I'm going back to my hometown for a party, and I've packed some for you. The sticky rice is still hot, eat it now before it gets cold.
- So precious, thank you. Why is my portion so big, I can't eat it all by myself. If only Soc were still home, he would love those crispy fried shrimps. A big handful of sticky rice, he ate it all in three bites. I wonder who he resembles in terms of eating habits...
- Just like his father. Knowing that he would miss his grandson, why didn't he keep him with him? Anyway, eat quickly and rest early so you don't get sick. Don't think too much, there's still me and the neighbors here.
When she reached the alley, Thuong still told her: "Remember to lock the door carefully before going to bed."
“Poor thing!” Thuong sighed as she turned and walked into the dark alley. The story of the old lady’s family had been circulating throughout the village for a month now, and it still hadn’t stopped. Everyone said it was a pity for the old lady, having worked hard all her life and still being lonely even in her old age.
When Ton was only three years old, her husband went to the Northwest to reclaim land and build a new economic zone, then followed another woman and disappeared. She raised her son alone without caring about her own happiness. Feeling sorry for his mother's hardships, Ton was very obedient. Life was full of sadness and hardship, but thanks to her son, she always saw that God had eyes.
Ton studied well, after graduating he applied to work in the district, close to home, close to mother, there is no one like him.
After working for a few years, I saved up enough money to build a spacious house with simple but cozy furniture.
Then Ton met Xoan, dated for a few years and got married. The day the old woman received her grandson in her arms, she cried tears of happiness. The family was not rich, but they had enough to eat and spend. Both her son and daughter-in-law had stable jobs. The grandson was very cute, ate well and slept well, wherever the grandmother went, there was the grandson. All the neighbors said, "Congratulations to the old woman for enjoying her last days of happiness." But...
The news of Ton's death in an accident shocked and saddened the villagers. Someone asked each other how the old lady would live in the days to come. Luckily, she still had her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren. As long as her own flesh and blood was still there, she would have something to cling to and continue living, right? Yes! Yes! That handsome boy would lift her up with mischievous smiles. The love of her daughter-in-law would comfort her in her final years. Every time she heard someone encourage her like that, the old lady would say:
- How can that be? My daughter-in-law is still very young. She must find her own happiness.
- In the past, she also lived like that all her life to raise Ton.
- Because I have experienced it, I love my daughter-in-law even more. I want her to have someone who loves her and someone to depend on.
- Well…
The old lady sat on the porch watching her grandson play marbles with his friends. He was growing up so fast, he was already in first grade. Occasionally he would slip a small piece of paper into her pocket with some funny, loving words scribbled on it.
The little boy was as warm as a cotton ball. Yesterday, while curled up in his grandmother’s arms, he whispered: “Lately, my mother has been texting someone at night. The light from the phone makes it hard for me to sleep. From now on, I will sleep with you, grandma!”
Gently patting her little grandchild to sleep, her heart could not be at peace. She could hear her daughter-in-law tossing and turning in the next room. For many nights, that room had locked a young woman in happy memories, passionate love, extreme misery, and loneliness. Even though the next morning when that young woman walked out of the room, her face was not sad at all, the old woman could still recognize her daughter-in-law's moment of absent-mindedness when she saw the family gathered together in the late afternoon.
The moment Xoan stood in front of the mirror, touching the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. There were cold nights when she saw her daughter-in-law standing outside in the wind, as if she wanted to let her skin numb, suppressing the loneliness that was hard to fill. These past few days, there was often the sound of a motorbike stopping outside the gate, as if waiting for something. Her heart tightened…
- Mom heard the neighbors say that there's been someone standing in front of our house lately. They say it's someone you know. Why don't you open the gate and invite that person in to sit and hang out?
- Leave them alone, Mom. Don't think too much. I will still be here to raise Soc and take care of you when you are old.
- Who needs you to stay here and bury your youth with an old man? What I need is to see you happy.
Xoan closed the door and burst into tears. Neighbors whispered to each other:
- I heard it was the old lady who opened the gate for the guy to come in.
- I heard it's a new generation, right?
- Young, with a decent job. His family is well-off. This guy is very kind. He seems to really love Xoan and her children.
- I feel sorry for the girl. She's so young and already living alone. But thinking about her remarrying makes me feel sorry for the old lady. And what about Soc, I wonder if Xoan will leave him with the old lady?
- Not sure. Where is mom?
Lately, even the dog and cat in the old lady’s house have noticed something unusual. Xoan often shyly lowers her head. There are also days when Xoan comes home from work and doesn’t say anything or smile, just quietly cleans the house and prepares hot meals. She still worries about the old lady’s meals and medicine. The dry cough in the quiet night still makes her heart ache. Xoan feels sorry for herself and her mother-in-law. Because she understands that the old lady has also gone through a life of loneliness. Xoan has no way to think about her own happiness because she can’t manage everything completely. How can she leave the old lady alone in this empty house?
The old lady had tried to talk to the groom's family several times, asking if they truly loved Soc. The year was ending and Tet was coming, at the age where he was chasing spring away, and no matter how much she advised Xoan, she was still hesitant. That was why the old lady sent Xoan and her mother back to her parents' house.
Everyone said that the old lady was so foolish. It was fine to let her daughter-in-law get married, but she had to keep her own flesh and blood close by. "Fish in the pond are their own", and soon they would become someone else's children. The old lady pretended not to hear anything, her hands trembling as she searched for the FM radio station. Her ears had been deaf for a long time, so she couldn't hear what the announcer was saying. She just turned on the radio so that the house would have people's voices, to make it less lonely.
Every day, Ms. Thuong would go to the old lady's house several times with a plate of sticky rice, a bag of cakes, a bottle of tonic, and a brand new velvet scarf. She often lied cleverly, but how could she fool the old lady? It was all from Xoan's neighbor.
It was not until the day before Xoan went to her husband's house that the old lady opened the door and let her in. Soc ran to hug her, but was still crying and feeling hurt and angry.
Xoan walked beside her husband, hesitantly entering the house, both strange and familiar. Xoan's husband was very agile, looking around the house, he saw that the incense-burning chair was shaky, the curtain frame had fallen down and no one had put it back. He busily fixed a few places, as naturally as a grandchild in the house. At that time, the old lady was hurriedly opening the wooden chest, where she kept her memories through an old album, a broken watch, paper money, coins of unknown use. She took out the plastic bag, opened many layers before reaching the red cloth bag containing the two-tael gold ring. She gave it to her daughter-in-law, tearfully saying:
- A wedding gift for you. I don't have much.
- Mom, please keep us for your old age. We only ask to be your children and come over often to take care of us.
- I don't forbid you. This is always your home. Don't just come home when you're happy. If you're tired, come home too.
Xoan held her mother-in-law's old hand and sobbed.
She tried to stuff two taels of gold into Xoan's hand while Soc was still chasing the little cat in the garden. Before leaving, Xoan's husband promised the old lady that after the wedding he would sprinkle lime in the yard to remove moss and algae, because it would be slippery when it rained. He looked at the peach tree in front of the house and said, "What a pity, this year we didn't have time to strip the peach leaves, Mom." When she saw the three people leaving, she was both happy and sad.
On the afternoon of the 23rd of Tet, while the old lady was burning paper carp to send to heaven, the gate creaked again. She turned around and saw Xoan and his wife carrying big and small bags coming in. Soc carried a backpack of clothes, happily showing off:
- Grandma. I get to come home to celebrate Tet with you. Mom said if I like it, I can stay here so I can have you and your grandchildren. Are you happy?
The old lady nodded, turned to look at Xoan and her husband as if asking. Xoan was still struggling to find a place to put the pot of yellow chrysanthemums, and said enthusiastically:
- The little boy reminds me of you all the time. There are many nights when he wakes up from his sleep and calls out, “Grandma!” We brought him to live with you. My husband’s house isn’t far away. It’s less than ten minutes by motorbike. Letting him live with you is also an excuse for us to visit him early in the morning and late at night.
The old lady hugged her little grandson, her mouth trembling as she wanted to say something but couldn't form a word.
The boy pulled out a stack of colored paper from his backpack. He skillfully cut them into flowers and hung them on the peach tree whose leaves she had forgotten to strip. Xoan's husband was busy scraping off the moss around the yard to prepare for sprinkling lime. In the kitchen, the clanging of pots, pans, and dishes was heard. Xoan cleaned, wiped, and quickly filled each spice box. She did not forget to tell her mother where to put the salt and sugar. When she was done, she took out the pots, pans, and baskets, cleaned them, and hung them in a row outside the well. She had kept that habit for all the years she had been a daughter-in-law under this roof.
Looking at the white lime flying in the yard, the old lady thought this spring was like a dream. In her hazy eyes, small peach blossoms were blooming on each of her little grandson's fingers!
Short story by VU THI HUYEN TRANG