Reunion day
The Morning at Doi Market
The day of my meeting with Uncle Thuong had finally arrived. I dashed to Doi Market, searching for him everywhere. Spotting his figure at a stall, I shouted excitedly:
"Uncle! I'm here! Are we leaving yet?"
Uncle Thuong, busy arranging items to close his stall, looked up with a smile and praised,
"Wow, you're early! Wait for me a bit, okay?"
He turned back to the stall and pulled out a small toy car, a red four-wheeler that fit perfectly in his palm. Pulling it back to wind it up, he released the car, letting it roll toward me.
"This is for you! Do you like it?"
I widened my eyes in amazement, thrilled as I picked up the car, forgetting even to thank him because I was so surprised. This was the first toy I'd ever been given. Enthralled, I played with the car, winding it back and forth tirelessly while Uncle Thuong hurried to finish his work.
When everything was ready, he started the motorbike and called out,
"Giang! Hop on!"
I climbed on quickly, but just as we were about to leave, another motorbike pulled up behind us. Looking back, I saw a woman wearing a pink jacket, a red hat, and sunglasses. Uncle Thuong glanced over and hesitantly asked,
"Who's that?"
The woman pushed her hat up slightly and responded coldly,
"I'm your wife!"
Hearing that, Uncle Thuong's face turned pale, and he stammered,
"Ah... I... I'm sorry..."
Before he could finish, Aunt Lan—his wife—sped off ahead of us. Uncle Thuong quickly started his bike to follow, sweat glistening on his forehead. I, sitting in the back, curiously asked,
"Why is Auntie angry, Uncle?"
He laughed awkwardly,
"Well, Aunt Lan can be a little tough... but don't ask too much, everything will be fine once we get to the hospital."
On the Way
The road that day was beautiful. On both sides, rows of white mustard flowers stretched endlessly like a soft carpet, swaying gracefully in the wind. I took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air and the gentle breeze, my heart brimming with excitement.
At a gas station stop, an attendant approached and asked,
"How much fuel, sir?"
"50,000 for my bike and 50,000 for my wife's," Uncle Thuong replied.
As the gas was being pumped, the faint scent of fuel intrigued me, and I sniffed curiously. Uncle Thuong noticed and quickly tapped my shoulder,
"Don't sniff gasoline; it's not good for you."
The attendant chuckled and asked,
"Is this your son?"
Resting his hand on my shoulder, Uncle Thuong smiled,
"Yes, he's my son."
Hearing that, I felt a burst of joy but said nothing, merely smiling softly.
At the Hospital
After a long journey, we finally reached the hospital. This time, I had the chance to take a good look around: lush green trees, vibrant flowerbeds blooming in radiant shades of yellow, red, and purple.
I led Uncle Thuong and Aunt Lan to room 479. As soon as the door opened, I saw my mother. She looked much better, her face glowing with a healthy flush, her eyes gentle and kind. I rushed to her side, hugging her tightly, tears streaming down my face.
In the corner of the room, I recognized the familiar figure of Aunt Nhi. I politely greeted her,
"Hello, Auntie!"
She smiled warmly,
"Good boy!"
Aunt Lan stepped forward and asked,
"Have you been here long?"
Aunt Nhi replied,
"I arrived in the morning, probably about two hours ago."
Suddenly, Aunt Nhi glanced slyly at Uncle Thuong and chuckled before saying,
"Oh, by the way, this morning at the market, I saw a city girl stop by your husband's stall. She was stunning, and your husband was smitten, even giving her white mustard flowers..."
Hearing this, Aunt Lan squinted suspiciously at Uncle Thuong. He could only lower his head and mumble,
"I... I need to use the restroom..."
Both Aunt Nhi and Aunt Lan burst into laughter, while I felt a sense of relief that my mother was recovering.
That day, I left the hospital filled with immense joy. On the day we brought my mother home, the whole neighborhood gathered, laughing and chatting merrily. It was a day of happiness that I would never forget. Everything had returned to its rightful place.