Parts of a Whole

Walking into the alluring forest  , once in well, forever! Percieving the soothing, twitching of the leaves as I step on them. Left me hanging. As I walked deeper in, the trenches in my memory, slowly fill up.  I was out of words. It was the trees house my dear Lihua and I, build many, many years ago. I had nothing else to do, but go inside. It was newer than my tattered clothes, cleaner than my rusty shoes, and fuller than my bare heart.

Walking around, I glimpsed at pictures of me, and old letters on the walls. I picked up the shabbiest letter, just because It seemed gripping to my eyes. Brushing my fingers across the Bamboo paper, I evoked the moment when I gave it to Lihua. I soon open it up and my eyes scan through it:

Dear Daddy,

Ever since you died I felt like I was torn into pieces. A part of me was taken away and never replaced. Mom hasn’t found anyone, who could put a smile on her face the way you did. I just wish you could come back. Don’t tell anyone, but that’s been my birthday wish. Oh! And a heads up we got Lu (in case you don’t remember my soala) a mate. I’m expecting for them to have babies. Oh and I almost forgot Happy Birthday daddy!

 Sincerely, Lihua, with lots of love!

Soon tears start prickling down my cheek. All this time I thought they didn’t love me anymore, because they didn’t come to look for me. And I didn’t bother to come look for them either, because of all the anger that had built up in me. But the truth was that they thought I was dead. Now was a time to use my heart, not my head. I am going back home to look for them.

As I walk towards the door I hear a loud sound, as I look back, my eyes caught an enormous tornado heading my way. Moving quicker and quicker. Knowing it would completely knock this whole thing down. I take bag that was on the wooden floor and start tossing everything I could see, into the bag and jump out the tree house.

And I start gallop towards the nearest house. I look back and the house looks closer. I son reach the house and knock with all my force. An old lady with blonde hair and a long red dress opens the door. When she realized the tornado she slams the door, and lets me in.

“Excuse me, sur.” The lady says.

“Yes,” I reply.

“ Err. Are you Mr.Duong, the father of Lihau. I realized you, because I was your daughters nanny, I mean I still am.” The lady says nervously.

I stay frozen until the lady, shouts, f I was okay.

“Yes. Yes. I mean, I guess so.” I reply in confusion.

“Do you know where I could find them?” I ask.

“Sorry to tell you but they think your dead,” she says with sorrow.

“I know! But can you show me, where to find them.” I say.

“Yes, Yes. I will take you with me tomorrow on the way to their house” She says.

“Ok! Thank you very much. Let’s go.” I say rushing.

“Wow,wow,wow,wow. Did you forget there’s a tornado in our way?” she replies.

“Yes, Yes your right. Would you be kind enough to let me stay for a night? I will really appreciate that.” I ask.

“Sure, you could stay in the visitor’s room, and I’ll be right back with my delicious, homemade chicken soup.” She says in a caring voice.

“Thank-you very much dear,” I say in a thankful voice.

“Oh! No worries. It’s an honor to have you stay over, with me. I’m always so lonely. Oh! And I’m so sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier, my name is Susie. Susi Pepper. But you can just call me Ms. Pepper. You may realize that it is not a Vietnamese name. Well, that’s because I came from America about forty years ago. Oh! I remember those old times. ” Ms. Pepper says in a loosening voice.

“You have a very nice story. My name is Binh Duong.” I reply.

As Ms. Pepper steps out the living room my eyes catch a picture of someone I knew. I stood up to get a closer glimpse at it. I soon feel a hand touch my back.

“Yes that’s your father, my husband,” Ms. Pepper says

As the words flow into my ear, it felt like the whole world fell on me.

“Mother.” I say confusingly.

“Yes! Son..” Ms. Pepper says

“You really are,” I say.

“Yes, I’m so sorry I never came looking for you.” My mom says.

I soon wrap my hands around her soft skin. And whisper into her ear.

“It’s okay mom.”  I whisper.

After a while of just standing there, we go to the kitchen to eat dinner, and then straight to bed.

The light fills my eyes and I soon wake up to the amazing smell of a just made batch of chocolate chip cookies, getting cooled by the cool Vietnam morning breezes, coming from the half open window in the kitchen. The smell of the goey chocolate chips, made my mouth water, and my stomach growl. So I stood up and walked into the kitchen.

“Morning.” I say

“Oh! Good morning son. How was your sleep last night?” My mom says.

“Fine. I just feel like I’m forgetting something today” I reply with confusion.

“Would this refresh your memory?” My mom says with an exciting ring in her voice.

            My mom soon steps out, and leaves the room filled with nothing, but the devouring smell of the cookies and my confusion. I knew that what I remembered, had to do something in her hand. My mom soon comes in with a Soala in her hands.  I took a short look at it, and then it hit me.

“Today’s Lihua’s birthday!!!” I scream out so loud, I felt the ground shake a little.

“Where did you get it?” I ask

“Well! It happens to be that you wonderful daughter gave Lu to me, when your father passed away.” She answers.

“No! I can’t go with you. I haven’t got her a present.” I say worrying.

“Oh! Don’t worry about that. I’ll take out to the store to buy her present, and get you new clothes.” She says.

“No! She probably doesn’t need new clothes.” I reply.

“Not her! You!” She says hysterically.

I look down at my clothes in shame. Looking at the holes, stains, rips, and tattered cloth.

“Oh! You’re be right there. I’ve got it. I can get her a Soala. In the she wrote from when she was little she said, that she was expecting Soala babies. Until she gave the Soala’s to you. I’ll buy her a baby Soala.” I say excitedly.

“Great idea.” My mom says.

I rush through my breakfast. And I am soon stepping into the store with my mom.

And there they were a, Soala babies. All of them looked the same, light brown fur. But there was one with white fur. It was so simple, but something, something that I couldn’t figure out what, was so amazing about it.

“Excuse me how could I help you dear.” The store lady says.

“Oh! I take that one write there please.” I reply.

“ No problems.” The lady says.

“What would you like to name her?” She asks.

As those words slowly came into my ear, I had no answer I couldn’t think. I whispererd to myself don’t use your head, us your heart.

“Um.. What about Lihua.” I reply.

“Excellent! Sign right here, after paying the fee, and it’s all yours.” The lady says.

I’m soon exiting the store, and that’s when run into a young girl, who I perfectly knew, but I couldn’t recall.

“Dad!” Lihua says.

While hearing that word, I picked her up and wrapped  my hands around her soft auburn, black hair.

“I thought you were dead daddy, but you’re actually here with me right now!”  Lihua says whil crying.

“Yes, Lihua. Look what I got you.” I say.

As I hand her the Soala, her eyes grow big, and tears of happiness begin prickling down hr pink cheeks.

“Thank-you, so much daddy.” Lihua shouts out.

“Oh! It nothing I had to make it up to you for not coming back.” I say.

“Here I was just about to leave it at the tree house. I’ll be walking home with grandma.” Lihua says.

As I brush my fingers across the paper, I realized that it was the same kind of paper, that the letter in tree house, was made out of, Bamboo paper. I quickly open It up and scan through it.

Dear Daddy,

Today is my Birthday, and I wished for you to come back. Also to get a Soala, but mostly for you. Remember that I told you in my first letter that I felt like a part of me was missing. Well, it still is. Also, for mom. And maybe for you also. I just wish you sould come back so we could be a whole again. I mean. There is no whole, without its parts.

With more love than ever, Sincerely Lihua.