Chapter 1 — 26 Days My Husband Lived In The Attic

My husband was sent to Germany to work for half a year. One night, while I was putting my three-year-old son to sleep, he suddenly leaned close to my ear and whispered:

“Mom, dad is hiding in the attic.”

I stopped. Tran Dien has been in Germany for four months now. Every day he video calls my mother and me, and last night he even showed me the night scene in Munich.

“Tieu Du, what did you just say?”

“Dad is hiding in the attic.”

My son pulled my hand and seriously repeated:

"During the day, dad hides up there. Waits for mom to go to work before coming down."

My house is a duplex with two floors. The second floor has a small attic used as storage, normally filled with miscellaneous items, and locked all year round.

“You were dreaming, right?”

I patted my son's head.

“Dad is in Germany, it's far away.”

“It's not a dream.”

Tieu Du frowned his little face.

"Dad also told me to keep it a secret and not tell mom."

“Then why did you tell mom?”

“Because dad seems very scared.”

The boy's voice became smaller and smaller.

“Dad cries a lot.”

I looked at my son for a long time. It would be difficult for a three and a half year old child to make up such a complete story... but the possibility of him confusing dreams and reality cannot be ruled out.

“Okay, go to sleep.”

I pulled the blanket over the baby.

“Tomorrow, mom will take me to the amusement park.”

Tieu Du grabbed my sleeve.

"Mom, don't tell dad I told you this story. Dad will be very worried."

I closed the door to my child's room, stood in the hallway and looked up. The entrance to the attic is at the end of the hallway, there is a folding wooden door that opens upward. To go up, you have to pull down the folding ladder. The last time I opened that door... was like half a year ago, when I put away clothes out of season. There's no way anyone could be hiding up there. I convinced myself like that and then returned to the bedroom. But that night, I tossed and turned until three in the morning and still couldn't sleep. Tieu Du's words only lingered in my mind.

“Dad seems very scared… he cries a lot.”

The next day is Saturday. I took Tieu Du to the amusement park. The boy played very happily, completely with the innocence of a three and a half year old child, running around chasing pigeons, just for the sake of a cotton candy and having fun all day. On the way home, he fell asleep in the car seat. I carried my baby back to my room, covered him carefully with a blanket, then stood alone in the hallway, looking up at the path to the attic. The lock still hung there, covered with a thin layer of dust. I took the key, climbed the ladder, unlocked it and pushed the wooden door open. It's dark inside. The phone light scanned every small corner, only seeing cardboard boxes and old furniture. Nobody. There are also no traces to prove that anyone was ever here. The boxes in the corner were covered with thick dust, and the floor had no footprints. I stood in the attic, breathed a sigh of relief, and felt ridiculous again. Just because of a few words from a child, I actually climbed up here to check. I closed the attic door and locked it as before. In the evening, Tran Dien made a video call. In the screen, he is wearing a gray hoodie, his hair tied back. Behind is the hotel desk, filled with documents and laptops.

“Is Tieu Du a good boy today?”

"Very good. I took my child to the playground."

“I saw your post.”

Tran Dien smiled lightly.

“The photo of my child playing in the ball pool looks so adorable.”

“How are you doing?”

"The project is going well. Probably in two more months it will be finished."

“Two months?” I mentally calculated. “So that leaves about eight week?"

He smiled softly.

"Both of you, try to wait for me a little longer."

I nodded. After hanging up, I looked at the clock. Nine o'clock Beijing time. Munich right now is probably around two o'clock in the afternoon. The time zone is not wrong. The context is not wrong. His condition is also very normal. Everything is normal. It's just Tieu Du talking nonsense. For a week after that, I didn't mention this again. Tieu Du also did not mention it. I think this is over. Until Wednesday night. That day I worked overtime until eight o'clock before returning home. The maid has finished bathing Tieu Du and is telling fairy tales to the boy. I took it, held my baby in my arms and soothed him to sleep. In the darkness, Tieu Du suddenly spoke.

“Dad let me eat cookies today.”

My hand stopped on my child's back.

“What?”

“Strawberry cake.”

Tieu Du spoke very naturally.

“The type I like the most. Dad told me that after mom goes to work, he'll come down to play with me and build a castle with lego for me."

“Tieu Du, will you let me eat cake today?”

“Auntie let me eat apples.”

The boy shook his head.

“Bake is my father's gift.”

I immediately went to the kitchen and opened the snack cabinet. Inside there was indeed a package of strawberry-flavored cookies. I remember very clearly. That's the package I bought last week. At that time, it was still intact because I saw that Tieu Du had been eating too much sweets lately, so I planned to let him eat it in a few days. But now… Half the package of cookies has disappeared. I asked the maid. She affirmed that she had never given Tieu Du cookies. That night, I lost sleep again. The next morning, before taking my son to kindergarten, I squatted down to his eye level.

“Tieu Du, tell mom the truth.”

“When did Dad start hiding in the attic?”

“It's been a long time.”

“Can you count?”

Tieu Du held out his two small hands. Spread all ten fingers. Then spread it again.

“Twenty days?”

Tieu Du nodded.

“Dad said he already counted the calendar.”

“Why do you have to hide?”

“Dad said there are bad people outside looking for him.”

The boy held a small stuffed rabbit in his arms, his voice immature.

“So dad can't let bad people know he's home... nor can he let mom know.”

“Which bad guy?”

Tieu Du shook his head.

“Dad refused to talk. But I'm very scared."

The boy bowed his head and played with his fingers.

“Dad said if bad people find him… our whole family will be in danger.”

I felt a chill down my spine.

“Where is dad during the day?”

“In the attic.”

“When mom goes to work, dad goes downstairs and sits in the living room for a while, sometimes even goes into the kitchen. Before aunt comes, dad will come back.”

“What time does aunt usually come?”

“I don't know.”