Chapter 6 — Grandma Reincarnated

"Tomorrow, Mom, you won't be able to lift your hand." "If you can't lift it, hug it." Tham Nam walked over, hugged me from behind, his face pressed against my back. "Mom, thank you." "Thank you for nothing." "Thank you for not giving up." she said. "That day the police also said they couldn't find it. I believed it too. Mom didn't believe it." I turned my head to look at her. In the darkness, her eyes sparkled. "Tieu Nam." I said. "The thing I promised Dinh Tham, if I can't do it in this life, I'll do it again in the next life." She said "um" softly, hugging me tighter. My niece turned over on my shoulder and called out vaguely. "Grandma... grandma..." The name was unclear, like a bubble bursting. But I heard it. Tham Nam also heard it. The two of us froze in place, no one moved. After a while, Tham Nam whispered: "Did she just call you grandma?" "... It seems like that." "She's just over four months old." "Genius." I said. “Inherited from my mother.” Tham Nam laughed and pinched my waist. My niece was moved by the laughter, confusedly raised her head, her saliva trailed down my nightgown. "... Grandma." This time it's clear. Tham Nam was stunned for a second, tears suddenly fell down. I hugged my niece, turned my back to her, and did not turn my head. I was afraid that turning around would let her see that I was also in tears. That night, the three of us sat in the living room for a long time. My niece lay in my arms and slept until her saliva was flowing. Tham Nam leaned on my shoulder, his fingers clasped tightly with me. Outside the window, there are lights everywhere. I lowered my head to look at the mother and child, my heart feeling especially quiet. I owed them debt in my previous life, so I slowly repay it in this life. If you can't pay it off in full, you'll have to pay it in the next life. I stuck with them anyway. The summer when my niece turned five years old, we moved to a new house. Opposite the commercial building in the south of the city, Tran Viet bought a large one-story apartment. On the day of moving house, Tran Viet stood on the balcony and pointed at the building opposite. "Mom, have you seen it?" "I have seen it." "At first, Tham Nam said that this building was transferred to that kid, he is now five years old." He turned his head to look at me, the corner of his mouth with a smile. "Mom, you are worth much more than that building." I raised my hand and patted the back of his neck. "Stop talking." He smiled and avoided it. My niece rushed over from the living room and hugged my leg. "Grandma! Mom said I can go downstairs to play today!" "Go." "Are you coming with me?" "Go." Downstairs there is a small square, when the sun is about to go down the mountain it is cooler, many children run and play there. The niece rode her little sled and rushed out. I followed behind. Tham Nam sat on the bench, holding a cup of milk tea and looking at me. "Mom, go faster, she's gone far." "Not far." Tham Nam said nothing, bowed his head and took a sip of milk tea. Tran Viet came down from upstairs, put on slippers and sat next to Tham Nam. He picked up the cup of milk tea in Tham Nam's hand and took a sip, feeling so hot that he bared his teeth. Tham Nam kicked him. "Buy it yourself." "Mom, your daughter-in-law hit me." I turned my head and glared at him. "It's worth it." He smiled and returned the milk tea to Tham Nam, leaning on the couch to look at his daughter. The granddaughter in the front called out: "Grandma! Look at me!" She stood on the sled, spreading her arms out, as if she wanted to fly. "Don't let go!" "I don't let go!" She slid a few meters, then turned around and stopped in front of me. "Grandma, am I good?" "Good." "Better than Dau Dau in kindergarten?" "Much better." She grinned, missing two front teeth, making her words leaky. "So I'm sliding one more time." Another round!” “Don't run too far.” The girl turned around and rushed away, the wheels of the car slid through the tiles, making a clacking sound. I stood in the sunset looking at her. Almost six years old, fatter than when he was little. While running, my feet still stumbled a bit, but my whole body turned towards the light, even my hair was shining. Don't know since when

Tran Viet walked up to me, his arm gently touching me. "Mom." "Yes." "What are you looking at?" "Looking at my daughter." "Is it very similar to you when you were little?" "More beautiful than me." He burst out laughing. "Then why are your eyes red?" I didn't say anything. Tham Nam also came over and stood on my other side. She reached out and grabbed my hand. "Mom, what are you crying about?" I squeezed the two of them tightly. "Happy." The niece turned around again, stopped in front of us, raised her head. "Grandma, did you cry just now?" "No." "Obviously you cried, dad cried too." Tran Viet turned his face away. "Dad didn't cry." "Obviously dad cried!" Tham Nam bowed his head and smiled. I squatted down, lifted my niece off the sled, and let her sit on my arm. Tran Viet reached out to take it, I leaned over to avoid it. "Mom can carry it." "Mom has a wound on her hand." "It's been healed for a long time." "Last night mom still had plaster on it." "Shut up." Tham Nam next to him laughed. The setting sun made the shadows of the four of us very long, very long. I held my niece and walked in front, Tran Viet and Tham Nam walked beside me. My niece lay on my shoulder and said in a low voice: "Grandma." "Yes?" "When I grow up, I will also buy a building for you." My steps stopped. "What did you say?" "Buy a building for you." She hugged my neck and spoke very seriously. “As big as this court.”