Chapter 17 — Live towards the light

21 Towards the light That call was like a stone thrown into a lake. Bringing back a peaceful life. Luu Ngoc Mai. The name seemed to have disappeared. Appeared once again. In the most ironic way. She... was abandoned. The daughter-in-law she favored the most... disappeared without a trace. Truly... retribution. Co Thanh sat opposite me, listening to the entire call. On his face… there was no emotion left. Painless. Don't struggle. Only serenity remains after all.

“What do you think?”

he asked. This time, he handed the decision over to me. This is what he owes me. It's also the final goodbye... to my own past. I was silent for a long time. Each image appears in my head. Her bitterness. Madness. The scene where she picks bones out of Lac Lac bowl. The scene where she pointed straight at me and scolded me. The scene where she stands on the balcony... threatens her with death. I should hate her. Logically, I should be gloating about her end. I should coldly tell the nursing home that we no longer have any contact, and let her die on her own. But when I closed my eyes, what appeared in my mind... was the image of her lying paralyzed on the bed, her eyes empty, in extreme despair. She is a hateful person. But right now... she's just a disabled old woman, abandoned by her relatives. I don't want to let hatred accompany us for the next half of our lives. I also don't want Lac Lac to know everything... and see his parents cold and heartless one day. There are things… It's time to let go.

“Let's go see her.”

“Consider it… the last time.”

Co Thanh looked at me, momentarily stunned, then his eyes gradually softened. He nodded. We didn't take Lac Lac with us. The two drove to a suburban nursing home. That place… was not pleasant. The smell of antiseptic mixed with the smell of food was so strong that it was difficult to breathe. Under the guidance of the nurse, we found Luu Ngoc Mai's room. One room with four beds. She lies next to the window. Thin to the point of deformity. Gray hair is dry and messy. Dull eyes looked up at the ceiling. I'm still wearing my old hospital clothes. Maybe... it hasn't been changed for a long time. The woman who once single-handedly manipulated the entire family... Now only a living corpse remains. No response. Don't turn around. Don't look at us. Maybe... don't dare look. Or… there was nothing left to see anymore. Co Thanh and I stood next to the bed for a long time. Don't say a word. Finally, he stepped up, pulled back the blanket, covering her exposed hand. Just a very small movement. But her body... trembled slightly. A cloudy tear silently slid down. We leave the room. I found the person in charge. Pay one year's worth of expenses. The most basic care package. Not much. But enough for her to... live with some dignity.

“From now on, we will transfer money on time every month.”

“But we won't be back.”

"I also hope that you... do not contact us for any reason."

“Let's just say… we're just the ones hiring an anonymous nurse for her.”

The person in charge nodded. We leave. The car rolled home. The sunset fell, covering us with a layer of gentle warmth. Co Thanh held the steering wheel very firmly. He turned and smiled at me. A smile... of relief that I've never seen before.

“Thank you, Tieu Nghien.”

"It's you... who taught me what love is, what life is."

I also smiled. The music in the car played softly. The landscape outside the window recedes behind. The suffocating, painful, dark days... followed by... fell behind us. One year later. In the new house. I was promoted and my income doubled. Co Thanh was also highly promoted and became the head of the department. We moved to a larger house. Lac Lac grew a lot taller. At school, he is the center of everyone's attention. A weekend afternoon. The sun is beautiful. I sat on the swing in the yard. Watching father and son run and chase each other on the grass. Clear laughter rang out. I took my phone and took a photo of that moment. In the photo... Co Thanh smiled very brightly. Lac Lac's eyes were as bright as stars. Behind them… Is our house. A home full of love. I bowed my head and wrote a line in the family album.

“Turn towards the light and live.”