Chapter 5 — The Father Awakens Too Late

He eventually learned how to prepare for those little things, but we no longer needed him to save us. Grandma took the porridge in his hand and snorted.
“Don't waste porridge.”
Dad smiled bitterly. Arriving at the park, Chu Chu also came. The boy was led by Ly Uyen Nguyet's sister. As soon as he saw his father, he immediately ran over.
“Dad Bui!”
I tightened my mother's hand. Dad squatted down but did not hug the boy.
“Chu Chu, from now on, call me Uncle Bui.”
Chu Chu was stunned.
“But before…”
Dad's voice was gentle but very clear.
“I did it wrong before.”
I looked at him. At that moment, I knew he was truly changing. During a parent-child game, I fell. Knees are skinned. Dad almost rushed forward. He picked me up, his face pale.
“Where is the fall?”
He squatted on the ground and applied a band-aid to me, his fingers so light that he was afraid they would break me. The teacher smiled and praised:
“Tri Tri's father is so thoughtful.”
I bowed my head to look at him. In his previous life, after my mother passed away, he also took care of me like that. Cooking porridge for me, taking me to school, standing outside the school gate waiting for me on rainy days. But at that time I was fifteen years old and my mother was no longer there. When we returned, dad took us downstairs. Mom held my hand and went up. Dad suddenly called her.
“Chanting Nghi.”
Mom stopped. The sunset light fell on his shoulders, he was still very handsome.
“Can you still pursue me later?”
Mom was silent for a long time.
“Bui Nghien Tu, you can be Tri Tri's father, but you can't become my husband again.”
The light in Dad's eyes dimmed. His eye rims turned red.
“I understand.”
Mom held my hand and went upstairs. This time, her steps were very steady.
9
One year later, I was six years old. Mom published her first picture book. On the cover is a small rabbit, holding the hand of an injured fox, walking out of a dark room. The day the picture book was released, Mom participated in a local interview program. The host asked her:
“Why did you draw a rabbit leading a fox out of a dark room?”
Mom smiled.
“Because a lot of kids don't understand things.”
“They are just too young, no one listens to them.”
When the program aired, Dad watched the entire interview in the company meeting room. Then the assistant secretly told the grandmother. That day, Director Bui postponed the meeting for half an hour, sat alone in the room and looked at the screen for a long time without moving. After hearing that, my grandmother just snorted.
“Deserve it.”
Dad bought a lot of picture books. Company reception desk, office, car, everywhere. One time I went to his company to pick up things and saw a book on his desk. The open page shows the little rabbit closing the door to a darkened room. Next to it is a row of words written in pencil. It turned out that the person who couldn't leave was me. I looked for a long time, but didn't tell my mother. After that, Ly Uyen Nguyet left this city. She looked for her father several times. Dad didn't see me. Chu Chu's biological father returned to fight for custody of the child, and she cried and begged him for help. Dad only asked the lawyer to answer one question.
“It's about the child, find his father.”
He finally learned the boundaries, just too late. On my birthday, my mother organized a small party. There is grandmother, a few little friends and dad. I agreed to let you come. Dad stood outside the door and asked mother first.
“Can I come in?”
Mom nodded, and he just changed his shoes. At the dinner table, he was very quiet. Don't explain yourself, don't compete to show off. Before giving me food, he will ask:
“Tri Tri, do you want it?”
I nodded and he picked it up. Before cutting the cake, I made three wishes. First of all, my mother lived to be a hundred years old. Second, every day my mother is happy. Third, don't turn back into your old father anymore. After blowing out the candles, dad gave me a gift box. Inside is a moon-shaped brooch. On the back is a line of small letters engraved. The moon of Tri Tri, belongs only to Tri Tri. Dad squatted in front of me.
“In the past, Dad gave things that belonged to you to someone else.”
“It won't be like that anymore.”
I stroked the moon pin.
“Dad, do you still love mom?”
Dad's eyes immediately turned red. He looked toward the living room. Mom was talking to her grandmother, wearing a bright yellow dress. It was a color she had never worn in her previous life. Dad looked for a long time.
"Love."
“So why did dad always make mom sad before?”
He bowed his head.
“Because dad is too selfish.”
“I think you two will be there forever.”
“So I reserved my worst temper and the least amount of patience for you and your mother.”
I asked again:
“So dad still wants to remarry mom?”
Dad was silent for a long time.
"Want."
He raised his head to look at me, his eyes red and wet.
“But you shouldn't.”
I was stunned. Dad patted my head.
“If dad loves mom, he can't keep forcing her to turn back.”
“Mom is living very well now.”
“Dad doesn't bother mom, that's the last good thing he can do for mom.”
My nose stings. He finally learned how to love. But mom no longer needs it. After the birthday party ended, dad left. Mom called him back.
“Bui Nghien Tu.”