“Chloe, I found you, I missed you so much.”
I thought I’d have emotions if I ever saw Jake
again, but I’m calm, like he’s a stranger.
“How did you find me?” I ask.
“I saw your interview, got your company, and
they said you lived here…”
I nod. I did a great translation job, and did an
interview afterward. I turn to leave.
Jake runs over to me, “I’m sorry. I was wrong to
<
hurt you, I lied about the baby.”
“I thought I loved Sarah, but when you left, I
knew you were the only one. I broke things off
with her, and will never see her again. You can
hurt me, yell at me, but please don’t leave.”
I don’t say anything, and he looks scared. He
pushes the kid forward, “Chloe, you want a kid,
right? She is your daughter. Do you want her to
grow up without a mother?”
“Come home, let’s raise her together.”
He brings the kid closer and whispers,
“Sweetie, this is your mom, say hi and give her
a kiss.”
The kid studies my face, and then spits at me.
She yells, “Because of you, my father left and
my mother left, now kids call me names!”
“I hate you, I will never forgive you. When I
grow up, I’ll run you over with a car for hurting
my mom!”
My heart aches, what a mom’s worst fear.
Jake is shocked and slaps her, “Don’t talk to
your mother like that. She missed you so
much!”
The kid cries, “Dad hit me! You hate me! I don’t
want her to be my mom, I only want my real
mom!”
I feel weird. Jake is trying to explain, but I
interrupt, “Jake, are we really doing this?”
Jake looks hurt, “It’s not what you think. She’s
a bad influence.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t do that again.”
“Jake, have you ever heard of Karma?” I ask
him.
“Sarah might be evil, but she does care about
the kid. The kid knows that. We both know who
hurt me.”
“She was a good wife for five years, taking
care of your every need. How did you treat
me?”
“I gave you a chance that night. I asked you
whose kid she was, and you lied. I made the
mistake of marrying you.”
Jake is silent for a moment.
I ignore him and take out a tissue to wipe the
kid’s face, “Don’t cry, you’re beautiful!”
Kids are so simple. She sees that I’m being nice
and now looks at me with less anger.
I look at the child, that once lived in my belly.
“When you were in my stomach, I was always
wondering what you’d look like.”
“You are prettier than any other kid. You’re a
princess. I hope you’re happy, and don’t ever
cry again.”
I don’t know if she understands, but that’s what
I want to tell her.
She is embarrassed, “Are you my real mother?”
I see fear in her eyes. I smile, “No.”
She jumps, “Good. You can’t replace my real
mother, but we can be friends.”
I pat her hair, and look at Jake, “Do you see
now? I won’t be with you. I don’t hate you, but I
never want to see you again, and I will never
forgive you.”
Jake falls to the ground and starts crying. “I’m
sorry.”
I turn and kiss the girl. I say goodbye, and leave.
Jake took her back to his family. She will have a
better education.
That night, Jake ruined his hands, ending his
<
career.
The next day, he turned himself and Sarah in,
with the details about the crash, making them
guilty of bodily harm.
When asked why he ruined his hands, he
laughed, “I need to pay for my sins.”
My lawyer told me about this. I was quiet.
Jake had ruined my body with those hands.
Now, he hurt himself.
It was raining outside. Beautiful leaves are
falling, and they will be stepped on and
destroyed.
Just like my memories of Jake.
My colleague came in with a Chinese poetry
book. “How do I translate this?”
“What does it say?”
He says in broken Chinese: “From now on, we
don’t see each other, and don’t discuss the
length or the short of the relationship.”
(The End)
