18
Before, when he carried Mom, her arms would be around his neck, and she’d look at him gently.
But now, Mom’s arms hung loose, her eyes closed, and there was none of that gentleness
anymore.
The men stopped Dad and made him put Mom down. “Mr. Jiang, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please control your grief. You still have your daughter, don’t scare her.”
Dad didn’t speak. His strength was so great that the men couldn’t hold him back.
I started crying. The men told the woman to take me away first.
Downstairs, the area was packed with people. I heard them saying, “That child’s mother was such a nice person, how did she suddenly just…”
“Maybe a stroke or heart attack. These illnesses are affecting younger people now.”
“I heard her mom passed away the night before last. The child was with the body the whole time. When building management went in, the child was so hungry she was eating
out of the trash.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s so pathetic. I feel so awful hearing that.”
I didn’t feel pathetic, because I was with Mom the whole time.
Later, the men came downstairs, but Dad wasn’t with them.
The men were pushing a cart, and on it was a white blanket.
Even though I couldn’t see the person under the blanket, I knew my mom was sleeping
inside.
When we used to play hide–and–seek, Mom would lie under the blanket, and I could recognize her instantly.
Back then, she’d say to me, “Mommy’s hidden well, Lily, come find Mommy.”
I let go of my eyes and ran *thump–thump–thump* into the room, searching and searching, until I finally found Mom under the blanket.
Mom would immediately pull me into her arms.
We’d hide together under the blanket, whispering secrets.
This time, I also waited for Mom to pull me into her arms.
But Mom was still asleep as she passed by me. She didn’t hug me.
The woman covered my eyes, sobbing, and said, “Be a good girl, Lily, don’t look.”
I told her, “Auntie, I can cover my own eyes. When I count to ten, I’ll let go.”
She
said, “Okay, then count to ten.”
“One, two, three, four… ten.” I counted carefully to ten, but when I opened my eyes again, the blanket and Mom were gone.
<
Only the cart that had been stopped there was driving away.
I suddenly realized Mom was in that car, and if it left, I’d never see her again.
I desperately struggled to break free from the woman holding me, running after the car, crying and shouting for them not to take my mom away.
But I was too small, and she pulled me back.
I could only watch helplessly as Mom slowly disappeared.
Along with the blanket, disappearing into my tears.
