“The police took your father away,” the neighbor children teased Bee when her father was arrested, “he is dead.”
Bee had just turned 5 years old when her father was arrested. Though it has been more than a year, her family still hasn’t told Bee what actually happened to her father, being afraid she can’t handle the truth. Every day, Bee always longs for Daddy’s coming home and has in mind all his interests and habits.
Back in the days, Daddy loved Bee with all his heart. While overwhelmed with his business and social activism, Daddy always prioritized time with Bee. He was in full charge of picking her up and dropping her off. Bee loves playing on beaches, so Daddy usually took Mommy and Bee there for family bonding time. Bee grinned every time she caught a big wave, when Daddy would always cover her just to end up full of laughter. On days when the family time was not on the beach, the triple would either play monster games, hide-and-seek, or draw together. Bee is Daddy’s precious daughter. Daddy loves Bee the most.
His love for Bee included how he’s aware of the bad influence of the Government’s harassment on her development. For as long as he could remember, Bee has constantly had to move due to the police’s pressure on their landlords. Inevitably, she has also witnessed Daddy browbeat by the police frequently. At such times, Daddy was so worried that he could only hug her tightly. That’s how things had been, and Daddy would do everything to make it up to Bee.
“The police took your father away,” the neighbor children teased Bee shortly after her father was arrested, “he is dead.” Bee ran home to Mommy, weeping. As worried Bee couldn’t face the truth, Mommy persuaded her that Daddy was just away on his own business.
Besides, adult neighbors used to rumor, “Bee’s father holds American nationality, he will soon leave for the US. Her house is full of dollars.” However, the rumor eventually disappears, and the neighborhood figures out that he was speaking up for what’s right. Many of them have got to know Bee’s father in person and are willing to share the family’s challenges.
Mommy, along with the big family and even neighbors, is taking turns to take care of Bee for Daddy, hoping to make her life as easier as possible. Whenever Mom asks how she feels about Daddy, “He loves me, and he loves you,” Bee hardly changes her answer. “You got to remember Daddy is a good guy,” Bee’s mother once responded to her.
Now at home, Bee often mentions Daddy when seeing his clothes, items, and his favorite dishes. Last Tet holiday, Bee spotted the tea bag in the Tet gift package and tried to save it for Dad when he’s back. Bee now is like a tiny version of Daddy, copying every habit of his in her memory.
A significant time has passed since the last union of the triple; hence, as long as everyone outside is looking after Bee for Daddy, he will be very much content.
***
Bùi Văn Thuận is a social activist who participated in protests against China and spoke out against corruption since the early 2010s. On August 30, 2021, Mr. Thuận was arrested by the authorities on charges of “making, storing, distributing, or propagating information, documents, or items against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, as stipulated in Article 117 of the 2015 Penal Code. After nearly a year in detention, the authorities had not allowed his family or lawyer to meet with Mr. Thuận.
