Page 12 of Perfect Happiness
Jiyoo’s voice trailed off.Talking about ducks was fun, but not what she wanted to talk about.She wanted to ask Father where he had been and why he was here now.Jiyoo’s father seemed to know what Jiyoo was thinking.He then made a promise, one Jiyoo would never have imagined.
“From now on, Daddy will come more often.”
Jiyoo wanted to ask Father how often was often.But she couldn’t.If this was a promise he was making on the spot, she wouldn’t want to put him in an awkward position.If he hesitated while answering, she would start to doubt his promise.So, Jiyoo decided to ask Auntie Jane how often “often” was the next time she was at Grandmother’s house.
“Promise?”
Father extended his pinky toward Jiyoo.She took her pinky and curled it around his.Then after hesitating for a moment, Jiyoo asked another question.
“But what if you forget your promise?”
“I won’t forget.Never.”
“What if you forget your promise to not forget?”
Father gave Jiyoo a big smile.But for some reason, his smile seemed somewhat melancholic.Jiyoo turned toward the direction of the valley and looked at the space beneath her feet.Her eyes were seized by a dizzying landscape.The valley, which was gnarled with pines and large boulders, was dark and deep.Across the valley, the evening sun was descending on the mountain, painting everything in the wetlands in bright red.Wind rushed in and out of the valley.Jiyoo looked back at her father.
“Let’s go home.Mother will be mad if we’re late.”
By the time they arrived home, Mother had just finished preparing dinner.The atmosphere was more like a party than supper.On the table were candles and a vase with three roses.In the middle of the table was a chocolate cake with a single candle, next to which was a bowl with salad and a breadbasket, as well as cheese, butter, and a bottle of wine.There was a wine glass and a juice glass set at the place closest to the living room, and a single wine glass set at the place closest to the kitchen.
Father looked a bit surprised.He took off his shoes and was about to step into the cabin but hesitated for a moment as he looked at Mother, who pointed toward the bathroom with her thumb.
“Wash your hands first.The both of you.”
Jiyoo washed her hands with Father.Or to be more exact, Father stood behind Jiyoo and washed her hands for her.As he lathered her hands, he asked her:
“I used to wash your hands like this all the time.Do you remember?”
Jiyoo nodded.One by one, the memories returned to her.Father’s getting into the bathtub with her and bathing her.Playing games with the bubbles floating on the water.And Mother’s coming home, seeing her and Father in the bathtub together, and exploding with anger.“Honey, what are you doing with the baby?”
Jiyoo returned to the table, walking side by side with her father.Mother handed Father the corkscrew, then lit the candle on the cake.
“It’s your first father-daughter reunion.Don’t you want a picture?”Mother asked as she poured wine into Father’s glass.He nodded, and Mother took her phone from inside the sink drawer and turned it on.
“Okay.Hold your glasses up and put your cheeks together.Say cheese.”
Jiyoo and Father did as Mother said.Mother stood with her back against the kitchen counter and pressed the shutter button.
“This is a really beautiful picture.”
Mother returned to the table with the phone.Father took the phone as she handed it to him.Jiyoo, too, looked at the picture on the phone screen.The two of them were smiling happily.They looked so cozy, as though they had never been apart, not once.But the background was eerily dark.Behind them, the doors to the rest of the house were all open.The unlit living room and bedroom both looked like dark caverns threatening to devour Jiyoo and her father.
“I’ll send it to you,” Mother said as she tossed her phone aside.
Jiyoo thought how nice it would be to have her own cellphone so that she could look at the picture whenever she missed Father.Of course, she would never say this out loud.It wasn’t something Mother would like.
The goulash was surprisingly good.Mother was more talkative than usual.And Father also looked like he was in a good mood.He finished the bottle of wine all on his own.He was drunk even before they finished dinner.
“Jiyoo, I think it’s time for you to go to bed,” Mother said.
Jiyoo got up obediently.She also thought it was best to go to bed early.If she wanted to get up early tomorrow, that was.Father had said they would go to the Half Moon Marsh again together.And Mother had said it was okay.
“But then why did you go?”Jiyoo asked as she touched the face of the Dad Puppet with her fingers.
Everything from that day felt like a dream now—her walk with Father to the Half Moon Marsh, the family of loons they saw, Father’s promise to come more often.Perhaps Mother was right; perhaps Father wasn’t going to come anymore.That must be why he left without saying goodbye, right?
Right?Jiyoo asked Mischievous Mouse.
