Ms. Evelyn returned home carrying a half-joyous, half-anxious heart. The knot that had weighed heavily on her soul for years finally found its way to be untied. Her remaining worry was about persuading Agnes to take a test, for from what she observed, Agnes did not seem to harbor much fondness for Mrs. Frank.
After two days of thought, Ms. Evelyn personally visited Agnes in Saigon. She arrived at the publishing house unannounced, knowing Agnes would only accept if she called ahead, given how her previous attempts to see her daughter’s workplace had declined.
Early in the morning, Ms. Evelyn arrived at the publishing house, bringing some of Agnes’s favorite cakes. Last time, Agnes’s visit home was rushed, so Ms. Evelyn had yet to have the chance to prepare much. After making inquiries, she asked an employee to escort her to Agnes’s office, where she waited.
As she entered the room, Ms. Evelyn’s eyes were drawn to a large, beautiful portrait of Agnes. Agnes’s smile shone brightly in the picture captured on her graduation day. Ms. Evelyn gently traced her thin, frail fingers over each feature on the small face of her daughter. Even though she was not Agnes’s birth mother, she had cared for, nurtured, and loved her since infancy, fostering a bond akin to a mother-daughter relationship. It would be fantastic if Agnes were her long-lost biological granddaughter; they would become a real family.
A contented smile unknowingly spread across the older adult’s face. Suddenly, the door swung open. Startled, Ms. Evelyn turned around. It was Agnes, looking just as surprised, but her expression quickly turned into annoyance and frustration. Agnes began in an accusing tone.
“Why did you show up at my workplace unannounced? Do you realize…”
Noticing her daughter’s unhappiness, Ms. Evelyn began to soothe her.
“I know it was wrong of me to come unannounced, but you left without saying goodbye last time, which upset me. Today, I came to apologize to you…”
Agnes cut her off abruptly.
“Never mention the two of us in front of me again. I don’t want to hear it.”
Ms. Evelyn quietly wondered what her sister had done to upset Agnes so much. She suddenly realized Agnes had no idea Mary wasn’t Mrs. Frank’s biological child.
Ms. Evelyn was worried about convincing Agnesy to take a DNA test. How would Agnes react if she suspected Agnes might be Mrs. Frank’s daughter? Would the shock lead her to cut off contact completely?
Ms. Evelyn, after a few seconds of composed silence, gently moved to stand behind her daughter. She lightly caressed her distinctive golden brown hair, each strand fine but somewhat stiff due to repeated styling and dyeing. Unable to hold back, Ms. Evelyn whispered.
“I apologize for not being there in your loneliest and most difficult times, but I’ve always wished for your happiness. I desperately wished we could be a family from the moment I first saw you.”
Agnes turned to face her mother, her eyes full of sorrow, and collapsed into her arms, sobbing. Ms. Evelyn embraced her daughter, patting her back gently. The scene was truly heartrending.
After a lengthy conversation, Ms. Evelyn departed but, upon exiting, inadvertently saw Mary. Mrs. Frank suddenly realized why Agnes had felt uncomfortable at the mention of her.
…
Today was the day the doctor would deliver the DNA test results. The Mrs. Frank sisters sat anxiously in the waiting room. Ms. Evelyn held her sister’s hand tightly, reassuring her, yet she was also on tenterhooks. Suddenly, a nurse called their names, prompting them to hurriedly enter the consultation room to discuss further with the doctor.
Leaving the hospital, Mrs. Frank’s sisters had tears in their eyes, hugging each other in joy. Ms. Evelyn, her face beaming, her smile kind and compassionate, comforted her sister.
“It’s all good now. The only thing left is figuring out how to get the child to accept us. It would be best if you remained calm.
Regardless of the mistakes she may have made in the past, forgive her. Nothing in this world is more precious than family.”
Mrs. Frank nodded in agreement, then softly responded.
“I could never have imagined that my child had suffered so much hardship on her own if only I could have found her sooner…”
Mrs. Frank couldn’t hide her tears, crying on her sister’s shoulder. Mrs. An gently patted her back, consoling her.
“Stop crying. Cheer up. If fate has determined you two to be mother and daughter, you will eventually meet again. From now on, take good care of her and compensate for what she’s missed to help her understand that we’ve always loved her.”
Having said this, Mrs. An paused, thought for a moment, and then continued.
“So, what do you plan to do to bring her home?”
Mrs. Frank remained silent for a while, then softly said.
“What will come, will come. There will be a solution for this sooner or later. Don’t worry. I believe she’ll be overjoyed when she hears this news because she, too, needs a family.”
The sun was now at its peak, its heat intensifying. The two got into the car and slowly drove off. On the way, they had a lengthy discussion about how to break the news to Agnes. Would everything go according to their hopes and expectations?