Short story: The passionate flow

Taking off her sandals, letting her bare feet touch the cool ground, feeling the green grass scent seep through her skin and spread through every vein running through her body, Han felt her heart soften in an instant. All the days she spent in a foreign land were just as many nights as Han had comforted herself to close the wounds of the past, to learn to forget by burying herself in studying and working. She had also told herself not to go back, to ask her friends here to stand up and send money back. But her gratitude did not allow Han to do that.

It was late autumn. The Lam River had just passed the flood season, its bed still had the fierce, twisted, turbid features of Mother Nature's anger. Afternoon came, pale purple clouds drifted indifferently along the river, while the water had not yet returned to the peaceful blue color of the calm days. Waves lapped against the boat's side, each wave echoing loudly. Deeply buried memories emerged, aching. Han pulled Kien's hand and sat down on the grass, watching the dark purple afternoon fall on the Lam River, diligently on its journey of using alluvium to heal the wounds caused by the fierce flood. It had been ten years since Han had the courage to return to this place.
At that time, Han had just turned twenty, innocent, clumsy, and full of life. The poverty of her family could not stop Han from dreaming of a better life. Her father died early due to a sudden traffic accident, her mother was sick all year round, Han grew up with the care of neighbors, villagers, and relatives. A little older, she knew how to plant straight rows, weed cleanly, hold a sickle to harvest rice bundles and carry them home, one day she went to school, one day Han asked neighbors to let her work for hire to earn money to buy rice, buy more pens and notebooks for school. Tuition and other contributions, some were exempted, some teachers in the school kindly contributed a little bit each to help. After the planting and harvesting season, when no one hired her, she went to catch crabs and snails. Yet every year she was the best student in the block and school. Perhaps that was why Han's mother tried so hard, taking all kinds of traditional medicine to save money, taking whatever people told her to, not completely curing her illness, but staying at home, in the kitchen cooking rice, boiling water, and most importantly, having a mother and children so Han would not be alone in this world.
After graduating from high school and passing the entrance exams to prestigious universities, Han chose to study pedagogy near home, both to save money and to be able to take care of her mother. The young girl's heart was moved during those years. Han fell in love for the first time, sincerely and passionately. When she learned that he was the son of a wealthy family, Han hesitated to open her heart. But that person did not look down on Han's family situation but always accompanied and encouraged Han, and was there when she needed him most. Several times her mother was hospitalized, he was there, taking care of everything, not hesitating about anything. He said that he was the only son in the family, so whoever he loved or married, his parents would support him. Moreover, Han was beautiful, talented and responsible since she was young, her parents would definitely love her. Han thought that God saw her efforts and compensated her and her mother for happiness after so much bitterness and humiliation, but she never expected that the storm would once again strike.
Mother's frail body could not bear the pain that came more and more. Mother let go of Han's hand in a night of pouring rain. The village pitied her widowed mother, each person helping Han to arrange a proper funeral for her mother. During those days, Han's lover was not present. In Han's heart, distant premonitions arose, but she had to suppress them to take care of her mother's work. In her mother's whole life since her father passed away, there had not been many happy days. Han did not want her mother's spirit to be ashamed even when she left this world.
The day he returned to school, the news that his lover had gone to study abroad was like a thunderbolt that made Han collapse. His family knew about it and, to prevent him, forced him to go abroad. His grandmother and mother threatened him with death. He loved Han, but he also did not want to be known as unfilial. He hurriedly left, leaving behind only a few short lines, less than a page long, as a farewell, for his classmates to send to Han.
Han wandered all night, then stopped in the middle of Ben Thuy bridge, feeling the cold wind blowing from the river. No crying, no laughing. Only bitterness filled her chest. Her mother was gone, her first love had vanished like bubbles. There was nothing left to hold her, to help Han long to be anchored to this life. When her feet stepped over the railing, a single thought flashed through Han's mind. She could disappear without anyone knowing, without thinking about tomorrow or the days after, without caring about the judgmental, pitying eyes of the world. And then darkness enveloped Han, the water swept Han into the vast, cold space.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks without her knowing. Memories were like needles stabbing into her cold heart. Han felt like she was suffocating in a whirlpool with no way out. Kien's warm hands brought Han back to reality. Gently and patiently, he wiped the tears from Han's cheeks and comforted her. It was all over. Yes. Han told herself as she stood up, held his hand and looked for Hau. It was all over.
Sister Hau pulled Han back to this life. Just as the cold water covered Han, the sound of the engine tore through the water, the strong hands of the woman who made her living by fishing pulled Han out of the whirlpool. A desperate call. Words of encouragement. Life is still long. Don't take your own life because of a moment of foolishness.
Han stayed with her brother and sister-in-law for a whole month. Their house was precariously situated on a small strip of land, just a few steps from the water's edge. There was nothing valuable in the house except an old boat, a few torn nets, and the laughter of her two children and her sister. Phuc was quiet but gentle, never once did he say a harsh word to his wife and children. Hau was generous, quick, and agile. She was like the eldest sister in the family, whispering to Han little by little, encouraging her to try to live. Even if the sky fell, she had to live.
The new blood drop formed in her belly, Han herself did not know that she could not keep it. Sister Hau took care of Han like a mother takes care of her daughter. One miscarriage is equal to seven births. I am still young, I must take good care of it. She picked betel leaves, heated them and applied them to Han's belly. She crushed ginger, squeezed the juice, mixed it with white wine and rubbed Han's hands and feet. Seeing Han sad, sister Hau said, "Let's just consider it as not fate yet, as long as we live, there is hope." She did not ask why Han was so desperate. Because those who have reached this stage are already at their worst, why bring it up and make it more painful. Han cried. Her tears were no longer bitter like the night she wanted to end it all. The cry of farewell to the newly formed child, farewell to the past years to start a new life.
Han stayed at her sister's house, trying to teach her two children. Her husband and wife were illiterate, their whole lives spent wandering around the river, looking for fish and shrimp to make ends meet. But no matter how hard it was, she still wanted her two children to have a proper education so that they would not have to drift like her husband and mother. When talking about her children, a smile lit up her haggard face. God must have loved them because they were smart, knew everything they learned, had neat handwriting, and won prizes for being excellent students at school and provincial levels.
On the day of parting, she slipped into Han’s hand a wad of change she had saved from selling shrimp and fish. Seeing you teach the children, I know you are a good student. Don’t give up for any reason. We are not rich, but we have health and hands, we will make it again… Go. Remember our words, all hardships will pass, heaven never blocks anyone’s path…
Han took Kien's hand and found the land she had been attached to for a short time but which contained so much love. Here was their house. After the stormy season, the house only had a mottled wall frame and a few temporarily dented corrugated iron sheets. Phuc was busy measuring and calculating. Hearing footsteps, they both stopped and looked up. They were older, tanned, and hard-working, but their eyes were still bright and kind. They did not recognize Han. That was right, in their entire lives, they had saved so many lives, how could they remember them all. But their youngest child recognized Han. He cheered, softly reproaching when he saw his parents still bewildered:
- Ms. Han, Ms. Han used to stay at our house and teach us, don't you remember?
Sister Hau recognized Han, both happy and sad. She squeezed Han's arm, looked at Han, and exclaimed that she was so beautiful now that she didn't recognize him. It's been ten years, seeing you like this, I know you're doing well, I'm happy. Today, stay here and have dinner with your brother and sister and the child. The roof of the house was blown off, I'm re-measured it, planning to build a mezzanine to temporarily avoid the flood. I'm also planning to rebuild it properly, but the older child is in college and about to graduate, the younger child is about to enter college, there are many things to worry about. Whatever we do, we have to prioritize our children's education first, dear.
She avoided mentioning the past, probably to protect Han in front of Kien. Han introduced this as her husband. He knew everything, she didn't hide anything. That day, I went back to school to try to continue studying. Then I won a scholarship, went abroad to study, settled down. We met there, loved each other, both orphans, both trying to study to escape poverty, loved each other and got married. I didn't dare to go back because of many worries, but he encouraged me, still had roots, still had parents' graves, still had brothers and sisters' favors. Besides, I had to go back so that my children would know their homeland. Han put her hand on her stomach, smiled slightly. Sister Hau brushed it off, going back to visit her hometown was right, as for the favors her brothers and sisters had never remembered or thought about, dear. Don't worry about that. I'm happy for you. Her voice choked, not knowing if it was because of the wind blowing from the Lam River.
The two sisters chattered. Phuc and Kien listened silently, patiently, and understandingly. Han wanted to save the joy for them until tomorrow. Tomorrow, Han and her husband would give them a gift. A small house would be built right here. Warm and sturdy, forgiving and kind like the hearts of two people who had spent their whole lives, regardless of dangers, to save lost and desperate souls. The gift Han and her husband gave with all their hearts on behalf of those whose lives they had saved.