Father

By the time the seedlings we have planted have sprouted, the rest of the family comes home from their many days at work. Baby Tofu is so excited, he can't sit still. He has recently learnt to sit and bottom shuffle and so he shuffles himself all around the cave floor, following people around. Fighter kisses my forehead in greeting but then travels up and down the mountain several times with Gentle Whiskers and the girls, carrying tools and cloth and hay and bundles and boxes of things.

I watch from my bed where I have been stuck for the past day, having caught a cold after overworking myself. Swaying Blossoms excitedly chatters with Fluttering Bird about her scholar friend in the village and Fluttering Bird tells her in like manner about a young apprentice doctor she has met who came from a family of doctors. The family was caught in the crossfires of a battle and only the young man survived. Gentle Whiskers smiles while he listens, checking on me and keeping Baby Tofu out of trouble.

"He's coming in a few days after he's finished dealing with his personal matters," Fluttering Bird says. Her eyes, like Swaying Blossoms' sparkle like morning sun on a pond. They are so alive, it makes me feel a pang of loss for something. Something. I wonder what it is. Something I lost a long time ago.

"Gentle Whiskers, will you go and meet the man that has been taking up most of Swaying Blossoms' attention these few days as well?" I ask quietly, holding Gentle Whiskers' hand. "She has no father to help her. You are the only one who can."

"I will go in a few days," Gentle Whiskers smiles at me. There is a smug, pleased look in his figure and the way he carries himself.

"You've gained so many children," I tell him, wrinkling my nose at him. "Is it nice?"

"Very nice," Gentle Whiskers laughs, stroking my hair. "I have three obedient daughters now."

"What about me?" demands Fighter, suddenly sticking his head in between Gentle Whiskers and me. "What am I?"

"I don't dare presume anything," a flash of fear blooms deep in Gentle Whiskers' eyes, as if a distant horror has jumped out of the dark at him.

"Why not?" Fighter whines. "We have been together for a long time. Am I not worthy? Why do none of you want to accept me?"

"Son-in-law," I interrupt Fighter before he throws a tantrum and scares Gentle Whiskers. "Fighter, you can be the son-in-law. Although you have lost a title, you must be careful not to scare other people. The way you speak needs to be more humble. Make sure you treat Gentle Whiskers with all the respect he is due as your father-in-law."

Fighter opens his mouth to complain but I hold a finger up and give him a warning look. Closing his mouth again, Fighter turns around on the spot as if to look for something. He leaves the cave. When he returns, finding the teapot, he brews a pot of precious tea. When he has poured a cup, he kneels before Gentle Whiskers and offers the tea.

"Father," he says. "Please accept this cup of tea."

Everyone freezes, staring at Fighter. Gentle Whiskers does not dare to move. I can see Fighter fighting with his pride where he kneels on the floor. From the drooping of his shoulders, it is clear that he is growing more and more disheartened.

"Fighter," I say into the silence. "Tell Father where you went wrong and ask for forgiveness. Tell Father what you have learnt and how you will change."

"Father," says a thick voice, blurred with tears. Drops of water litter the ground from his bent head. "I have been wrong. I have sinned against you many times in the past but you have been forgiving to allow me to stay by your side and teach me as if I were your son these past few months. You have been patient, while I have been greedy and rash. I did not understand many things before. I know my faults. You have taught me where I went wrong. Now I know that I need a family. I need friends. I don't want to be alone anymore. Father, I will be filial toward you. I will respect you more than I did my biological father. Only, do not reject me. Please accept the tea offering of this humbled son-in-law of yours. Please allow me to call you 'Father'."

Gentle Whiskers is silent and strokes his beard. He looks out across the cave at all of us girls and Baby Tofu on his knee. He looks at the kneeling man who was once his lord and who once controlled his life or death. He looks at the trembling cup of tea in Fighter's shaking hands and sees the drops of water falling from Fighter's eyes to moisten the ground. Taking a deep breath and looking up at the cave ceiling as if to prevent tears from spilling from his eyes as well, Gentle Whiskers swallows. Reaching out, he takes the cup of tea with both hands and drinks it. Fighter doesn't move.

When the cup of tea is empty, Gentle Whiskers places the cup back in Fighter's hands and then rests one hand on Fighter's still bowed head.

"Son," says Gentle Whiskers. "Your respects are accepted."

Fighter's entire body shakes and he bows low to the ground. Then as he begins to sob, Gentle Whiskers lowers himself down to the ground and envelops Fighter into an awkward hug. Fighter cries into his shoulder while Gentle Whiskers pats him on the back and talks quietly into Fighter's ear. I am sure Fighter replies, but I do not hear.

Baby Tofu stares at the crying Fighter for a long time. After a while, Baby Tofu half swims and half crawls his way over to where Fighter is, where he clutches hold of Fighter's leg.

"Father," Baby Tofu says looking up into Fighter's face and pats him as if to comfort him. Baby Tofu is crying too. "Father."

It is Baby Tofu's first word.

Fighter lifts Baby Tofu into his arms and the two try to wipe the tears from the other's face, making the rest of us smile through moist eyes. Gentle Whiskers hugs both of them. After a long moment, Fluttering Bird joins them, followed by a hesitant Swaying Blossoms. Then the group migrate over to my bed where we all can take part in this big group hug.

Baby Tofu laughs. We all laugh. And cry.

It is good. Now we are all one family.