PRAISE AND REVIEWS FOR UNBOUND

1

IT’S NEW YEAR’S ALL OVER AGAIN

We learned of my grandma’s return late on a December night.

Earlier that evening, the three of us had sat down and begun to eat dinner when we heard a knock on the door.  Father opened it, and his pause made us turn from our dishes toward the door to see three officials in Public Security uniforms standing at our doorstep with the neighbors looking on.  Father’s face turned white as paper.  I felt his fear from across the room as he stood and silently searched for his voice.  I am sure his pause was but seconds, though it felt much longer.

“Officers, are you sure we’re the ones you’re looking for?” he asked.

“Yes.  We are looking for Jing Ling Shi.  Is she here?”

Mother froze in her chair at the sound of her name.

“Yes, Jing Ling Shi is my wife,” Father said, turning to face us.  “We were just … would you please sit down and have a cup of tea?” He bowed his head and motioned to the dinning table and half-eaten food.

“No need,” one of the officials replied.  “You and Jing Ling Shi should go with us.”

“Why?  Did we do anything wrong?”  Mother asked, reluctantly standing up.

“It’s top secret,” the official replied.  “We cannot tell you.  You and your husband have to go to our local office with us right away.  The leader in the office will tell you why.”

“Can I take my daughter with me?” Mother asked.  She was very pale.

“The head of the three Public Security officials looked at me for a few seconds.  “How old is she?”

“Eight,” Mother answered.

“Well, she should be able to look after herself for a short while,” the official said hurriedly.  “Let’s go now.  We don’t have time to waste.”

Mother came to me, her hands shaking as she caressed my hair.  “If we are not back by eight tonight, you should go to Aunt Fong’s house.”

I nodded my head.  Aunt Fong lived a few blocks away.  She was Mother’s friend and had taken care of me when my parents went to the labor camp a few years before.  Now watching them leave with the officials, my heart was pounding so hard I could hear it.  I wanted to run after them but I didn’t dare.  I just stood there watching, tears rolling down my cheeks.

I don’t know how long I cried.  I only know that I didn’t touch my food.  I dragged my chair to sit in the front of the window and peered into the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of my parents’ return.  Three half-eaten bowls of rice sate on the table, slowly getting cold.  I forgot to check the clock, refusing to believe my parents could be gone from my life.  I told myself that they would return in an hour.