Super Short Story
Constance frequently visits a curious shop near Thian Hock Kheng.
There's no exception this evening after work.
Uncle Meng greets his loyal customer with his usual grunt.
"Uncle Meng, anything new came in today?"
"Ah mei ah? You come nearly everyday, I don't think there's anything here you have not seen."
"Really?"
"Well, a box of old letters came in yesterday. Help yourself. It's near the posters."
"You're the best, Uncle Meng."
Constance thumbs through the yellowed envelopes until a curious one without stamps catches her eye.
She removes the thin, translucent piece of paper from within and unfolds it with anticipation.
++++++++++
Dear Daddy,
Its your 58th birthday tomorrow. Sorry i cannot celebrate the special occassion with you.
I've been meaning to tell you something but never found the courage.
Tomorrow i will be leaving the country. So this will be the last opportunity.
Daddy, i'm in love with Alicia.
Yes, its the girl who comes so often to our place for dinner.
I always invited her because i loved her. And i wanted you and mommy to feel the same for her as well.
I wanted you to become more familiar with Alicia, to know her for the person she is.
Eventually when you and mommy knew her well enough, i was meaning to tell you that we have been together for 2 years.
But that day when you kicked Timmy out of the house because he was dating Thomas, i knew i could never tell you about Alicia.
Daddy, i never had a choice.
If i could ever help it, i would never want you to feel this pain.
And i'm sure Timmy feels the same way too.
I'm leaving with Alicia because i'm afraid you will kick me out of the house like Timmy too.
But nothing has changed. We are still your children. And you will always be our father.
I hope you will find it in your heart to accept us for who we are one day.
Your loving daughter,
Jasmine
++++++++++
As Constance read the letter, the familiarity of Jasmine's situation affected her deeply.
She never imagined that under such a different context in the bygone years, someone else had been through the same pain as she was experiencing now.
Constance folded the lette back into the envelope and paid Uncle Meng for it.
Then she left the shop and met Deborah at the train station.
During dinner, Constance brought out the letter to show her dad.
Then she held Deborah's hand and tearfully came out to him.
The naive thought her dad would be more open-minded than Jasmine's dad plus her fear of ending up in the same predicament as Jasmine drove her to take the first step.
Mr Ng was furious and threw a fit.
Constance spent the night over at Deborah's place.
Two girls cried themselves to sleep.
Three years later, Mr Ng passed away.
Constance came home to attend the wake.
And she was given a letter by her brother.
"Daddy asked me to give this to you only after he had gone."
++++++++++
Dear Constance,
I'm sorry to have been so nasty to you 3 years ago.
But you gave me a rude shock that night.
If only you had known what was going through my mind.
Although the society today might seem more tolerant, but it will take many more years for the prejudice to stop.
Maybe its slightly easier now then 20 years ago. And i hope that you will find your happiness with Deborah.
Actually both you and John are adopted. Your mother and I never consummated our marriage.
If i had a choice, i would never have wanted you to go through this.
You are daddy's special girl.
You should never have to deal with the shame, prejudice, lies, pretenses or guilt.
If i had a choice, you should never have to live your life the way i had to.
But we both didn't have any choice did we?
It doesn't matter, you are still dadd's special girl.
This will be a hard life, Constance. And i hope with Deborah, your journey will be easier.
If it helps, Daddy will be looking out for you too.
I wish you all the best.
Love,
Daddy
++++++++++
There's no exception this evening after work.
Uncle Meng greets his loyal customer with his usual grunt.
"Uncle Meng, anything new came in today?"
"Ah mei ah? You come nearly everyday, I don't think there's anything here you have not seen."
"Really?"
"Well, a box of old letters came in yesterday. Help yourself. It's near the posters."
"You're the best, Uncle Meng."
Constance thumbs through the yellowed envelopes until a curious one without stamps catches her eye.
She removes the thin, translucent piece of paper from within and unfolds it with anticipation.
++++++++++
Dear Daddy,
Its your 58th birthday tomorrow. Sorry i cannot celebrate the special occassion with you.
I've been meaning to tell you something but never found the courage.
Tomorrow i will be leaving the country. So this will be the last opportunity.
Daddy, i'm in love with Alicia.
Yes, its the girl who comes so often to our place for dinner.
I always invited her because i loved her. And i wanted you and mommy to feel the same for her as well.
I wanted you to become more familiar with Alicia, to know her for the person she is.
Eventually when you and mommy knew her well enough, i was meaning to tell you that we have been together for 2 years.
But that day when you kicked Timmy out of the house because he was dating Thomas, i knew i could never tell you about Alicia.
Daddy, i never had a choice.
If i could ever help it, i would never want you to feel this pain.
And i'm sure Timmy feels the same way too.
I'm leaving with Alicia because i'm afraid you will kick me out of the house like Timmy too.
But nothing has changed. We are still your children. And you will always be our father.
I hope you will find it in your heart to accept us for who we are one day.
Your loving daughter,
Jasmine
++++++++++
As Constance read the letter, the familiarity of Jasmine's situation affected her deeply.
She never imagined that under such a different context in the bygone years, someone else had been through the same pain as she was experiencing now.
Constance folded the lette back into the envelope and paid Uncle Meng for it.
Then she left the shop and met Deborah at the train station.
During dinner, Constance brought out the letter to show her dad.
Then she held Deborah's hand and tearfully came out to him.
The naive thought her dad would be more open-minded than Jasmine's dad plus her fear of ending up in the same predicament as Jasmine drove her to take the first step.
Mr Ng was furious and threw a fit.
Constance spent the night over at Deborah's place.
Two girls cried themselves to sleep.
Three years later, Mr Ng passed away.
Constance came home to attend the wake.
And she was given a letter by her brother.
"Daddy asked me to give this to you only after he had gone."
++++++++++
Dear Constance,
I'm sorry to have been so nasty to you 3 years ago.
But you gave me a rude shock that night.
If only you had known what was going through my mind.
Although the society today might seem more tolerant, but it will take many more years for the prejudice to stop.
Maybe its slightly easier now then 20 years ago. And i hope that you will find your happiness with Deborah.
Actually both you and John are adopted. Your mother and I never consummated our marriage.
If i had a choice, i would never have wanted you to go through this.
You are daddy's special girl.
You should never have to deal with the shame, prejudice, lies, pretenses or guilt.
If i had a choice, you should never have to live your life the way i had to.
But we both didn't have any choice did we?
It doesn't matter, you are still dadd's special girl.
This will be a hard life, Constance. And i hope with Deborah, your journey will be easier.
If it helps, Daddy will be looking out for you too.
I wish you all the best.
Love,
Daddy
++++++++++