When Xiao Ming was 7 years old, one summer afternoon, the sun shone through the gaps in the curtains and sprinkled on the floor of the bedroom. He crept into his father's bedroom, looking for a comic book. He remembers that his father had put some old books on the bottom of the shelf. Xiao Ming crouched down, his fingers lightly running over the spines of the books, and suddenly, he heard a slight noise, as if someone was whispering.
"Auntie, you... Don't do that. It was the father's voice, with a hint of tremor and unease.
Xiao Ming looked up curiously, and through the gap in the bookshelf, he saw an aunt who should not be here, she was sitting on the edge of his father's bed, with her hands on his father's shoulder. Xiao Ming's heart sank suddenly, and he felt an indescribable discomfort and confusion.
"Xiao Ming, what are you doing here?" His father's voice suddenly became stern, and his gaze made Xiao Ming feel frightened.
"I... I'm looking for books..." Xiao Ming's voice was so small that it was almost inaudible.
Auntie stood up awkwardly, tidied up her clothes, and barely squeezed out a smile, "Xiao Ming, Auntie will leave." ”
Xiao Ming watched his aunt leave in a hurry, and his heart was full of questions. He didn't understand why his aunt was here, or why his father was so nervous. But he knew that the matter should not be brought up, at least at that time, he chose to remain silent.
That night, Xiao Ming lay in bed, tossing and turning and couldn't sleep. He kept replaying the afternoon scene in his mind, and his heart felt like a stone was blocked. He thought, maybe it was just a misunderstanding, maybe the aunt had just come to ask his father for help. But no matter how much he tried to comfort himself, that image always lingered.
Since then, Xiao Ming has become sensitive and introverted. He is no longer as carefree as he used to be, and his smile has become less. He began to observe his father, trying to find answers in his eyes and actions. But his father didn't seem to notice the change in Xiao Ming, he was still busy, and occasionally came home late, and he simply said "overtime".
Xiao Ming's mother noticed her son's abnormality, but she didn't ask much. She just silently cared about Xiao Ming and tried to give him as much love and warmth as possible. She thought that as time passed, Xiao Ming would slowly forget about that incident, but in fact, that rift had quietly taken root in Xiao Ming's heart.
Time slips silently through your fingers like flowing water. Xiao Ming has grown from an ignorant child to a young teenager. As he grew older, he began to try to understand the complex emotions behind that scene, but the process made his relationship with his father increasingly strained.
"Dad, you're back so late today. Xiao Ming sat at the dining table, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.
"I'm busy at work, I can't help it. The father replied as he took off his coat, his eyes a little evasive.
Xiao Ming was silent for a while, then plucked up his courage and asked in a low voice, "Dad, that aunt... Who is she?"
Father's movements suddenly froze, he turned around, and the expression on his face became serious: "Xiao Ming, there are some things that you will understand when you grow up." ”
"I've grown up and I have a right to know the truth. Xiao Ming's tone was firm, he was no longer the child who would only bear it silently.
The father sighed, sat opposite Xiao Ming, and said earnestly: "Xiao Ming, there are some things that are not good for you to know. ”
"But, Dad, this has been bothering me, and I need an explanation. Xiao Ming's eyes were full of longing and uneasiness.
The father was silent, and he looked at Xiao Ming, as if weighing something. After a long while, he slowly spoke: "That aunt... She was a former colleague of mine, and we had a while... But your mom doesn't know. ”
Xiao Ming's heart sank suddenly, he didn't expect his father to say it so directly. His heart began to beat violently, and he felt an inexplicable anger and disappointment.
"Then why are you doing this?" Xiao Ming's voice trembled slightly.
The father lowered his head and said in a low voice: "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, Xiao Ming." I regret it, but it has happened. ”
Xiao Ming stood up, and he felt a deep sense of powerlessness. He didn't know how to face this truth, and he didn't know how to face his father. He turned away from the table, leaving his father to sit there alone.
Since then, Xiao Ming has become more reticent. He began to avoid his father and was not even willing to stay in the same room with him. His heart is full of contradictions and struggles, and he doesn't know how to deal with the family's secrets or how to deal with his father.
And all this, Xiao Ming's mother seems to see it. Although she didn't intervene directly, there was a hint of worry and helplessness in her eyes. She knew that the peace of the family had been shattered, and that it might take a long time to recover.
The lively atmosphere of the family gathering was broken by a sentence from Xiao Ming's sister. On that day, relatives came to the house, and everyone sat around the dinner table, laughing and talking one after another. Xiao Ming's sister, a college student with a straightforward personality, somehow mentioned an interesting incident from Xiao Ming's childhood.
"Do you remember the time when Xiao Ming was a child, he hid in his father's closet and fell asleep?" the sister recalled with a smile, trying to add to the festive cheer.
Xiao Ming's smile froze on his face, and he glanced at his father nervously, only to see that his father's face instantly turned blue. Mother also noticed the strangeness of the atmosphere, and she quickly changed the topic: "Oh, how long ago was that, Xiao Ming has grown so big now." ”
But my sister didn't realize that her words had touched the taboo at home, and continued: "Yes, Xiao Ming was only seven years old at that time, and he was naughty. However, speaking of which, Dad seems to have come home quite late that day, is there something wrong?"
The laughter at the dinner table stopped abruptly, and everyone's eyes were focused on the father. The father was silent for a while, and then said coldly: "It's nothing, it's just busy with work." ”
Xiao Ming felt the tension in the atmosphere, he stood up, his voice trembling a little: "Don't say it, sister, it's all in the past." ”
"What's wrong? I'm just kidding. My sister was a little puzzled, she didn't understand why everyone's reaction was so intense.
"Some jokes can't be made. There was a hint of anger in my father's voice.
Xiao Ming's sister realized that she might have said something wrong, and she lowered her head in embarrassment and stopped talking. The atmosphere at the dinner table became unusually heavy, everyone ate in silence, and no one brought up the topic again.
After the meal, Xiao Ming walked to the balcony alone, looking at the stars in the night sky, and his heart was mixed. He knew that his sister's unintentional act had touched the most sensitive nerves in the family, and perhaps, it was time to face the family's secrets.
Inside, the father sat on the sofa, smoking cigarette after cigarette, and the mother silently cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, and the silence between the two was heavier than any words.
As the night deepened, the atmosphere of the family gathering had dropped to freezing. Xiao Ming's mother, who had been silently bearing the weight of the family, finally broke out at this moment. Her voice trembled, but it was extremely firm: "Enough, I've had enough of all these years of forbearance and sacrifice!"
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Xiao Ming's sister looked confused, she didn't understand why her mother was suddenly so excited.
"Do you think I don't know anything?" said the mother's voice, full of grievance and anger, "I've been waiting for you to tell me the truth, but you've chosen to hide it. ”
The father stood up and tried to calm the situation: "the kid, this is our family matter, we will solve it ourselves." ”
"Solve it yourself? What are you doing outside, you think I don't know?" The mother's tears began to roll in her eyes, and her voice grew higher and higher, "Are you worthy of this family?
Xiao Ming stood aside, with mixed feelings in his heart. He looked at his mother, and a mixed emotion welled up in his heart, both sympathy for his mother and disappointment for his father.
"Mom, don't say it..."Xiao Ming's voice was low, he didn't want the rift in the family to widen again.
"No, Xiao Ming, you have the right to know the truth. Mother turned to Xiao Ming, her eyes full of guilt, "Mom has always wanted to protect you, but maybe I was wrong, maybe I should have told you earlier." ”
"Tell me what?" Xiao Ming's heart was full of doubts and uneasiness.
The mother took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind: "Your father, he betrayed this family more than once. That aunt is just one of them. ”
This news was like a bolt from the blue, and Xiao Ming felt that his world collapsed in an instant. He looked at his father, his eyes full of disappointment and anger: "Dad, is this true?"
The father was silent, his eyes showed a trace of remorse, but more helplessly: "Xiao Ming, I... I'm sorry. ”
At this moment, the rift in the family is completely put on the table, and everyone is facing their own emotions and choices. Xiao Ming's mother sat on the sofa, tears falling silently, while Xiao Ming stood in place, her heart full of confusion and pain.
After that sleepless moment, Xiao Ming's home was filled with heavy silence. However, as time goes on, everyone is trying to understand and forgive in their own way. Xiao Ming began to realize that although his father's actions hurt the family, it was not easy to let go of family affection. He went through a fierce struggle in his heart, and in the end, he chose to have a deep conversation with his father.
"Dad, let's talk. One early morning, Xiao Ming summoned up the courage to break the silence.
The father looked a little surprised, but quickly nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's talk." ”
They sat on the sofa in the living room, Xiao Ming took a deep breath and began to express his feelings: "I know you made a mistake, which makes it difficult for me to accept, but... You're my dad, and I don't want to go on like this anymore. ”
The father had guilt in his eyes and his voice hoarse: "Xiao Ming, I was wrong, my behavior hurt you and your mother, I don't ask you to forgive me immediately, but I will use my actions to prove my change." ”
Xiao Ming's mother also joined the conversation, her voice with a hint of chokedness: "Our family has been through too much, I don't want it to break up like this." ”
"Mom, I understand. Xiao Ming held his mother's hand, and he felt his mother's trembling and determination.
My sister was also on the side, her eyes were full of apology: "Xiao Ming, I shouldn't have mentioned those things, I didn't know it would be like this." ”
"It's okay, sister," Xiao Ming tried to comfort her, "We're all learning how to deal with it. ”
Conversations between family members are tough, but everyone is trying to express their feelings and listen to each other. They began to try to rebuild trust, and although the process was slow, each step seemed solid and important.
Time is the best healer, and Xiao Ming's family is slowly recovering. They spend many mundane and heartwarming moments together, such as cooking together, watching TV, and even solving small problems in the housework together. These little things of everyday life gradually became the cornerstone of their rebuilding relationship.
"Dad, hand me that wrench. When Xiao Ming was repairing the water pipes in his home, he naturally turned to his father for help.
"It's coming. The father quickly handed over the tools, and the two worked together tacitly during the repair process.
These simple interactions, while mundane, symbolize the gradual restoration of family relationships. Xiao Ming's family may never go back to the past, but together they are creating a new beginning, a future full of understanding and forgiveness.
This article is a microfiction, please do not sit in the opposite seat