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Mingjue has watched the video approximately nine hundred and seventy thousand times since Jiang Cheng sent it the night before. Lily, his bold and beloved daughter, lounges on the sofa in her princess dinosaur pajamas (a gift from Uncle Huaisang). She’s got her emotional support sippy cup tucked in the crook of her elbow. Most kids have a favorite plushie or security blanket, but his? Lily hauls around a purple and silver sippy cup in which she must always have cool water.
Mingjue hits play.
Hi, Papa.
Her eyes droop, and she wears as contented a smile as Mingjue has ever seen.
I like the kitties.
Mingjue smiles. He has been texting Jiang Cheng pictures of every cat, dog, squirrel, and bird he has seen on his business trip. Lily’s latest obsession is an old copy of Doctor Doolittle that her mother had given her before she returned to China. Lily is convinced that she is days away from speaking the language of the animals.
That’s it? Jiang Cheng’s beloved voice asks.
Yeah, Daddy.
Nothing else?
Lily stares intently at the camera before saying, I love you. I love you. All and all and all. Bye!
Mingjue does not cry as he cues the video again. He misses his husband and daughter and Saturday dinners with his son a totally normal amount. That’s all. He watches the video two more times before he has to admit that he’s a sap and will never get to sleep if he’s going to wallow in his feelings. He thumbs though his camera roll until he finds a video of Lily singing her dinosaur song.
Three more days and he’ll be back. Three more days and he’ll be able to give Lily the Audubon field guide to North American birds that his contact on the latest Nie Foundation project brought for his sweet girl. Three more days until he’s got his A-Cheng in his arms, not this sad and floppy hotel pillow. Three more days.
Hi, Papa.