Wang YiBo decided to propose to his longtime boyfriend, Xiao Zhan, in his unusual but not unwanted way. Yet after a week of being engaged, Wang YiBo disappeared without a trace, leaving Xiao Zhan devastated and heartbroken.
For three years, Xiao Zh...
Turning on my blinkers, I exited the interstate and headed towards my destination. It had been a while since I visited my parents, and although they weren't far away, my guilt prevented me from coming on a regular basis. I really should change that mindset, but in all honesty, knowing and understanding the situation—even one that was out of my control—and believing that I was faultless was something I hadn't yet come to terms with, despite the many months of counseling. I guess it was just one of those things you never get over.
I doubt I ever would.
With a long, drawn-out sigh, I shook myself from the melancholy and focused on the greenery in front of me. Pine trees as far as the eyes could see lined the road on either side. In the distance were more trees. Live Oaks. Trees that were older, more majestic. Trees that have stood tall and proud for decades, if not centuries. A testament of their strength and tenacity. And with its thick and heavy branches spreading far and wide, it bracketed the entire area as if to protect the occupants within. It was a rather serene yet daunting sight, a beautiful place that my parents would have loved.
As I got closer, my heart started palpitating, making the blood rushing through my body sounding louder in my ears as though I were in an echo chamber. It became so deafening I had to pull over to calm my nerves. I was but a hairsbreadth away from reaching for that fucking bag.
This won't do, YiBo! You can't visit them like this! Calm yourself. Make yourself presentable, damn it!
Exhaling noisily through parted lips, I hunched over the steering wheel and sucked in several gulps of air until the tightness in my chest lessened. I continued to breathe deeply, and only when my heart settled into a normal staccato did I lift my head. Resolute, I took one last deep breath then continued down the winding road towards my parents.
When I arrived, I grabbed the bouquet of flowers in the passenger seat and exited the car. In front of me was a well-worn, well-travelled path. A dirt path that had scores of drag marks as though the person walking down this trail was reluctant. The term "dragging one's feet" came to mind and I smiled briefly because that sounded all too familiar right now.
I stood there for a long moment, half-dreading, half-excited, hoping that my parents wouldn't see me as an unfilial son, that my absence wouldn't make them any sadder. Oh, how I missed my parents!
Swallowing the lump that refused to budge, I took a step forward and almost caved.
I knew taking that first step was always hard, I just didn't know how hard. But for my parents, I forced myself to march forward. Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, I followed the small stream beside the path and slowly made my way to my parents.
It wasn't a far walk and less than five minutes later, I was standing in front of my parents' final resting place. My throat constricted painfully as moisture pooled in my eyes and obscuring a sight I had not seen in almost a year. I blinked to clear my vision, feeling the hot tears slipping between my lashes to trail down my cheeks.
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