Books & Beyond

As spring arrives again, the mother asks her elder children to help her with work in the field. She works hard everyday and sleeps so tight at night that her missing husband scarcely crosses her mind these days.

The mother's plot works well enough and hereafter no one will mock her or hint that her husband has left her. But, people start to come to her to borrow money instead, and would think evil of the woman when their requests are denied.

The letter arrives a week later, with the whole family and their neighbors gathered around, thrilled by the news of how the man is earning good wages in town. Only the mother knows that the news is fake, and that the money included in the letter is from her own purse instead. The letter and the money are but ashes from all her own pride.

The days pass and the mother continues to make up stories to cover for her missing husband. She tells the family and fellow villagers that her man is favored by his master and is busy with work in town. But during the lonely dark nights, she weeps silently. As she wipes away her tears, however, the mother decides to spare herself of the shame and writes a fake letter from her husband to make her story even more believable.

The weather soon turns cold, so the mother brings out the winter clothing and tends each piece for her family members. She even cut the man's old clothes to fit their eldest son, thinking she would make her husband some new clothes for the New Year. It seems to her as if the new garments would bring the man closer back home.

The mother is bone-thin now, as if every ounce of flesh is gone since she must do the field labor of two people. Then comes the day set for measuring the landlord's share of the harvest, and the mother meets with a new agent who comes to collect the grain.

At last, after months of waiting with no news from her man, the mother made up a bold tale to silence the gossip. She told inquisitive neighbors that her husband has gone to the city and found a job there. She gathers the courage and tells the lie as if it's the truth.

Whenever her children or the old mother ask where the man is, the mother would comfort them and say he will come home soon. But late at night as she lays alone on bed, longing for his return, she also wonders what will become of her if her husband never returns.

Days pass but the man does not return. The mother could not rest nor sleep. The gnawing in her heart keeps her working restlessly until her body aches and her mind becomes numb. Then she's too tired to think of anything else. But eventually, the mother has no choice but to face the fact that her man has indeed left his family.

Throughout the day, the mother cooks as usual and waits with the family for her husband to come home and have dinner together. But he never shows up. The family later hears that the man has set out for town to gamble in his new blue robe..