She just scoffs at that. “I barely touched you.”
I turn to Ma to make sure she witnessed what just happened.
“A butterfly flew in and we placed a bowl over it,” Ma explains.
“He’s under there?” I gape at Ma and at the tiny bowl.
Achi stops me again when I try reaching for it. “He might get away!” she protests.
“Weren’t you just saying that you didn’t believe in the stuff about souls and butterflies?”
“I still don’t want to hurt the animal.”
“You should be more concerned if we’re hurting our father.”
Then a familiar voice chimes in. “Who’s hurting your father?”
All three of us freeze when we see Pa appear on his spot by the couch. If he’s some sort of mirage or hallucination, this time, my whole family is having the same one.
“Ton? Ton!” The bowls and spoons Ma was holding crash on the floor when she yells and rushes toward him. Ma keeps patting him everywhere, checking if he’s all right.
Pa slowly moves his hand to Ma’s face, eyes widening that he’s able to touch her. Cradling Ma’s face, he tells his wife, “I missed you so much, sweetheart.”
“Sweetheart, you have no idea.” Ma’s eyes are glistening when she pulls Pa in for a kiss.
For a moment, I wonder if Achi doesn’t see him. Unlike Ma, she hasn’t moved or said a word. “He’s right there.” I help her and point in Pa’s direction.
“Jackie?”
My sister’s still frozen when he says her name.
“You came back,” she says in one breath. “I can’t believe you came back.”
Before Pa can answer, Achi runs and wraps her arms around him. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I missed you so much, Pa,” Achi chokes out while Pa sinks into her hug.
My heart swells to a thousand sizes when he meets my eye. “I had to see you all again.”
This is it, right? Pa ishere. He’s back for good?
“Look, I gathered everything here.” I spread out the photos on the table in front of Pa. “In case you feel yourself disappearing, we can keep re-creating any of these memories.”
“Nika…”
The tone in his voice is not what I’d expect from someone who had just vanquished death.
“Or when that doesn’t work, maybe we can always keep going back to the cemetery and breaking pagpag…”
“I only have a few hours.”
All words escape me when I see the look on Pa’s face.
“Beth, I promised you that I would take care of you, protect our family. That I would do anything to keep our daughters safe. I’m… so sorry for leaving you.” His breath shudders when he wipes his eyes. “I was going to leave quietly, spare you all the pain again.”
My throat tightens when Pa looks at me and Achi. “But I wanted to see my girls one more time.”
My sister’s the one who voices out my biggest wish.
“Then stay,” Achi says, the words coming out so soft.
