Siren Song 68 Suspicions

Li Hua let Chang wail in her arms, lovingly, patiently stroking Chang's head as her cries devolved into a light hiccup-ing sob. Her daughter was usually a fairly strong person, as far as she knew the last time she had seen her daughter break down like this is when the police showed up on their doorstep to break the news of Hénri's demise. Before that maybe a handful of times, when a longtime friend had moved away and when her first pet had died. That isn't to say her daughter didnt cry, just that she hardly ever broke down completely. Hénri and her and raised their daughter to be a strong, independent, and optimistic woman. Their greatest wish was that she would live freely and happily, they had even engraved their hope into her name.

'What has my Xiao Xie crying so heartbreakingly?'

As Li Hua thought about this, she thought of something that could cause her daughter to fall apart like this. Guilt bloomed in Li Hua's heart at the thought.

'I should have told her sooner.'

"Chang, honey. Talk to me." Li Hua nervously held a hand over her daughter's head. Now that Chang knew she had no idea where to start. She had practiced a million times how to say what she needed to say, but had still been unable to initiate the topic, especially knowing this was what would be waiting at the end of the conversation. It pained her badly to see her daughter in this miserable state.

"Mom I just don't know what's real anymore.. I dont think it's possible with Jian and me.."

Li Hua's hand froze, 'Jian?' She hadn't even considered it to be Jian who was troubling her daughter.

"What's going on? Jian hasn't been here for a few days. Are you just missing him?"

Chang was unable to explain all that she felt, so she sat up pulled the pictures from her belt, handing them to her mother.

Li Hua slowly examined the photos looking at each one thoroughly. She set them on her lap and looked Chang in the eye seriously.

"Who gave you these?"

"What does that matter?"

"Would you trust the source where these came from?"

"It doesn't matter if I trust them, it can still be true."

"Wrong." Li Hua held up a hand stopping her daughter in her train of thoughts. '"People say believe half of what you see, Son and none to what you hear'"

"Did you just quote a song to me as life wisdom?"

"No, I did not."

"I'm pretty sure that's a Marvin Gaye song you just referenced, Mom." Chang couldn't help chuckling a little.

"The saying is far older," Li Hua coughed twice into her fist trying to move past this bit. "Simply dont just believe because you see it and news came from someone else, you need to judge with your own eyes. Your husband loves you, he could have just walked away when you ran and treated it as a one night stand or something of the like. But no, he came looking for you, he even came to me, and braved my wrath! Trust in Jian, talk to him."

Chang blushed hearing her mother use the term one night stand. "We never had a one night stand or anything of the like. Men have their needs I know.. Chang started to mumble not really wanting to explain too much further.

Li Hua was shocked hearing that, she hadn't thought too far about it, as it was her child, but she knew her daughter was a woman, and married at that. "You two never..performed marital relations.?

Chang slapped her hands to her face trying to cover her burning shame. "Oh G.o.d mom! No we haven't!"

Li Hua was truly rocked. "You definitely need to trust in him, with all that he's done, hes shown his devotion to you. He would gain nothing to leave now, logically, but who would gain if you two were to split?"

Chang mulled over her mother's word, they seemed to hold some truth to them. "I guess only Jian's dad I guess, I'm pretty sure those pictures came from him too."

"That man again." Li Hua narrowed her eyes. "Is it not obvious by now after everything that man is against you. Wait for Jian to come back, he should be back soon, shouldn't he?" Chang answered in a nod. "Be patient."