Chapter 2

From that day on, the word "uncle" was carved into my tongue. It came out automatically.

The first time was the next evening when the phone rang at home.

I ran to answer it. The moment I said "hello," I heard Dad's voice through the receiver. "Ellie, Dad bought you—"

"Hello, Uncle." I interrupted him, my voice flat, like reading words from a textbook.

The other end went silent for a long time.

"Ellie, what happened that day was wrong of Dad," his voice dropped. "But Max really..."

"Uncle, are you looking for Mom?"

I asked again, my finger twisting the phone cord. "Mom's hanging laundry."

This silence lasted even longer.

"Yes, I'm looking for your mom," he finally said.

I put the receiver on the coffee table without hanging up and shouted toward the balcony: "Mom, Uncle's on the phone."

I said "Uncle" extra clearly, enunciating each syllable like the kindergarten teacher taught us phonics.

When Mom came over, she glanced at me, picked up the phone, said only two sentences, then hung up.

"Your dad says he'll take you to the aquarium this weekend."

Mom dried her hands and crouched down to look me in the eye.

"It's Uncle," I corrected.

Mom looked at me for a long time, then gently touched my face. "Right. Uncle."

The second time was that weekend when Mom took me to the supermarket to buy yogurt.

I was on tiptoe reaching for the peach-flavored yogurt on the top shelf when I heard a familiar voice nearby: "Max, slow down. Don't fall."

I turned around and saw Dad pushing a shopping cart. Max sat inside holding an Ultraman toy bigger than himself, a lollipop in his mouth.

When Dad saw me, his eyes lit up. He let go of the cart handle and walked toward me, reaching out to hug me. "Ellie, you're shopping too?"

I took a step back and hid behind Mom, clutching her clothes and peeking out. My voice was just loud enough for the nearby aunts picking fruit to hear: "Hello, Uncle."

The aunts' gazes immediately swept to Dad. They whispered to each other. I heard someone say quietly, "Isn't that the Johnson boy? Why is his own daughter calling him uncle?"

Dad's face turned red instantly. His hand froze in midair, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.

Max grabbed the cart railing and shouted at me: "Yeah! This is my dad! You're right to call him uncle!"

Mrs. Rivera quickly came over and pulled Dad away, smiling awkwardly at my mom. "It's just me and Max. He's helping us carry things."

Then she pushed the cart away quickly. I saw Dad look back at me several times, his expression terrible.

The third time was Monday afternoon after school. I'd just walked out the school gate when I saw Dad waiting for me.

When he saw me coming, he rushed over, holding up a beautifully wrapped box—the limited edition Elsa magic wand I'd begged him for months to buy. I used to remind him about it every day, saying I wanted it for the school cosplay competition.

"Ellie, look what Dad bought you."

He held the box out to me, his tone a bit pleading. "The one I promised to buy you. Your favorite."

I stared at the box with Elsa's picture on it for three seconds, then shook my head. "Thank you, Uncle, but Mom already bought me one last week."

Without waiting for him to respond, I ran across the street with my backpack. Mom was waiting for me at the bubble tea shop entrance, holding my favorite pearl milk tea.

When I ran over, I glanced back. Dad was still standing there, holding the magic wand, like a forgotten scarecrow.

After that, he came to wait at the school gate for several days in a row.

Sometimes he brought strawberry cake, sometimes my favorite fried skewers.

But each time I only said, "Thank you, Uncle, I don't want it," then turned and walked away.

Until three days before the sports meet, he didn't bring any gifts. He just stood at the gate.

His back was straight, like a kindergartener about to take a pledge.

"Ellie," he crouched down, his hands pressing on my shoulders with some force. "Next week is the kindergarten sports meet. Dad will definitely be there. This time I'll only be your dad, only cheer for you. Okay?"

His eyes were bright, almost frighteningly bright.

"Dad swears."

He held up three fingers like in TV shows. "If I'm lying, I'll... I'll turn into a puppy."

I didn't say anything.

I looked at the tiny reflection of myself in his eyes and nodded slightly.

He smiled immediately and picked me up, spinning me around.

"Then it's settled!"

I nodded. I said quietly in my heart, I'll trust him one more time.

If he really came this time, I'd call him Dad again.