Tomorrow will be warm and sunny

It's the middle of summer so the air is really hot. The factory she worked in was cramped and had a low corrugated iron roof, so the heat seemed to double. She witnessed the scene of two former workers fighting over a fan and felt embarrassed. In the factory, quarrels and fights often happen. They fight over each board to make because they want to earn more income, they also fight over the place to work, fight over even a cup of ice cold water...

She can sympathize when they compete for each board because the goods produced are scarce, sometimes not enough to be distributed evenly among the workers. Sometimes people have to leave very early just to get a batch of beautiful, easy-to-make products, which is no longer unusual. If you want to do that, you have to get to know and please the forklift drivers and team leaders, which is not simple at all.

The first days of apprenticeship were stressful and oppressive. There were times when she felt discouraged and wanted to quit her job, but she regretted the effort she spent. If you work less than ten days, you will not be paid. So she tried again, tried to raise her children, tried because she wanted to repay the debt caused by her promiscuous husband. Right now, in difficult times due to the COVID-19 epidemic, finding a job is a blessing. She thinks, even though working conditions here are poor, it's better than nothing.

She was assigned by the team leader to the cold repair team. The group has nine people, including ten. It is said that people work in pairs. She works with Ms. Nga, who is also a new worker, joining one month before her. Here, workers receive a ten-day apprenticeship, then wages are calculated based on product. Because she was not used to the job, after each work session, when she got home, her wrists and finger joints were very tired and sore. Ms. Nga said, it took her half a month to gradually get used to it and know how to do it, so her hand hurts less, but in the first days she just wanted to quit her job.

She thought as she did so she let the blade cut her hand. Ms. Nga took a bandage and wrapped it around her finger, her mouth constantly whispering: "Oh my god! She told me that at first, if I'm not used to it, I should calm down, but she didn't listen. Suffering yet!”. She shyly said: “I'm okay. Don't worry, your blood is very healthy, it will be gone in a few days."

Ms. Nga is a single mother, with only two of them at home. Ms. Nga’s situation is also very sad. The two sisters have many things in common in terms of circumstances and personalities, so they easily get along with each other. The stories and words of encouragement between them make the work easier. The two sisters quickly became close, making Ms. Nga more confident in her work.

Whenever her husband sees her coming home, he throws the two children to his wife. She often cooks, does laundry, and takes care of the children. Is the child yours alone? If her husband had gone because of work, then he would have gone out to drink and drink. Then get drunk. Then he growled and yelled at his wife and children. There were times when he was gone all day and didn't return at two or three in the morning. Even when she called, he hung up and didn't answer. The first few times she couldn't sleep because she was worried, but then she got used to it and didn't care much anymore.

He went to gambling parties and then came home with a mountain of debt. Why did he care about his family? Why did she have to worry so much? There were gentle advices. There were harsh words, complaints, and tears, but there was one time he even beat her up. So she was so fed up, she let him go wherever he wanted.

Saying that she doesn't care about him anymore is just saying it in vain, but she still tries to pay off her husband's debt, paying off old debts and then new debts, debts owed to her husband. There was a time when she felt helpless and thought that she went to work to take care of her children, so whoever did it benefited and whoever owed him that person took care of it. But life isn't that easy. If the husband owes someone to collect his debt, how can the wife sit still? Honestly, there were times when she wanted to give up, but every time she thought about her children, she tried to force herself to go to work.

***

In a blink of an eye, she went back to work for nearly a year. The debt has been reduced somewhat, but if you don't pay it off quickly, the debt won't be there again. People say that borrowing daily is no different from supporting a creditor. The longer you delay paying, the more interest the mother will pay. She can't understand her husband anymore. He only indulges in gambling and lottery, neglects his work, and ignores the children. This time, there is little work in the aluminum and glass industry. During a global pandemic, all professions are facing difficulties, and her husband's profession is even more difficult.

In this village, whenever there is a job that makes a little money, people rush to do it. There was a story in a certain neighborhood, there were two close friends. They were friends when they were not working, but when they started working, they turned against each other.

Her husband always has time to hang out and drink beer. But I just get drunk and don't sing

karaoke, then they sit and gamble with each other. He said, just sit there, who knows, maybe with luck, you can get some money back to pay off your debt. Alas! Gambling is the uncle of poverty, those who get involved will only be poor, have debt, and have no hope. But he didn't realize it, still sinking deeper into that mud, forever lost in the calculations of a person who has gone astray.

- Hey, if you still have money, why don't you give me some pocket money? - Her husband scratched his head and asked her.

- Are not! So you just finished installing a few sets of gates, where's the money?

- Tsk! Tsk! I owe again, they said they would pay it off at the end of the year.

That's what working in the countryside is like! She also sympathized with her husband, but if only he had cultivated his will, it wouldn't have been so bad.

- Here, there's only this much left - she took out her purse and gave her husband the remaining two hundred thousand, with that money she planned to buy a carton of milk for the children in the afternoon. So that...

She still told herself that she was destined to be miserable, so she couldn't bear it. But many times I think, just carelessly ignoring life and being sad all the time will only wither your body, and there's no use. And then she also admonished herself, that people living together cannot be indifferent and ungrateful, after all, he is the father of the children, spending a day together is also husband and wife. So I rushed back to work hoping that one day the debt would be repaid and my husband would change his mind.

The wood workshop has a lot of work this time, so she often has to work overtime until late at night. Many times when I come home my limbs are exhausted, but if I try a little, when I get paid I will have some extra money to spend. So she never missed a single overtime session. People say you get used to suffering and you feel like you're so caught up in work that you forget your fatigue.

She calculated that if her work continued like this, she would work for more than a year to pay off most of her debt. It's funny, people work hard to build houses, but she works late at night to pay off her husband's debt.

When she got back to the alley, she saw a noise in the yard. When she quickly entered, she saw a crowd of people.

- What's going on, guys? - she quickly asked the neighbors.

- The creditors hired someone to collect money! - one person quickly answered.

She pushed aside the crowd and entered the house. Her husband was being pinned against the corner of the house by two bald men with arms covered in tattoos.

- What are you going to do now? - A guy used his hand to squeeze her husband's chin and asked with wide eyes.

- Guys, please calm down! - she panicked.

- Are you his wife? Just give him the interest and he will be at peace. Haven't given a single penny in two months. I'm still going around the three kingdoms, every time I hesitate, I'll cut off my hands and ears...

- I beg you! My child just got sick, you guys took care of my family.

She didn't know what else to say, her tears were like rain, hugging the debt collector's leg. The two children saw her like that and hugged their mother. The cries of women and children seemed to make the other two feel sorry, they left and said:

- Will you worry about paying your debt? This time I'll let you go, if this happens again we won't forgive you anymore.

Only by calming down can she get to the bottom of the matter. It turns out that recently, the money she gave her husband to pay off his debt had been spent on gambling. For two months now he has not paid a single penny. Losing money, running out of money, he made false promises to people and then this happened. Oh my God! Who would have thought? Just because she was busy going to work, she wasn't careful. Who would have thought that her husband would get worse day by day. Her mind felt like it was about to explode right now, tense and dizzy. She fainted.

The next day, when she got to work, she didn't want to do anything, her mind was empty and she no longer wanted to look around. No matter how much you try, it's in vain. What can you do now to get out of this predicament?

- Try hard, times like this will pass - Ms. Nga gently patted her shoulder, comforting her.

- Yes! - she replied softly, her eyes dull.

She got cut on her hand again. Ms. Nga frantically bandaged the wound. The cut was very deep but she didn't feel any pain. The wound on her skin now seemed nothing compared to her disappointment and frustration. No longer in the mood to work, she asked to leave early. She didn't want to go home and didn't know where. Now her mind is confused with so many thoughts.

She just kept going, just going, not noticing what things were like around her anymore. Then her car was suddenly stopped by something and stopped. Her whole body was thrown out of the car and onto the road. The engine roared. The sound of people rushing. She only had time to realize that her whole body was numb, everything around her faded and turned black. She felt light, then floating, everything was very light and cool. She flew up... flew up...

***

Cemetery on a leisurely afternoon. There was a man sitting with his head bowed next to a newly built grave, the incense stick had long since gone cold but he was still sitting there. Next to them were two children. They must have waited for their father for too long, so they were sitting and picking some bunches of wild flowers. The person lying in the grave is their mother and the man's wife. The man's red eyes looked into the vast space. Then he looked at the two children, then looked at his wife's grave, tears flowing down his eyes.

The man's heart was now full of repentance, but it was too late. Before his eyes, everything was gray and full of frustration. He no longer knows what he will have to do to pay off debt and raise his children. The man collapsed, sobbing, cries of repentance and helplessness.

In the sky, dark clouds rolled quickly towards the western sky, an area of ​​sky became dark. The wind blew away the dry leaves. It's about to rain heavily.

***

She slowly opened her eyes after being unconscious for more than an hour. Actually, she had regained consciousness for a while, but because her body was weak, she fell asleep again. The doctor said she only had a minor head injury and did not affect her life. But my left leg was broken so I had to stay in the hospital for a while. It turned out that while she was falling asleep, she dreamed that she was dead. Even when she died, she couldn't stop worrying about her children. She worried about how they would live without her. She has never been able to feel secure and trust her husband. Maybe that's why she woke up?

She looked around. There was her husband, with a startled expression followed by a smile, a smile that suddenly made her feel warm. That's Ms. Nga. There.. who is there? That was the owner of the wood factory where she worked.

- I'm really awake! My wife really woke up! - her husband shouted, that joyful cry reached her ears, making her heart cry.

- Are you really alive?

- Real! - both her husband, Ms. Nga and the landlady replied in unison.

- When can I go to work again?

The owner of the wood workshop took her hand and smiled, looking at her affectionately:

- How long will it take for me to go back to work? Try to eat, drink, and treat yourself to be healthy and completely heal your leg before thinking about going to work. I've heard Nga talk about your situation. I will accept your husband to work, your husband has already agreed. As for hospital expenses, leave it to me to take care of. Don't worry!

- Yes, I will go to work. From now on I will work hard to make up for my mistakes.

She heard the words of the wood factory owner and then her husband and wanted to burst into tears.

Something new and joyful filled my heart. She told her husband to open the hospital room window slightly to avoid stuffiness. The window opened, the rays of sunlight from outside poured in, making the room brighter. She heard the chirping of birds and insects in the foliage outside the hospital window. Her heart suddenly felt strangely relieved and peaceful.

She realized that it had been a long time since her heart had felt so peaceful. She began to think about the future, those would be beautiful days, she and her husband would go to work together. Although working as a worker is hard, you don't have to endure the rain or the sun. Even if you are not rich, if you work hard and are smart, spend money and have a good life. Then she and her husband will pay off all their debt, then build a beautiful small house to replace their current shabby house.

Tomorrow will definitely be happy and sunny days. She looked at her husband and smiled softly...