The Scavenger's Daughters (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, Book One) (24 page)

As it was now, without the costly drugs and medical attention, his time on earth was officially limited. Sure, he knew he was an old man and had lived a long life, but in China men usually lived well past his age and he had hoped to at least hold out a few more years. A strange expression the doctor had used—
without medication his time would be limited
. As to how much time that meant, the man wouldn’t say; he advised only that Benfu get his affairs in order quickly. Benfu hadn’t told the doctor that there wasn’t anything to get in order. He would be leaving nothing to his family but the debt of burying an old man. He shook his head in disgust. If he had not had such pride, he could’ve reunited with his family years before and given Calli a better life. But even now he couldn’t fathom ever sinking that low as to forgive them for what he knew they were guilty of.

But now what would become of his girls? Of his Calla Lily? And he had hoped to find out what had happened to Dahlia before he died. But now he had put it off too long. It was too late. He quickly reached up and wiped the moisture from the corner of his eye before it could be noticed. His only consolation was that each child had been taken to the clinic and inoculated less than a week after being found, a cost absorbed by the government, as unbelievable as that was. Even little Poppy should be safe from the dreaded
tuberculosis, as Benfu had rarely handled her before her shot. But he’d been thinking about it all night and he knew what he had to do.

Calli brought Benfu a bowl of noodles and his chopsticks. “Sit up, Husband.”

Benfu waved her away. The smell of the spicy shrimp broth would usually make his mouth water but he was too sick and worried to eat. He just wanted to spend a few minutes with his girls and then rest. He’d have to tell Calli about his decision soon, but he just couldn’t do it yet.

“No, I’m not hungry right now, Calli. I just want to sleep for a while. Stop fussing over me!”

At that Jasmine left her perch on the stool at the table and ran across the room. First grabbing her blanket and doll from the corner, she jumped up on the bed and threw her arms around Benfu.

Benfu chuckled at the unusual show of affection. Jasmine was usually his shyest one.

“Oh! Now what is this? My little monkey missed her Ye Ye?” He unwound her arms from his neck and leaned back to look at her.

She nodded her head, her eyes big and afraid. She clutched her blankie in one tiny fist.

Benfu felt his heart tighten. Even before he had told the girls anything, the little one knew it was bad. Once again her ability to understand things that should be too mature for her amazed him. He had always said she was very intuitive for such a little girl. He dreaded to think what would happen to her without his support but he knew Calli would look out for her and the rest of them as best as she could.

He settled back on his pillow and invited her to snuggle against his arm. “Lie back here, little monkey-girl, next to your Ye Ye.”

Jasmine crawled up the rest of the way until she was securely in the crook of his arm. He was sure going to miss moments such as these. But for their future, he had to let them go. After he discussed it with Calli, together they would meet with the city officials and find homes for each daughter. He swallowed the sudden lump that came up in his throat. He knew that once
they were gone, his body would soon give up, as they were what kept him going. But it would be better for them not to watch an old man die little by little, then still end up without anyone to care for them. He had to see them settled. But damn if it wasn’t already killing him even to contemplate it.

“I’ll tell you what. You girls all get your supper and I’ll tell you a short story before I go to sleep. Will that make everyone feel better?”

Around him the girls solemnly nodded. They didn’t push to hear the doctor’s report, and Benfu could tell they wanted to avoid the bad news. He watched as Calli served up bowls of noodles and Ivy passed them out. When almost every child had her supper, Benfu looked down at Jasmine and took a deep breath. The sudden intake of air caused another coughing fit and he held the cloth to his mouth, hiding the spatter of red. Discreetly folding it in his hand, he stuck it in his pocket and began again.

“Jasmine, girls, tonight I’m going to tell you the famous legend of Yuhua, which has been handed down from generation to generation.” He touched the tip of Jasmine’s nose. “The story reminds me of you and the night you became my daughter, so this one is for you, Mei Mei.”

Beside him Jasmine was so quiet she couldn’t even be heard breathing. The girls around the room attempted to eat their dinners without any noise, their attention focused on him.

Benfu cleared his throat and tiredly began the legendary story, pausing every few minutes to stifle a cough.

He pointed at the ceiling. “First, I haven’t gotten to say it in a few days but do you know…”

A small smile began to play around her lips.

“That I love you to the moon and back?” Benfu finished, then looked up at his other daughters. “As I do all of you. Now”—he covered his mouth and coughed—“the story…

“ ‘During the time of the Three Kingdoms period, in the Kingdom of Shu, it was rumored that a beautiful young widow with the strangest eyes of blue haunted the waters surrounding the Yangtze River. The people in the
village had last seen her standing over those waters before she dived in to end her life of loneliness.’ ”

He looked around and smiled at the sudden expressions of fright on the girls’ faces. He put his finger in the air. “No, it’s not what you think. ‘This young widow—Yuhua—she wasn’t a frightening sort of ghost. She’d returned as a fish the color of a peach blossom, with round eyes of sapphire-blue and a swirling design of a flower on her side. Finding contentment in her new form, she frequently visited the reed-covered banks, where people would come to her with their problems. They considered her lucky, and many wishes were asked of her. Over time, her visitors noticed a pattern. Whenever someone would seek Yuhua and demand something selfish, she’d flip over and disappear into the depths of the water, refusing to return for days. Yet, when a request was made out of kindness to help another, Yuhua would swim in happy circles and many times, the desire was later granted in some way.

“ ‘Throughout the village, Yuhua became known as the fish who taught the people it is more important to help others than themselves. It is said that many loyal followers visited her each day and brought her tidbits to snack on until she was soon fat and content.’ ”

At this Benfu paused and looked down at Jasmine again. She was now smiling and it made his heart lighter.

“Sounds like you with your love for the pretty fish, eh?” He bumped her with his elbow and she let out a soft giggle. He didn’t have to explain; they all knew of finding Jasmine in the park pond, surrounded by colorful fish. Since that day she had remained mesmerized by the creatures. They didn’t get to go often, but on the rare occasions that they went to the famous parks, it was difficult to keep the little one on the path and out of the water.

Benfu continued the story, despite his heavy eyes. He struggled on.

“ ‘Yuhua lived through many cold seasons, disappearing when the river froze but returning each spring. One day a simple fisherman’s son decided he wanted to catch her, and to wish upon her for his every whim. But Yuhua couldn’t be caught. She wasn’t just any old fish, you see, she still had the keen
mind of a human. After teasing the young fisherman for many weeks, though, Yuhua became besotted herself and decided she might like to belong to him.…’ ” Benfu’s voice trailed off, and midsentence he gave up the fight to keep his eyes open.

T
he next morning Benfu awakened to a sliver of sunlight beaming through the crack in the front door left ajar. He struggled to sit up, coughing as he reached for the basin on the table next to him. He spit a stream of phlegm into it and set it aside. The night had been long, full of coughs and sudden bouts of sweating. He should have felt rested after ten hours lying down, but the truth was he felt even worse than he had when he got home the day before.

“Benfu, my love?
Hao le, ma?
” Calli sat up, rubbing at her eyes.

Benfu felt guilty that his tossing and turning had kept her awake, too.

“I’m okay. Just can’t stop coughing. Why is the door open?” He looked around, trying to see if Linnea or Ivy had gone outside. All the pallets were still laid out and he could see dark heads all around—understandable since it was before six in the morning and no one had stirred yet.

“Ye Ye? Is Jasmine up there with you?” Linnea sat up and asked from her pallet next to Jasmine’s empty one.

Benfu sat up quickly. His feet hit the floor as he looked around.

“No. She must have gone outside to the bathroom.” He stood and slid his feet into his slippers, then went to the door and called out her name. When she didn’t come, he went out and around the side of the house to the small shed that was their outhouse. The door stood open and he could see she wasn’t there. Puzzled, he turned back and returned to the house.

“Calli, where is Jasmine?” He looked all around the room again and went to her pallet. Using his foot, he moved the blanket aside. She wasn’t there and her doll was also gone. He felt his stomach sink.

Calli looked around, a strange expression on her face. One that Benfu had seen before and didn’t like.

“I don’t understand. Where could she have gone?”

Linnea and the other sisters, except for Maggi, all jumped up and began tearing around the room. They looked under blankets, under the bed, and behind the table. They looked behind the curtain that was their makeshift dressing area. She wasn’t in the kitchen alcove, either. Peony even looked under the kitchen sink but found the cabinet empty.

Jasmine was nowhere to be found.

Benfu went behind the curtain and dressed in his outside clothes. He came around and pointed at Linnea. He finished a coughing fit and wiped his mouth with his cloth.

“Linnea, come with me. Let’s go look for her. The rest of you help your Nai Nai get the bedding picked up and breakfast started. Peony, you get Maggi situated. I’m sure Jasmine’s probably just outside and we’ll be back in a minute.”

Linnea jumped into action and grabbed her clothes for the day. She went behind the curtain to change, moving as fast as she could.

Ivy began to cry and begged to go with him to look. She insisted at fourteen she was old enough to do whatever Linnea could do. Benfu hugged her and whispered to her that he needed her to stay and watch over her Nai Nai and Lily. She sniffled and nodded her agreement.

Benfu was frightened. Jasmine had never done this before and it wasn’t safe for a young girl to be wandering around alone. Anything could happen. Anyone could snatch her and use her to beg on the streets, or sell her to an orphanage in another province, or all kinds of other horrible fates could befall such a defenseless girl. Many of his neighbors let their tiny children run free, but he’d seen what the cruel world could do to the little ones and his girls were always watched over carefully.

He felt his hands shake as he stuffed a clean cloth in his pocket. He looked over at the bed and was worried about Calli, too. She looked stricken—even confused. He was used to seeing her bustling about, getting everyone started for the day. He even expected her to try to lead the charge in the search for Jasmine. But instead she sat there still as a statue. He went to her and took her by the shoulders.

“Calli? Are you okay?” he asked. He couldn’t stay and console her, and that was like a knife in his heart. But Jasmine was out there somewhere alone. He had to find her.

Calli shook her head and looked around. “
Aiya,
I smell garlic. Does anyone else smell that?”

The others sniffed and shook their heads. Benfu pulled Calli up from the bed. He hugged her, then stood back.

“You do
not
smell garlic, Calli. No one took her. Snap out of it—I need you to be strong for the girls. We’ll find Jasmine.”

Calli burst into tears, a sight that judging by the gasps and stricken expressions Benfu saw around the room, terrified the girls. They had never seen her break down or show such fear. Then again, they didn’t know the story of the child their Nai Nai had lost long ago while she lay sleeping—the story of the child who had never been forgotten. Benfu fought a wave of dizziness and headed for the door, holding his chest.