The Alzheimer's disease once again attacked Guo’s mom. She kept switching between two modes: being normal or being under the influence of the Alzheimer's disease.
Frowning, Zhang Zian quickly came up with an idea. He winked at Guo Dongyue so Guo would bring over the parrots. He asked Guo’s mom, "Little Purple and Yellow Pea Cake, right?"
Guo’s mom’s eyes brightened, "Yeah! Little Purple and Yellow Pea Cake!" She looked around in search of the parrots and murmured to herself, "Little Purple and Yellow Pea Cake, how come you are not singing anymore?"
Zhang Zian stood up, leaned over, and landed his hand on her shoulder, "Wait. Little Purple and Yellow Pea Cake are coming soon."
Guo’s mom looked up at Zhang Zian. She looked absent minded then refreshed. She smiled gently, "Who are you looking for?"
Although prepared, Zhang Zian was still shocked when he heard Guo’s mom.
He talked to Guo’s mom for a short while and he was making things up during the conversation. Even though so, he still felt sad when he was forgotten by Guo’s mom. He couldn’t imagine how Guo Dongyue felt when his own mom forgot about him.
"I am a bird lover," he kept making up stories, "I heard that your parrots can talk so I would like to learn from you."
"A bird…lover?" Guo’s
mom murmured. It was a completely new concept to her.
"Well, that means I love raising and training birds," Zhang Zian explained simply.
"Oh…" Guo’s mom nodded politely, but this time she didn’t seem to believe him.
Zhang Zian pulled out his cellphone, clicked on the Pet Hunter game and showed her Richard who was in the pet bar.
"Look, this is my African gray parrot."
Guo’s mom couldn’t see. She tilted back her head, frowned but still couldn’t see.
Zhang Zian reminded her, "Your reading glasses are hanging over your neck."
"Oh," Guo’s mom replied. She looked down slowly and was surprised to find that the reading glasses were hanging right in front of her chest. She smiled happily and put on her glasses.
She could see the cellphone clearly.
"That’s right. A gray parrot," She was happily surprised and trusted Zhang Zian a bit more, "Not many young kids like birds these days."
Zhang Zian put back his cellphone and laughed, "More and more young people love raising birds now."
In her memory, most bird lovers were senior citizens. Although now raising birds had became more popular among young people, cats and dogs were still more popular as pets.
Guo Dongyue had been waiting for a little while at the door. He came in when Zhang Zian finished. It was amazing to him
him how quickly Zhang Zian could make up stories and how each story rolled like a charm.
Guo’s mom saw him come in, looked at him up and down, and opened her mouth as if she was going to say something yet couldn’t say anything. Anxiety, impatience and frustration all showed on her face. She looked like she was going to burst into tears anytime. Even Zhang Zian was nervous about what was going to happen.
At this time, the two red-headed love birds warbled, which attracted Guo’s mom’s attention.
Looking at the birds inside the cage, she took off her reading glasses and smiled.
"Little Purple and Yellow Pea Cake! Oh! It’s just you guys! I thought you flew away… Dongyue…" She raised her head and saw her son who was only steps away from her. She smiled embarrassedly, "Dongyue went to school. I don’t want to disturb him…"
Guo Dongyue’s hands shook. The cage shook in his hands and he quickly held the cage steady.
The long-hidden memories started coming back. When he was in middle school and was pressured by studies, he would be terribly upset. Sometimes if he didn’t get a good grade, he would blame it on the two parrots being too loud.
Zhang Zian knew that Guo’s mom was not clear-minded so it was important
was important to explain everything to her, "Are those red-headed love birds? They are very rare."
"Yup. They are red-headed love birds," She smiled happily, "An old classmate gave them to me. Not many people can tell… You are really a bird… bird…"
"A bird lover," Zhang Zian said.
"A bird lover… A bird lover…" Guo’s mom repeated like a robot as if she wanted to remember it by heart.
Zhang Zian and Guo Dongyue looked at each other and both felt at ease. It seemed that Guo’s mom had had red-headed love birds before. It was a very rare breed and didn’t live in Asia. The two love birds were the same color as the ones she used to have. If it was another breed, it would be difficult to find two identical ones.
"I heard you taught them how to talk? As far as I know, red-headed love birds are not easy to train. You must be good at this," Zhang Zian was trying to lead her into a topic she was comfortable with.
"Hha… I am flattered. When Dongyue is not home, I am bored. These birds are the sunshine in my life," she smiled. "You may not know. My son is the best. I never had to worry about him…"
She looked as if something was missing. Then she
missing. Then she said quietly, "I never had to worry about him… I never had to worry about him…"
Tears came up to Guo Dongyue’s eyes. At this time, he totally understood how lonely his mom was. If he could go back to before, he’d rather be less good and less independent. There might be more of a bond between him and his mom. Worrying about her own kid was also a kind of happiness to a mom.
Zhang Zian manned up and once again led her back to their topic, "What did you teach them? Can you tell me?"
Guo’s mom was distracted and she looked as if she was losing herself.
Zhang Zian pointed at the cage and asked, "Love birds, your love birds. What do they say?"
"Well," Guo’s mom turned from sad to excited, "I taught them a poem!"
Zhang Zian and Guo Dongyue was shocked. They asked at the same time, "Which poem?"
Guo’s mom took a deep breath and got ready for her poem. However, as soon as she opened her mouth, she forgot what she was going to say. Her mouth opened and closed yet no poem came out.
Not good.
Zhang Zian and Guo Dongyue had an awful feeling.
The next second, their feeling was proved right – Guo’s mom smiled and asked, "Who are you looking for?"