The Woman Who Comes by Every Tuesday at 3PM
…likes to wait outside the house for aba.
I know because ama made me a spy.
It’s a game, she says, and it’s easy to win.
All I have to do is spy with my little eyes for the woman’s red, shiny car. Pay attention. Ama’s not home, so tell me what you see. She wore a black dress (yes, it’s short), aba wore a white shirt (no, not his work clothes), they were gone for three hours (yes, I’m sure). I’ll know I’ve won when she feeds me my prizes: ice-cream for dinner. With my mouth covered in chocolate and rainbow sprinkles, I pinky swear to ama: I’ll keep our game a secret.
I don’t tell aba about my secret game with ama, just like how I don’t tell ama about my secret game with aba.
What ama doesn’t know is that aba also made me a spy.
It’s a game, he says, and it’s easy to win.
All I have to do is give the wrong information, tell little white lies. Play pranks on ama. Ama’s not home, so she’ll have to believe what you see. The woman didn’t come (no, she really didn’t), aba wore gym clothes (yes, with running shoes), he was gone for 30 minutes (yes, I’m sure). I’ll know I’ve won when he takes me to the theme park that weekend, and I get to ride the bumper car until my head spins.
I never know whose side I’ll pick until the woman who comes by every Tuesday at 3PM is outside, waiting for aba in her red, shiny car. It makes me think of the bumper cars at the theme park, how aba roared with laughter when we chased after each other.
I can always have ice-cream for dinner next Tuesday.
Most of Yi Jun Phung's past work revolves around retail & fashion, having contributed to Inside Retail Australia and Inside Retail Asia. Now, she's having a (mostly) splendid time diving into the world of fiction. She has a short story forthcoming in Gone Lawn.
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