- My dad was diagnosed with liver cancer at the final stage, but I didn’t learn about it firsthand... it was my sister-in-law who told me over the phone. He told her that he didn’t think he’d last for more than 10 days. Even my mom was unaware. I booked a next-day flight back to Vietnam to see him right after I heard the news. When I arrived, he nagged the family why they let me know because he didn’t want me to worry. And it turned out that he was right… he didn’t even make it a full week. That was on a Tuesday, and by Sunday, he was gone…
- I’m so sorry to hear about that, chi. It must have been incredibly tough, especially since you live half a globe away from your family.
- Thank you, em. I’m trying to adjust, but I know it takes time... When we learned about the news, my husband and I were still working. We decided he would stay here to keep the restaurant running as usual and only come home on the day my dad passed away. I left the next day with our child to be with my family in Vietnam. My husband found it hard, too. He shed a lot of tears in the kitchen for days after…
- I can only imagine… It's touching to see how much your husband cares about you. When I came here while you were away, the team was working full steam and provided excellent service. Needless to say, the food was also superb. Your leadership and your kind heart truly shine through, chi.
- Oh no, I'm not a leader!
- Yes, you are. Leadership is best observed when the leader is absent. I admire you. I know you miss your dad a lot… Were you close to him?
- Aww… Thank you so much, em. My relationship with my dad actually wasn’t all roses, but that didn't matter in the end. It’s the kind of thing you hear people saying a lot, but you don’t really understand until it happens to you… you know, to say “I love you” as often as we can to the people we love before it’s too late. I knew that too, but it still hit differently when it happened to me…
- I hear you… I’m sure he knows. I can tell that he’s up there watching over you from above... Look, your food was already delicious, but it keeps getting even better! I ordered twice the last two times I came here!