Lala sat on the porch, her small hands fiddling with the hem of her bright yellow dress. Normally, her days were filled with laughter, playful energy, and mischievous giggles, but today, a heavy cloud of sadness hung over her. The reason was simple: CEO Kien, the person she adored the most, hadn’t called her since leaving for his business trip.
From the moment she woke up that morning, Lala had been hoping her favorite person would call to check in. CEO Kien always called her when he traveled, telling her exciting stories about new places, delicious food, or the people he met. He always said, “Lala, I’ll never forget you, no matter where I go.” But this time, things felt different. His phone had stayed silent, and every hour that passed made her feel lonelier.
Waiting for a Call That Never Comes
The first day of his trip had been okay. Lala busied herself with Mom and helped around the house. She even played with her favorite stuffed animals, pretending they were CEO Kien, having a tea party and talking about big company projects like he always did. She told them, “Don’t worry, CEO Kien will call us tonight, just like always.”
But as the clock ticked past bedtime, the phone never rang. Lala stayed by the window, her little chin resting on her hands as she watched the stars. “Maybe he’s busy,” she whispered to herself. “He’ll call tomorrow for sure.”
When the next day came, she waited again. She sat with her tablet, pretending to watch cartoons, but her ears were always listening for the sound of a phone ringing. Each time the phone buzzed for something else, her heart jumped—only to sink when she realized it wasn’t him.
Lala’s Confusion and Sadness
“Mom,” Lala finally asked, her voice soft and filled with confusion, “why didn’t CEO Kien call me? Did he forget me?” Her eyes were wide and glossy with tears she was trying hard not to cry.
Mom gave her a gentle hug, rubbing her back. “Oh, sweetheart, CEO Kien could never forget you. He’s probably very busy with important work. You know how his business trips are—lots of meetings and long hours. But he loves you very much.”
Lala nodded but still felt an ache in her chest. She didn’t fully understand business trips. She only understood that the person who always made her feel special was far away, and she couldn’t hear his voice. Even his laugh—the deep, kind laugh that always made her smile—was missing.
Trying to Stay Busy
Mom encouraged Lala to do things she loved to keep her mind off waiting. They baked cookies together, with Lala carefully placing chocolate chips in every piece. She imagined how CEO Kien would smile and say, “Lala, you are the best little baker!”
But when they sat down to eat the warm cookies, Lala sighed and pushed her plate a little. “They don’t taste as good when CEO Kien isn’t here to try them.”
Later, she played with her toys and built a tower out of colorful blocks. She even drew a picture of herself and CEO Kien holding hands, with a big heart above their heads. She wanted to show it to him on a video call, but there was still no message from him.
Talking to Herself
By the third day of waiting, Lala’s sadness grew stronger. She sat by the window again, hugging her stuffed bunny. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked the bunny, as if it could answer. “Maybe he’s mad at me because I didn’t finish my vegetables last week.”
She thought about all the times CEO Kien would pat her head and tell her how proud he was of her. “Come back soon,” she whispered. “Or just call me. I miss you.”
A Surprise Message
That evening, while she was quietly coloring, the phone finally rang. Mom answered it, and Lala’s heart leapt when she heard CEO Kien’s voice! She ran over, almost tripping on her crayons, and shouted, “CEO Kien! Where have you been? I waited and waited!”
On the other side of the call, CEO Kien laughed softly. “Lala, I’m so sorry. My phone battery died, and I had so many meetings. I missed you so much, too! I couldn’t wait to call you tonight.”
“Really? You didn’t forget me?” Lala asked, her voice trembling with relief.
“Forget you? Never!” he said. “You’re always in my heart. Even when I’m in a big meeting, I think about you smiling. Did you bake cookies without me?”
“Yes, but they didn’t taste as good because you weren’t here,” Lala admitted.
“I’ll make it up to you when I come home. We’ll bake together and I’ll eat all the cookies you make!” CEO Kien promised.
The Lesson Lala Learned
When the call ended, Lala’s heart felt light again. She realized something important: even if CEO Kien didn’t call right away, it didn’t mean he didn’t love her. Sometimes grown-ups are just very busy, but love doesn’t go away.
Mom sat beside her and said, “See, sweetheart? He loves you just as much as always. You don’t have to worry.”
Lala smiled, hugging her drawing of them together. “Next time, I’ll just draw pictures while I wait. That way, I can show him everything when he calls.”
A Sweet Ending
That night, Lala went to bed happier than she had been all week. She dreamed of the day CEO Kien would return. In her dream, she was waiting at the airport, holding a tray of fresh cookies and wearing her bright yellow dress. He would come running to her, scoop her up in his arms, and say, “Lala, you are my sunshine. I missed you more than anything.”
And when she woke up, she knew that dream wasn’t far away. Because no matter how long the business trip was, CEO Kien always came back to her—and that was enough to make her smile.
