A Time to Wear My Shoes (PDF)

A novella based on true events.

Childhood dreams lost in Macau, China. Abuse from her parents and the dreaded nights with her father in her bed traumatize the young Mei-Hua Lee. Sitting in the schoolyard picking nervously at her nails, she knows that her life is different from her classmates. When her uncle sponsors her family to move to Vancouver, she dreams of a better life. Sadly, the violence follows her across the ocean into their beautiful new home. With impending threats of being killed by her father, Mei-Hua finalizes her plan to escape to Montreal with the help of a relative. Under the light of a half-moon, her plan to leave Vancouver with her friend Dai-Sing is set into motion with an unexpected twist. 

Life in Montreal is stressful. Figuring out how to survive and raise a newborn are major challenges for the newly married couple. Yet, the chance to start fresh keeps them focused. Living a life as normal as possible, the fear of being found by Mei-Hua’s father weighs heavily and forces them to constantly look over their shoulders. When Dai-Sing is hit with a life-changing stroke in his sixties, they are forced to move to Toronto to be closer to their daughters. The interplay of the characters throughout the story reveals what it means to be human. Will Mei-Hua ever be able to forgive her parents and forget about the past that haunts her?