PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
Chapter 29 - Quiet Whispers
Thida's House
“Thanks for letting me stay the night,” said Kaphon as Thida opened her eyes. She smiled at him.
“Everyone here already thinks we're together so I don't care what my parents think,” said Thida.
“But I am the one in trouble when I get caught for staying here. They will think I slept with you,” said Kaphon.
“Umm...you did,” said Thida with a grin. Kaphon pulled the pillow from under him and smacked her gently with it. Thida began to chuckle and grabbed her pillow to hit him back. After a few minutes, Kaphon stopped and touched his finger up to Thida's lips to quiet her down. “Did you forget, we're trying to be discrete, not draw attention?” asked Kaphon. Thida responded, “You started it.”
Kaphon laid back down on the bed but kept his eyes on Thida. She laid back down and grabbed his hand and held it. “You know, if you ever need a break from all the drama, you can vent with me.”
Kaphon nodded. “But after we get married and I need to vent about you, who do I talk to?”
Thida smacked him on the chest. He laughed.
Kaphon's phone rang and he didn't want to answer it. Thida urged him to pick it up because it was so loud. “If you didn't want to answer your calls, why have a loud ringtone?” she asked.
“Fine,” Kaphon replied. He reached over the night stand and saw that it was Sakorn.
Thida urged him to pick it up. She said, “You two are on good terms now aren't you?”
Kaphon pressed talk and hesitated before saying hello. “I'll be right there!” he shouted.
Thida worried about Kaphon's response and tried asking him what is going on. But he didn't answer. She quickly picked up her jacket and some shorts form her dresser and slipped on flip flops before rushing downstairs after Kaphon. “Wait!” she shouted.
As she ran past, Sakol caught a glimpse of Kaphon already out the main doors. Thida's mom was standing a few feet from the dining room and could see her daughter chasing after Kaphon.
Thida was out the door before she could stop her for answers. “Oh no, not again,” said Thida's mother. “Is he done with her now that he slept over? Her father is going to be so pissed. Thida let him stay over just because he claims he loves her? Oh dear.”
Sakol walked over to her mother and placed her hands on her mother's arms to comfort her. “I'm sure they are in love, mom,” said Sakol. “Something must be going on. I know Kaphon pretty well from my past in that household. He is an honest guy.”
Wilamorn House
2 hours after dinner the night before
“Good night Nong Lynn,” said Kaphon as he kissed her before bedtime. “I will be back after I drop off Aunty Thida. Lynn held Kaphon's hand tightly.
In the back of his mind, he knew something is off about her. Whoever is hurting her must be nearby. Ami is still on the back of his mind. She was acting strange earlier. But, he had to take Thida home. He walked out the door as Kaneung and Sakorn walked upstairs.
“I put her in bed, I should be back,” said Kaphon.
Kaneung added, “I don't think I should leave her for one bit while you are gone. NongLynn isn't acting her normal self tonight.”
“I do have something to tell you,” said Kaphon. “But, I will be back.”
“If you don't come back,” said Sakorn, “Call and let us know because then I will have Kaneung stay in there with her. I prefer she stays in my room, but since you really want to still have that father daughter relationship, I am not going to be selfish and take her from you. But, please...let us know if you don't come back.”
Kaneung added, “I'll stay with her until you come back. Then I am going to head downstairs to my mom. She is so overwhelmed today. Otherwise, I wouldn't be staying over.”
Kaphon nodded. He walked downstairs and met Thida at the door.
Sakorn wrapped his arms around Kaneung and told her he wished she would be staying in his room tonight. Kaneung added, “the last time I went near your room was when I saw Sakol in there.”
Sakorn's grip loosened. “I'm sorry you had to see that relationship. I can't erase it. If you don't ever want to enter my bedroom it is okay.”
Kaneung nodded. She walked towards Kaphon's bedroom door and opened it to peer in. NongLynn faced away from the door and seemed to be sleeping.
She opened the door and walked inside. She knelt down to face Lynn and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I love you NongLynn. Good night sweet daughter.”
Sakorn walked in and knelt down beside Kaneung. He whispered, “We make such a cute girl. I wished I had the chance to be there at her birth and to raise her with you for the first 5 years of her life. I wished I was there with you throughout the pregnancy.”
Kaneung turned to hush Sakorn but he went in for a quick peck on the lips. “Khun Mae,” began NongLynn, “I can't sleep. I am tired but I can't sleep.”
Sakorn grabbed Lynn's hand. “It is alright. I'll be here until your dad comes back. Let your mom go rest so she can go back to work rested.”
Kaneung kissed Lynn one more time and decided she is to leave the room to let the two mingle. In her gut, she felt something is off about everything.
Sakorn went to sit in Kaphon's lounge chair and watched as Lynn drifted off to sleep. He felt tired from waking up so early in the morning from all the excitement but Kaphon is to come home soon. He got up and walked to Kaphon's bathroom. As he was done and washed his hands ready to walk out, the lights went out. He turned to look towards the open door but he fell to the floor and blacked out.
In the morning
“I should have known to call Sakorn too. But it sucks that Kaneung is also missing,” said Kaphon as he drove 100mph down the highway towards his house.
“You can slow down Kaphon. You might get stopped and that will slow you even more,” said Thida. She still had her pajama bottoms on and desperately wanted to change, but she can't do that in from of Kaphon. It isn't modest. “Okay,” said Kaphon and he reduced his speed to 80mph. The speed should be lower in Thailand due to high traffic, but Kaphon didn't care.
When the two reached the house, everyone was downstairs. “Where is the police?” asked Kaphon as he reached all of them.
Pin stopped Kaphon and told him to calm down. “If we call, then the kidnapper might harm them,” she said.
Kaphon was handed a voice recorder and pressed play.
“I want you all to calm down. This is merely a game. If you want NongLynn back, trade me. I will let you know how later tonight. Before I let you go, a call to police means the end of her life.”
“Gah!” shouted Kaphon. “I should have come home!” Kaphon spotted Ami sitting on the sofa trying to comfort Sakorn. He rushed over and grabbed her shoulders.
“Where is she?” he yelled. “Where did you take them?”
Everyone looked over in shock. Ami made a clueless expression.
Sakorn grabbed Kaphon's hand and tried to pry it off of Ami's shoulder. “What are you doing Kaphon? Have you lost it?”
Kaphon kept squeezing Ami's shoulders. “She isn't who we think she is. I can't believe I trusted her all these years. I know she is the one that hurt NongLynn the other day.”
Ami kept shaking her head no and telling Kaphon that he is hurting her. Kade walked over and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. “Let her go son.”
Kaphon turned to look at his dad and slowly moved his hands away. Ami raised her hand to wipe away tears from the pain. “I am going to my room now. I don't want to be down here anymore,” said Ami.
She stood up and apologizes for leaving the family in their panic so early on. She turned to face one of the maids and asked for some pain balm and an Advil delivered to her room.
Kaphon sat down where Ami had gotten up from. “That was stupid,” said Sakorn.
“What's stupid is you,” said Kaphon. “It just clicked all of a sudden. I can't believe I didn't realize this before.
“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Sakorn. “You're going crazier than I am.”
Kaphon turned to face Sakorn.
“Ami was the last one to come in contact with NongLynn before I noticed bruises on her. Aunt Thima told me this. Then, if you observed closely, NongLynn never wanted to go near Ami at all,” said Kaphon. He continued, “I always fell for her sisterly comforts in the past, but after really thinking about it, Ami has always comforted me by making you sound bad. She would tell me I am right and all this other crap. She never once told me that we are both wrong about things. Who would tell you that you are right all the time? Ami did.”
Sakorn looked away and stared forward. He added, “True.”
Sakorn thought back to when Kaphon came home from fifth grade and he didn't like that Kaphon didn't have to do homework because he didn't have any. But, Kade told him he couldn't play with the neighbor kids until his homework was done. Sakorn sat under the patio doing his homework, while he watched Kaphon playing with the other kids in the backyard. Ami rode her wheelchair and parked next to him. She'd start by asking whether he needed help. Then Ami would add, “You will be way smarter than Kaphon because you are diligent. All Kaphon does is play. My brother will be a genius unlike the other one. Don't worry brother, you are bound for success.”
Sakorn also thought about what Ami had told him after Kaneung left the house. “She is running away from this household. She really has no heart. Especially for ditching my sweet brother who cares for her dearly.” Sakorn had asked what she was talking about and Ami added, “Kaphon told me what happened. That kid can't keep his mouth shut,” she'd laugh, making it sound like she wasn't intentionally blaming Kaphon for being a tattle tale, “You know, you are too good for Kaneung anyways. Just pretend like she was a treat for graduating high school. She's just the maid's daugther anyways. Don't you want someone more worthy?”
When Sakorn learned that Kaphon went to London and is staying with Kaneung he got so frustrated that he vented to Ami. “Dear brother, see...Kaphon keeps trying to take all the girls you like. Like...taking our mother away. I'm sorry brother, sometimes I try to forgive him but I can't forget it. Sometimes it frustrates me too.”
“She told me that you took my mother away,” said Sakorn. He turned to look back at Kaphon. Kaphon looked into his brother's eyes. Kaphon's eyes were swelling with tears.
Thida's House
“Thanks for letting me stay the night,” said Kaphon as Thida opened her eyes. She smiled at him.
“Everyone here already thinks we're together so I don't care what my parents think,” said Thida.
“But I am the one in trouble when I get caught for staying here. They will think I slept with you,” said Kaphon.
“Umm...you did,” said Thida with a grin. Kaphon pulled the pillow from under him and smacked her gently with it. Thida began to chuckle and grabbed her pillow to hit him back. After a few minutes, Kaphon stopped and touched his finger up to Thida's lips to quiet her down. “Did you forget, we're trying to be discrete, not draw attention?” asked Kaphon. Thida responded, “You started it.”
Kaphon laid back down on the bed but kept his eyes on Thida. She laid back down and grabbed his hand and held it. “You know, if you ever need a break from all the drama, you can vent with me.”
Kaphon nodded. “But after we get married and I need to vent about you, who do I talk to?”
Thida smacked him on the chest. He laughed.
Kaphon's phone rang and he didn't want to answer it. Thida urged him to pick it up because it was so loud. “If you didn't want to answer your calls, why have a loud ringtone?” she asked.
“Fine,” Kaphon replied. He reached over the night stand and saw that it was Sakorn.
Thida urged him to pick it up. She said, “You two are on good terms now aren't you?”
Kaphon pressed talk and hesitated before saying hello. “I'll be right there!” he shouted.
Thida worried about Kaphon's response and tried asking him what is going on. But he didn't answer. She quickly picked up her jacket and some shorts form her dresser and slipped on flip flops before rushing downstairs after Kaphon. “Wait!” she shouted.
As she ran past, Sakol caught a glimpse of Kaphon already out the main doors. Thida's mom was standing a few feet from the dining room and could see her daughter chasing after Kaphon.
Thida was out the door before she could stop her for answers. “Oh no, not again,” said Thida's mother. “Is he done with her now that he slept over? Her father is going to be so pissed. Thida let him stay over just because he claims he loves her? Oh dear.”
Sakol walked over to her mother and placed her hands on her mother's arms to comfort her. “I'm sure they are in love, mom,” said Sakol. “Something must be going on. I know Kaphon pretty well from my past in that household. He is an honest guy.”
Wilamorn House
2 hours after dinner the night before
“Good night Nong Lynn,” said Kaphon as he kissed her before bedtime. “I will be back after I drop off Aunty Thida. Lynn held Kaphon's hand tightly.
In the back of his mind, he knew something is off about her. Whoever is hurting her must be nearby. Ami is still on the back of his mind. She was acting strange earlier. But, he had to take Thida home. He walked out the door as Kaneung and Sakorn walked upstairs.
“I put her in bed, I should be back,” said Kaphon.
Kaneung added, “I don't think I should leave her for one bit while you are gone. NongLynn isn't acting her normal self tonight.”
“I do have something to tell you,” said Kaphon. “But, I will be back.”
“If you don't come back,” said Sakorn, “Call and let us know because then I will have Kaneung stay in there with her. I prefer she stays in my room, but since you really want to still have that father daughter relationship, I am not going to be selfish and take her from you. But, please...let us know if you don't come back.”
Kaneung added, “I'll stay with her until you come back. Then I am going to head downstairs to my mom. She is so overwhelmed today. Otherwise, I wouldn't be staying over.”
Kaphon nodded. He walked downstairs and met Thida at the door.
Sakorn wrapped his arms around Kaneung and told her he wished she would be staying in his room tonight. Kaneung added, “the last time I went near your room was when I saw Sakol in there.”
Sakorn's grip loosened. “I'm sorry you had to see that relationship. I can't erase it. If you don't ever want to enter my bedroom it is okay.”
Kaneung nodded. She walked towards Kaphon's bedroom door and opened it to peer in. NongLynn faced away from the door and seemed to be sleeping.
She opened the door and walked inside. She knelt down to face Lynn and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I love you NongLynn. Good night sweet daughter.”
Sakorn walked in and knelt down beside Kaneung. He whispered, “We make such a cute girl. I wished I had the chance to be there at her birth and to raise her with you for the first 5 years of her life. I wished I was there with you throughout the pregnancy.”
Kaneung turned to hush Sakorn but he went in for a quick peck on the lips. “Khun Mae,” began NongLynn, “I can't sleep. I am tired but I can't sleep.”
Sakorn grabbed Lynn's hand. “It is alright. I'll be here until your dad comes back. Let your mom go rest so she can go back to work rested.”
Kaneung kissed Lynn one more time and decided she is to leave the room to let the two mingle. In her gut, she felt something is off about everything.
Sakorn went to sit in Kaphon's lounge chair and watched as Lynn drifted off to sleep. He felt tired from waking up so early in the morning from all the excitement but Kaphon is to come home soon. He got up and walked to Kaphon's bathroom. As he was done and washed his hands ready to walk out, the lights went out. He turned to look towards the open door but he fell to the floor and blacked out.
In the morning
“I should have known to call Sakorn too. But it sucks that Kaneung is also missing,” said Kaphon as he drove 100mph down the highway towards his house.
“You can slow down Kaphon. You might get stopped and that will slow you even more,” said Thida. She still had her pajama bottoms on and desperately wanted to change, but she can't do that in from of Kaphon. It isn't modest. “Okay,” said Kaphon and he reduced his speed to 80mph. The speed should be lower in Thailand due to high traffic, but Kaphon didn't care.
When the two reached the house, everyone was downstairs. “Where is the police?” asked Kaphon as he reached all of them.
Pin stopped Kaphon and told him to calm down. “If we call, then the kidnapper might harm them,” she said.
Kaphon was handed a voice recorder and pressed play.
“I want you all to calm down. This is merely a game. If you want NongLynn back, trade me. I will let you know how later tonight. Before I let you go, a call to police means the end of her life.”
“Gah!” shouted Kaphon. “I should have come home!” Kaphon spotted Ami sitting on the sofa trying to comfort Sakorn. He rushed over and grabbed her shoulders.
“Where is she?” he yelled. “Where did you take them?”
Everyone looked over in shock. Ami made a clueless expression.
Sakorn grabbed Kaphon's hand and tried to pry it off of Ami's shoulder. “What are you doing Kaphon? Have you lost it?”
Kaphon kept squeezing Ami's shoulders. “She isn't who we think she is. I can't believe I trusted her all these years. I know she is the one that hurt NongLynn the other day.”
Ami kept shaking her head no and telling Kaphon that he is hurting her. Kade walked over and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. “Let her go son.”
Kaphon turned to look at his dad and slowly moved his hands away. Ami raised her hand to wipe away tears from the pain. “I am going to my room now. I don't want to be down here anymore,” said Ami.
She stood up and apologizes for leaving the family in their panic so early on. She turned to face one of the maids and asked for some pain balm and an Advil delivered to her room.
Kaphon sat down where Ami had gotten up from. “That was stupid,” said Sakorn.
“What's stupid is you,” said Kaphon. “It just clicked all of a sudden. I can't believe I didn't realize this before.
“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Sakorn. “You're going crazier than I am.”
Kaphon turned to face Sakorn.
“Ami was the last one to come in contact with NongLynn before I noticed bruises on her. Aunt Thima told me this. Then, if you observed closely, NongLynn never wanted to go near Ami at all,” said Kaphon. He continued, “I always fell for her sisterly comforts in the past, but after really thinking about it, Ami has always comforted me by making you sound bad. She would tell me I am right and all this other crap. She never once told me that we are both wrong about things. Who would tell you that you are right all the time? Ami did.”
Sakorn looked away and stared forward. He added, “True.”
Sakorn thought back to when Kaphon came home from fifth grade and he didn't like that Kaphon didn't have to do homework because he didn't have any. But, Kade told him he couldn't play with the neighbor kids until his homework was done. Sakorn sat under the patio doing his homework, while he watched Kaphon playing with the other kids in the backyard. Ami rode her wheelchair and parked next to him. She'd start by asking whether he needed help. Then Ami would add, “You will be way smarter than Kaphon because you are diligent. All Kaphon does is play. My brother will be a genius unlike the other one. Don't worry brother, you are bound for success.”
Sakorn also thought about what Ami had told him after Kaneung left the house. “She is running away from this household. She really has no heart. Especially for ditching my sweet brother who cares for her dearly.” Sakorn had asked what she was talking about and Ami added, “Kaphon told me what happened. That kid can't keep his mouth shut,” she'd laugh, making it sound like she wasn't intentionally blaming Kaphon for being a tattle tale, “You know, you are too good for Kaneung anyways. Just pretend like she was a treat for graduating high school. She's just the maid's daugther anyways. Don't you want someone more worthy?”
When Sakorn learned that Kaphon went to London and is staying with Kaneung he got so frustrated that he vented to Ami. “Dear brother, see...Kaphon keeps trying to take all the girls you like. Like...taking our mother away. I'm sorry brother, sometimes I try to forgive him but I can't forget it. Sometimes it frustrates me too.”
“She told me that you took my mother away,” said Sakorn. He turned to look back at Kaphon. Kaphon looked into his brother's eyes. Kaphon's eyes were swelling with tears.
PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
Hello readers/friends of my ff. I really do apologize for taking a really long time. It used to be so easy to write and finish within weeks but this one is taking me years!! And I really can't believe it is taking me this long myself. Thank you to those who are still reading after all this time. And thank you for new readers who are willing to wait for this to finish. I will try to finish this at Chapter 32. Will crunch everything in. I did have to modify my storyline. And really made chapter 29 short (that's because I wanted to post something so you all don't think I have abandoned this.)
I will be back with more of Brothers and finish it soon. Also, when I finish this, I will bring back Inside My Heart starring Mark and Yaya.
I will be back with more of Brothers and finish it soon. Also, when I finish this, I will bring back Inside My Heart starring Mark and Yaya.
PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
Chapter 30 - The Phone Went Dead
Ami's Room
“Thank you,” said Ami to the maid. The maid left her room after a bow.
Ami sat on her bed and held the Advil bottle that the maid just handed her. She didn't need the Advil, the pain that Kaphon caused her is nothing compared to the one held within her.
She looked into her bathroom and saw the hint of light shining through. Ami stood up and walked towards the giant mirror beside her bed. She stood at the foot of the bed staring at herself.
The sheer window curtains were the only other source of light in her room. She liked the room this dark. Ever since she arrived here, this is what she insisted on liking.
She wore a floral yellow and white skirt that is calf length. And even a yellow blouse. All were happy colors that should lie about her cheerfulness. Within her were demons.
Karn's Room Years Earlier
“Ami, I won't have long to live now. Please, I beg of you, please forgive me. I can't go happily if you don't say you forgive me,” begged Karn.
Ami had her arms crossed and big pout on her face. “How can I forgive the woman that gave me up for adoption because she was afraid she'd loose her reputation? Then she feels horrible about it and lies to another man to get that adoption. I was left there for so long. Look at how many people didn't want me that I had to be in that orphanage past my first year. I've seen babies admitted and then adopted right away.”
“I'm sorry,” said Karn.
“Now look at you, karma is a bitch isn't it?” continued Ami. “You dumped me, then your husband does the same to you. He can't stand your lies. Just like you lying to me now. You should've never told me the truth. You should've never told me that you're my real mother. The mother who tossed me out. At least when I didn't know, I felt good about myself.”
“Ami, I really am sorry. I love you,” cried Karn. “Please forgive me. If I could go back in time, I would not have left you. I was young and I know that isn't a great excuse, but I love you. I miss those words from you. I wish I can hear it again.”
“You're not going to hear it,” said Ami. “I won't give you that satisfaction.”
Ami looked away for a brief momentarily then back at Karn. Karn has tears dripping down her cheeks. Her face were red and nose clogging up. Ami began to get teary eyed and hated that. She clenched her fist and couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand that feeling of maybe almost being guilty. She stood up and walked over to Karn.
“I can't give you that satisfaction. The only way to repent is to just die. That way I don't have to see you anymore. That way I can forget the orphanage and live this life where I am in a huge home and supported. Even though my chances of getting anything from Jade is nothing, I can at least get Sakorn to love me and share with me. Why would Jade want to give me anything? I'm not his real daughter. And because he knows the truth, it's worse for me. Go ahead and just leave me. Leave me like you did at the orphanage!” shouted Ami.
Karn cried louder and it made Ami madder.
“Cover your face so I don't have to see it!” shouted Ami.
Ami couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed a pillow nearby and hovered it over Karn's face. “Just stop it!” she shouted. “I don't want to hear your sad excuses. Just stop. It's better to just leave me now.”
Before Ami knew it, she couldn't hear the cries anymore. She came back to her senses and saw that Karn's body was limp. Her hands gently on Ami's arm. Ami noticed her hands still on top of the pillow and stood in shock.
Many things were rushing in her head. She can't get in trouble for this. Jade would hate her even more. This will ruin her chances of getting anything at all. Sakorn won't be nice to her and give her things. She swiped the pillow away and looked at Karn's lifeless body.
Ami panicked, but saw in a movie that if someone dies, the just close their eyes. She did just that. Then she picked up the pillow and placed it back where it was. Ami wiped away the tears and rushed to grab a cloth to wipe her hands. Ami made herself cry and ran out the door to call for help.
Several servants ran up and moved Ami to her room.
A few hours later
Jade sat in the den with his hands on his head. He had wanted to make it home from the office to talk to her. He wanted to tell her that she did a great job at the concert and that he thanks her for being good mother to his son. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for not being able to forgive her about her past. But, that at one point he had some feeling towards her or else they wouldn't have had a baby together. Although his love for her died out as a lover, his love for her as family didn't die with it.
Jade knew she was hiding something from him. He never thought it was so severe that she knew it would be within months of her diagnosis.
Ami walked into the den. Jade looked up and opened his arms to her. Ami patted his head and thought back to what happened hours before. She thought about how she is left with nothing now. Jade doesn't love her, her mom left on bad terms with everyone, and she has to survive.
Wilamorn's House Downstairs
Thida walked over to Kaphon and grabbed a hold of his arms. “Everything will be okay,” she said.
He turned and hugged her. His grasp was tight, Thida could hardly breathe, but she left him hold her as tightly as he wanted. Anything for him to feel better.
Sakorn slapped himself in the head. “I just can't accuse her,” he shouted. Things are pointing towards her, but there's no proof. I can't just rush up to her and accuse her like that.”
Sakol finally let go of Thida and turned back to face Sakorn again. “Makes me look like the bad brother doesn't it? How can I just accuse my sister like that?”
“I need air,” said Sakorn. He proceeded to walk out the back door and wandered in frustration. Kaphon followed him out and stood still look away from the house. At one point, the silence outside, besides Sakorn's pacing back and forth, he thought he could hear NongLynn's voice.
“I know I am missing her a lot, but it sounds so real,” thought Kaphon.
Sakorn stood still all of a sudden and looked up. Ami's window was open slightly and he could also hear a muffled sound.
“Do you hear NongLynn?” asked Sakorn.
“Yes, I did,” said Kaphon. Kaphon rushed to stand Sakorn and looked up.
“Believe me now?” asked Kaphon.
“Without a doubt,” said Sakorn.
The two men rush inside and ran up the flight of stairs to Ami's room. They grabbed for the handle and twisted it, but it was locked. Sakorn bashed into it to knock it down, but it wouldn't budge. Kaphon ran downstairs and asks Jade where he kept all the spare keys. Everyone tried to ask Kaphon what is going on, but he was in a hurry to find the keys.
Once he found them, he rushed back upstairs. By that time, everyone was by Ami's door. Sakorn opened the door and they all rush in. No one was in there. A breeze from the window and no one is in here. Ami's clothes that she wore earlier laid on the bed and the bathroom door closed.
Pin commented, “she must be taking a shower.”
“No!” shouted both Sakorn and Kaphon. “She's not.”
They rush to the bathroom door and was about to open it, but Jade told them to stop.
“We heard Lynn's voice, father,” said Sakorn. “We heard it coming from this area.”
“You boys are crazy,” said Jade. “You need to calm down and get your senses back.”
“Dad!” shouted Kaphon. “How can we both hear the same thing?”
“You're not in your right mind so you are feeding off of each other,” said Jade.
“Let me knock on the door,” said Pin. “I'll see if Ami is in there.”
Pin walked to the door and could hear the water running. But she knocked and called out Ami's name. No reply. For some reason, she senses something bad as well. She had to open the door. She opened it slightly and peeked in. The shower was running but no sign of Ami. She swung the door wider and stepped inside to look. No Ami.
“She's not here,” said Pin. Jade walked over and stepped inside.
“NongLynn!” he shouted.
Pin rushed to turn off the water and they all started shouting.
Sakorn called out Kaneung's name. There's nothing at all. “Shut up!” he shouted.
Kaphon agreed, “one at a time or else we can't hear a response.”
Kaphon shouted Lynn's name.
Finally they hear a faint sound coming from behind the towel closet.
“Oh my, how did I forget?” asked Jade.
“When we made this room, Karn asked me to make a secret room for Ami so that she has a special place for herself,” said Jade.
“The extra window,” said Sakorn. “I always wondered why it was there.”
Jade walked over to the towel closet. He opened it and found the little notch on it. He pulled up the notched and opened the shelf. There were empty wine bottles laid across the floor and several on the wine rack. He pulled the light switch string and looked at the yellow wall in front of him. It's been a while since he's been in this room. He hasn't overlooked it since before Sakorn was born. He used to come in to find Ami when the maids couldn't figure out where she went.
Jade inched closer to the wall and knocked on it. “Ami? Are you in there?”
Nothing, not a sound. Then Kaphon rushed in and pulled Jade out. He knocked on the wall and called in. “NongLynn? Are you in there? Answer Khun Por, please!”
Kaphon could hear a jingle. Then muffles. He turned to Jade and Sakorn. “She's in there! Open the door, how do I open it?”
Jade shouted, “There's a button on the left hidden behind Ami's wine bottle. Then you slide the door.”
Sakorn wanted into the room, but Kaphon found the button and slid the door open. He was hit by the light from the window and then saw Lynn handcuffed and chained to a hook and rail by the window.
“She used to do ballet before I hit her with my car,” said Jade quietly.
“NongLynn!” shouted Kaphon and he rushed into the room. She looked exhausted in her pajamas.
Lynn couldn't make out any words and Sakorn rushed into the room. The room was a lot bigger than he thought it was. They only put one small window in, but the colors were very child-like, so innocent. A big mirror by the door that stretched the length of the rail.
“NongLynn!” said Sakorn as Kaphon rushed out of the room to find a chain cutter. Jade, Pin, and Thima rushed into the room but had all the servants remain outside. Sakorn grabbed Lynn and held her in his arms waiting for the cutter.
“I'm sorry,” said Sakorn. “I should have been more careful. I should have been able to protect you. It's all my fault that you are in here.”
Jade shouted for the maids to go get water. “Call the police,” said Jade.
Before someone can rush out, Kaphon arrived and stopped them. “No....she said no police.”
“Kaphon, we need to find Kaneung. She's not here,” said Sakorn.
Kaphon grabbed the chain and pressed hard on it until the chain dropped to the ground.
“These are on so tight,” said Kapol.
Thida made her way into the room and looked at it. “NongLynn, sweet child. I think I know how to get these off. I dated an officer in training once while I was in high school.”
Sakorn kept Lynn in his arms as Kaphon left to find what Thida needed to get the handcuffs off.
“P'Sakorn, where do you think P'Kaneung is?” asked Thida.
Thima sat next to her granddaughter. “Yes, where can she be?”
So many things were running through Sakorn's mind. It is a shock to him that the sister he trusted could do such a thing. He trusted her and loved her. He had no idea why she is so cruel to him and the people he love. He wondered what made her like this.
Kaphon returned and Thida quickly opened the lock. Kaphon scooped Lynn up from Sakorn and proceeded to carry her out. “We need to go to the hospital,” he said.
Sakorn sat up and walked right behind Kaphon. As they headed downstairs, the home phone rang.
A servant rushed out and called for Sakorn. Sakorn told her he had no time, but the servant said it is Kaneung.
Kaphon paused after putting Lynn in the car. “What did you just say?”
“It's Kaneung,” said the servant.
Sakorn rushed into the house. “I need to take Lynn to the hospital Thida. Are you going with me. We can call him on our way,” said Kaphon.
Thida jumped into the car. “I know that this isn't a good time to make comments, but at least I match NongLynn. Fun slumber party gone wrong right? That's if the hospital staff asks.”
Kaphon smiled slightly as he rushed to the nearest hospital.
Back inside the house, Sakorn picked up the phone. “Hello?”
The phone was already dead.
He slammed the phone down. “Was it really her?” he asked the maid.
“Yes, I remember her voice,” said the maid. “She didn't sound too good. Her voice was slightly raspy.”
Everyone had gathered around the living room again. Thima walked up to Sakorn and held his arms. She looked up at him and said, “Sakorn, please save her.”
Thima then dropped to the floor and Pin rushed over. She ordered someone to get medicine and a fan.
The phone rang again. Sakorn quickly answered, “Kaneung? Is it you?”
“I guess I didn't get to deliver the message tonight. My game changed a little bit. I had to rush things a bit earlier. You two started getting suspicious of me way too early in the morning. I was hoping to make it to tomorrow. I wanted both of them to be gone. That way you two would just be upset. No kids to take over. And you two so upset that you'd end your own life. I could have made you feel so guilty that it would happen that way. But no, you two have each other even after all the work I tried to do to keep you apart. You know Sakorn, this could have all been mine,” said Ami.
“P'Ami, I don't know what you mean by it. But don't hurt Kaneung. Give her back to me. If it's all of the house, school, you can have it. I just want Kaneung and Lynn.” cried Sakorn.
“How can I trust you little brother? I couldn't even trust mom. I can't trust dad. Look at what you did to Kaneung. You treated her like garbage and now you say you love her?” she asked. “How can I trust that you really will give me everything? You keep changing your mind. And your actions are despicable.”
Sakorn knew Ami was right. She has a point. But right now, all he cares about is Kaneung. He is willing to give up everything for her.
“Kaneung can't talk now. I kind of knocked her out, don't worry she is still breathing. I don't know for how much longer. If she cries anymore, I don't know if I can take that. Kind of reminds me of mom's last moment, it is a nightmare,” continued Ami.
“What do you want me to do?” asked Sakorn.
“I don't know,” said Ami. “I already know that everyone is out for me. There's really not much I can negotiate with anymore. I kind of just want to have a friend go along with me now.”
“Go along? Go where?” asked Sakorn.
“To mom. You know she asked for my forgiveness before she passed, she kept apologizing. I didn't like that. She never loved me you know? Did you know I was adopted? Adopted by my real mother who once left me, tossed me to a sea of serpents. She didn't care. She thought she could hide her evilness by adopting me and making things all better? No. That didn't make things better. That made it worst! You know what else? Dad knew about it. That's why he left mom. That's why he got with Pin. Mom was bad Sakorn,” said Ami. “Mom was bad.”
Sakorn behind to wail, “Stop it Ami. This is too much.”
“Too much?” asked Ami. “Good. Now dad will have just Kapol left right?”
Sakorn wiped his tears and answered, “I will find you Ami. I will find Kaneung alive. And unlike you, I already lived so long in misery that I don't want to anymore. Instead of ruining others, I am going to make it better. I won't go down that dark path like you.” said Sakorn.
“Suit yourself little brother, “ said Ami. “Put dad on the phone.”
Sakorn handed Jade the phone.
“Now that I am older, I realized that you would never add me to your will. Did you know that I planned to get the boys to give me everything. For one of them to kill the other? Did you know that it didn't go as planned? Did you know that I never expected my mistake of letting Kaneung go to London would bring you a grandchild and I would have to fight even more battles to get what I deserve?” asked Ami.
“Ami,” said Jade. “Did you know that I am leaving you something?”
“Like what?” asked Ami. “Like just this house? Dad, I want it all. Sakorn shouldn't have been born. I thought you guys adopted me because you couldn't have children. I thought I was so lucky. But then he was born. And then mom revealed everything to me. And then you come home with Kapol. You knew I wass mom's real daughter. You had your own biological kids. I had to share. Everything would be mine. But now I have to share!”
“Ami,” said Jade. “I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. But you are blood to Sakorn. Do you think of me that badly that you think I don't love you?”
“You just felt guilty about hitting me with your car. You don't love me dad,” said Ami.
“No, I loved you enough. I love all my children,” said Jade.
“I don't want that,” said Ami. “I don't want to share.”
“Not even with your own brother?” asked Jade.
“Dad, if I ended my own mother's life, what makes you think I can't ruin my own brother?” asked Ami.
She laughed and Jade couldn't handle it anymore. He dropped the phone and Pin went to pick it up.
“Ami, what are you doing? Where are you?” asked Pin. The phone went dead.
Ami's Room
“Thank you,” said Ami to the maid. The maid left her room after a bow.
Ami sat on her bed and held the Advil bottle that the maid just handed her. She didn't need the Advil, the pain that Kaphon caused her is nothing compared to the one held within her.
She looked into her bathroom and saw the hint of light shining through. Ami stood up and walked towards the giant mirror beside her bed. She stood at the foot of the bed staring at herself.
The sheer window curtains were the only other source of light in her room. She liked the room this dark. Ever since she arrived here, this is what she insisted on liking.
She wore a floral yellow and white skirt that is calf length. And even a yellow blouse. All were happy colors that should lie about her cheerfulness. Within her were demons.
Karn's Room Years Earlier
“Ami, I won't have long to live now. Please, I beg of you, please forgive me. I can't go happily if you don't say you forgive me,” begged Karn.
Ami had her arms crossed and big pout on her face. “How can I forgive the woman that gave me up for adoption because she was afraid she'd loose her reputation? Then she feels horrible about it and lies to another man to get that adoption. I was left there for so long. Look at how many people didn't want me that I had to be in that orphanage past my first year. I've seen babies admitted and then adopted right away.”
“I'm sorry,” said Karn.
“Now look at you, karma is a bitch isn't it?” continued Ami. “You dumped me, then your husband does the same to you. He can't stand your lies. Just like you lying to me now. You should've never told me the truth. You should've never told me that you're my real mother. The mother who tossed me out. At least when I didn't know, I felt good about myself.”
“Ami, I really am sorry. I love you,” cried Karn. “Please forgive me. If I could go back in time, I would not have left you. I was young and I know that isn't a great excuse, but I love you. I miss those words from you. I wish I can hear it again.”
“You're not going to hear it,” said Ami. “I won't give you that satisfaction.”
Ami looked away for a brief momentarily then back at Karn. Karn has tears dripping down her cheeks. Her face were red and nose clogging up. Ami began to get teary eyed and hated that. She clenched her fist and couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand that feeling of maybe almost being guilty. She stood up and walked over to Karn.
“I can't give you that satisfaction. The only way to repent is to just die. That way I don't have to see you anymore. That way I can forget the orphanage and live this life where I am in a huge home and supported. Even though my chances of getting anything from Jade is nothing, I can at least get Sakorn to love me and share with me. Why would Jade want to give me anything? I'm not his real daughter. And because he knows the truth, it's worse for me. Go ahead and just leave me. Leave me like you did at the orphanage!” shouted Ami.
Karn cried louder and it made Ami madder.
“Cover your face so I don't have to see it!” shouted Ami.
Ami couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed a pillow nearby and hovered it over Karn's face. “Just stop it!” she shouted. “I don't want to hear your sad excuses. Just stop. It's better to just leave me now.”
Before Ami knew it, she couldn't hear the cries anymore. She came back to her senses and saw that Karn's body was limp. Her hands gently on Ami's arm. Ami noticed her hands still on top of the pillow and stood in shock.
Many things were rushing in her head. She can't get in trouble for this. Jade would hate her even more. This will ruin her chances of getting anything at all. Sakorn won't be nice to her and give her things. She swiped the pillow away and looked at Karn's lifeless body.
Ami panicked, but saw in a movie that if someone dies, the just close their eyes. She did just that. Then she picked up the pillow and placed it back where it was. Ami wiped away the tears and rushed to grab a cloth to wipe her hands. Ami made herself cry and ran out the door to call for help.
Several servants ran up and moved Ami to her room.
A few hours later
Jade sat in the den with his hands on his head. He had wanted to make it home from the office to talk to her. He wanted to tell her that she did a great job at the concert and that he thanks her for being good mother to his son. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for not being able to forgive her about her past. But, that at one point he had some feeling towards her or else they wouldn't have had a baby together. Although his love for her died out as a lover, his love for her as family didn't die with it.
Jade knew she was hiding something from him. He never thought it was so severe that she knew it would be within months of her diagnosis.
Ami walked into the den. Jade looked up and opened his arms to her. Ami patted his head and thought back to what happened hours before. She thought about how she is left with nothing now. Jade doesn't love her, her mom left on bad terms with everyone, and she has to survive.
Wilamorn's House Downstairs
Thida walked over to Kaphon and grabbed a hold of his arms. “Everything will be okay,” she said.
He turned and hugged her. His grasp was tight, Thida could hardly breathe, but she left him hold her as tightly as he wanted. Anything for him to feel better.
Sakorn slapped himself in the head. “I just can't accuse her,” he shouted. Things are pointing towards her, but there's no proof. I can't just rush up to her and accuse her like that.”
Sakol finally let go of Thida and turned back to face Sakorn again. “Makes me look like the bad brother doesn't it? How can I just accuse my sister like that?”
“I need air,” said Sakorn. He proceeded to walk out the back door and wandered in frustration. Kaphon followed him out and stood still look away from the house. At one point, the silence outside, besides Sakorn's pacing back and forth, he thought he could hear NongLynn's voice.
“I know I am missing her a lot, but it sounds so real,” thought Kaphon.
Sakorn stood still all of a sudden and looked up. Ami's window was open slightly and he could also hear a muffled sound.
“Do you hear NongLynn?” asked Sakorn.
“Yes, I did,” said Kaphon. Kaphon rushed to stand Sakorn and looked up.
“Believe me now?” asked Kaphon.
“Without a doubt,” said Sakorn.
The two men rush inside and ran up the flight of stairs to Ami's room. They grabbed for the handle and twisted it, but it was locked. Sakorn bashed into it to knock it down, but it wouldn't budge. Kaphon ran downstairs and asks Jade where he kept all the spare keys. Everyone tried to ask Kaphon what is going on, but he was in a hurry to find the keys.
Once he found them, he rushed back upstairs. By that time, everyone was by Ami's door. Sakorn opened the door and they all rush in. No one was in there. A breeze from the window and no one is in here. Ami's clothes that she wore earlier laid on the bed and the bathroom door closed.
Pin commented, “she must be taking a shower.”
“No!” shouted both Sakorn and Kaphon. “She's not.”
They rush to the bathroom door and was about to open it, but Jade told them to stop.
“We heard Lynn's voice, father,” said Sakorn. “We heard it coming from this area.”
“You boys are crazy,” said Jade. “You need to calm down and get your senses back.”
“Dad!” shouted Kaphon. “How can we both hear the same thing?”
“You're not in your right mind so you are feeding off of each other,” said Jade.
“Let me knock on the door,” said Pin. “I'll see if Ami is in there.”
Pin walked to the door and could hear the water running. But she knocked and called out Ami's name. No reply. For some reason, she senses something bad as well. She had to open the door. She opened it slightly and peeked in. The shower was running but no sign of Ami. She swung the door wider and stepped inside to look. No Ami.
“She's not here,” said Pin. Jade walked over and stepped inside.
“NongLynn!” he shouted.
Pin rushed to turn off the water and they all started shouting.
Sakorn called out Kaneung's name. There's nothing at all. “Shut up!” he shouted.
Kaphon agreed, “one at a time or else we can't hear a response.”
Kaphon shouted Lynn's name.
Finally they hear a faint sound coming from behind the towel closet.
“Oh my, how did I forget?” asked Jade.
“When we made this room, Karn asked me to make a secret room for Ami so that she has a special place for herself,” said Jade.
“The extra window,” said Sakorn. “I always wondered why it was there.”
Jade walked over to the towel closet. He opened it and found the little notch on it. He pulled up the notched and opened the shelf. There were empty wine bottles laid across the floor and several on the wine rack. He pulled the light switch string and looked at the yellow wall in front of him. It's been a while since he's been in this room. He hasn't overlooked it since before Sakorn was born. He used to come in to find Ami when the maids couldn't figure out where she went.
Jade inched closer to the wall and knocked on it. “Ami? Are you in there?”
Nothing, not a sound. Then Kaphon rushed in and pulled Jade out. He knocked on the wall and called in. “NongLynn? Are you in there? Answer Khun Por, please!”
Kaphon could hear a jingle. Then muffles. He turned to Jade and Sakorn. “She's in there! Open the door, how do I open it?”
Jade shouted, “There's a button on the left hidden behind Ami's wine bottle. Then you slide the door.”
Sakorn wanted into the room, but Kaphon found the button and slid the door open. He was hit by the light from the window and then saw Lynn handcuffed and chained to a hook and rail by the window.
“She used to do ballet before I hit her with my car,” said Jade quietly.
“NongLynn!” shouted Kaphon and he rushed into the room. She looked exhausted in her pajamas.
Lynn couldn't make out any words and Sakorn rushed into the room. The room was a lot bigger than he thought it was. They only put one small window in, but the colors were very child-like, so innocent. A big mirror by the door that stretched the length of the rail.
“NongLynn!” said Sakorn as Kaphon rushed out of the room to find a chain cutter. Jade, Pin, and Thima rushed into the room but had all the servants remain outside. Sakorn grabbed Lynn and held her in his arms waiting for the cutter.
“I'm sorry,” said Sakorn. “I should have been more careful. I should have been able to protect you. It's all my fault that you are in here.”
Jade shouted for the maids to go get water. “Call the police,” said Jade.
Before someone can rush out, Kaphon arrived and stopped them. “No....she said no police.”
“Kaphon, we need to find Kaneung. She's not here,” said Sakorn.
Kaphon grabbed the chain and pressed hard on it until the chain dropped to the ground.
“These are on so tight,” said Kapol.
Thida made her way into the room and looked at it. “NongLynn, sweet child. I think I know how to get these off. I dated an officer in training once while I was in high school.”
Sakorn kept Lynn in his arms as Kaphon left to find what Thida needed to get the handcuffs off.
“P'Sakorn, where do you think P'Kaneung is?” asked Thida.
Thima sat next to her granddaughter. “Yes, where can she be?”
So many things were running through Sakorn's mind. It is a shock to him that the sister he trusted could do such a thing. He trusted her and loved her. He had no idea why she is so cruel to him and the people he love. He wondered what made her like this.
Kaphon returned and Thida quickly opened the lock. Kaphon scooped Lynn up from Sakorn and proceeded to carry her out. “We need to go to the hospital,” he said.
Sakorn sat up and walked right behind Kaphon. As they headed downstairs, the home phone rang.
A servant rushed out and called for Sakorn. Sakorn told her he had no time, but the servant said it is Kaneung.
Kaphon paused after putting Lynn in the car. “What did you just say?”
“It's Kaneung,” said the servant.
Sakorn rushed into the house. “I need to take Lynn to the hospital Thida. Are you going with me. We can call him on our way,” said Kaphon.
Thida jumped into the car. “I know that this isn't a good time to make comments, but at least I match NongLynn. Fun slumber party gone wrong right? That's if the hospital staff asks.”
Kaphon smiled slightly as he rushed to the nearest hospital.
Back inside the house, Sakorn picked up the phone. “Hello?”
The phone was already dead.
He slammed the phone down. “Was it really her?” he asked the maid.
“Yes, I remember her voice,” said the maid. “She didn't sound too good. Her voice was slightly raspy.”
Everyone had gathered around the living room again. Thima walked up to Sakorn and held his arms. She looked up at him and said, “Sakorn, please save her.”
Thima then dropped to the floor and Pin rushed over. She ordered someone to get medicine and a fan.
The phone rang again. Sakorn quickly answered, “Kaneung? Is it you?”
“I guess I didn't get to deliver the message tonight. My game changed a little bit. I had to rush things a bit earlier. You two started getting suspicious of me way too early in the morning. I was hoping to make it to tomorrow. I wanted both of them to be gone. That way you two would just be upset. No kids to take over. And you two so upset that you'd end your own life. I could have made you feel so guilty that it would happen that way. But no, you two have each other even after all the work I tried to do to keep you apart. You know Sakorn, this could have all been mine,” said Ami.
“P'Ami, I don't know what you mean by it. But don't hurt Kaneung. Give her back to me. If it's all of the house, school, you can have it. I just want Kaneung and Lynn.” cried Sakorn.
“How can I trust you little brother? I couldn't even trust mom. I can't trust dad. Look at what you did to Kaneung. You treated her like garbage and now you say you love her?” she asked. “How can I trust that you really will give me everything? You keep changing your mind. And your actions are despicable.”
Sakorn knew Ami was right. She has a point. But right now, all he cares about is Kaneung. He is willing to give up everything for her.
“Kaneung can't talk now. I kind of knocked her out, don't worry she is still breathing. I don't know for how much longer. If she cries anymore, I don't know if I can take that. Kind of reminds me of mom's last moment, it is a nightmare,” continued Ami.
“What do you want me to do?” asked Sakorn.
“I don't know,” said Ami. “I already know that everyone is out for me. There's really not much I can negotiate with anymore. I kind of just want to have a friend go along with me now.”
“Go along? Go where?” asked Sakorn.
“To mom. You know she asked for my forgiveness before she passed, she kept apologizing. I didn't like that. She never loved me you know? Did you know I was adopted? Adopted by my real mother who once left me, tossed me to a sea of serpents. She didn't care. She thought she could hide her evilness by adopting me and making things all better? No. That didn't make things better. That made it worst! You know what else? Dad knew about it. That's why he left mom. That's why he got with Pin. Mom was bad Sakorn,” said Ami. “Mom was bad.”
Sakorn behind to wail, “Stop it Ami. This is too much.”
“Too much?” asked Ami. “Good. Now dad will have just Kapol left right?”
Sakorn wiped his tears and answered, “I will find you Ami. I will find Kaneung alive. And unlike you, I already lived so long in misery that I don't want to anymore. Instead of ruining others, I am going to make it better. I won't go down that dark path like you.” said Sakorn.
“Suit yourself little brother, “ said Ami. “Put dad on the phone.”
Sakorn handed Jade the phone.
“Now that I am older, I realized that you would never add me to your will. Did you know that I planned to get the boys to give me everything. For one of them to kill the other? Did you know that it didn't go as planned? Did you know that I never expected my mistake of letting Kaneung go to London would bring you a grandchild and I would have to fight even more battles to get what I deserve?” asked Ami.
“Ami,” said Jade. “Did you know that I am leaving you something?”
“Like what?” asked Ami. “Like just this house? Dad, I want it all. Sakorn shouldn't have been born. I thought you guys adopted me because you couldn't have children. I thought I was so lucky. But then he was born. And then mom revealed everything to me. And then you come home with Kapol. You knew I wass mom's real daughter. You had your own biological kids. I had to share. Everything would be mine. But now I have to share!”
“Ami,” said Jade. “I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. But you are blood to Sakorn. Do you think of me that badly that you think I don't love you?”
“You just felt guilty about hitting me with your car. You don't love me dad,” said Ami.
“No, I loved you enough. I love all my children,” said Jade.
“I don't want that,” said Ami. “I don't want to share.”
“Not even with your own brother?” asked Jade.
“Dad, if I ended my own mother's life, what makes you think I can't ruin my own brother?” asked Ami.
She laughed and Jade couldn't handle it anymore. He dropped the phone and Pin went to pick it up.
“Ami, what are you doing? Where are you?” asked Pin. The phone went dead.
PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
Oh my, I didn't even realize I had written the next chapter already and just never posted it. All this time, I knew I had the story progressed and just couldn't figure out why those things in my head weren't posted. I thought it was all my imagination. Today, I opened my Brother's file and saw that I wrote it out. I am going to edit real quick. I was going to change the next chapter a bit, but reading it halfway, i think I am going to keep it and will have to think of the next chapter. Hmmm....enjoy.
PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
Chapter 31 - Smart Like Her Dad
Hospital
The doctor walked out and told Kaphon and Thida that Lynn is fine. She has an IV and good thing they found her. She isn't hallucinating anymore. They thanked the doctor and rushed into the room.
Lynn's face lit up. “I'm...” she began to say.
“You don't have to talk now NongLynn,” said Kaphon.
“But Khun Mae,” said Lynn.
“It's okay NongLynn, P'Sakorn said he will find her,” said Thida. “You just rest and before you know it, Khun Mae will be here to see you.”
Kaphon looked at Thida. He whispered, “please don't give her false hope, I can't live if we just lied to her.”
Thida grabbed Kaphon's hand and held it tight.
Willamorn House
“Dad, I am thinking of just contacting the police,” said Sakorn.
Jade nodded.
Pin replied, “what if she harms Kaneung?”
Sakorn replied, “She would do it regardless. She's not sane Aunt Pin. She's not. She pretty much told me that she would end her life and take Kaneung with her. I can't let that happen.”
“And, she told me she killed Karn,” said Jade. “I loved her. What kind of father would let their child get away with murder?”
“You let Kaphon get away with lots,” said Sakorn.
Pin replied, “Quit it Sakorn. I have kept my mouth shut for a long time now. But, just shut it. It's not the time to be jealous of anything right now. Not the time to act childish. Can't you see what is really going on?”
Sakorn paced back and forth and finally apologized. “I'm sorry, I just can't think straight. I know I have to if I want to find her. But so much news in one day. I told you guys to get a new phone, one that has caller ID or something.”
Pin replied, “she could have called our cell phones but she chose to call the house phone.
Then something clicked in Sakorn's mind. He ran out to the front yard. It was getting dark now and he could see a flicker in the attic. “They are in the house. They've been here all along!”
He rushed inside and ran up the stairs. He rushed past Kaphon's room towards another few steps of stairs. He took the left past his parent's bedroom and side staircase from the kitchen. He ran towards the attic.
By now the sun has fallen and it must be very dark in there. Sakorn tried to yank on the attic door. The room where his mother passed away. No one had accessed that room since her passing except weekly cleanings by the housekeepers.
“She killed her in there,” said Jade. “I should have done an autopsy.”
“Dad, you wouldn't have known that a child would do such a thing,” said Sakorn. “Let's try to get this door open.”
“Sakorn, don't come in here. Kaneung is still asleep,” said Ami.
“What the hell did you do to her?” shouted Sakorn.
“She's still breathing,” said Ami. “I want her to talk to me like mom did. I want her to beg for forgiveness, to say sorry, to say she loves me.”
“But she isn't mom!” shouted Sakorn. “She's my girlfriend!”
“I know,” said Ami. “But, she knows what it is like to be a mom. She knows how to love her child. She can say those things to me.”
“Dad,” said Sakorn. “She's insane. I have to knock this door down.”
Sakorn ran down the kitchen stairs and out to the pool shed to find an ax.
“Sakorn,” said Pin. “Ami was saying some more stuff after you left. She said Kaneung woke up. We could heard Kaneung and now it is silent.”
Sakorn beat the ax against the wall and it started to fall off piece by piece. The attic actually had lights and Sakorn rushed up the stairs.
Ami sat in the bed with her arms wrapped around Kaneung's neck. A sharp pairing knife ready to puncture Kaneung in the heart.
“She just had to wake up too soon,” said Ami. “I was hoping it wasn't until morning so we can have our chat. But she got up and started to make a fuss. I don't know if she will suffocate or get stabbed. It all depends on how I want it all to end. Right brother?”
“Ami, put the knife down,” said Sakorn.
“You hate me to the point that you don't even call me P'Ami anymore,” said Ami. “I really can't trust you or anyone here.”
“P'Ami,” Sakorn struggled to say. “Can't we just end this without anyone getting hurt? Let's talk.”
“Sakorn, you know what the doctors told mom when she took me to get a check up?” asked Ami. “The doctors told her that I had oppositional defiant disorder even though I don't argue much with them, and that I was bipoplar, and I had separation issues, and that I was narcissistic. Those are all laughable.”
She continued, “The doctor told her that if she were to adopt me, I would cause lots of trouble for her. But, she still insisted on adopting me. At the time, I thought she was noble. She treated me so well. She gave me whatever I wanted. Even to be in ballet.”
“Please loosen your grip on Kaneung,” said Sakorn.
“Shut up little brother!” shouted Ami. Everyone began to see blood dripping from Kaneung's chest.
“See, all you care about is her. Nobody cares about me. Mom adopted me because I was already her kid, the kid she got rid of and wanted to repent for her sins. That's why she took me in even against the doctor's warnings. Sakorn, that's why I never got adopted. Foster parents took me in at 6 months but they brought me back at one because I was too much for them. Did you know that at one house I went when I was three and the dad touched me? Did you know that?”
Jade wanted to walk over to Ami and comfort her but he was also angry at her.
“Ami...P'Ami, but has anyone in this family ever treated you that badly? Have I not loved you enough?” asked Sakorn. “Has Kaphon not loved you enough? Has dad not loved you enough?”
“No,” said Ami. “It's not enough. I want what I deserve, I want everything.”
“There's no such thing as everything,” shouted Kaneung as she turned to flip to the side of the bed to jump off. She felt the sharp pain as the knife grazed against her skin. It was painful, but not as bad as giving birth to Lynn.
Sakorn rushed in and and jumped on top of Ami. He grabbed her arms and the male servant rushed in to assist Sakorn. They managed to knock the knife out of her hands as Pin rushed over to untie the rope behind Kaneung's back with Jade.
Thima had made her way up the stairs with another housekeeper. Jade and Pin and another maid helped Kaneung down the stairs.
Sakorn managed to grab something to tie Ami up and she screamed and shouted. Her voice became gibberish.
Den
“She is sitting here, her hands are tied and we called the police. I was going to take Kaneung to the hospital right away, but she won't allow it,” said Sakorn.
“Kaneung will never say she is hurt,” said Kaphon. “Take her.”
“I will,” said Sakorn. “I want to make sure the police gets here first before I take off. I can't let Ami get away.”
“Well, I guess if she is talking then she's not dying,” said Kaphon. “Thank you.”
Kaphon continued, “I didn't want to have lied to NongLynn if Kaneung isn't fine.”
“Ahh!!” shouted Sakorn as he felt a stab at his back.
“You never turn your back to me little brother!” shouted Ami. She continued to laugh.
Jade peeked into the office and saw what Ami had done. A scissor stabbed into Sakorns back.
“Sakorn!” shouted Kaphon over the phone. “What is happening?”
Ami turned towards Jade. “Daddy, this daughter is smart. I should have everything.”
She began to skip towards Jade, but he shut the office door and held it tight. Sakorn dropped to the floor and picked up the phone. “She stabbed me,” said Sakorn. “I'll call you later.”
He put the phone down and crawled to the window to lift himself up.
“Little brother, I see you through the reflection in this door,” said Ami.
She turned and smirked at him.
“Why can't you just go to jail and rot?” asked Sakorn. “Why do you have to hurt me too?”
“Little brother, aren't we blood no matter what? If I rot, you do too right? If I die, you die,” said Ami.
The door swung open officers surrounded Ami.
She laughed, “shoot me, I'd rather do that than rot in jail.”
Officers rushed towards her anyways and arrested her. The chief replied, “Why make it easy on you lady?”
Kaneung frantically ran into the room as fast as she could and Sakorn dropped to his knees again.
“Son, sorry I had to close that door. I couldn't let her out to hurt everyone else too,” said Jade.
“I understand,” said Sakorn. “Let's get everyone to the hospital.”
Sakorn could not drive and Pin called the ambulance since she heard Jade telling her to do so early on. They arrived to take Sakorn and Kaneung.
“Kaneung, I love you,” said Sakorn, before he passed out.
Jade could hear Ami's voice in his head after she was placed in the police car. He had to shake it off and drive his family to the hospital.
Once there, Kaphon rushed to greet them at the emergency room.
Hospital ER
“Take my blood, doctor,” shouted Kaphon. “That's my brother in there.”
“Calm down,” said the doctor., “we have enough blood.”
Thida held onto Kaphon's arm and couldn't help but chuckle.
“What's so funny?” asked Kaphon. “My brother is dying in there.”
“He is not dying,” said the doctor. “It missed his lungs and other arteries. A lot of it is from exhaustion. The scissor that was left in his back stopped the bleeding and we were able to get it out safely.”
Pin walked up to Kaphon and told him to sit down.
“Mom, I was a bad brother. I guess I really cared about him a lot,” said Kaphon.
“Well, yeah,” said Pin. “I didn't raise you to hate him remember? I raised you to be kind to your brother. But because you became a teenager, you let those feelings get to you. Then you two just had your dad's stubborn side. Couldn't even apologize to each other.”
“Mom, I couldn't forgive him for one thing. I couldn't believe he wasn't man enough that's why I just couldn't face him anymore. I looked up to him all the time until he did that,” said Kaphon. “Because Kaneung was able to forgive him, I just couldn't understand. But I know now that I can too because in the end, he is my brother. And he isn't insane like P'Ami.”
Thida sat down next to Kaphon. “Kaphon, you can forgive her too right? She is also your sister. She can't really control her actions Kaphon.”
“Yeah, she's my sister and she has a mental illness. People say you can't blame the person, but it's so hard Thida! She hurt people. She killed people. Mental illness or not, she still has to be punished for it. I can't just let her go free and hurt anyone else in the family. You see how manipulative she's been all this time? And we're such fools to have believed her.”
Jade kneeled down in front of Kaphon. “Son, it's been a tough two days. We're going to probably have to go through some family counseling and get this all situated. Our focus now is to get NongLynn better, Kaneung better, and your brother back to health. We need to get your sister the help she needs as well.”
Two days later
“Khun Mae and Khun Por, I am so happy to finally get to go home. The hospital is such a drab. Which home will we be going to?” asked Lynn.
“Are you fine with going to the main house?” asked Kaneung.
“Yes, are you?” asked Kaphon.
“I was thinking more along the lines of our home in London,” said Lynn.
“London?” asked Kaphon. “How am I going to convince mom #2 to follow us there?”
Lynn laughed. “I was kidding. I want to be wherever everyone else is. No matter what fears there are, I want to face it.”
Kaneung nodded.
“By the way,” said Lynn, “Where is daddy?”
“He gets to go home today too,” said Kaphon. “Won't get to go until later, so we can go visit him after we grab your things.”
Lynn smiled and jumped off the hospital bed and put on her slippers.
“I think they are supposed to discharge you to the car in a wheelchair,” said Kaneung.
“No need,” said Lynn. “I want to walk. I can ride in daddy's wheelchair when he gets discharged.”
She started to walk out the door and looked back into the room at them.
“Daddy?” asked Kaphon. “She should be calling me that. I'm the one that raised her all this time.”
Kaneung chuckled. “Hey, she's trying to be nice and make it a clear separation between you two so that she won't have to repeat herself again when you don't know which Khun Por you are.”
“Smart like her dad,” said Kaphon smiling.
Hospital
The doctor walked out and told Kaphon and Thida that Lynn is fine. She has an IV and good thing they found her. She isn't hallucinating anymore. They thanked the doctor and rushed into the room.
Lynn's face lit up. “I'm...” she began to say.
“You don't have to talk now NongLynn,” said Kaphon.
“But Khun Mae,” said Lynn.
“It's okay NongLynn, P'Sakorn said he will find her,” said Thida. “You just rest and before you know it, Khun Mae will be here to see you.”
Kaphon looked at Thida. He whispered, “please don't give her false hope, I can't live if we just lied to her.”
Thida grabbed Kaphon's hand and held it tight.
Willamorn House
“Dad, I am thinking of just contacting the police,” said Sakorn.
Jade nodded.
Pin replied, “what if she harms Kaneung?”
Sakorn replied, “She would do it regardless. She's not sane Aunt Pin. She's not. She pretty much told me that she would end her life and take Kaneung with her. I can't let that happen.”
“And, she told me she killed Karn,” said Jade. “I loved her. What kind of father would let their child get away with murder?”
“You let Kaphon get away with lots,” said Sakorn.
Pin replied, “Quit it Sakorn. I have kept my mouth shut for a long time now. But, just shut it. It's not the time to be jealous of anything right now. Not the time to act childish. Can't you see what is really going on?”
Sakorn paced back and forth and finally apologized. “I'm sorry, I just can't think straight. I know I have to if I want to find her. But so much news in one day. I told you guys to get a new phone, one that has caller ID or something.”
Pin replied, “she could have called our cell phones but she chose to call the house phone.
Then something clicked in Sakorn's mind. He ran out to the front yard. It was getting dark now and he could see a flicker in the attic. “They are in the house. They've been here all along!”
He rushed inside and ran up the stairs. He rushed past Kaphon's room towards another few steps of stairs. He took the left past his parent's bedroom and side staircase from the kitchen. He ran towards the attic.
By now the sun has fallen and it must be very dark in there. Sakorn tried to yank on the attic door. The room where his mother passed away. No one had accessed that room since her passing except weekly cleanings by the housekeepers.
“She killed her in there,” said Jade. “I should have done an autopsy.”
“Dad, you wouldn't have known that a child would do such a thing,” said Sakorn. “Let's try to get this door open.”
“Sakorn, don't come in here. Kaneung is still asleep,” said Ami.
“What the hell did you do to her?” shouted Sakorn.
“She's still breathing,” said Ami. “I want her to talk to me like mom did. I want her to beg for forgiveness, to say sorry, to say she loves me.”
“But she isn't mom!” shouted Sakorn. “She's my girlfriend!”
“I know,” said Ami. “But, she knows what it is like to be a mom. She knows how to love her child. She can say those things to me.”
“Dad,” said Sakorn. “She's insane. I have to knock this door down.”
Sakorn ran down the kitchen stairs and out to the pool shed to find an ax.
“Sakorn,” said Pin. “Ami was saying some more stuff after you left. She said Kaneung woke up. We could heard Kaneung and now it is silent.”
Sakorn beat the ax against the wall and it started to fall off piece by piece. The attic actually had lights and Sakorn rushed up the stairs.
Ami sat in the bed with her arms wrapped around Kaneung's neck. A sharp pairing knife ready to puncture Kaneung in the heart.
“She just had to wake up too soon,” said Ami. “I was hoping it wasn't until morning so we can have our chat. But she got up and started to make a fuss. I don't know if she will suffocate or get stabbed. It all depends on how I want it all to end. Right brother?”
“Ami, put the knife down,” said Sakorn.
“You hate me to the point that you don't even call me P'Ami anymore,” said Ami. “I really can't trust you or anyone here.”
“P'Ami,” Sakorn struggled to say. “Can't we just end this without anyone getting hurt? Let's talk.”
“Sakorn, you know what the doctors told mom when she took me to get a check up?” asked Ami. “The doctors told her that I had oppositional defiant disorder even though I don't argue much with them, and that I was bipoplar, and I had separation issues, and that I was narcissistic. Those are all laughable.”
She continued, “The doctor told her that if she were to adopt me, I would cause lots of trouble for her. But, she still insisted on adopting me. At the time, I thought she was noble. She treated me so well. She gave me whatever I wanted. Even to be in ballet.”
“Please loosen your grip on Kaneung,” said Sakorn.
“Shut up little brother!” shouted Ami. Everyone began to see blood dripping from Kaneung's chest.
“See, all you care about is her. Nobody cares about me. Mom adopted me because I was already her kid, the kid she got rid of and wanted to repent for her sins. That's why she took me in even against the doctor's warnings. Sakorn, that's why I never got adopted. Foster parents took me in at 6 months but they brought me back at one because I was too much for them. Did you know that at one house I went when I was three and the dad touched me? Did you know that?”
Jade wanted to walk over to Ami and comfort her but he was also angry at her.
“Ami...P'Ami, but has anyone in this family ever treated you that badly? Have I not loved you enough?” asked Sakorn. “Has Kaphon not loved you enough? Has dad not loved you enough?”
“No,” said Ami. “It's not enough. I want what I deserve, I want everything.”
“There's no such thing as everything,” shouted Kaneung as she turned to flip to the side of the bed to jump off. She felt the sharp pain as the knife grazed against her skin. It was painful, but not as bad as giving birth to Lynn.
Sakorn rushed in and and jumped on top of Ami. He grabbed her arms and the male servant rushed in to assist Sakorn. They managed to knock the knife out of her hands as Pin rushed over to untie the rope behind Kaneung's back with Jade.
Thima had made her way up the stairs with another housekeeper. Jade and Pin and another maid helped Kaneung down the stairs.
Sakorn managed to grab something to tie Ami up and she screamed and shouted. Her voice became gibberish.
Den
“She is sitting here, her hands are tied and we called the police. I was going to take Kaneung to the hospital right away, but she won't allow it,” said Sakorn.
“Kaneung will never say she is hurt,” said Kaphon. “Take her.”
“I will,” said Sakorn. “I want to make sure the police gets here first before I take off. I can't let Ami get away.”
“Well, I guess if she is talking then she's not dying,” said Kaphon. “Thank you.”
Kaphon continued, “I didn't want to have lied to NongLynn if Kaneung isn't fine.”
“Ahh!!” shouted Sakorn as he felt a stab at his back.
“You never turn your back to me little brother!” shouted Ami. She continued to laugh.
Jade peeked into the office and saw what Ami had done. A scissor stabbed into Sakorns back.
“Sakorn!” shouted Kaphon over the phone. “What is happening?”
Ami turned towards Jade. “Daddy, this daughter is smart. I should have everything.”
She began to skip towards Jade, but he shut the office door and held it tight. Sakorn dropped to the floor and picked up the phone. “She stabbed me,” said Sakorn. “I'll call you later.”
He put the phone down and crawled to the window to lift himself up.
“Little brother, I see you through the reflection in this door,” said Ami.
She turned and smirked at him.
“Why can't you just go to jail and rot?” asked Sakorn. “Why do you have to hurt me too?”
“Little brother, aren't we blood no matter what? If I rot, you do too right? If I die, you die,” said Ami.
The door swung open officers surrounded Ami.
She laughed, “shoot me, I'd rather do that than rot in jail.”
Officers rushed towards her anyways and arrested her. The chief replied, “Why make it easy on you lady?”
Kaneung frantically ran into the room as fast as she could and Sakorn dropped to his knees again.
“Son, sorry I had to close that door. I couldn't let her out to hurt everyone else too,” said Jade.
“I understand,” said Sakorn. “Let's get everyone to the hospital.”
Sakorn could not drive and Pin called the ambulance since she heard Jade telling her to do so early on. They arrived to take Sakorn and Kaneung.
“Kaneung, I love you,” said Sakorn, before he passed out.
Jade could hear Ami's voice in his head after she was placed in the police car. He had to shake it off and drive his family to the hospital.
Once there, Kaphon rushed to greet them at the emergency room.
Hospital ER
“Take my blood, doctor,” shouted Kaphon. “That's my brother in there.”
“Calm down,” said the doctor., “we have enough blood.”
Thida held onto Kaphon's arm and couldn't help but chuckle.
“What's so funny?” asked Kaphon. “My brother is dying in there.”
“He is not dying,” said the doctor. “It missed his lungs and other arteries. A lot of it is from exhaustion. The scissor that was left in his back stopped the bleeding and we were able to get it out safely.”
Pin walked up to Kaphon and told him to sit down.
“Mom, I was a bad brother. I guess I really cared about him a lot,” said Kaphon.
“Well, yeah,” said Pin. “I didn't raise you to hate him remember? I raised you to be kind to your brother. But because you became a teenager, you let those feelings get to you. Then you two just had your dad's stubborn side. Couldn't even apologize to each other.”
“Mom, I couldn't forgive him for one thing. I couldn't believe he wasn't man enough that's why I just couldn't face him anymore. I looked up to him all the time until he did that,” said Kaphon. “Because Kaneung was able to forgive him, I just couldn't understand. But I know now that I can too because in the end, he is my brother. And he isn't insane like P'Ami.”
Thida sat down next to Kaphon. “Kaphon, you can forgive her too right? She is also your sister. She can't really control her actions Kaphon.”
“Yeah, she's my sister and she has a mental illness. People say you can't blame the person, but it's so hard Thida! She hurt people. She killed people. Mental illness or not, she still has to be punished for it. I can't just let her go free and hurt anyone else in the family. You see how manipulative she's been all this time? And we're such fools to have believed her.”
Jade kneeled down in front of Kaphon. “Son, it's been a tough two days. We're going to probably have to go through some family counseling and get this all situated. Our focus now is to get NongLynn better, Kaneung better, and your brother back to health. We need to get your sister the help she needs as well.”
Two days later
“Khun Mae and Khun Por, I am so happy to finally get to go home. The hospital is such a drab. Which home will we be going to?” asked Lynn.
“Are you fine with going to the main house?” asked Kaneung.
“Yes, are you?” asked Kaphon.
“I was thinking more along the lines of our home in London,” said Lynn.
“London?” asked Kaphon. “How am I going to convince mom #2 to follow us there?”
Lynn laughed. “I was kidding. I want to be wherever everyone else is. No matter what fears there are, I want to face it.”
Kaneung nodded.
“By the way,” said Lynn, “Where is daddy?”
“He gets to go home today too,” said Kaphon. “Won't get to go until later, so we can go visit him after we grab your things.”
Lynn smiled and jumped off the hospital bed and put on her slippers.
“I think they are supposed to discharge you to the car in a wheelchair,” said Kaneung.
“No need,” said Lynn. “I want to walk. I can ride in daddy's wheelchair when he gets discharged.”
She started to walk out the door and looked back into the room at them.
“Daddy?” asked Kaphon. “She should be calling me that. I'm the one that raised her all this time.”
Kaneung chuckled. “Hey, she's trying to be nice and make it a clear separation between you two so that she won't have to repeat herself again when you don't know which Khun Por you are.”
“Smart like her dad,” said Kaphon smiling.
PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
I believe so. Not great, but there is at least one. I noticed that a lot of my posts have texts from the old format, so I will prob go back and edit it so that the chapters are easier to read.
PS...I intended to extend the story out longer, but because I have been taking forever on it, I will prob resolve everything and give at least one more scene in that nature (maybe)
. i'll read it after work . i have no drama to watch or nothing i'm really into beside Naree Raissaya
PhoneO_5
sarNie Oldmaid
Yeah, it changed automatically for a while. And then when I returned this summer, it really got messed up. I forgot that I was going back to edit lol. Thanks for reminding me.
roselovesice
방탄소년단 x Bangtan Sonyeondan x JiTaew
Ahh! How did I miss out on all these chapters?! It's good. Gettin' good. lol Thanks Phone, for always updating whenever you can. I really appreciate it. I can't wait for the ending. Is there one more chapter left? Or two? Hopefully we get some sweet scenes between Kaneung and Sakorn now that Ami is arrested! Hehe! Is it mean of me to only want Lynn to call Sakorn daddy and not Kaphon...? Haha!
roselovesice
방탄소년단 x Bangtan Sonyeondan x JiTaew
I had to reread the entire thing 'cause that's how much I like it. lol