Jee watched as Aunt Wadee rounded up all the children for supper in the cafeteria room of Wadee’s Centre for Children. Dozens of children ranging from toddlers and teenagers had been calling the centre their home for almost a year now. It had taken a few months for Jee to iron out the details of what all the children needed, how big to make the centre and what kind of staff needed to be hired to help run the place.
Finally, a year after Sittha’s death, his money was being used to serve a noble purpose and the centre was ready to welcome the children who needed it. The centre employed over 20 staff ranging from childcare workers, social workers, cooks, teachers and housekeeping. Aunt Wadee and the children who lived with her, now also spent majority of their time at the centre.
Standing in the doorway of the cafeteria, Jee’s eyes followed to one little toddler in particular. The little man was stripped down to his underpants after refusing to put the rest his clothes back on when his mother had bathed him. Jee giggled at the way TJ’s little pot belly wobbled as he zoomed around the room holding his toy aeroplane up in the air and his rosebud lips puckered to make rotor noises.
Jee spent most of her days at the centre with Aunt Wadee and the other staff members, taking care of the children. She had an office in the centre where she took care of all the administrative duties with the help of Daraka, who had become a permanent teacher in the centre. After Tit left for work every morning, Jee would get TJ ready and bring him with her to the centre so he could spend his days playing with all the other children he’d made good friends with there. The centre was like a second home for him and it gave Aunt Wadee and chance to see TJ as well.
Tit and Jee’s son was a little ball of dynamite, he kept his parents on their toes with his intense thirst for adventure and play. The twenty-month old could run rings around his parents if was cheeky and feeling up to it.
Jee smiled as she studied her son's features. For the most part, his appearances resembled Tit, but people claimed that TJ had inherited her distinctive button nose.
Today, Jee had made the mistake of dressing him in coveralls which made him look like an adorable little fighter pilot. While the little guy loved all things aviation, he like being naked and free more, and always managed to squirm out of his mother's grasp when she was trying to insert his chubby arms and legs into his outfit. When Jee had finally managed to get him fully dressed it’d only take ten minutes before she’d look up and find that he had taken his clothes off and left it laying somewhere on the floor of the centre’s large playroom.
As Jee was about to head out of the cafeteria and into the playroom to find TJ’s discarded clothes, Tit came strolling through the centre’s front door. Jee stood and admired her favourite lawyer who was dressed in a tailored black suit and navy shirt that fit him perfectly. In his right hand was a little baby bag that he always kept in his car for when it was needed. Tit quickly strolled up to Jee with a smile on his face before pulling her in his arms and giving her a peck on the lips.
“God I missed you today.” He sighed “Pulling the extra hours at the firm is killing me. It’s too long spent away from you and the little guy.” Tit felt the exhaustion and stress from the day begin to drain away, as it always did when he was back with his family. He had been working hard to clear his schedule for a family vacation they had planned for next month. They were going to New Zealand and it would be their first time taking TJ overseas. Tit was anticipating TJs reaction to seeing snow for the first time.
“I missed you too, P’Tit.” Jee smiled as she pulled him close to enjoy the sense of wholeness she felt when she was with him.
They turned to look at their little boy who was the apple of their eyes and meant world to both of them.
“I guessed you might have needed this.” Tit chuckled as he lifted to show the baby bag containing some clothes for TJ. “Rookie mistake putting him in a one-peace outfit that he can quickly slip out of.” Tit chuckled.
“I know. But he just looks so cute in it that I hoped he’d actually keep it on.” Jee sighed.
“Daddy!” They heard TJ squeal in delight as he finally spotted that his father had arrived. He dropped his toy aeroplane and starting barrelling towards them as fast as his chubby little legs could take him.
The young parents watched in amusement as their son’s speedy waddle made his belly bounce. As the little man got close, a smiling Tit put the baby bag down and squatted down with his arms wide open as their son leapt into his arms. Tit caught him in a tight hug and he stood back up with the child in his arms.
Tit gave his son a kiss and then asked “Have you been a good boy for mummy today?” He perched TJ on his right arm as he used his left to snake around Jee’s waist.
“Uh huh.” TJ nodded vigorously at his father.
“Then why aren’t you wearing any clothes?” Tit said in a gentle teasing voice.
Knowing he’d being caught, TJ let out a beaming smile he often used to get out of trouble when he’d been mischievous.
Before Tit could lecture his son about keeping his clothes on, Aunt Wadee came up towards them said, “Time for dinner TJ.”
TJ spun around towards Aunt Wadee with a big smile on his face and reached out towards her so she could take TJ in her arms. With the little meatball in her arms Aunt Wadee greeted Tit. “How was work today Tit? Enjoying being senior partner?”
Tit let out a sigh and said “I’m wondering if I bit off more than I can chew. It takes me away from Jee and TJ for so long.”
“You’ll manage” Aunt Wadee replied “You’re a clever boy.”
The ‘boy’ comment made Jee want to giggle as she knew full well that Tit was very much a man, but it was endearing that Aunt Wadee addressed him like he was her child. Tit could sense his wife smiling in amusement next to him and tightened his grip on her waist which she knew was a promise of retribution.
After Aunt Wadee and TJ strode off to eat dinner with the rest of the children, Jee turned to face her husband with a mocking smile and said “Did you hear that? You’re a clever boy, baby.”
“Don’t make me spank you in front of the children, my lovely wife.” Satit teased back while snaking his other arm around her waist.
Jee pressed her body into his and tiptoed to seductively whisper into his ear, “Well I deserve it don’t I?” She then gave him a quick kiss and spun around to go help Aunt Wadee serve food to the kids with a mischievous smile on her face.
Tit stood frozen, willing his body to calm down. The temptation to haul Jee over his shoulder to take her home and have his wicked way with her was overwhelming. After almost two years, one would think he would be able to control his reaction to his wife, but if anything it had just gotten worse over time.
Once Tit felt like his composure returned, he looked up to see his wife sitting at one of the cafeteria tables with lots of other children and TJ on her lap. She was trying to help TJ eat so he wouldn’t get the food all over himself like he normally did. Jee looked up to smile and wink at her husband before continuing to wipe food off of TJ’s face.
Tit stood there marvelling at the image they made. Looking at them he thought.
Right there is my entire world. My entire heart. My entire being.
In moments like these, Tit sometimes felt like pinching himself to make sure all of this was real. To ensure that this amount of happiness was even possible. And in the past two years that Tit and Jee had been together, he found himself having these moments a countless amount of times.
Breaking out of his reverie, Tit walked over to join his family with a smile on his face that indicated he knew he’d have to stop and pinch himself an infinite number of more times for the rest of his life.
time for Sathit.....
