Part - 13
Mae Keaw: (questioning) Yoshio what have you done? It’s his birthday. What kind of father slaps his own son on his birthday?
Yoshio: (turning away from her) The kind of father who will not let his son spoil his life because of some girl.
Mae Keaw: Don’t you get it he truly loves her. (yelling) Can‘t you see any of it.
Yoshio: I would like to be left alone for the night, I don’t want dinner. Close the door on your way out.
Mae Keaw: (Mae Keaw in tears) Is that so? Ok fine. But let me tell you one last thing; whatever you did or said about the both of them was extremely wrong, especially about Yaya. (worried) They didn't even have dinner. This is all your fault.
She slams the door and walks out. Meanwhile, Nadech puts Yaya in the car and gets in. He drives away just before Mae Keaw came running to the door. She dint even get the chance to talk to them or apologise to Yaya. She knew it wasn't the right time to call them. So getting frustrated that she didn’t speak or defend both the kids, Mae Keaw just goes into the kitchen and dumps all the food into the waste bin.
Nadech and Yaya had not said a single word to each other. All of Yoshio’s words were echoing in her mind. Neither Nadech nor Yaya had ever thought they would be receiving such a reaction from his father. Nadech blamed himself. Nadech didn’t even have the guts to look at Yaya. He thought, it was all because of him, he is the reason that Yaya had to endure all of that. He was the one that repeatedly assured her everything would be fine. But everything had gone downhill.
Nadech just drove for an hour without even realizing where he was going. He then stopped the car on an empty road, got out and just screamed and let his anger out. He was completely frustrated. Since his childhood feelings had resurfaced, he wasn't able to control his anger. Yaya still hadn’t moved. She wanted him to get it all out of his system. He screamed once more and kicked his car’s tire 2-3 times and looked at the ground and took deep breaths. Something flashed in his mind.
SIDE STORY - 1
This is the conversation between Yadech when Yaya was telling about her past to him for the first time.
She had told about her parents, Mae Pla, about her school and about the mystery woman who keeps sending her 10000 baht every month. She then told about Mae Pla’s death.
Yaya: (depressed) She was sick for quite some time. Mae Pla died in her own bed. You know what was the last thing that she told me before she died?
Nadech just looks at her and holds her hands.
Yaya: (remembering that day) She said …………
MaePla: Yaya my dear girl… I’m extremely sorry for what I have put you through. I’m the one, who should taking care you. But from past 3 years you’re doing all of it.
Yaya: (in tears) Please don’t take like that mum. I’m your daughter it’s my duty. Beside you took me into your home and gave me a second chance at life. I am eternally grateful. Please don’t talk like your leaving me.
Mae Pla: Yaya I don’t think I can hold on any longer.
Yaya: (alarmed) I will call an ambulance right now.
As she was about to get up Mae Pla held her hand tightly.
Mae Pla: Yaya please don’t. I have to say something very important to you.
Yaya: As soon as I call the ambulance you can tell me whatever you want.
Mae Pla: (holding her hand) Please …. Please listen to me. Yaya I want you to be strong. I want you to be strong, baby. I know I will not make it this time. But I don’t want you to blame yourself for anything. You have done everything you could. You are the reason that I was alive till now.
Yaya: (falling on her knees beside’s Mae Pla bed, crying) Noooooooo mum you can’t leave me. I forbid you from leaving me.
Mae Pla: (In tears, touching Yaya’s face) Trust me baby if I had a choice then I would never leave my sweet angel.
Yaya: I can’t live without you. I just can’t.
Mae Pla coughs up blood. Yaya alarmed gets up wipes her mouth and take out her phone to make the call to the ambulance.
Mae Pla: Yaya swear on me please listen to me. Please…. I don’t have much time.
Yaya stood there helpless.
Mae Pla: Yaya, you have earned a seat in the best university because of your dedication and hard work. I want you to continue working harder so that you can stand on your feet. I want you to be strong. Promise me you will always follow your heart.
Yaya nods ‘yes’ crying.
Mae Pla: Yaya, open my cupboard. On the bottom shelf you will find a black box. Get it to me. (Feeling out of breath) Hurry!
Yaya quickly does what she says.
Mae Pla: Open it.
Yaya opens and finds a bunch of letters.
Mae Pla: Yaya listen carefully. These letters are all from my best friend. She is the one that brought you to me. And she is the one sending 10000 baht every month. She doesn’t know that I have been sick. I will give you her number. Contact her and tell her everything that happened. She will take care of you from here on. Please don’t hesitate. You have to call her. I can’t leave my daughter alone; you have to call her no matter what.
Mae Pla was starting to feel unconscious.
Mae Pla: Yaya hurry, go get a pen and a paper.
Yaya ran to her room. She couldn’t find a pen. She quickly opened her bag and poured everything down. She finally find one so she ran back to her mother.
Yaya: (holding the pen and paper ready to write) Yes mum.
No response.
Yaya: (touching Mae Pla) Mum?
Mae Pla was motionless.
Yaya just realised what had happened. She hugged her mother and cried her eyes out.
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Yaya: (to Nadech, depressed) so after I cried as much as I could, I made a promise to myself that I will never cry again in my life. I will never weaken myself.
Nadech just sat next to her, put his left arm around her and pulled her close to him.
Nadech: (emotional) I feel extremely sorry for you Yaya. But ME being sorry will not even heal a fraction of what you have been through. I don’t know the feeling of losing a parent, let alone trying to imagine what you must have gone through. I really don’t know what to say.
Yaya: (sighed pulling herself to present and smiled back at him) You here right now, that is more than enough for me.
He hugs her for a while.
Nadech: So …………….. You haven’t cried from 8- 9 years? (pausing) What did the letters say? (pausing) What about that mystery woman.
Yaya: (sighing) No. I never felt the need to cry. (pausing) The letters were from a lady named ‘Rathana’ and there wasn’t any return address on it. I will show the letters to you some other time, just not today please. As for the woman, I don’t think I will ever try to find her.
Nadech: But why? I will help you Yaya. You need to find her.
Yaya: No P’Nadech, please don’t force me in this matter. I have lost enough parents. I don’t want to get to know her and lose her too. If I’m really destined to meet her, it will happen on its own. Please don’t ask about her.
Nadech nodded. Nadech decide that once he marries her, he will find that woman no matter what it takes.
Nadech: (changing subject) ok ……Not that I want you to cry, but Yaya that’s not normal. You need not hold it together all the time. At least not now, you have me with you.
Yaya: That’s sweet of you P’Nadech, but even if I wanted to, I don’t think I can cry anymore. The tears just don’t come. Trust me I have tried once or twice.
Seeing that she was getting lost in thoughts again, Nadech thought it’s was best to postpone this topic for now.
Nadech: In that case I better make sure that I don’t let anything hurt you or give you a reason to cry.
They just hugged each other. Yaya always felt safe in his arms.
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