CHAPTER 13:
"Mom? Where is Dad?"
Tik called up his mother who lives in Sydney Australia. He was confirming the person who sat in the car that just rolled away wasn't his dad.
"No. Why?" answered his mother. "He has work in Japan this week."
"...Japan? You sure he didn't come to Thailand?"
"...I wouldn't think so...why do you ask?"
"Nothing, I was just curious for a moment. I have work, I'll call you later, ok, love you, bye."
After hanging up he went back to the gate. he was going to wait for his return to make sure his father was really in Japan and not Chiang Mai. Night fell, Tik went to sleep in his car close by until he heard the gate open. Tik sat up and switched his chair back up. In the corner of his eye he saw his father get out of the car, he had to look twice. It really was his father, he wasn't in Japan for work he was in Thailand with another woman. Tik watched on as his father gave his suitcase to a woman who was his mother's age. Tik's eyes widen, inside he was angry, his father was unfaithful to his mother whom loved his father so much.
Mr. Pholdee (Tik's father) turned away from his mistress, going to grab one last thing from the car but stopped, he saw Tik sitting in his car staring at him.
THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM WINDOW, Tik's father and his mistress sat opposite of him as Tik told them about Chakrit's death. All the while, Tik kept his identity hidden, he didn't want Chakrit's mother to know Tik was really Chakrit's half brother.
Chakrit's mother leaned her crying face onto his father's shoulder as Tik watched on. A sad frown over came Tik's face, he said sorry to them, put his hands together and bowed before leaving the house, not looking back once. He wanted all this to end, he couldn't forgive his father right now. Tik's father calmed Chakrit's mother before leaving the house chasing after Tik.
OUTSIDE, Tik was making his way back to his car.
"Wait..." Mr. Pholdee put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Tik...listen to me."
Tik wouldn't turn to look at his father, he kept still. "What you're doing speaks for itself, Dad. What makes you think I would enjoy listening to the secret life you've had all these years here...with a woman and a son you left at the orphanage?" Tik sniffed, he squeezed his eyes tight so tears wouldn't drop down his cheeks. "I just want one word from you."
His father was silent, he couldn't say another word.
"Right now, my mother is home, like a fool who doesn't know anything....don't you think she deserves to know?"
"Tik-"
Tik finally turned to face his father, with a strong tearless face. "So...tell her before I do."
His father's eyes widen with fear. "Please...forgive me-"
"You're saying it to the wrong person...I think the two people who you should apologize to is Chakrit and my mother..." Tik told his father. "They are hurting the most."
"But you...you won't forgive me? You're my son."
"...Right now...I don't know if I can."
Without saying good bye, Tik turned his back on his father and left. The drive back to Bangkok was painful, thoughts of his father, Chakrit and his mother filled Tik's mind. His emotions overcame him and he broke down. No one heard him cry...no one was there to give him comfort.
After arriving in Bangkok, Tik took a stroll alone in the city, everything around was moving rapidly, but he felt time slowing down as he replayed everything in his mind.
"Half brother...half brother..."
These words kept appearing in his mind. Tik walked to a busy intersection, he stood waiting for the light to turn green so he could walk across but before he could walk across a group of gangsters turned him around and stole his wallet. Tik was angry and threw a punch before they could run off with his wallet. It was one against a group of four, Tik wouldn't win, he fought with them though, putting all his anger into his fists. He went crazy and screamed at them, torturing each and every one of them.
Aom opened the door and Tik fell for her rug but she caught him instead. She was afraid he could die of his bleeding everywhere and rushed him to her sofa. Tik spent the night on her sofa. Aom washed the wounds on his face as he slept. Watching him, Aom smiled. She went into her bathroom and looked at the necklace Chakrit had made her. She rubbed her finger against the wooden piano key Chakrit carved for her. Aom unhooked the back and took off the necklace, setting it nicely into the box it came along with.
"Chakrit, I love you but please forgive me, I'm ready to be with him..."
She heard Tik moaning and quickly Aom ran out of the bathroom forgetting the box in the bathroom next to the faucet.
"Are you okay?" asked Aom, knelling next to Tik.
Her face was blurry to him but when he was fully awake he saw Aom's smiling face.
"You always find you're way here, whenever you're hur-"
Tik grabbed her and hugged her tightly. She was shocked, didn't know what to say. She pushed her glasses up before they were going to fall off. Tik was quiet, he just wanted her comfort.
Tik squeezed his eyes, releasing his tears.
"Tik-"
"Before you say anything I want you to know that for the first time, my feelings are true...not because of anything else but because I was able to open my heart to you..."
He hugs her even tighter.
"Stay with me..." Aom finally said, she was in love with him, she wasn't going to lose him too.
Tik smiled. "What did you say?"
"I want you to stay with me, I need you too."
They laughed together, all this time, loving each other but each one of them wouldn't dare say anything. Tik brought her closer and finally kissed her, a long sweet kiss. That night they laid on Aom's bed, Aom was asleep on Tik's arm as Tik watched her closed eyes and takes in every moment of his love. He swiped her hair behind her ear. Aom looked so innocent. He bent down and kiss her on the lips once more before getting up to go to the restroom.
He saw her reflection in the mirror and he couldn't take his eyes off her. Rinsing his hands, he saw the box beside the faucet. Tik looked at the box for a long time, mentally, trying to figure out what the box was there for. Finally he took the box and opened it. The necklace Chakrit had made for Aom, Tik remembered. He took out the necklace and all he could feel was guilt. Once more, he looked at Aom's reflection through the mirror, he couldn't do it, he wouldn't take his half brother's lover. Tik brought the small box back to Aom and set it on her table before he left her.
NEXT MORNING in the gray raining weather, he stopped his car in front of the temple he remembered meeting Chakrit the night before finding out who Chakrit really loved when he was still alive. He searched every tombstone with Chakrit's picture on it. He didn't notice how much rain was coming down, he was soaked but that didn't stop him, he was determined to find Chakrit's picture. At last he found it, wiping away the water to clearly look at it.
"Chakrit..." Tik read his name out loud, he noticed Chakrit didn't have a last name...just a name.
"I knew you'll find out some way..."
Tik turned quickly to face him when hearing Chakrit's voice. In the rain they stared at each other, like a staring contest. The only sound heard was the rain dropping onto the ground. Tik finally broke the silence.
"Strange isn't it? we never had the chance to meet...but here we are seeing each other as brothers...even after you're dead, you managed to find me."
"Why do you think we can see each other...Knowing I had you out there...even after death I had to find you...I wanted you know and remember me. All I ever wanted was a place to call home with a family who would love me."
"What about Aom Piyada...you loved her."
"Does it matter?..after all, I'm dead...I don't have a chance with her ever again because I won't remember her in my next life." Chakrit smiled. "I'll have a family waiting for me...and someone like Aom in my next life.""
"But she'll remember you...for the rest of her life...like me too..." Tik admitted.
Chakrit smiled tearfully at his last three words. "What do you expect from a dead guy? Only I can depend on you.
"...No."
"I knew you would say that, I've asked from you too much but...there is one more thing I want from you. I wish to leave one gift for Aom...would you give it to her?"
"W-What is it? I'm sure I won't want to do it." asked Tik stubbornly.
Chakrit pointed to Tik. "You."
Tik raised both his eye brows.
"I love her but I only bring sadness to her life now...you have to be the person to give her happiness..."
"Happiness...but will you be happy?"
"Will you stop worrying about me?...I'll find it just like how you found you're happiness." Chakrit smiled.
Tik sniffed away his tears. "How can I not worry about you? You're my brother!..." Tik sighed. "Don't leave."
Chakrit's smiled turned into a frown. "Thank you for showing me what is means to be a brother...I can say that in this lifetime, that is my happiness."