Chapter One
Loud rapping noises on his bedroom door told Nadech that his mother was at it once again. This was his mother’s daily routine every time he came home late at night and slept into the afternoon the following day.
“Get up now!” she exclaimed from outside the door.
Nadech twisted and turned in bed a few times before actually getting up to go open the door for his mother. Then, he turned around, yawned a big yawn, and climbed back into bed.
“Stop it, stop it right now,” she said, pulling the sheets, cover, and all off of him. “Why do you have to do this every time? Tell me right now who you were with last night. Is it that girl again? You know I don’t like it when you stay out late with these gold diggers. Do you know that makes a bad impression on us? Get up right now and talk to me right now!”
“Mom!” shouted Nadech sitting up at once. “Today is Saturday! I don’t have to work today.”
“Every day is the same for you,” said Khun Ying Jarunee, his mother. “You go out almost every single night with these…these filthy women, return home drunk, and sleep in late the next day. Work day or not, it doesn’t matter to you. When are you going to take your life seriously?”
Nadech went back to sleep and pulled the covers over him.
“Get up, come on,” said Khun Ying. “Get up right now!”
There was another soft knock on his bedroom door, which was wide open because Khun Ying didn’t bother to close it when she came in.
“Khun Ying ka,” said Waen, the maid who just walked in.
“Mee arai Waen?” asked Khun Ying, turning to face the maid.
“Noi and I are about to go to the market,” began Waen. “So I thought I’d come and ask you what dishes you want us to prepare for the Jaksamittanons this evening .”
Khun Ying Jarunee thought for a moment.
“Khun Ying Rasamee mentioned that her daughter misses authentic Thai cuisine so perhaps a few of your best Thai dishes would be great,” answered Khun Ying Jarunee. “Noo Rodmay has been studying abroad in America for five years so she must be tired of American food.”
“Ka,” replied Waen with a smile.
Nadech’s eyes widened and he sat up immediately.
“Did…did you just say the Jaksamittanons are coming…to…tonight?” asked Nadech, stuttering.
“Chai,” replied Khun Ying Jarunee. “And, I forbid you to go anywhere today. You must stay home tonight and have dinner with us to welcome Noo Rodmay back home.”
“What does welcoming her home have anything to do with me?” asked Nadech, scratching his head.
“Just do as I say,” said Khun Ying Jarunee. “Get up now!”
Nadech nodded and jumped out of bed. His mother was up to something and he could sense this woman’s odd behavior from a mile away.
“P’Nadech?”
Rodmay was surprised to hear that they were going to have dinner at the Pacharathorn’s residence that evening. It was only her second day back and she didn’t plan on nor expected to see this very guy any time soon.
“Why?” Rodmay blurted out.
“Well you two are childhood friends so it makes sense to pay your childhood friend a visit, right?” asked her father in a persuasive tone.
“Besides, Khun Ying Jarunee is our close and long time friend,” added her mother. “She’ll be delighted to see you back.”
“Oh,” said Rodmay.
Whatever.
Nadech descended the stairs and sat down at the breakfast table. Actually it was 12 o’ clock in the afternoon but the servants prepared a brunch for him, as usual. His mother, Khun Ying Jarunee was already seated there, flipping through the pages of a fashion magazine.
“Looking to buy new clothes again?” asked Nadech.
“Chai,” nodded his mother with a slight smile.
“For what occasion?” asked Nadech.
“A wedding,” replied his mother.
“Oh really?” asked Nadech. “Who’s getting married?”
“Here are the newspapers ka.”
Before his mother could answer, Jiew, another servant, came in with the morning papers, papers that are supposed to be presented at the table IN THE MORNING.
“Where have you been with those papers?” asked Khun Ying Jarunee.
“I’m sorry ka Khun Ying,” said Jiew in an apologetic tone. “I forgot to bring them in.”
Khun Ying Jarunee shook her head and set the fashion magazine aside. She picked up the newspaper as Nadech continued to eat his late breakfast, his brunch.
“Oh my god!” gasped Khun Ying.
Nadech looked up from his plate. Khun Ying shot an angry look at her son.
“What?” asked Nadech.
“See for yourself!” she exclaimed, standing up.
“Rich and handsome bachelor, Nadech Pacharathorn caught kissing a pub woman,” read Nadech. “HEY!”
Below the huge, black imprinted caption was a full size photo of him and Peemai from last night. No doubt they made the front page. Peemai’s top was hanging off halfway, Nadech’s arms were around her waist, and his face was buried in her neck.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” shrieked his mother. “WHY DON’T YOU EVER THINK BEFORE YOU ACT?!”
“How did this leak out?” asked Nadech, shaking his head in disbelief.
“YOU SHOULD KNOW BY NOW THAT THIS IS HOW THESE REPORTERS MAKE THEIR MONEY! MOREOVER, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THESE WOMEN YOU FOOL AROUND WITH ARE NOTHING BUT ATTENTION SEEKING WHORES!”
“I didn’t know there were reporters around,” said Nadech. “Plus, I don’t even remember doing this. I was drunk.”
Khun Ying Jarunee raised her hand to slap her son but stopped in midair and took a deep breath before exhaling.
“How am I supposed to explain to the Jaksamittanons?” she asked, in a calmer voice.
“Explain what?” asked Nadech. “You don’t have to explain anything. My life has nothing to do with them anyway.”
“Of course it does!” exclaimed his mother. “You’re their future son-in-law!”
Nadech’s jaws dropped. His heart dropped. And it must’ve dropped at least a few hundred feet into the ground below.
“And you’re going to marry Noo Rodmay whether you like it or not!”
