“How do you not know you’re married, Pinky?” Bee stares at the complimentary anniversary postcard. “Happy two months by the way.” Bee chokes out without laughing. “Good thing you had your old mail forwarded from your old address.”
Sawika Chaiyadej, known to her friend as ‘Pinky’ stares at her friend in horror. “It’s only funny to you because this is something you would’ve done! Not me! I am not like this! I don’t get married to random strangers!”
“That’s a technicality!” Bee smiles, “There’s no drunken marriages that we know of about me!” She starts laughing until she sees her friend’s eyes getting watery again. “Okay, sorry.” Taking up the postcard again she studies the name. “We know this was sent to your old school address in the states a month ago but took a while to get here. It’s from some place in Vegas.” Taking a quick peek at her friend, “when did you have time to go to Vegas in between schooling and such?”
Pinky glares at her, “The bigger picture Bee, is that I AM MARRIED! I don’t even know who I’m married too!”
“It does say to Mr. & Mrs. S. Kanarot.” Bee smiles, “we can contact this place to see if they have any info on your husband. He might even be in the states still, no?”
“What’s the address on that cheap-made-from-home-advertising-postcard?”
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“Really, Weir, you got married?”
Weir flicks a glance at the table where the postcard still laid. “If that’s what the card says, then I guess I am married.” Smiling at his cousin he proudly said, “You’ve got contacts everywhere, can you find this wife of mine for me, Dan?”
“You have more connections in the entire world than I do Weir! Given that most of your connections are maybe females that are either under dressed or undressed!” Dan yelled. “Do you really want to do this to our grandfather? Do you really want to take him to an early grave?”
“It’s only my fondest wish that I see Grandfather properly to his grave.” Weir looked away from his cousin, “Look, just find her, and give her a divorce settlement. It’s that simple, isn’t it? You’re the lawyer, you figure it out for me, and I’ll pick up the tab.” Smiling at his phone as it rang, he gave Dan a quick salute and got up to answer his phone, “hello darling, did you get my flowers?”
Dan picked up the postcard, “Vegas. When the hell did he go to Vegas?” Sighing he picked up his phone to get more information from the chapel.”
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Pinky gave a once over at the guest list and handed the clipboard over to one of the employees. “Make sure refreshments are never empty. It’s not an open bar, but we will continuously keep their water glass full.”
“Miss Pinky.”
Finishing her order to the other employees Pinky turned around to face a woman she didn’t know. “Yes?”
Feeling uncomfortable seeing everyone in city clothes, she fidgeted. “I’m sorry to interrupt, my name is Taksoarn. Aff by my friends. I have a business card, for when I need a job here. I got this a few years back. I asked if Mr. Atichart Chumnanon was still hiring and human resources sent me to you.”
Pinky smiled looking her over, “you must be tired. I can set up an interview tomorrow morning for you if you’d like. We’re about to host a dinner party in one of the ballrooms…”
“I was hoping to find a place once I found a job, there was a mishap on the ride here to the city. I was supposed to be here earlier this morning. I don’t really know anyone else here.” Aff moved out of the way as a large ice sculpture was wheeled in.
Pinky signed for the sculpture, “I’m sorry to hear that. You don’t have any family members here at all?”
“I sort of have someone in mind but I don’t know to get in contact.” Aff smiled nervously. “I’d like to set up an interview appointment for soon, please.”
“You said Aum sent you?” Pinky looked at the old business card. A note was hand written in the back from him.
“Not Aum, Atichart.”
Pinky handed the card back. “Everyone here calls him Aum. Tell you what, give me your contact number, and I could call you this evening when I can take a look at my planner…”
“PINKY!” Bee smiled waving a large yellow envelop.
“Look, Miss, I don’t have a contact number, I don’t even have a place to stay. I was hoping…”
Bee shrugs, “stay with us. Who are you anyway?”
Pinky lets out a sigh, “do you mind, Bee? I have an event to help coordinate.”
“If it’s for a couple of nights, I really don’t mind.” Aff held up her backpack. “I lost my purse. It was stolen when I fell asleep on the bus ride here.”
Bee held out the crook of her elbow, “good news, we don’t charge for a female in need of guidance.” She picked at Aff’s shirt, “oh, I have me a new project!”
“Leave the girl alone, and give me the envelop you called me earlier about.” Pinky snatched the envelop from Bee quickly as the flower decorations came in. “I’ll see you later at the apartment.”
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“From the records the chapel was able to give me, I have investigators searching. She was a student in L.A. but she’s already graduated.”
Weir shrugs, “that’s fine, a missing wife.”
Dan handed his cousin the envelop, “you’re going to need to find her and get an annulment.”
“How do I find her then? Where is she now?”
Eyeing his cousin suspiciously, “how did you meet her?”
Weir sat up straighter, “what makes you think I know her?”
“Do you?”
“Of course not!” Weir shrugged, “I went with some friends who knew other friends.”
Dan shook his head, “I was wondering how out of the millions of people in the states you managed to marry a Thai girl.”
“I only remembered a group of girls were celebrating school being over. Some of the guys that invited me have a girlfriend or two from that group.” Weir grabbed a drink from his cousin’s mini-fridge. “I remembered seeing a guy from the group that I don’t know put something in her drink.”
“Don’t tell me you were gentleman enough to take her drink.” Dan said sarcastically.
“I didn’t take it, nor did she. She was still in the ladies room when I talked her female friends into joining me and some of my good friends at another table.” Taking a big sip, he continues, “I woke up in my room. I swear I don’t even remember going back to my room. I’m not even sure if it’s her I married or one of her many friends.”
“You don’t even know her name?” Dan rubbed his tired eyes. “Do you remember what she looks like?”
“She’s a tiny little thing, with big eyes.” Weir smiled in his reverie.
Dan smiled too seeing his cousin’s face. “Don’t tell me it was love at first sight.”
“No. Of course not. I fall in love with every pretty ladies I see.”
“So you admit that she’s pretty.”
Weir got up quickly, “We don’t even know if she’s the one I got hitched with or not.”
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“He must’ve been one of the guys my school friends met up with.” Pinky stuffed the papers back into the envelop. “I didn’t even talk to any of those guys. I’m pretty sure they thought of me as a stick in the mud, dull person.”
Bee stepped back from cutting Aff’s hair. “Seriously, why didn’t you tell me you were going to Vegas? I would’ve flown out to join you.”
“We only went for a day and a night.” Pinky glowers, “quit being so butt hurt about it alright? It was a spur of the moment thing. I figured we finished exams, and I wanted to see Vegas before I returned home.”
Aff fingered her hair nervously, “can I see how it looks now?”
“No!” Bee smiled, “not yet! Let me style it first.” Bee ran back to her room to get a blow dryer.
“Should I be afraid of what I will see in the mirror?” Aff asked. “I don’t really know how to repay you back for helping me with all of this.”
Pinky smiled. “If Aum sent you here, then I trust him.”
“That was like five years ago.” Aff smiled. “I don’t think he even remembers I exist.”
“Sorry I have to take this.” Pinky answered her phone and stepped out onto the balcony. “Yes, Mr. Rotmonkol?”
Bee rushed back in with a brush and a blow dryer, “ooooh, I can’t wait to add makeup on to you!”
Aff eyed the blow dryer plaintively. “Do we have to?”
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“Do you have to sleep with all of my hotel managers?”
“You ask me like I haven’t been doing my duties.” Weir smiled evilly, “isn’t that what I’m supposed to do. Help to watch over your business, make sure it’s in good hands?”
“And have you been doing a good job?” His Grandfather yelled. “All I’ve seen are severance pay being handed out left and right!”
Weir shrugged, “I got rid of those hotel managers for you, if you think about it this way. I helped eliminate those leeches from not only you, but for Aum and Dan too. Who knows when they’re close enough to any of us to have a chance to get us into bed, and try to take money from the infamous Rotmonkols?”
Mr. Rotmonkol slaps down a think manila folder, “in this year alone, I’ve lost more than twelve hotel managers! We won’t have to worry about any Rotmonkol money if there won’t be any left by the end of next year!”
“Is that why you sent me for me to be here in Phuket? To discuss financial problems we are incurring?”
“I’ve asked for my secretary to come here after her projects are finished to help run this facility until they’re in tip top condition to be handed over to another manager.”
Weir grins, “is she pretty?”
“My secretary or the new manager?”
“I know your secretary is an old crone. I wouldn’t try to seduce her, she might’ve been one of your old girlfriends from girlfriends past.” Weir shudders.
“If that’s what you think, that’s fine with me. But I need you to go back to the city and maintain the family business from there!” Mr. Rotmonkol shouted. “If you want to destroy this business, wait until I’ve died first, and then destroy it.”
“If it’s going to be mine anyway, why should I wait to destroy it?”
“Because, you should destroy only your portion of what I will leave you. I won’t let you destroy your cousins’ future as well!”
“Dan is a lawyer and Aum works with construction.” Weir sighs dramatically, “Who really cares for this hotel chain anyway besides you?”
“Just get yourself back to the main office and stay there until I call you back here!” Mr. Rotmonkol breathed deeply. “Even if I hire a male manager, you’d probably turn gay or beat the living crap out of the man.”
“You know me so well; I’d do anything to get this family on a road faster down to hell!”
Mr. Rotmonkol grabbed his left arm, “I think I’m having a heart attack.”
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“Believe me, just let her use my car. Have the other’s train her, give her only the morning shifts until she has it down then we’ll see about putting her in another shift such as swing or graveyard.” Pinky hastily got into the elevator. “Hello? Hello?”
Bee shrugged, “obviously, you lost signal, being that we are in an elevator. Don’t worry, will you, the hotel will do fine without you.”
“I’m worried about the new girl too.” Pinky felt light headed. “I need to get over this flu soon.”
“It’s hard for you to get over any illnesses if you won’t take the time to rest up and relax!”
“Well the past week hasn’t really been a vacation what with the boss having a heart attack and myself finding out that I have an unknown husband!”
“I’ll go back to check on her the moment the hotel in the city lets you know she is in deep trouble or if she’s incapable of working! You can just ignore the whole marriage thing until it’s been resolved. ” Bee crossed her heart and stuck up a scout’s honor sign. “Now come on and see how your old boss is doing.”
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“It’s not enough to just leave him be Weir? Can’t you not grow up? You act as if you’re a ten year old demanding a large bag of candy from a store!”
Weir reclined lazily on the hospital chair. “He’s not dead, he’s there breathing alongside a machine. Stop your yelling Aum, before you have a heart attack too at such a young age.”
“If you don’t want me to yell at you like I am now, then behave yourself! How do you expect to live if grandpa takes you out of his will? I can live fine with what I’m doing with my business. Dan is a lawyer, he can manage with his line of work. But you, what the hell can you earn with sleeping around with willing females? Become a gigolo? That’s all I can see in that stupid future of yours! Grandpa is willing to leave all of his business to you! For whatever the damn reason is, he wants you to have it all when he really dies. We don’t need you to kill him any faster! Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Why would he leave all of it to me? He knows that I’ll destroy the family business leaving it with me. I don’t need him to leave anything with me! Do you understand? Tell Dan to change the will!”
Dan sighed from across the room, “You all act like I’m not in this room. And you both also know that I can’t just change someone’s will like that. Even if it’s for a better good.”
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“Here, I found it!” Bee yelled.
Pinky tilted her head at her friend, “I’m right here Bee, why are you yelling so loud?”
“I thought it was a game, I got excited that I found the room first.” Bee chuckles, “come on, let’s give this boss another heart attack with all the work forms he is supposed to sign.”
They both froze walking in on what looks like a fight on the brink of breaking loose.
“I don’t need anything he wants to give me. I have everything I need and want already!”
“You wouldn’t have everything you need and want if it wasn’t for grandpa! Why must you show him so much disrespect like this?” Aum shoved Weir.
“I don’t need any of his generosity. I have everything from my father already. He left me more than enough to live on!”
Aum snorted, “Where did you think your father’s money came from? Sure you don’t think it’s from his hard earning money!” This time
Weir was shoved into Dan who was trying to stop the fight.
“Stop it! Stop it the both of you!” Dan yelled but this time there was another voice that joined him.
“If you three want me to die now, just pull the plug off this machine.” Mr. Rotmonkol’s raspy voice was heard through all the chaos.
The whole room quieted as Bee and Pinky watched from the door. “All I want is some peace and quiet. If you want to throw each other around then please do it outside in the hallway where the hospital can call the cops on you three and arrest you all for disturbing the peace.”
The words throwing caused Pinky a sense of vertigo and ran into the bathroom. All eyes turned on to Bee. She smiled weakly and waved strenuously.
“You in the wrong room?” Dan asked as he pushed Weir and Aum further apart.
“Nope, definitely in the right room. Right, Mr. Rotmongkol.” Bee asked taking an unsteady step into the hospital room with the pairs of strangers’ eyes upon her. “Been meaning to take Pinky for a doctor’s visit, now I guess is a great opportunity to do so huh?”
Mr. Rotmonkgol patted the side of his bed, “and how are you doing Bee?”
“Still great, stop fretting.” Bee shrugs, “living life to the fullest, you know?”
Mr. Rotmongkol nodded his head. “How long has Pinky been ill?”
“Only started this week. The day before you called to clear all projects in the city and to come out here to resolve whatever hotel issues you got here.” Bee smiled at all the guys, “I see these guys must be the infamous Rotmongkol heirs?”
“Atichart Chumnanon, or Aum,” Aum extended his hand. “My cousins Worrawech Danuwong, or Dan.” Another shake of the hand,” and Sukollawat Karanot, or Weir.”
“Matika Attikornsiripho. Bee to my friend.” Bee paused. “Did you say Karanot?”
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Pinky flushed the toilet to what seemed to be the fifth or maybe tenth time. “I hate being sick.”
There was a soft knock at the door. “How are you in there?”
“Fine Bee. I’m fine.”
“I think it’s time you get a checkup.” Bee insisted through the door. “We are at the disposal of many doctors here.”
Pinky peeks her head out, “you know how much I hate being over charged for a visit to the doctor.”
“I’m not letting you go back to work without a doctor’s note.” Mr. Rotmongkol said from his hospital bed. “If my grandsons won’t let me go back to work without a doctor’s note, then I don’t think you should be allowed to either until that note is forthcoming.”
Pinky wipes the back of her hand on her forehead. “Fine, but one of you get all of this paper signed so that I can fax it all back to the corporate offices.” She placed all of the folders she brought along with her and turned to walk out. “My insurance doesn’t kick in until next month Bee. I’m borrowing some money from you.”
Bee shrugs passing the folders to Dan, “whatever, I’m an heiress with more many than she can handle. That is unless her step-mother wins the court battle.”
Weir stared at the back of a woman who was sort of familiar to him. “Who was that?”
His grandpa sighed, “She would be none of your concern Weir. You just promised me that you wouldn’t bother any of my female employees anymore.”
“I only promised that because I thought you were dying.” Weir grumbles walking over to his grandpa’s side. “Let’s get these forms done, so that I can just take it back with me when I drive home.”
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Pinky waited in the office impatiently, “I feel like every time I’m in a hospital something bad is going to happen.”
“Speaking of something bad.” Bee started before the doctor came back in. “Too late, never mind. I’ll go wait outside.”
The doctor smiled generously. “I have some options I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Options?” Pinky repeated.
Bee stood on the other side of the door and her theory was confirmed when her friend yelled, “PREGNANT?!”
“That’s my cue.” Bee sighed walking to the elevator.
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Weir collected the folders and glanced up hearing the doors open.
“Your name?” Bee asked again. “You said Karanot?”
“Yes, Sukollawat Karanot.”
Bee crossed her arms, “were you in Vegas a few months back?”
Weir grinned, “Part of that group were you?”
“If you’re talking about your wife’s group. No, I wasn’t part of that group. If I’d known you were going, I’d gone to stop you two!”
Dan’s ears pricked just a little at that statement and sat up straighter leaving Aum a little befuddled on the chair.
“Stop us two? Two who?” Weir asked feeling his heart speed up just a little.
“From a marriage!” Bee fired out. “Now what’s worse, she’s pregnant!” Bee slung her purse knocking down the stack in Weir’s arms. “She’s pregnant and doesn’t even realize the sleaze ball of a husband she married is right here in the same damn hospital!” She swung out her purse again this time connecting it with his head leaving a little red mark.
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