Chapter 13

'We try to hide everything we're really feeling from those who probably needs to know our true feelings the most.'

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[Nine Years ago]

He watched from inside their house as his mother waved goodbye at him with tears streaming down her face. He was waving back. Then she got on the car and drove off.

He then faced his father who was obviously holding back tears.

"Pa, where is Mae going?"

The older man kneeled in front of his son so their faces were leveled. He cleared his throat as if there was a lump he needed to swallow.

"Son, Mae is leaving for sometime to — uh — pursue her dreams."

"Her dreams? What is it?" The eleven year old Barami Wongphipat asked with knitted eyebrows.

"Someday you will understand why your Mae left, but today, lets just rest. Okay?"

"If she doesn't leave home her dreams won't come true then?"

His father gave him a faint smile. "Yes son, something like that."

"How long will she be gone?"

"I don't know yet buddy."

It was a Saturday when his mother called. It was two weeks after she left. Beam got all excited because they talked about how his week went.

"Mom, why do you have to go to pursue your dreams?" He once asked when he ran out of things to talk about while they were on the phone.

"Pursue my dreams?" His mother sounded confused.

"Yes. Pa said that's the reason you went away."

"Ah — so that's what your Pa told you — well, yes honey, Mae needs to uh — pursue her dreams. Yes."

"When are you coming home?" He asked while he was toying with the loose thread of his shirt.

"I don't know yet sweetie. But please always remember that Mae loves you so much okay? We will tell you everything when you are old enough." His mom said with a sniffing sound.

"Okay Mae. I love you too."

His mother called again on the next Saturday. Then it became a routine that his Mae would call around noon every saturday.

That is the reason why Saturday became his favorite day. It comes with waking up late because there is no school, lazing around, playing with the dogs or playing  video games online with Pha and Kit until his Mae called.

Sometimes after his chitchat with his mother has ended, his Pa would come home early from work and they would go to the Mall or have a stroll at the nearby park or eat his favorite food at his favorite restaurant. All of this on a Saturday. He was always excited for this day to come.

This setup went on until he and his friends, Pha and Kit were in high school. He became the trio's prankster. Always messing around with everyone. He was seventeen. His mother had been gone for six years now.

He started to date different girls every week when Pha wouldn't boss them around to watch over Yo from afar.

Phana says 'watch over' but what he really means is 'spy' on Yo.

One Saturday, his Mae didn't call. Instead, she went home.

He didn't seem to notice his mother's change in appearance since it's been a long time he has seen her last.

He and his mom went out for a date that day, he was very happy upon seeing her again thinking that his mom would return home.

But she didn't stay for the night. She didn't even waited for her husband to come home.

Then it came to him. He realized that from the moment his Mae left their home, he never saw his Pa talk to her on the phone.

Why aren't they talking anymore?Why is it that everytime Mae calls, Pa isn't home?Until when will Mae pursue her dreams?What's the dream anyway?

Of course, this isn't the first time he has asked himself those questions but as a kid, he brushed off the idea that maybe something was wrong.

But even if something was wrong his parents would never lie to him would they? After all, they were the ones who thought and lectured him about honesty.

"Pa, when is Mae coming home?" He asked when they were having dinner. He tried to let the thoughts go but it just wouldn't leave him.

His father didn't seem surprised. "I don't know Beam, what did she tell you?"

"Why don't you know Pa? Don't you talk to each other?"

"I'm sort of busy with work Beam so i didn't have time to have a talk with her."

"But why? She's your wife isn't she? Pa, is there something you're not telling me?"

"Beam, i don't think we should talk about this right now. Your mother isn't here. Maybe when she is not busy with work?"

"Why does she need to work anyway? We have enough money Pa, we even donate to charity here and overseas."

His father breathed out a sigh. He knows he needs to stop interrogating his father because the older man was probably tired from office work but he can't let this go now.

"She's not working isn't she?" Something inside him tells him that he might be right but what could possibly be his mother doing?

"Beam, i know you are very eager to know but we cant discuss this right now, your mother isn't here. It's not fair." Beam's father said in a very calm voice.

Mr. Wongphipat was a very calm and reserved person. He never raised his voice, he seldom smiled, and talked only when it was necessary. He was sort of an introvert. He was strict with business but very lenient to his only son. After his wife had gone, he never let Beam feel like he was alone, never let him feel incomplete even when he himself was torn apart from that day on.

"It's you and Mae who are unfair." Beam said in a sulking tone. "I know there's something you and Mae aren't telling me." He got up and excused himself.

"Are you not finishing your food Beam?" His dad asked.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry anymore." Said Beam in a low voice. No matter how upset he got. He never raised his voice to his father.

Mr. Wongphiphat guiltily looks at the form disappearing in the hallway.

I'm sorry for lying to you all these years Beam. I didn't have the guts to break your heart back then. And you wouldn't understand.

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Beam was thinking about apologizing to his father when he got home from school that day. Even if he didn't raise his voice to him, he still talked back. He went home from school a bit too early because he wanted to have dinner with his dad and have his favorite dish prepared before he gets home.

He was running upstairs to his room when he passed by his father's study room and heard voices. He knows he shouldn't eavesdrop but he recognized that voice.

"I was afraid he would ask about that."

Mae?! She's back!! He was supposed to knock but ..

"When are you planning to tell him?" His Dad's voice asked.

As nosy as he is, he listened by the door instead of knocking and announcing his presence.

"I'm not ready yet. I'm afraid he might hate me." His mother sounded distressed.

"Us Emma. He might hate us. It was me who lied in the first place."

Why did Mom never told me she would come? What lie did Dad told me? What's going on?

"I wondered about what kind of excuse you might have told him. I expected him to hate me the moment he picked up the phone. You are still the kindest person i know. I guess i was lucky to be married to a person like you. Beam is very lucky to have you as a father. I cannot thank you enough for not taking him away from me — even if —

"— even if i left you for someone else."

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A/N: Whaddup? 😂😂

I don't know if i made it clear enough but yeah, that's HALF the reason why Beam behaves that way. I'm having a hard time trying to put it in a narrative way but hey, i tried.

I know that the way i relayed this chapter is shitty, i'm sorry about that, but that's because i'm really excited for them to make up so i can get to the sappy chapters but sadly I'm not done yet 😵

What do you think happened to his parents?😮

😊😁😇✌