A TWIST OF FATE

TAWAN AND HIN

New Thitipoom

A complete brain freeze.....that was my reaction to my brother's unfortunate accident.

My brother.......

The feeling of having a family was still sinking in when all of a sudden, I was told that my brother may not be able to make it. He didn't even know who I was to him...........I wasn't even able to hug him properly, chat with him, fight with him or scold him or do whatever the heck elder brothers are supposed to do.

We did nothing that siblings should be doing.... and now he was fighting for his life and I could only stare at the door as the doctors and nurses ran around the room with all kinds of machines and equipments that could keep him alive.

I knew that his chances of survival were slim.
I had seen these images a million times in the last four years of my professional life, but never had I imagined how it felt to be on the other side....... depending on a complete stranger.........to make a miracle happen. At that moment a doctor acquires a Godly status.

I looked at the far end of the waiting room. Tay was sitting there staring outside through the small corner window. He was in his hooded sweatshirt and a mask. He seemed more like a statue than a human. His face hadn't shown even the slightest emotion ever since we had heard the news.

I remembered that while he was talking on the phone with Plu, suddenly he had started shouting Plu's name and then the phone had slipped from his hand to the car floor. Then Chimon had called and in between his shouts and cries I had managed to understand what had happened.

Tay's knuckles had tightened around the steering wheel but that was all the reaction he had ever given. His face had looked calm as he had driven back to Bangkok.He had filled forms, informed his parents and spoken to the doctors in an abnormally calm tone.

It had scared me. I had never seen Tay behave like this. He hadn't panicked, shed a tear or even looked worried..... problem was he showed no emotion at all. He even took official calls and fixed future business dates.

Each time I was almost sure that I had come to understand Tay Tawan, I had to re-think. He had suddenly transformed into that CEO who had put on his best business suit and darkest glasses and informed an entire press about the status of the youngest Ratanawadi. His voice didn't crack, his facial expressions didn't change, his movements looked as relaxed as if everything was normal. He had even smiled, when asked "do you think Pluem Purim Ratanawadi will make it?"

"My brother is a fighter, he will DEFINITELY make it."

The reporters from various news channels had stationed themselves outside the hospital, the Ratanawadi mansion and even their offices. The police had taken their statements and were waiting for Chimon to be able to talk. Mon had been in a grave state of shock and had only been crying. He had been given sedatives by the doctors to calm down.

But Tay had maintained a frosty face devoid of all emotions.

My heart was tearing apart seeing him like that. He had grown so distant in the last two days. It was like a wall had suddenly come up between us.

Slowly, I walked towards him. But I was stopped by a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and came face to face with Lee and Gavin.

"Don't go."Gav almost whispered. Lee grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I turned around to have another look at the frosty expression on Tay's face but finally gave in to these two.

"What's wrong with Tay?" I asked not knowing who else to ask for help.

"Let him be New. " Lee said his eyes slightly reddish and swollen.