Music To My Ears | 2gether Short Stories

Say Something - Chapter 03

"Tine, would you be able to spare a day for me?" asked Sarawat the next day, as though it were a request and not something that Tine owed him.

"Of course. When?" asked Tine.

"Tomorrow, it's a Saturday"

"Sure, Sarawat" said Tine.

He didn't have college and he could safely leave the children in the care of the excellent baby-sitter that Sarawat's friend, Earn, had arranged for them the last time.

"Is there a dress code? Anything that I should bear in mind?" asked Tine. He had heads-up to prepare better for the occasion this time.

"It's just a regular day out. Nothing special. Just be yourself" said Sarawat, and Tine could hear the smile in his voice.

"Okay. What time will the event end?" asked Tine.

"I was hoping we could have the entire day. Do you have any other commitments?" asked Sarawat softly.

Tine decided to be honest.

"I usually spend Saturday evenings with the kids. The younger ones get extended playtime outdoors till dinner and I get to spend some extra time with them all. Then after they're in bed, Echo and I stay up late into the night, just talking" he said.

"Sounds like a wonderful way to spend an evening. Would it be okay if I joined you and your family this time?" asked Sarawat, throwing Tine completely off.

"What? You're not serious" said Tine.

"I'm very serious. This is the most serious I have been about anything in life" said Sarawat.

Tine couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, but don't tell me later that I didn't warn you. The kids look cute but they're an absolute terror. You'll get exhausted and irritated very soon."

"I shall take up that challenge, good sir. I don't get irritated and I never get exhausted" replied Sarawat.

Tine felt a faint stirring in his belly. An unbidden image sprung to his mind of a sweaty Sarawat in bed, going at it relentlessly.

Shake it off, you pervert, Tine admonished himself.

"Okay then. So I'll see you tomorrow morning and then we'll have dinner together with everyone" confirmed Tine.

"Super! I'll text you the details of where to come later. Oh and one more thing, please call me Wat."

"Okay, Wat"

*

Saturday morning found a rather nervous Tine at the location that Sarawat - Wat - had sent.

The taxi had dropped him off in front of a large gate on a desolate stretch of road, the woods stretching endlessly on both sides.

Tine was dressed in his best, which in his case was a plain button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, a well-fitting pair of jeans and comfortable, clean sneakers.

Tine looked around him. He could see the river glimmering in the sun a few hundred metres away. The gate opened on to a grassy driveway that curved out of sight behind trees.

Tine took a breath and pushed the gate open. He walked down the driveway, the peaceful chirping of birds and the silence of the woods calming his senses.

He turned around the curve and was taken aback by the beautiful cabin that appeared before him.

"I hope you didn't have difficulty finding the place" said Wat, running down the porch steps to meet Tine.