The Three Months Rule

Misterious Woman

Beam packed his tools into his bag. He looked up and looked at Wine who looked very nervous. "Relax, Phi, nothing fatal. These wounds and bruises will heal soon. However..."

"What, Beam?" cut Wine immediately. He could see the doubt in Beam's eyes and his anxiety was rising.

Forth patted his brother's shoulder to comfort him. "Patience, Phi, let Beam explain first."

Beam stood beside Forth and took a deep breath. "I think you should still call doctor Hans or take her to the hospital, Phi. I think this woman is pregnant."

"Pregnant?" asked Forth and Wine at the same time.

Beam nodded. He bent slightly and stroked the belly of the woman lying on the bed. "It's not very noticeable because she's so skinny. I'm afraid something will happen to the baby from the impact when she falls."

"Oh, God!"

"Phi, you should call doctor Hans," Forth said. Doctor Hans Prampounh is the Jamorhnoom family doctor, the third generation of the Prampounh family.

Doctor Hans' grandfather had been with the Jamorhnooms since Vic's grandfather was young.

Forth, Beam, and Wine were silently staring at the woman lying on the guest bed, when Wine's phone rang.

"Phi Suthee," Wine muttered as he stared at her phone screen. "Wait a minute, I'll take the call first."

Wine comes out of the room. Beam adjusted the blanket covering the woman's body on the bed and took Forth's hand and led him outside.

"You're sweating," Forth said, wiping a drop of sweat off Beam's forehead. "Let's go to the kitchen. I'll make something fresh for you."

Beam followed Forth into the kitchen and took a seat at the counter. "Forth, what do you think happened to that woman? How could she be lying on the side of the road so badly injured?"

"Maybe she ran from a torturer. Her husband or lover maybe," Forth replied, peeling an apple.

Forth handed Beam a glass of apple and strawberry juice, when Wine joined them. He refused Forth's offer to make juice for him and asked for water.

"Phi Suthee is coming with doctor Hans," said Wine with relief.

"Phi Suthee knows about this?" asked Beam in surprise.

"Of course he knows. That Phi Suthee has a lot of very sharp eyes. That's why grandparents love him so much," replied Forth with a laugh. "Only he is the most mysterious Jamorhnoom. No one knows Suthee Jamorhnoom, but he certainly knows everything that happened to Jamorhnoom."

"So. That's why you called him the eye? Uhm, Phi, may I ask a question?" Beam asked Wine.

"Of course, Beam."

"Aren't you afraid that someday Phi Suthee will..."

"Betrayed?" continued Forth.

Beam nodded.

Wine laughed. "That can't be happening. Grandparent have taken and kept Phi Suthee's soul ever since they adopted him as part of our family. Grandpa saved him from death with him own blood and grandma took care of and raised him, showering him with love and affection. Grandpa even freed him to choose his own path, but in the end it was Phi Suthee himself who decided to return to Jamorhnoom. Without coercion."

"He was a member of the military, right?"

"Yes. Special forces member with the best grades. To this day he is still frequently asked to guide special tasks by his unit and if the task goes against Jamorhnoom's interests, he will immediately refuse. He puts his family above anything else."

"Especially now there's Kongpob, who turns out to be his younger brother. They were separated since childhood after their parents died in an accident. Phi Suthee must not have expected that grandparents were looking for his family and he was really shocked when they brought Kongpob to him. In your opinion, will he betray after what he received and went through with our family?" asked Wine with a smile.

"If he did, Beam, he'd know what would happen to him and to Kongpob. He's the one who trained Jamorhnoom's army, but someone higher up trained him and that person couldn't possibly betray Janorhnoom even if forced in front of a thousand cannons."

"Eh?" asked Beam confused. "Anything better than Phi Suthee?"

"Sure," Forth and Wine replied at the same time.

"Who?"

"Gary Jamorhnoom, of course. He was Vic Jamorhnoom's first student. What Grandpa taught Phi Suthee was probably only half of what Dad was good at."

"Oooh...." Wine and Forth laughed at Beam who looked embarrassed.

There was the sound of a car driving into the yard and not long after that Suthee got in with a middle-aged man with round glasses.

Suthee hugged Forth, Beam, and Wine.

Doctor Hans shook their hands warmly. He pointed at Beam and turned to Forth. "So this is your little doctor, who's going to take care of ShanVa? Wow, Doctor Beam, you're so charming."

"Don't stare at him too long, Phi Hans, Forth will blow up your car if you do," said Suthee, pointing at Forth who looked grim.

Hans laughed in amusement and smacked Forth on the shoulder. "You little rebel, you're still the same. Always angry when something bothers you."

Beam smiled widely and took Forth's hand. "Don't be a child, Wolfie. You know I love you."

Forth sighed and then smiled at Beam.

Hans asked Wine. "So where's the patient?"

Wine guided Hans and Suthee to the guest room. They enter the room and are stunned. There was no one in the room and the bed where the woman lay was now empty.

The woman is missing.

*****