Forget Me Not

Chapter Six

Mew Suthaphong had been filing travel reports after every trip since he started working for KemiKal Diagnostics. It was a boring but necessary part of his job. While he didn't love it, he didn't begrudge the need for it. He'd created a template that had eventually become the standard reporting document for all the medical representatives and trainers.

What he hadn't shared with everyone else was that it was easier to keep a runny tally of his daily numbers; from expenses to the number of trainees, or hospitals and clinics visited. When he got back to Bangkok, he would fill in each section of the report and have it ready on the first day he went back to work. He was the only one who ever got it done on time.

When he was lucky enough to have flown to and from his destination, the expenses were covered by the company. It was when he had to travel by car that he had to account for his allowances. There was still the matter of his meals and other incidental requirements but that allowance was non-refundable and whatever he didn't spend was considered a part of his income.

With how often he travelled, it was a regular bonus. But Mew knew that anything could happen. He'd seen people's lives implode from unemployment or an accident enough times. To give himself the cushion he needed, Mew had a rainy-day fund that gave him three months of pay should he no longer be able to work. He'd been adding to it as often as possible. If it continued to grow at the same rate, a down payment on a house was a reasonable plan.

All these thoughts were going through his head as he settled back at work and started the process of scheduling his next batch of appointments. He had to confirm several training sessions in and around Bangkok, including one for himself and his colleagues on the new model of their portable ultrasound machine.

"Were there any special considerations at the hospital in Lamphun?"

"Like most of the rural hospitals, the biggest issue is a steady power supply. I recommended a high output uninterrupted power supply unit. But as you know, that is an additional cost many of the smaller clinics can't afford on their limited budgets."

"How many had a problem with it?"

"All of them. Some still went ahead with the purchases as planned. But I was wondering if we can source some units. If we offered them a special deal by buying both the unit and the UPS from us, they might be more willing to consider the purchase."

"Can I rely on you to look into the options available in the market?"

It was an extra duty on his already busy schedule but Mew nodded and jotted it down in his notebook. "I'll let you know what I find out as soon as possible."

Mew wasn't about to complain about the extra work. Anything that kept him from thinking about Korn or what had happened in Lamphun was welcome. It was even better if he could add to his nest egg with all the overtime he'd get.

Avoidance wasn't the way to deal with this situation. But until he knew what he wanted—what he was allowed to want—it was easier not to get his hopes up too high.

~

"Hey...how long have you been waiting?" Korn said by way of a greeting.

"Not long," P'Kavitra answered as she returned the one-armed hug Korn gave her.

"I wasn't sure I'd make it in time," Korn said opening the door and letting his sister and niece into his house. "Hello there Nong Piti. You look lovely today..."

"Hello, Ar Korn...you look lovely today."

She was at the age where she imitated everything her elders said. Korn and his sister looked at each other and held back the laughter that threatened to bubble over. She was so cute even when she hid her face in her mother's shoulder after melting Korn's heart like she always did.