Away From Prying Eyes

Chapter 2

PRESENT DAY

PAT

"Pa I don't care what Ink says. You guys are not moving back to Thailand to run a coffee shop."

"But Hia, I'm tired of living in America. Do you hear me? I'm tired. Haven't you had enough? You can't keep smothering me. You can't control me. You're not my dad."

"Stop, Pa. Please I'm begging you. I can't lose you too. I just can't." Pat shakily whispered. He didn't have the energy to keep arguing with her.

"I...I didn't mean to say that. I'm sorry. Hia I'm sorry." Pat hears a quiet sob on the other line and then some shuffling. The voice that comes on the phone is from his sister's girlfriend. His best friend.

"Pat ignore Pa. She being a spoiled brat." Ink quietly said.

"You say that Ink, but you're stealing away my last piece of happiness. You want to take her away and leave the country. What am I supposed to do?"

"Let her. You have to let go Pat. She needs to grow on her own. You know I will be by her side to protect her. Trust me, no trust her. Trust your little sister."

Pat knew Ink was right, but he refused to admit it. Honestly he was scared. He didn't want to be alone again. He didn't want to face the uncertainties. But he knew there would come a time when he would have to let his sister go. His baby sister. His little Pa. The last family member he had by his side. He couldn't keep her forever. Ink would protect her with her life, but still...his little Pa.

Pat continued talking to Ink and agreed to let them go back to Thailand. Even though Ink was his best friend and he trusted her with his life and his sister's, he still had to play the big brother role. They talked about all of the details. Some of it Pat didn't need to know but he knew Ink was only telling him to make him feel comfortable. At the end of the call he made sure to express his gratefulness to her.

"Thank you Ink. Thank you for being my best friend and for loving Pa. I hope she's worth the headache."

"No problem. And yeah she's worth it." Ink chuckled into the phone.

"Pa, I know Ink has the phone on speaker, I expect a lot of brother-sister dates and hugs before you abandon me."

"Oh Hia stop being dramatic. I love you, now stop talking to my girlfriend and hang up!" Pa yelled.

Pat laughed and hung up the phone. As he was putting it on the charger, he received a text message.

Pa-tato 🥔:
Thank you Hia. I promise I won't disappoint you. And I'm really sorry for saying what I said. Good night. 🤍

Pat:
It's fine. I love you more Patato. Good night and text me in the morning. 🤍

Pat laid in his bed and let all of the thoughts flow. During the day he hid it well. He refused to let his thoughts dictate his life and ruin his day. But at night, he let them run free and wreak havoc. And of course tonight's thoughts were about his family.

He hasn't seen his parents or stepped foot into his home country for the past 10 years. His parents cut off all contact with him so he left to America. The thought of losing his sister made him tremble with fear. How would he cope? First his parents, now his sister, and there was him...he left as well. Pat shook his head and stopped that thought from continuing. He refused to think about him right now. Instead he purposely let the hurtful memory of leaving Thailand help him cope with the thoughts he wasn't ready to face yet.

(Flashback)

Pat had no idea what to do. Here he was at 18 years old without a dime to his name in a country he barely knew about. All he had was his okay English skills and a folded up piece of paper with his best friends name and number: