THE SAME

Chapter eighteen

-Somchai-

"You thought I wouldn't find out?"

"Would Not Sommie, hang with those people enough and you start speaking like an uneducated person."

It's taking everything in me to remain level-headed...

"Why would you threaten Nayla?" I asked trying to keep my voice calm, "and offer her money too? I'm starting to think you want me to get mad mom."

"Harin Park is from an amazing family, I would love you two to start getting to know each other," my mum started softly cupping my face, "we would love to expand into the food business and they've had their hand in that pot for years and years. Very hard to get into it without connections-"

"Mom," I said stepping back, "did you hear what I said? Why are you mentioning this other girl? I want to talk about Nayla. I am going to marry Nayla no matter what you think, stop messing with her."

"You are not marrying a poor black girl-"

"I am going to marry Nayla and I won't ever stand for you addressing her as anything but her name. "

"Oh," she laughed softly, "she's has turned you against me. She wants us apart like her fatherless-"

"Stop," I interrupted trying not to scream in her face, "before you say something that makes me lose all respect for you."

Talking to my mum is so hard. It's like I am being manipulated at every step. Like I am playing checkers and she's playing chess.

But, I promised Nayla.

I won't disappoint her. Right now, it's not just me against my mother, it is me standing up for my future family.

"You are going to meet Harin Park. You are going to get along with her. You are going to eventually marry and have kids with her."

"No-"

"I am telling you Kim Somchai, I am not asking."

No matter what my mum did, I never thought I would get to this point... the point where I am looking at her but I don't see a mother at all. This woman in front of me... she's a monster.

"After all Sommie, you cannot make that black girl a Kim if you are not a Kim yourself. "

A threat.

But one thing about my mum, she is predictable. I already knew she'd try disowning me. But... she must have forgotten I am her son. I learnt everything I know from her including, how to stay three steps ahead.

"What? You're telling hal-abeoji Kim and khun pu Anurak that I am marrying a black girl?"

"Of course darling, you have to announce the wedding. Im sure your grandads will send you with her to poverty. Kiss goodbye to your inheritance after I tell them how she manipulated them against your mother... and you fell for it too. A Kim who is weak deserves nothing."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped... I really tried holding it in but, she is just too predictable.

"Don't worry, I have told them already," I said with the brightest smile.

I wish anybody could have seen the look on her face. Her eyes were wide open in shock and her mouth opened and closed like a fish. And then her face slowly turned red in anger... she was livid.

"I told them myself mummy," I smiled, keeping eye contact, "I told them I love a black girl who is not from a wealthy family and that I am going to marry her no matter what anyone says. I told them that they could take my inheritance too but I would still be with her. But... you won't believe it mummy... guess what they both said?"

"Som-"

"They said they would not be taking away any of my inheritance! They can't wait to meet Nayla! Hal-abeoji wants Nayla there for our big family gathering this year and khun pu wants to take care of the honeymoon destinations - they both want to pay for every single aspect of the wedding, so I know they'll be competing over who gets the best gift or who pays more. They're already wondering if Nayla would compromise to wearing a hanbok and amarinthra even if just for pictures. Can you believe it?"

"Somchai you think-"

"I don't think mom, I know I won. Hal-meoni and yãy couldn't even hold themselves asking for grandkids - they couldn't stop gushing over how pretty Nayla is," I mused laughing more because my mum would not unscrew her face, "oh and hal-abeoji and khun pu really admired that I stood up for who I wanted to be with... hal-albeoji said it reminded him of you with dad, isn't that crazy?"

"I'll talk to daddy, you won't get away with this."

"I know you would want to do that but... I wouldn't if I were you... I told hal-albeoji you have been unkind to Nayla and he's not happy about that, in fact, he told me he'll be calling to talk to you. I haven't told dad yet, but I could so, let's make sure you are nicer to Nayla next time and if anything happens to her or anyone around her, I know who to tell."

I'm having too much fun.

"Anyways they admired my attitude so much, that they want me to step up more and they want me to learn more closely with them so that when the time comes, I can assume the role of controlling the whole family empire... nepotism is awesome, right? Maybe you'll have to ask me for your inheritance mom," I said putting on my trenchcoat and getting ready to leave.

"Oh and by the way mom, this is what Nayla would call, gathering the girls."