Choices

A Broken Girl

Pa'Tu gasped and said, 'Oho!! Khun Tee, you are so brave! How did you endure that? It must have hurt a lot.'

Khun Tee shrugged her shoulders, 'I guess I was used to it. I didn't even know how bad it was until I went home. Getting our hands or legs injured isn't new to us. It happens all the time, especially when we are training at the dojo.

All the rest of their friends were at the edge of their seats in anticipation, Khun Tee stood up, and Khun Cha looked up at his wife, 'Where are you going, Khun?'

'I will just go get some cookies or crumpets to snack on. I have a feeling this lunch is going to go on for a while more.' Khun Tee replied.

'Do you need help, Khun Tee?' Khun Tip asked her and moved to stand up. Khun Tee waved her off and said, 'Sit down, you might miss the story.'

Khun Cha followed his wife for a while as she left the room to go to the kitchen. When he looked back at their friends, he saw their expectant faces awaiting the continuation of their story.

'I felt sorry for her at that time.' Khun Cha started saying. 'The words I said to her back then were very unfair. After all, I don't even know her. All those things that came out from my mouth were words I heard from the people. I judged her based on what others said about her. I wanted to say sorry to her, but I didn't know how to. I was too embarrassed by what I did, and I didn't know how to approach her. I wanted to make it up to her.'

Khun Tee placed the the plate of cookies on the table. 'But he couldn't, I avoided him at every chance I get. If his group comes and we haven't finished our part yet in the installation, I will stay outside until they finished, then I would join the group after he left.'

'It went on like for another two months, but on the third month, I had enough.' Khun Cha said. 'I was determined to go and talk to her. I wanted to apologize, and my conscience cannot take it anymore. One day, after their work was done, I saw her leave the auditorium, so I quickly followed after leaving instructions with my team.

'She walked so fast; I was literally brisk walking trying to follow her. I can see where she was, but I am sure she doesn't know I am following her. We were walking a for about 15 minutes; I can feel my perspiration dripping down my back, but I paid no mind. I saw her enter a gated building, I waited a few minutes before I approached the gate, I was surprised to see the huge sign over the gate.

Safe Haven

Home for Abused Women and Children

'Cha frowned at the sign, he was confused and was now very curious, but he decided to just go home and appease his curiosity next time. He looked around and saw a double-sided waiting shed on the opposite side of the road, since he was still tired, he thought he should just rest for a few minutes. Cha crossed the street and sat down at back of the shed, his back facing away from the street. Cha was thinking about Tee, wondering why she was at this place. She was known to be violent but here she was coming to a place where the victims of violence stay. He didn't know how long he sat there, unseen from the street he was after all hidden from plain sight by the tall wall of the shed. He was about to stand when he heard footsteps coming, he didn't know why but he decided not to make his presence known and sat still. He was surprised when he felt the wall behind his back suddenly shake a little as if someone had leaned back to it.

'Nong Tee!' Cha heard the voice and then he felt a second shake at the wall that he was leaning on. He grimaced and contemplated on an exit plan without being noticed sadly, there is none that would come to him at the moment.