The Glory ( Freen❣️Becky)

2

"so you lived in a mansion"

Freen nodded. "Yes. I still can't believe how successful we've been. But the big superstores, they only go into major cities. Even though our stores are much smaller, we can still offer organic produce, vegetarian and vegan options, bulk grains and beans." She had to stop herself, knowing she could talk forever about their business. "It's been a huge success in the smaller cities where we're their only option."

"You'll only be gone during the inception then? You're not planning on leaving the bangkok , are you?"

"No. I can't see myself ever living in Surat Thani again."

"So tell us more about Becky," Nam  prompted. "You became fast friends, I imagine."

Freen nodded. "At first, her mother was horrified that she was slumming with the hired help. Of course, they had been so supportive when my dad was ill; they basically took my mother under their wings. I'm convinced that's the only reason I was allowed into Becky's life."

"I'm assuming you didn't go to school together?"

"Oh, no. We were in the same grade, but she went to the private school in town. We had no mutual friends at all. At first, we only played outside, or in the kitchen, or in my room. It was a while before she took me upstairs," she said. "I was twelve."

Are you sure it's okay?"

Becky took her hand and tugged her up the stairs. "I want to show you my homework. You said you are good at math," she reminded her. "I promise I won't force you to play with my Barbie collection."

"Your mother might get mad," Freen said.

Actually, she had no idea if that was true or not. Mrs. Armstrong rarely made an appearance down in the kitchen, so Freen had only seen her a few times since they'd been living there.

"It's my room," Becky said, as if that made all the difference. Once she pushed the door open to the main

floor, Freen stood still, looking around in awe.

Antique furniture, sculptures, huge paintings-all things she'd never seen before except on field trips.

"It's like a museum," she said quietly so as not to disturb the silence.

"Yes. A museum," Becky agreed.

Freen didn't understand the sad look on her face. "You don't like it?"

Becky shook her head. "I can't touch anything. I can't sit on the furniture. I don't really live down here."

She started walking again, and Freen followed her to another staircase, this one wide and curving along the wall as it rose to the third floor.

"That's some big stairs," she said.

"There is an elevator too. My parents usually take it. I like to walk on the stairs, though." At the top, Becky led her down a short hallway that opened up into a small sitting area. "I live here," she said as she spread out her arms. "My parents' rooms are on the top floor."

"You have all this," she said, turning and looking around, "to yourself?"

"Yes."

She opened a door, letting Freen look inside. It

was a bathroom, larger than her own bedroom.

"This is for my guests," Becky said. "But you can use mine if you want. It's in my bedroom."

"So you have different rooms?"

Becky nodded. "Playroom. Study room. Bedroom, Bathroom. TV room."

Freen's mouth dropped open. "Wow."