Music To My Ears | 2gether Short Stories

Taking The Shot - Chapter 12

"Dad?" whispered Wynter, his heart jumping to his throat.

"I thought we could start from the East Wing and work our way to the other end" said Chairman Opas stiffly.

"I'm sorry, what?" asked a puzzled Wynter.

"I'm the project supervisor. I'll be showing you the property" explained the Chairman, seemingly nonchalant.

The slight tremor in his fingers would have given him away if Wynter had looked closely.

As it happened, Wynter was entirely flummoxed by the situation.

I can't even remember the last time I saw you outside of the office.

Wynter realized a moment too late that he'd spoken the words out loud.

"It's been far too long, son" murmured the Chairman, so softly that Wynter wasn't sure if it was his own wishful thinking.

"Right, so... uhm, the East Wing. Uh-huh, yup, okay" stammered Wynter nervously.

Madam Chittra hid a smile as she bid adieu to the duo. "I'll take your leave now, Chairman Opas, Master Opas. There's a small cabana by the beach where I've asked the staff to lay out lunch for you after you're done."

Wynter was surprised. Lunch was at least an hour and a half away. Did his father plan on staying that long?

"Thank you, Chittra" said the Chairman.

"It was good seeing you, Master Opas" she said, with a fond smile that grew wider when Wynter hugged her.

"You owe me a date, Chitty. I'll call you soon."

The father and son stood in uncomfortable silence for a minute or two after she left.

Chairman Opas opened his mouth several times to start sentences and closed it again as though thinking better of it. He looked like he was doing a bad impression of a goldfish.

Wynter had a million questions but his tongue was suddenly flabby and oversized and somehow he'd forgotten how to make sounds.

The Chairman eventually cleared his throat. "Ahem, shall we? I presume you have Form B27 handy?"

After the initial awkwardness, the pair found it remarkably easy to talk to each other about work - the technical aspects of the construction, the design elements, the material used, plumbing and electricity, the various stipulated codes and by-laws.

As Wynter walked through the house, he sensed familiarity and belonging. There was something about the way the rooms were designed that made him feel strangely nostalgic.

It took them a little over an hour to complete the inspection.

They strolled in silence towards the beach. It was not as awkward as before, more as though each was lost in his own thoughts.

Chairman Opas took several deep breaths, as though preparing himself for something. His eyes darted in sidelong glances towards his son.

"What do you think of this villa, Wynter?" he asked after a while.

"It's beautiful, sir. It's the perfect home for a family" replied Wynter, tapping away on his iPad, meticulously organizing his notes the way Bryce usually did.

"Yes. A family."

The wistfulness in his father's voice broke Wynter's heart a little.

"It reminds me of our cottage in Chiang Mai. The one we used to go to every year to celebrate the Lunar New Year and see the cherry blossoms bloom. Mom and August loved watching them fall like pink snow" reminisced Wynter, fireworks and flower festivals painting his memories in riotous colours.