From Something To Everything (Bounprem)

139. Approval

Tessa's fingers hovered over the phone screen. The photo of five wearing colorful matching tees, made her rethink many things.

Her gaze fell on the teenager who was hugging her nephew's waist, smiling at the camera. Kao seemed visibly really happy in the picture. Happier than he was on his wedding day.

"This must be, Earth?" Tessa looked at Jassy for affirmation.

"Kha," Jassy affirmed.

"Are these two..." Tessa was sure that Earth and Kao must have reconnected via Boun and Prem.

In the past when Jane [1] mentioned Kao falling in love with Earth, who was a guy, she had actually been against them. not because she had any problem with homosexuality but because her son had left home for a gay guy, causing her to hate all gay people.

Back then she had strong prejudice towards Kao's relationship with Earth and had actually helped Jane come up with ideas to separate the two. But now, she had made peace with the fact that her thought process was wrong and she wanted to make amends.

"Who? Kao and Earth?" Jassy snickered. "Don't make me talk about those two, Khun. They are giving me a headache." She supported her forehead with her hand.

Tessa looked at Jassy feeling confused.

"I don't know what the heck is wrong with them. I really don't understand why they are still playing the push-and-pull game." Jassy sounded really frustrated.

"Push and pull game?"

"Kha. These two... what can I say..." Jassy exhaled loudly feeling irritation building up within her. "Just yesterday, when we were having dinner, Earth was taking care of Art as if he was his own child."

"What? Art came here?" Tessa was surprised.

"Kha. He came with Kao and others."

"Kao came as well?" Tessa felt that things were moving faster than she imagined them to be.

"Not only did he come. He also did all the rituals alongside Earth like a good son-in-law."

"Rituals? What rituals?" Tessa felt her brain getting short-circuited.

"The rituals for the death anniversary of Earth's family."

"Earth's family? Death anniversary? They died? How did that happen?"

"Yes. It was a fire accident. The gas cylinders blasted and the building caught fire. None of them escaped." Jassy narrated the gruesome incident.

"W- When did this happen?" Tessa never heard of the incident. She remembered how much her mother-in-law cherished her friendship with Earth's grandmother. She wondered if the old lady knew of the incident.

"About the same time, Kao got married." Jassy sighed. "Back then... that kid Earth... he was devastated... he lost everyone he had... he lost his whole family. It would have been great if Kao was by his side. But how could Kao be with him, when he himself was halfway drowning in his own problems"

Jassy remembered the helpless cries of the sixteen-year-old Earth whose world seemed to have collapsed seeing the row of burnt-dead bodies.

"Thankfully, Fluke and his family were there for Earth. They supported him and took him away from the mess." Jassy moistened her dry lips. "That time... it wasn't easy for any of us... the four friends were separating for the first time in their lives and... I still remember how Prem used to walk around lifelessly having lost his two best friends.

But the incident also made them mature a lot. Prem used to be a brat back in his teenage days. I never thought I would be able to handle him with Fluke and Earth gone. Yet, he proved me wrong. He suddenly became mature, concentrating on his studies and tennis. It was as if he felt that he would be letting down his friends if he continued to snoop around.

Prem started working hard and got into a university in Bangkok. He was happy but not so happy as his best friends weren't there to congratulate him. those kids... I really envy their friendship. I really hope that they stay together like this. Forever."

Jassy concluded dreamingly.

Tessa sat there motionlessly. She was still stuck on the fact that Earth's family died in the fire accident. She had no clue about the incident. She couldn't even imagine the pain Earth might have gone through then.

"C- can I have Earth's contact info?" Tessa felt a lump in her throat.

Jassy smiled seeing Tessa sympathize with Earth. "Sure. Why not?" She shared Earth's number with Tessa. "I am sure that the kids will be happy to get a call from you, Khun. Especially Fluke. He has been worried about Boun."

"Fluke?" Tessa hadn't heard of that name before.

"This one." Jassy pointed at the kid standing to the other side of Kao in the photo of five. Prem was hugging Fluke from behind. "If one were to ask, Fluke is much more of a parent to Prem than I ever was. He is his best friend, brother and family. Prem respects and loves Fluke more than me. He would never go against anything Fluke says."

Tessa suddenly felt threatened. She was afraid that Fluke might get in her son's way.

"Since Boun had managed to get Fluke's approval. I have nothing to worry about."

"Fluke approved of Boun?" Tessa didn't understand why Boun needed Fluke's approval in the first place.

"From the looks of it, yes. Fluke spoke so highly of Boun last day while we were having dinner together." Jassy smiled triumphantly. "But Boun seems to be scared of Fluke." She chuckled.

"Boun? Scared?" Tessa raised her brows. Boun was the kind who doesn't give a shit about anyone else. He was hot-tempered and would never listen to anyone, much less be scared of someone.

"Fluke can be scary at times but he only shows that side of him to the ones he cares for. Since Boun had already seen that side, there is no need for me to worry. If Boun ever hurts Prem, Fluke will surely make him regret even being born."

Tessa gulped involuntarily. She didn't miss the chillness of Jassy's tone. It was as if Jassy was warning her that she already had people to keep an eye on Boun and her son had to watch what he did. She chuckled awkwardly.

The ladies continued to chat about their sons. Tessa managed to get a lot of information about her son. She also got to know a lot about Prem as a person.

She was looking forward to interacting with Prem personally. She wanted to get closer to the boy.

Jassy drove Tessa back to the main house. They bid goodbyes along with the rest of the family.

As soon as Tessa got back to the hotel room, she dialled her best friends for a conference call. She was so eager to share the information she had found that she couldn't wait to speak with both of them at once.

[1] Jane - Kao's mother.