From Something To Everything (Bounprem)

163. Noodles

"Back then, I was able to take my time pursuing P' Seth because I knew that he was not going anywhere. Since his family had already accepted me and wouldn't be finding another bride for him, I was pretty confident despite the fact that it took me years to make him say yes to me." Ann sauteed the vegetables in the pan.

In another pan, she sauteed small cubes of tofu till they were golden brown. "But that is not the case for you. Prem... his suspension from his team is only for a year. That too because of his health condition. Once he qualifies the physical test and passes the required criterion, he will be able to go back to being the Tennis player he was.

When that happens, there will rarely be any occasion in which the two of you will cross paths. At that time you will regret not confessing your feelings for him sooner."

Ann transferred the tofu into the pan of veggies and added the sauce she had prepared previously. She left it to simmer over a medium heat. "All the people who know him personally have opinions about him. Even Kao, Bosston and April. Do you think that such a person wouldn't have other suitors? I can say with guarantee that he surely has a few of them lurking around him. Maybe even there will be a few from his team itself."

Boun bit his lip. He knew Prem had many admirers, both inside and outside his team. What to do, his baby was too cute and charming that people got drawn to him.

"So, you better make a move as soon as possible before someone else comes by and sweeps him off his feet." Ann mixed the sauce and ingredients once again, making sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

"Khrab Mae. I know." In fact, it had actually slipped his mind that Prem would someday have to return to his team. Then he might not get to see him as often as now.

The revenge plan had taken up most of his time and energy and he didn't notice that the few months of the one year had already flown by. He knew that if he asked Prem to stay by him, he would but he didn't want to do that.

He didn't want to make Prem choose between him and his passion for tennis. He was aware of how much the younger guy loved the sports.

"Once you confess your feelings to him, bring him to meet me as well. I would really love to get to know the person who managed to steal my son's heart." Ann said with a teasing smile. She added the half-cooked noodles to the mix.

Boun got up and walked around the counter to Ann and engulfed her in a bear hug. "I love you na, Mae."

"I am sorry dear. But I love my husband." Ann giggled.

"Mae" Boun whined like a child.

"Go confess to your boy, not to me." Ann playfully pushed his face away. "If he had been a she, I am sure that I would have had a few grandchildren by now from the way you act around him."

"Mae." Boun's whiny voice echoed in the room. This aunt of his rarely acted like an elder to him.

"Don't 'Mae' me okay! Even if you left out most of the parts of your 'love story', I know you well enough to understand which stage you guys are." She added some salt to the thickened sauce, mixing it well with the noodles.

Boun didn't defend himself. He didn't have anything to defend as well. Nor was he shy about it. He was proud, immensely proud.

"Now, go get the plates, the noodles is done." Ann freed herself from her nephew.

Boun pouted and went to get the plates. He returned and placed the two plates in front of Ann.

He sat back on the tall stool, eyeing his aunt who was garnishing the noodles on both plates with sesame and scallions. "Mae, kharb?"

"Hmm?" Ann was still concentrating on the garnishing.

"Can I ask you something?" Boun asked hesitantly.

Ann put away all the used utensils in the sink. "Shoot away."

"It's about Maa," Boun said in a soft voice.

Ann froze upon hearing Boun's words. She turned on her heels looking wide-eyed at her nephew. "What did you just say?"

"I- I wanted to ask something about Maa," Boun repeated.

Ann couldn't believe her ears. She hasn't heard Boun address Tessa as 'Maa' for more than a decade. Ever since the day he was sent to live at his grandparent's place, he became so distinct from his mother that he started addressing her as 'mom' which then turned into 'Khun Tessa' after he got kicked out of the family.

"What is it, son?" Ann asked, placing the plate of noodles in front of him.

"Erm..." Boun didn't know how to get into the topic. "The other day at the party, I met her..."

Ann was aware of this and she also knew how the meeting went.

"Then when she said that she had gotten in touch with Prem's Mae, I got pretty upset about it." He poked the noodles with his chopsticks. "I was afraid that she would oppose me being with Prem like she opposed me being with Colt."

"She was against it because you were only a kid back then, Boun. You were yet to be able to tell good and bad people apart." Ann said gently.

"I understand, Mae. But because of that, I was pretty rude to her." He still remembered the hurt look on his mother's face. "Only later, when I talked to Prem, did I know that she wasn't actually against it and was now friends with Prem's Mae. Prem also told me that she had been asking about my well-being and..."

His shoulders slumped down. "and it got me thinking that Maa had her reasons to push me away. Am I right Mae?"

Ann nodded with teary eyes. Her best friend was going to be over the moon if she heard this.

"Do you mind telling me why?" Boun asked.

"I think it would be better if she explained the reasons to you, Boun. As a third party, I can't actually say that I know everything that happened. But I will tell you what I know."

Boun was delighted. Knowing something was better than being completely ignorant.

"Tessa fell in love with my Phi when we were teenagers. Unlike Jane with whom I grew close to because she was engaged to my phi from childhood, Tessa was the kind of best friend who walked into my life as if it was destiny.

Even as his sister, I never felt that P' Saen was a good match for her. But she paid no heed to my opinion as she was head over heels for him. There were times when I strongly suspected that he had done some black magic on her."

Ann had a distinct look in her eyes as she recounted the story.