Never Let Each Other Go

☆28☆ - end

-months later-
(Phuwin)
-„How's it going?"
I ask Palm and watch him putting the glasses in the dishwasher.
-„Pretty good. Did you just come back from work, Nueng?"
Palm asks me and kisses my forehead as I bent my hands on the counter.
-„Yeah. Luckily, it wasn't very stressy today at work."
He chuckles.
-„Good to hear."
I nod and look around. I love coming here after work every day and see the sea right in front of me. I love the sounds it makes but especially the colour. I smile. Then I see customers sitting in front of the sea.
-„Should I go and check on these customers over there?"
I look at Palm.
-„Yes. Ask them if they want anything more."
So I walk up to them.

It's only been a few months, since Palm opened up his bar here. It's not where he wanted it to have, since there was no space. It's still a nice location to have a bar. Actually, he's pretty successful, I must say. For a small bar like this, he makes a lot of money. Meanwhile, I am working in my mother's business with her. We moved in together. Or have I already told you that? I like living with Palm a lot. Even if I don't have time to help him with the bar later on, I get to see him in the evening. He always tells me I'm great help with the foreign customers. Even though Palm's English improved a lot, he tells me to deal with them.
-„Neung..."
A sleepy voice behind me calls.
-„What?"
I ask, as he hugs me from the back.
-„It was soooo exhausting today."
I pat his head.
-„Then let's go to sleep together. You're lucky, since it's my day off tomorrow. I'll come in to help you."
He nods and puts his head on my shoulder.
-„Palm."
-„Yes?"
-„Uhm... Nothing."
In the end, I didn't tell him again. Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid he'll hate me if I tell him. My studies are already all planned out, so I have to tell him either way I'm going to study in the US. Since it's far from here, we'll be seeing each other maybe once in three years. I'm afraid to tell him.
We went to sleep with him hugging me.
-„I love you."
I told him when he hugged me again. He just murmured something into the sheets and he fell asleep after that. I looked at his face for a whole eternity. He looks like a child when sleeping, as if he's dreaming about something really good. I chuckle when I remind myself Palm's actually very cheeky when he's wide awake. With these thoughts, I also fell asleep.
As always, I got up early and made me coffee in the morning. Even though it's my day off, I still got up at 6am. The bar usually opens at 11 am, to prepare everything and some customers already come to eat a snack or drink something cold since it's already hot in the morning. To my surprise, I heard the sheets rustling in the bedroom at 7am.
-„What are you already doing here?"
I had to ask him, a little worried if he's okay.
Palm looks in the fridge.
-„Well, I couldn't sleep anymore. And I'm a little hungry."
He grins at me and I sigh.
-„You already want breakfast?"
He nods multiple times.
-„Yes na."
-„Okok, fine. Sit down."
He smiles.

-„Palm."
He looks at me with this expecting look, but at the same time he's focused on his food.
-„Listen... well... this has been my dream since a long time, and... just uhm... I will go study in the US."
I told him. I did it. My heart was racing, I felt the humid sweat dripping down on my skin. My eyes didn't know where to look. Palm was just staring at me, no reaction. Then he finally puts his fork and knife down on the plate, and crosses his arms.
-„Nueng, that's great. I'm happy for you."
Then Palm touches my trembling hand.
-„No need to be scared to tell me. I'm not the one deciding over you life, the only thing I can do is support my boyfriend since I love him veeeeery much."
Then his face softens up and I kind of break into tears.
He gets up from his seat.
-„Come here."
I get up too and literally run into his open arms.
-„Thanks so much, Palm. Thank you."
I whisper multiple times and he caresses my head.
-„When will you leave? What will you study? How will you manage life there? Should I come with you?"
He fired multiple questions at me, I sniff and laugh.
-„Palm, I will be alright."
Somehow, I manage to answer all his questions.
Tbc...

-811 words
-writer {cucumber}, typos checker {sausage}