Peraya One Shot

Memories

Kong sat in his favorite chair, on the back patio. The weather was hot, but in his old age, it felt comfortable to him. The breeze was calm and cooling. In his lap was an old photo album. One he treasured above all else. It was given to him, by his husband on their 50th wedding anniversary. His P'Arthit, with the help of his friends, found photos from their university days along with a lot more of others. The album held fifty pages, each back had six photo's front and back. Kong had not realize that many photos' were taken of all of them throughout the years.

Kong rubbed his hand over the front of the album gentle. Tears in his eyes, as he looked at a picture of a younger him and P'Arthit, from Kong fresher year. Today was a sad day. A bad day, one Kong didn't want to wake up for. A year ago today, he lost his beloved husband. P'Arthit always said he had to go first. "It's not because I'm older, either age doesn't matter. It's because I know I wouldn't make it without you for long." He had said. The subject was brought up, shortly after Arthit mother passed away. His father was so distraught, they were worried he wouldn't make it. They were right. He passed a week after she did.

At the time Kong couldn't imagine what his father-in-law was going through, but now he understood. Every night when he went to bed, he hoped to not wake the next morning. When he did, he laid there silent tears cascading down his cheek. His P' had passed in his sleep, a brain aneurysm they said. It was painless and quick. Kong had been glad. He never liked seeing his P' in pain. Now a year later, he was looking though the photo album. It's been five years since his P'Arthit gifted him this album.

"Pou What are you looking at?" a little girl asked climbing onto Kong's lap. The four-year-old had seen her grandfather look at the book many times before. She tried to look at it once by herself but got scolded, by her mae. Her mae and por told her never to touch. It was her Pou special book.

"Memories." Kong said to his youngest granddaughter Rose, his arms wrapping around her to keep her from falling off his lap. She was the youngest of his eleven grandchildren, his youngest daughter, daughter. They had been blessed with four children two boys and two girl. They wanted to adopted, but Thailand didn't allow gay couples to adopted, so they went the route of surrogacy. They used Arthit DNA the first time around, welcoming a baby boy nine months later. Seven years later, they did it again, using both DNA. They were surprised when both took, resulting in their twins. A boy and a girl. Five years later, Kong submitted just his DNA and the results were a baby girl. They were all in the house, with their spouses and his other grandchildren.

"What kind of memories? Are you forgetting something pou?" she asked looking at the pictures. "That's you and P'pou!" She said excitedly looking at the front cover. Kong chuckled at the name. It was something Arthit made. "I'm the older one, so they should call be P'pou or P'ta." He said when their first grandchild was born. Kong had laughed at it but went along with it.

"Do you want to look through it with me?" Kong asked. He knew he would cry, and it was something he didn't want his Lann sao to see, but he didn't want to push her away either."

"Mae and por said not to, cuz it's your special book. Pou, why is it special?" She asked tracing the letters on the cover.

"Your P'pou gave it to me as a gift, before you were born." He answer truthfully. "It has all kind of pictures of us, our friends, and family. It has all kinds of pictures in here."

"Am I in there?" she asked looking at Kong, who shook his head.

"No sweet pea. This book was made before you were born. Through I think I might add to it." Kong didn't want to mess with it. He wanted to leave it as it was. The way his husband gave it to him.

"Oh." She said pouting. Kong couldn't help but chuckle.

"You are in all other albums through love, don't worry." She gave him a bright smile dancing in his lap.