Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

Holiday Angel

"Uncle Phayu, we are staying with you!" Twin voices sing out as they enter the house.

Phayu leans down in front of the four-year-olds, one boy and one girl. "I know you are, while your parents go on a cruise, right?"

The twins nod in unison. Phayu swears they do everything in unison, he wonders if he and Saifah had been the same at that age.

"Tayada, Teerata, I want you both to promise to be good for your uncle while we are gone." Heam says bringing in two bags and a cat carrier. A disgruntled meow comes from the carrier when she sits it down. She opens the door, and the orange fluffy cat comes out slowly looking around the new location. Saifah follows behind with more bags.

Phayu raises his eyebrows at the amount of luggage. "Your house is literally the next street over. I will be over there twice a week to water the plants. Was it necessary to bring everything the twins own?"

"Uncle Phayu, where's your Christmas tree?" the little girl, Tay says looking around.

"I don't have one." Phayu says.

"Why not?" Tee asks.

"Because your uncle is grumpy." Saifah says.

"Because they shed needles everywhere and make a mess." Phayu says.

"Like I said." Saifah says.

Losing interest in the adults, Tee says, "Can we watch TV? I want to watch Starlight Angel."

"Starlight Angel?" Phayu asks.

"It's a holiday movie. The twins are absolutely obsessed with it so be prepared to watch it twice a day at least." Saifah says.

"Ironically one of the actors lives just down the street. I have been meaning to see if I could get a picture with him and the twins, but with work and getting ready for the cruise there hasn't been much time." Heam says. "Maybe when we get back."

She and Saifah go to hug the kids goodbye, but they are already engrossed in the movie and barely notice their parents leaving them.

"Well at least sweetie will miss us," Heam says wryly, scratching the cat behind the ears. The cat purrs and rubs its head against her hands. Heam looks like she might cry.

"It's only three weeks," Phayu tells his sister-in-law. "We'll be fine, and you can call as often as you like. Now go, before you miss your flight. Have a good trip."

Saifah practically drags Heam from the house, but he is looking a little teary eyed himself.

Phayu looked at the twins peacefully watching TV and the cat curled on the back of the sofa. He sighs at the thought of cat hair everywhere but all and all this shouldn't be too bad. His niece and nephew are well behaved for the most part.

This is bad, this is so bad. Tay and Tee are both crying and Phayu is ready to throw his hands up. How could he lose the damn cat on the first night? He swears he only left the door open for a minute when their dinner had been delivered. He hadn't even seen the cat anywhere around. Since dinner they have been searching for hours and still no sign of the furball.

It's well past the twins' bedtime and it's getting late.

"Let's get ready for bed, we'll look more tomorrow." Phayu tells them.

They nod, but the tears keep coming. After he gets them in their PJs, Phayu says, "What if I sing for you?"

The twins look a little happier at that, they love Phayu's singing.

"Get in bed and I will go get the guitar, okay?" Phayu asks.

When their uncle leaves the room, Tee turns to his twin and says, "Should we wish for Tato to come home like Nim did in Starlight Angel."