A Touching Of Lips (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 33. Hua Hin! Here We Come.

On Friday evening the four of us loaded our bags in the boot of a BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo saloon car with Bangkok Marine World Aquarium plastered on both sides. If Pond was wanting us to advertise our presence in Hua Hin then that would certainly do it.

Ming was well excited about driving such a good car and had promised the carpool manager that he would take great care of it.

Korn and Karn could not believe it and were well impressed. I decided to do my own bit of impressing, and overstepped the mark again, and got shot down in flames. Hit by both barrels front and centre.

All I said to Korn was 'when you do start to work for me this is what you can expect to be driving'.

Not a good move was it? Especially to Korn. He answered, and I'm sorry but I have to quote him, word verbatim, 'If, and when, we do start to work for you and you gave us this to drive, I, and not we, will thrust the frigging key somewhere that the sun doesn't shine...... If and when we do have a car like this, it is because we have earned it...... Don't come the fucking big benefactor with us Earth. Not that we want to sound ungrateful, but you know how we feel, don't you?'

Ming tried to keep a straight face and couldn't. Nor could Karn, he started to snigger, and in the end both Korn and I started giggling and then really laughing.

Eventually we just man-hugged each other. Any tension was gone. Dissipated as quickly as it had arrived. It was as simple as that. So easy to do when you are true friends with someone, isn't it?

We programmed the onboard Satellite Navigation System, or as Korn called it the Prat Nav, for my home in Samut Sakhon, and set off. The journey should take 40 minutes, but with the Friday night heavy traffic it was more likely to take well over an hour.

The twins had never been to my home before, and obviously neither had Ming. As we neared the house I telephoned ahead asking for the main gates to be prepared ready to be opened on our arrival.

"Will your mother be there, Earth?" Ming asked. "I would rather not stop there for too long as Hua Hin is at least another two hours away and we'll get there quite late."

"I don't know." I answered truthfully. "Actually, I feel bad about not asking now. I just told Poom our housekeeper...., that's Pang's mother by the way, Ming..., what things to pack for me as I wasn't stopping. Didn't even think to ask about my mother. I will just buy her a gift from Hua Hin to make up for not doing so."

As we pulled up outside the gates I told Ming to sound the horn three times. There was a short wait before the electric gates started to slide back.

Poom was standing by the steps to the house as we drove in, with a tray with four glasses of iced water on it.

"Your mother asked me to make sure I offered you all refreshments even if you were not stopping, Naai Earth. She told me to ask if you could call back here on Sunday on your return journey. She is not working and would very much like to see you. What answer shall I give her?"

"Thanks Poom." I answered, handing out the glasses to the others. "Tell her I will try. I cannot promise, but I will call her when we leave Hua Hin. Do you have my bag and camera please?"

"It's just inside the door, Naai Earth, with some packed food for your journey. You all must be hungry, yes?" She asked as we walked up the steps and into the house.

"How is she coping, Poom?" I asked, picking up my bag and camera. Poom picked up what looked like a lot of food boxes.

"She works hard to forget everything that happened, Naai Earth. She does miss you all very much. She is here just to sleep it seems. Please come on Sunday to see for yourself. I shall cook something nice for you all."

"Nice place," Ming offered, after we had driven away. "Do you think your mother will continue to live here?"

"I'm not so sure. She knows that I don't want to come back on the weekends at the moment because of the memories. Poom just said she only returns to sleep."

We all talked quite a lot between us during the journey about various happy and jolly things. The twins regaled us about their adventures growing up in Hua Hin, and Ming recalled his visits there with his family for holidays.

I took it that I was not asked about my visits there because of the recent loss of my family, and I was grateful for that as it was something that I wasn't quite ready to talk about just yet.

The only time something sad was spoken of was when Korn briefly mentioned the argument caused by Golf on Tuesday, and his subsequent moving out. It was clear he was still angry about being accused of snitching on him, as he, like I did, knew it was untrue.

Ming and I had not told them the reason behind it of course. I had felt bad about it at first but soon came round to Ming's way of thinking. He had said 'If they know what Pond had done to Golf would they worry that he has done the same to them', and so I agreed it was right not to tell them.

We arrived at the hotel shortly before 9pm, and a handsome young man at the reception desk welcomed us as we approached. "Good evening Sirs. Welcome to The Royal Siam Hotel and Villa Resort. My name is Kris. How may I help you?"

"You have two villa reservations in the names of Korapat Rattanaruangwattana and Atthaphan Khunatipapisirisunkit," I answered and watched him as he busily typed away.

"Ah yes! That booking was made with me earlier this week. I have been able to meet the request you made to have them adjacent to each other and as near to the beach as possible. Just confirm which name is yours please Sir?"

"Khunatipapisirisunkit." I answered quite loudly.

No sooner had I said it when an older man looked up, and came rushing over, bowing effusively. "I am Thahan Lertchoochot, the Hotel manager. Did you say Khunatipapisirisunkit, Sir?

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh! It is just that was the last name of the owner of the Majestic Hotel next door. Khun Asnee Khunatipapisirisunkit was tragically killed recently. Are you related to him?"

I didn't know quite what to do or say, and the shock of hearing my father's name must have drained the colour from my face. I turned to Ming to say something but my mouth wouldn't work.

"Earth....? Are you alright?" Ming asked, placing a hand on my shoulder and steadying me.

Kris quickly poured some water and handed it to me.

It was Korn who stepped forward and answered Thahan for me. "Khun Asnee was his father. Atthaphan here is his youngest son. You are probably aware that his two older brothers were also killed in the same attack. I think you will find in a few weeks time Atthaphan will be the new owner, along with his mother."

"He is staying here because he requires some privacy at this distressing time," Karn hastily added.

The manager looked shocked at seeing twins and stepped backwards away from them.

Then suddenly Pond and Chiang appeared beside me. It seemed that Thahan instantly recognised them both as he almost fell over as he bowed and wai'd with even deeper gestures than he had given me.

"Please do not say anything, Thahan," Pond said quietly, and yet firmly. "I am Pond Jumlongkul, and this is Chiang Charanachitta, Chief Executive of the Bangkok Marine World Aquarium. These are all our trusted friends. Please would you personally make sure that our security staff are taken care of, and we insist that no member of staff enter either of the villas during our stay."

"Are you not requiring the Exclusive Suite Sir?" Thahan inquired.

"No!" Pond answered. "We will use the villa allocated to Rattanaruangwattana, but it would be helpful if you could make the Exclusive Suite available for our security staff as they will need to rest in between shifts?"

From the tone of Pond's voice I wondered if the hotel manager was a Merman, and I looked to Ming for confirmation, but as usual he didn't give it.