Autumn is a second spring

56. Son

"Mom, I think we should tell this to Boun as well so that he can give a proper proposal to Prem. I don't think it is a good idea for us to 'arrange' their engagements as families" Ann suggested after a long pause.

"Alright. Do as you see fit. But I have to see them get engaged by the end of the year," Mintra agreed.

"Mom, what did you want to discuss about Ohm?" Seth probed.

The moment Ohm's matter was brought up, Mintra's face turned even grimmer. She was really unhappy with Ann and Seth's performances as Ohm's parents. "I heard that the last time Ohm visited you two, he ended up in hospital. Do either of you care to explain?"

Ann instantly lowered her head. The incident happened almost two months ago. Ohm was staying at their place for a night. Since it was the first time Ohm was staying with them after so many years, Ann was delighted and decided to cook for him. The issue that she didn't know was that Ohm was severely allergic to celery. She had added chopped celery to the Suki Nam she prepared for the night. 

Ohm had only taken a sip of the soup before his tongue and neck started being itchy. It didn't take long before his face swelled up and he was unable to speak. He was rushed to the emergency ward as soon as possible. 

"I- I didn't know that he was allergic to celery," Ann stuttered.

"What kind of Mae are you, Ann!? You don't even know what your child can eat and what he can't!" Mintra was furious. She had only learned about the incident recently, that too by accident. "Do you even care about Ohm!?"

She was angrier at the fact that everyone had hidden the matter from her till then. She looked at her son-in-law. "You too Seth. What do you think you are doing? Is making him a perfect successor the only thing you can do for him?"

Seth too was ashamed as much as Ann when it came to the matter of his deteriorating relationship with their son. Every time they met, Ohm would treat him like any other elder in the family or a business partner and never as his father.

"Both of you have time to be nosy about other's kids. When Boun had a problem, both of you supported him. When the whole family opposed Kao and Earth's marriage, you backed them up. I don't understand why you two are so negligent when it comes to your own son. What did the child even do that both of you are turning a blind eye to him?" Mintra fumed.

"Mom, it's not that we didn't try. We~"

"You didn't try at all, Ann! You didn't! How can you not know your son's allergies if you had tried?"

"Ohm always keeps us at a one arm distance, Mom." Seth retorted. Ohm never let them get closer to him.

"That's because you two had kept him at a one arm distance in the beginning. You two had never been there for him at any stage of life! Of course, he would distance himself and stand on his own. He has no obligation to be nice to you given the way he had been treated by you two."

Mintra glared at the couple who had gone completely silent now. "I saw that Fluke didn't talk to either of you. Is it because of the hospital incident as well?"

The couple didn't dare answer that.

It was the hospital staff of Sirene who informed Fluke that Ohm got hospitalized that night. Fluke who was in Koh Larn for the shoot of his new MV, had arranged a private ferry to take him back to Bangkok that very night, travelling more than four and a half hours to reach the hospital.

By the time Fluke reached the hospital, Ohm's allergic reaction had reduced considerably but it was evident that he was panicked.

Seeing Fluke that night, both Ann and Seth had expected him to burst out in anger and shout at them for causing Ohm's condition. But instead, Fluke had calmly asked them to go back home, reasoning that the caretaker's bed in the hospital wasn't comfortable enough for them. It was clear as a day that he didn't want them to be there anymore.

He was the one who had persuaded Ohm to spend a night at his parent's place. He wanted Ohm to mend his relationship with his family as he knew that his boyfriend longed for Ann and Seth's acceptance.  

That night, Fluke regretted ever asking Ohm to go there. Ever since that day, he never brought up the matter of reconciling the family ties before Ohm. He also started keeping his distance from Ohm's parents.

"Why aren't two of you answering me?" Mintra slammed her hand on the armrest of her chair, startling the couple.

Mintra had been the matriarch of the Dechaphatthanakun family for years. Her aura was very forceful. 

"Kha. " Ann answered softly. She was really scared of her mother.

"Great! Fluke was the only person who was trying to bring Ohm closer to all of us. Thanks to your actions, he must have realized that his efforts are fruitless, and you guys would never change." Mintra gritted her teeth. 

She was really worried about Ohm. She could literally see him rifting away from his family over years. He didn't need any of them.

Ann felt a lump in her throat. Ohm never contacted her on his own account. It would be either Boun or Fluke who connected him with her. 

Boun had always had the feeling that Ohm got neglected by Ann because of him. That was why he always tried his best to bring Ohm and Ann together. He was Ann's little spy and would tell her about Ohm every now and then.

It was Boun who confirmed to her that Ohm was actually dating Fluke. Both Ohm and Fluke had denied it when she confronted them in a teasing manner. They didn't want her to know.

When she heard that Ohm had gone to visit Fluke's parent as a boyfriend, she was really upset. Not because she didn't approve of their relationship. But because they had announced their relationship to Fluke's family than her and her husband.

She knew that it was impossible after what had happened. She knew that she had already ruined the image she had of a mother in Fluke's heart was completely ruined. It would take her double the efforts she did if she wanted to restore her image.

Relationships were not like PR stunts after all. It was way too difficult for her to create opportunities to meet with Ohm and Fluke. 

"Boun and Ohm are the same age. I don't want Ohm's engagement to be prolonged after Boun's. You two better start thinking straight and make necessary arrangements." Mintra commanded before getting up to leave the place.