Risk Taker [Englot]

Chapter 24

"Happy New Year Sun !" I said on the phone.

"Happy New Year Mommy!"

I had decided to call Apo to wish them all a happy new year. We used to spend the night with friends over or at their place. It was really rare since Sun was born that either Apo or I would go out partying with other people, so I felt the need to call them.

"How are you?" I asked my eldest son.

"Sorry, he's already gone running to his room." Apo replied.

"Oh, ok."

"Did you have a good night?" he asked.

"Yes... Was yours ok with the boys?"

"I put them to sleep and then Win and Jeff came over. We just had a chill night."

"Good."

"Who did you spend the night with?"

The question caught me off guard.

"With Nudee and her friends."

"Oh, you didn't go with your sister?"

He was asking a lot of questions and I couldn't help but feel weird about it. Like it felt... intrusive.

"No, she had other plans."

"Do you wanna come spend the afternoon with us?"

What was going on suddenly??

"Erm, no thanks, I'm gonna stay with P'Daad for a while and I have plans later also."

"Oh plans? But we usually spend the first day of the year together... the four of us..."

I didn't know what to reply. It's not like I didn't want to see my sons... but this invitation seemed... weird...

"What are your plans?"

"Hu?"

"This afternoon. What are you going to do?"

"What's gotten into you all of the sudden? Why do I have to tell you what I'm going to do?"

"Well if you don't want to tell it means that you're not proud about it so... What are you hiding?"

"Apo, I can hide anything that I want from you. I don't owe you any explanation over what I'm doing. But if you're really dying to know I'm going out with Nudee for coffee!"

I was getting angry at him. Why would he act this way? He mostly never asked about what I was doing on my own time before I asked to get divorced. And he also never told me what he was doing in advance... porbably because it was mostly fucking other girls...

"Seeing Nudee again, huh? You were just with her last night..."

I inhaled deeply, trying to calm down.

"I don't get to see her a lot, you know she travels all the time..."

"Yeah right... You'd rather spend time with her than your family..."

I was shocked, how could he say such a thing?

"I'm not doing this right now, Apo. I hope you have a great day. Kiss Sun and Champ for me." I replied before I hung up.

"What the fuck was that?" P'Daad asked, looking at me dumbfounded.

"I don't know... he's been weird lately..." I sighed.

"Did I ever tell you that I don't like him?"

"Yes..."

We watched TV for a while and then I got ready to meet with Nudee in Watthana. As I was sitting behind the driver on the bike, I couldn't help but think again about how weird Apo has been. Since he broke the lamp in the bedroom he had calmed down a lot. He was less short tempered and the different meetings with the attorneys went surprisingly well... Why was he back to being annoyed? And why would he want me to stay for dinner last night and come over today? This was very strange.

I got off the motorbike, paid the driver and checked my phone. No news from Charlotte yet. I hoped she was doing ok at home. I walked to the cafe where Nudee was already waiting for me.

"Hi!" she said cheerfully.

"Hey." I replied, hugging her gently.

She patted my head. Nudee, even though she was way younger than me, always had a motherly side showing when we were together. She was crazy and playful but she also showed quite easily that she cared about me. I knew I was at fault here. I shouldn't have behaved the way I did with her last night when she was indeed trying to help and in fact succeeded. I was being too proud and stubborn, I knew that. And I left to spend the night with Charlotte on top of everything... when she was the one inviting me to the party... I knew she didn't hold any grudges because she was such a nice person... yet I needed to apologize for real.

"I'm really sorry for last night. I should have listened to you instead of getting mad. You did everything to help me... and I left you before midnight even though you were the one to bring me there..."

"Hey, Engfa, stop it, ok? It's nothing. I'm glad you found your way back to her."

"But I..."

"I said stop. I knew you needed a little push. It was clear that you were stuck, scared and on edge. It's ok to react like you did. I didn't give you any warning either, so you know..."

"I... Yes. I'm sorry."

"We're good. Let's go inside so you can relieve your guilt by buying me the most luxurious coffee." she said, winking at me.

She entered the café, pulling me by the hand. The place was absolutely beautiful and the crew really nice. We ordered drinks and found a table to sit. Nudee took a tiny camera from her bag and started to take some pictures of our drinks. I let my mind wander for a few seconds. I hoped Charlotte was ok. I really missed her since she left the cab earlier. I couldn't wait for her to call me when she would be back at Heidi's. We just had such an amazing night... I wish I could see her again... Like going out with her... But her situation with her husband probably needed to be clarified first... And like me she had a kid thrown in the middle of all this... Suddenly, I got pulled up from my thoughts by Nudee showing me the screen of her camera.

"I can tell you were thinking about her just now." she said.

I looked down at the screen. She had taken a picture of me. I blushed a little.

"Busted." I replied softly.

"Your eyes don't lie. You look enamored and anxious at the same time."

"Do I?" I asked, looking back at the picture.

"What do you think?" she asked back, smirking while raising her eyebrows.

I bit my lip.

"Your nose just flared."

"Ok, ok! I'm in love with her!"

The smile spread on Nudee's face, so wide.

"I knew it!" she said, proudly.

"So, what happened last night when I disappeared?"

"Well, you tell me girl! What happened?" she smirked again.

"No! Nudee! I meant you!"

"I know, I know, I'm kidding. Well... Let me try to remember..." she replied, her fingers massaging her temples.

Nudee told me that after leaving her alone on the dancefloor, she reunited with her friends and Heidi. Some other model friends of theirs joined them later. They basically laughed, drank and danced all night long until Nudee left with a fellow photographer who she spent the morning with.

"Do you know if Heidi made it back ok? Since I robbed Charlotte from her... I feel kinda guilty..." I said.

"Oh, don't worry, she left the ballroom with a stunning young woman. Based on what I saw earlier during the evening I bet they had an amazing night too!" she laughed.

"Ok. Too much info. Thanks." I replied, covering my ears with my palms.

"Sorry. So... what did you do last night?"

"Nudee!" I whined, blushing.

"Oh, come on!"

"I don't kiss and tell..."

"So you kissed her!"

"Nudeeeee!"

She teased me some more while we sipped our drinks. Nudee was a really great friend. I never could have guessed that I would have gotten along so well with her. She was crazy, funny, motherly and really creative. A weird combination that worked wonders. She reminded me of my sister a lot. That was probably why they were so annoying when they were together... against me... Damn, I was lucky to have them.

"Why are you looking at me like this?" she asked.

"Nothing... You remind me of my sister."

"I like P'Daad so much, she's so great!"

"She likes you too. But don't get too attached."

"Why?"

"I'm not allowing you two to get together ever again. I know you will plot against me." I replied, blowing raspberries at her.

"Did you tell her you spent the night banging Charlotte or do I need to text her?"

"I told her already." I scoffed.

"Good."

"Wait what??? What do you mean text her?"

"Sorry, you're doomed." she replied, making a cute face.

"I really am... Damn it! I shouldn't have let you two meet again..."

"Liar. You're so glad you have us." she affirmed, smiling.

"Yeah..." I admitted, defeated.

We talked for a long time, ordering new drinks, chatting about anything. Then Nudee started to ask questions about what kind of apartment I wanted to rent when I would have the money after the one I was sharing with Apo would be sold. I told her how weird he had been the last time I saw him and how he acted on the phone this morning.

"Well, it's obvious." she said, sipping on her ginger lemonade.

"It is?"

"Now that you don't want him anymore and you're leaving your own life, he's feeling insecure and wants control back."

"But he didn't care about what I was doing for the past 2 or 3 years!"

"Because you were a couple. He knew he had you. Now that you're slipping away from him... he wants you back."

"Eww, no!"

"I think so. Maybe it's just something temporary... Like he wants to check if he can still have you. You know what I mean?"

"... I'm afraid I do..." I replied, feeling kind of nauseous.

"And since you're not complying... he's probably feeling frustrated."

We talked some more, until our glasses were empty again. The crew was starting to close the café so we got up to leave. The sun was going down behind the building in front of us. I checked the time and realized it was indeed kind of late. Still no call from Charlotte.

"Do you want to get dinner together?"

"Mmmm..."

"You don't have to if your sister is waiting for you or anything..."

"No, no, we don't have plans. But I'll text her so she doesn't wait for me. I have to go to work tomorrow so I can't stay out too late but I REALLY do want to have dinner with you. We don't get to see each other enough, Nudee. I really miss you when you're away you know..."

"Awwww..." she meowed, hugging me.

"I'm serious. But I'm waiting for Charlotte to call me. She went back home to pack her things and talk with her husband..."

"Is she ok?"

"I don't know..."

"Do you want to call her?" she asked.

"I don't want to interfere too much... You know I don't want to put pressure on her..."

"Yeah, you've been saying this for a while now..." she replied, giving me a concerned face.

"Let's go grab dinner, I'll text her from the restaurant, ok?"

"Deal! I know a place not too far from here, come on!"

We walked for a few minutes through the streets of Watthana, chatting along the way. I texted my sister to tell her that I wasn't coming home for dinner and she replied that she was almost ready to go to bed. Nudee burst out laughing when I told her, saying that this was proving that she was different from my sister. I did argue that she was way younger than us but that only made her laugh more. Nudee had chosen to lead me to a grill restaurant and I was already dancing in anticipation before we were even seated. When we got to our table she didn't waste any seconds.

"Text her now."

"I..."

"Come on! You trust me right?"

"Yes. Sorry."

I took my phone from my pocket and texted Charlotte.

E🥭 : Is everything ok?

I put the phone on my lap, hoping she would reply soon. We ordered our meals and I couldn't help but check my phone sneakily a bunch of times throughout dinner. But still... no news from Charlotte. I tried to put on an ok face but I knew Nudee was seeing right through me, though she didn't say more that night. We paid for our meal and hugged some more. Nudee offered to go grab coffee the next day like she had forgotten I had to be at work. So I declined and promised to see each other again before she had to leave Bangkok for her next job. I got back home, my sister was indeed already in a deep deep slumber when I checked on her, cuddling her pillow.

I was still really anxious about Charlotte. It was now really late and she hadn't called nor replied to my text. When I got into my duvet on the sofa half an hour later I was debating if I should turn on my laptop to check Heidi's info to find her personal number to call her... I didn't want to mix work and private life too much but I was feeling more and more nervous. I tried to call Charlotte but she didn't pick up.

Dark thoughts started to creep inside my brain again. We just admitted our feelings to each other... but what if Charlotte couldn't leave her husband? What if she had eventually decided to stay with him for the sake of their son? I couldn't force her to do the same as me... Or what if he was aggressive with her and forced her to stay? What if...

My mind was going crazy when suddenly my phone started to buzz in my hand. Charlotte was calling me.

___
Hey guys... I didn't forget about you.
I'm sorry to have made you wait this long for an update.
Life has been a rollercoaster lately and I didn't find any time or energy to write...
But I'm still here. I promised you I would finish this story and I will, don't worry!
Hope you're all well and good. Kisses <3