Autumn is a second spring

62. Paris

"Hia, can you help me go through the guest list once more? I want to make sure that I didn't leave anyone out, " Prem handed the list to Boun.

Boun looked down at the list and then at Prem. "What list is this, Pao? "

" Oh Hia, did you forget again? Bew's birthday is coming up na. Don't we have to invite everyone to the birthday party? " Prem chuckled. " Check the list and let me know if I have missed someone. We have to send out party invites as well. "

Boun turned quiet while staring at the huge list.

"Hia," Prem called out and realized that the latter was spacing out. "Hia?" He shook Boun, snapping him out of the daze. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing. I~" Boun closed his mouth feeling a bitter taste from within.

"I don't think we have to make it a huge party na. Inviting Bew's classmates and some of our close relatives would be enough, no? Bew wasn't very comfortable being among a lot of people last time. So, I cut short the people to be invited." Prem said as he folded the laundry. "That's why I want you to check again to make sure that none of the 'must-invite' people are left out." 

He placed the last folded t-shirt on the stack and turned to Boun, only to notice the pale look on his face. "Hia, what happened? Is there something wrong? You don't look good."

Boun met Prem's gaze. He could feel Prem's concern. "There is nothing wrong with me but there is something that I want to discuss with you."

Sensing the seriousness in Boun's tone, Prem set aside the clothes and turned his full attention to the former. "What is it, Hia?"

"Erm..." Boun hesitated a bit. "How about we... I mean shall we not hold a birthday party this year?"

"Au? Why, Hia?" Prem frowned. "Is it because of what happened in the last year's party~"

"No, Pao." Boun grabbed Prem's both hands. "It's not because of that. It's because..." He took a deep breath. "It's because Bew wants to celebrate his birthday in Paris."

"Paris?" The frown on Prem's face grew deeper. "Why does he suddenly want to celebrate his birthday in Paris?"

He knew that Bew wasn't the kind that loved to travel and explore places. He didn't understand from where the kid had gotten the idea of celebrating his birthday in a place like Paris. It would have made more sense if he had asked to go to Disney land for his birthday.

"Bew wants to celebrate his birthday with his Mom, Pao," Boun finally dropped the bomb.

The expression on Prem's face changed. He was in complete shock. "W- What?"

"When I asked Bew what he wanted as the birthday gift this time, he asked me if I could take him to Paris meet his Mom. I didn't say yes, but I told him that I would discuss with you and give him an answer." Boun gently squeezed Prem's hand.

"B- But, why? Why does he suddenly want to meet his mom?" Prem was speaking to himself. He never let the child feel the absence of a mother in his life. Yet, today, hearing that the child wanted to meet his biological mother, he felt a sense of uselessness.

"That Pao..." Boun began explaining what he learned about Bew from the kinder garden teacher and about the conversation he had with Bew. Of course, he had censored off some parts and sugarcoated some yet, he could see the pain in Prem's eyes. He knew well that his Pao wouldn't be able take it if he told him the complete truth.

He had no doubt that if he revealed everything, his Pao's state would be much worse than that of Earth.

"Why am I the last person to know all this? Why didn't anyone tell me? Why did 'you' tell me?" Prem was already crying as he grabbed Boun by his collar.

"Because you were busy, Pao. You~"

"Busy?" Prem scoffed. "You know that I am never busy when it comes to Bew! There is nothing more important to me than Bew! Yet you..." Prem's grip on Boun's collar loosened.

"Pao, things are not bad as you think. I have handled everything. I just didn't want you to be distracted from your career," Boun spoke softly.

The project Prem was currently working on was an international project collaborating with a Japanese Korean director. The project would be a huge leap in Prem's career and Boun knew it well. 

If he had told Prem about the matter a few days ago, he was sure that his Pao would leave everything behind and rush to be by their son's side. This was exactly why he didn't want to bother Prem at any cost. He didn't want Prem to let go of such a golden opportunity to hike up his career.

"Ohm, Fluke, P' Kao, Earth, everyone was there to help me, Pao. It has been well settled. Plus, the things that none of us could handle was covered by James. There's no corner that is left untouched, Pao. Trust me on this." Boun cupped Prem's face as he coaxed the latter.

"James?" Prem asked in a barely audible sound. The name irked him. Even Boun's secretary got to know of this matter before him and he absolutely hated it. He hated it that James was getting involved in Bew and Boun's life.

But Boun failed to notice the shift in Prem. He continued to speak. "Pao, what do you say? Shall we fulfill his birthday wish? Shall we bring him to Paris to meet with P' Merlin?"

"No!" Prem said without missing a beat.

"Huh?"

"I said No. We can't bring him there!"

"Pao, Bew really wants to meet his mom na."

"For what Hia? That woman had abandoned him when he was a baby! Why do you want to bring him to meet with that woman? Just why?"

"Because that woman is his Mae and he wants to meet her, Pao. And stop acting like you don't know what happened back then."

"What happened back then, Hia? I really don't understand what had happened back then that she had to leave a baby in the hands of a person she had only met once or twice!" Prem's voice was laced with both anger and disappointment. 

"She chose to be greedy. She chose herself over her children. She chose her interests over being a mother. She had already made her choice and left her kids behind. Why are you so dead set on whitewashing her actions, Hia?" He maintained his eye contact as he spoke. 

"There are hundreds of mothers out there who are single but raise their children by themselves.  For P' Merlin, was it that difficult? Wouldn't all of you help her raise the kids even if you didn't adopt them? You would have! Why did she have to make the choice, Hia?"

"Pao, it was not easy for her."