Expressions of Remorse

Chapter 4 ~ the offer ~

Later that day, Stu and Anurak had just finished lunch and were leaving the restaurant when Stu's cell phone beeped.

"sorry Rak but I just need to take this call, I'll meet you back at the car" he said accepting the call and walking away for privacy.

Anurak shrugged and turned to walk back to Stu's car only to come face to face with the old lady and her grandson.

He wanted to pretend that he hadn't noticed them but the old lady was waving at him and trying to attract his attention, it would be downright rude of him to ignore her.

"Mr Apattachin, how lovely to see you again and so soon" she said.

Anurak smiled at her and wai'd but didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say.

"we were just going to lunch, would you like to join us?" she asked.

"I already ate but thank you" Rak said keeping his eyes averted from her grandson.

"you must come and have dinner with us soon, wouldn't that be nice Niran?" she said.

"it would be wonderful grandmother" he answered honestly while staring intently at Anurak as if willing him to look at him.

"I'm very busy so I doubt I'll have time but thank you" Rak replied, he knew he was being rude but he couldn't face sitting down to a meal with that asshole, it was bad enough resisting the natural instinct to look across at the guy.

"may I ask what you do for a living that makes you so busy?" she asked.

"I'm a business development manager" Rak smiled.

"oh really, who do you work for?" the old lady asked.

"I'm actually freelance but ..." Rak began before she cut him off.

"so if you're freelance then you could take time off whenever" she said looking confused.

"I have other things that I need to take care of ma'am but thank you, now I really must go" Rak said before walking away.

"how odd?" she spoke out loud.

"grandmother, could you go inside alone and wait for me, I just forgot I had something to say to your friend" Niran said.

"of course dear, take your time" she said before going inside the restaurant.

Niran turned to see where Anurak was going and followed him then reached out and placed his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Mr Apattachin"

"yes, what do you want?" Rak said without looking up.

"can't you at least look at me?" Niran said.

"I don't want to" Rak replied.

"listen, I really am sorry, I'll do anything to make amends, your friend damn near broke my nose yesterday, I'll give you another free shot if it means you will look at me" Niran said.

"as tempting as your offer is, I'm not really into violence" Rak replied.

"good to know but ... please look at me, please forgive me" Niran said.

Anurak lifted his head and glared at the other man taking note of the bruising around his nose before he spoke,

"Mr Khornachakim, what part of 'don't ever appear before me again' don't you understand, I don't want to see you, I don't want to talk to you and I certainly don't want to sit down to a meal with you" Rak said.

"I am trying so hard to make amends here" Niran began.

"you wouldn't have had to make amends if you had approached me like a normal person and discussed the issue first but what? you broke into my home, had me dragged out of my bed and my home half naked by a policeman. I was humiliated and violated, do you really not know what that Doctor did to me in that room? then after the pain and indignity of that I was questioned for hours and you expect me to do what? ... tell you that it's ok and that I forgive you?"