Saved by you

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Mr. Puttha came home early today. So he decided to spend the rest of the time before dinner in his home office, burying himself with work. This is how his life works after the death of his wife. He misses her most of the time and always thinks of her. Even after more than a decade of losing her, he still remembers how she smiled every time she saw him. Her wife always welcomes him with a warm hug every time he goes home from work. She always cooks breakfast for him with Aunt Praya. She always arranged their closet and chose to do the laundry. She always says that she is used to household chores as she never grew up with housemaids. She's a commoner. And a commoner has to do all the labor to live, like her who's an orphan as well. Even after marrying him and belonging to the elites, she didn't change. When Than and Build came to their life, she taught them how to live simple and content. Though they have the money, she told the kids to just spend what is necessary. And most importantly, she taught them how to be happy. The simplest things make her happy, like spending time together and playing around the garden. She is the simplest woman he had ever met.

Her loss brought darkness to the family, especially to him. He became a different father to his children and that is what he regretted the most. He should have spent the days with them. They should've grieved together, as a family. But he grieved on his own and let his children grieve on their own too. He's glad the kids were like their mother, they never held a grudge against him. They are the most precious people in his life until the end.

Mr. Puttha was about to open the drawer of his desk to fish out a stick of cigarette when his phone rang. He smiled when he saw who's calling. It's Build. His son had created a habit of calling him every morning and every evening ever since he moved in with Wichapas. No, he didn't call him Lord when it's private. It's better than having hierarchical awkwardness within the family.

"I'm home now. No need to nag me." he said as soon as he answered the call. No matter how much nagging he received from Build for not going home early, he can't help but get fond of it. His wife always does that as well way back when she's still alive.

(𝑂𝑘𝑎𝑦, 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑. 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔?)

He almost laughed with the tone of his voice. "You're so clingy. Do you want to go home now?" he teased. He heard a few seconds of silence on the other line. Some part of him wants Build to say yes. He wants him back at their home.

(𝑁𝑜. 𝑆𝑜, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝐷𝑎𝑑?)

He sighed. Though he's disappointed that Build doesn't want to go home, he's happy that his son is happy. "I'm in my office."

(𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑚𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛?)

Mr. Puttha looked at his hand where a pack of cigarettes was resting. He quickly placed the pack of cigarettes back into the drawer and pushed it close like he was caught eye to eye by Build. "No."

(𝐼 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑤𝑒𝑟. 𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑚𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛! 𝐼 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝. 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢.)

Mr. Puttha scratched his nape. He can imagine the frown on Build's face. "Okay, okay. I got it. How are you?" He tried to divert the topic.

He heard a sigh on the other line.

(𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦. 𝐼 𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑒'𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑚𝑦 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑟.)