New Thitipoom Techaapaikul preferred the solitude of his room to the outside world. Each day was a monotonous cycle of going to work and returning home. His mother, worried about his constant isolation, decided to talk to him.
One evening, she knocked on his door and entered. “Son, why don’t you go outside and enjoy yourself like others?” she asked gently.
New barely looked up from his book. “I don’t like going outside. You know that.”
His mother sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed. “Why, son? Why do you always stay alone? You used to make everyone around you so happy. What happened to my baby boy?”
New’s eyes darkened. “That boy died the day he lost everyone he loved.”
Tears welled up in his mother’s eyes. “Don’t say that, son. You still have me. I love you with all my heart. Don’t think you’re alone.”
New’s voice trembled with suppressed pain. “Mom, don’t you feel sad or angry at me? You lost your husband and two children because of me.”
His mother began to cry. “No, son. Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. I’m not angry with you. Yes, I feel sad, but I’m grateful to have you. We have each other. Please, be happy for me. Try to enjoy your life.” New shook his head. “That will never happen. Not for the rest of my life.” With that, he left the room, leaving his mother standing there, sobbing uncontrollably.
Desperate and unsure what to do, New’s mother decided to go to the temple to pray. Kneeling before the altar, she poured out her heart. “God, you know everything. Please, make my son happy. I will do anything. Please, just grant this wish.”
As she wept, a man approached her. “Miss, I heard your prayer and your wish for your son. I know a woman who can make anyone’s wish come true. Here’s her address.”
New’s mother looked at the address the man handed her, hope flickering in her heart. “Thank you. I will go.”
New’s mother, driven by a mother's love and desperation to see her son happy, followed the directions to a secluded old house. Inside, she found an elderly woman sitting quietly on a worn-out chair.
"May I come in, ma'am?" New's mother asked softly. The old woman nodded gently. "Yes, come in. I know why you've come. You seek happiness for your son, don't you?"
"Yes," New's mother replied with hope in her eyes. "Can you make my son happy again?"
The old woman's expression turned solemn. "Yes, I can help. But know this, your son will face trials harder than before."
Concern etched across her face, New's mother hesitated. "But he's already suffering. I don't want him to endure more pain. That's why I've come to you."
The old woman reassured her with a knowing smile. "Trust me, after the struggle, he will find true happiness. He will be happier than he has ever been."
After a moment's reflection, New's mother resolved, "Okay, what must I do to bring my son happiness?"
The old woman detailed the requirements, and New's mother listened intently. Just as she was about to leave, the old woman added a startling revelation, "I forgot to mention, your son may become pregnant after I complete the ritual."
Shock gripped New's mother. "Pregnant? But he's a boy!"
The old woman explained patiently, "If he chooses to be intimate with another boy, pregnancy is a possibility. If he chooses a girl, there will be no such outcome. This is the price that must be paid."
Distressed, New's mother pleaded, "I'm here for his happiness. Let me bear the burden, not him. Why must he suffer?"
The old woman replied calmly, "Don't worry. Just ensure he marries a girl, not a boy."
YOU ARE READING
Unexpected Beginnings (TayNew)
أدب الهواةNew Thitipoom Techaapaikul is a young man who finds his life boring and unhappy. One night, at his friend's urging, he goes to a bar and meets the fun and lively Tay Tawan Vihokratana. New drinks too much and ends up in trouble outside the bar, but...
