"So, the person who went to take a bath in Anek's room wearing a bathrobe and left the room was you, right Nong In?"
"Yes, it was me. When I arrived, the bathroom didn't have hot water, so I went to Dad's room to take a bath in the bathtub. Then, a staff member happened to see it and started spreading the rumor that I'm a lover."
"And you let them spread it, daughter?"
"If they want to spread it, let them spread it. I'm tired of giving explanations. In large groups, the more I talk, the more nervous I seem, so I decided not to do anything. Oh, but I answered when they asked me, 'Who do you think you are?' I couldn't help but say... 'I'm the only woman in the world that daddy loves more than anything...' How could my mother not have thought that these words would come from her own daughter? But who could have imagined that the person rumored to be involved with old men, teasing young men and having several lovers would be her own daughter? Just being with Mawin would have already created a disabled child. I would never allow a relationship with daddy."
"What an ugly way to say it!"
My mother said, slapping me.
"Oh, it hurts..."
I throw myself into my mother's arms, begging for affection.
"I missed you so much. We haven't seen each other for almost a month."
"Why didn't you tell mommy that you had to do this kind of thing?"
"Daddy asked me not to tell you, because you wouldn't let me go through any hardships."
"Of course not. I raised you without ever imagining that I would see my daughter working as a hotel employee. Your father said that you would come to learn how to work as an executive. Now, just hearing that you had to clean bathrooms, change sheets... and, last but not least, you even fought with a foreign client, didn't you?"
"The person who reports everything to you is very detail-oriented, isn't she?"
"That manager has no vision at all. She told me that my daughter is vulgar and short, that she only speaks English well because she was born in Pattaya[1]."
Wow... imagination really is more important than knowledge. I bared my teeth, but still, I wasn't as angry as my mother, who was now furious. The suggestion that I was born in Pattaya implied that my mother had given birth to me there.
"I should make her eat her own words! How could she say such a thing? I'm going to make a note of that manager's name. I'm going to ask your father to push her so hard that she won't be able to continue working. Nothing is more painful than being pressured by your boss and not being able to leave because you're too old to find another job."
By the way, my mother really is the "ultimate boss." Even Dad has to make way for her.
"Don't reveal anything to anyone yet, Mom. I'm having fun with the gossip people are spreading around here. Let's reveal everything at once, and it will be a shock. It will be like the end of a soap opera, when everyone is embarrassed and comes to me with their faces in the dirt to apologize."
"Evil like her mother. I came determined to confront your father's lover, but when I saw it was you, my energy began to wither, like a plant without sunlight, as if her boyfriend didn't give her any love."
"But at least you had a loving moment with your daughter, right?"
"That's true. Then let's put on a play together. Hmm... it'll be fun! What do I need to do?"
"You just need to..."
My mother left Mawin's room with her head held high and walked elegantly in front, speaking loudly so that everyone could hear:
