Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai

Introduction

The man in the suit drove his trusted white Benz into the garage. He stepped out of the car, carrying his leather bag and stethoscope. As he entered the grand house's reception room, he looked around for someone, but couldn't find them. He set his bag down and redirected his steps toward the kitchen at the back of the mansion, where he found someone familiar, deeply engaged in cooking.

"What are you making, Kaew? The smell has reached all the way to the main house," Prince Phutipat said, wrapping his arm around the cook's waist.

On the table were several dishes already prepared, with the last one being his grandmother's favorite. Only two more things were missing.

"Ah, when did you come back, honey? Why didn't you go wash up first? Why come into the kitchen and get everything dirty?" she asked.

Phutipat smiled at his wife, who, despite being in her middle years, still retained her beauty, her face almost unchanged from when she won the title of "Miss thailand" thirty years ago. He still remembered that image vividly, even recalling how he had been awestruck by her.

Krongkaew, with her radiant beauty, seemed like an angel descended from the heavens. She was his first love.

Though time had passed, their love remained as sweet as ever, much like her cooking, which was unparalleled. Whenever she had free time, his wife would step into the kitchen in place of Grandma On, who was now elderly and spent most of her time resting by the riverside house.

"Why can't I come down here? By the way, what special dishes do we have today?"

"Today we have crispy noodles, crab curry, and fried mackerel with salt, along with shrimp paste with grilled shrimp. One of my younger nurse colleagues just returned from the south and brought these for me."

"Just hearing the names makes me hungry, and it smells amazing," he said, leaning in closer. Though it might have seemed like he was talking about the food, his nose brushed against her cheek, prompting Krongkaew to gently pinch her husband's arm. "Honey, you're embarrassing me in front of the children. What if someone sees?"

She said it lightly, her face breaking into a sweet smile.

"But no one's here. It's just you, Kaew," he replied.

In the kitchen, it was indeed just Krongkaew, as she had sent the cook out to gather chilies and vegetables from the garden behind the house. She pinched his arm again, playfully scolding, "You're really something, honey. At your age, you shouldn't be acting like this. Please, go sit and rest. Let me finish here."

"But I want to help. I haven't been your assistant in a long time," he said, his voice warm.

Prince Phutipat, now sixty-three, had retired, but the medical faculty had invited him to continue as a guest lecturer. He dedicated all his time to patients and teaching his students. Additionally, he held the position of director at a medical center under construction by Ratchanon Construction Company. Soon, the new building would be completed to accommodate the rapidly growing number of patients.

Krongkaew, after continuing her studies to become a nurse, joined the same hospital as her husband. She was diligent and took excellent care of her patients, earning a promotion to head nurse of the surgical ward just last year. She was accomplished and well-rounded. Together, they had two children, a son and a daughter.

"Do you really want to help, honey?" she asked.

"Of course. By the way, is there anything for a neurosurgeon like me to do? Should I dissect the fish, remove the bones, or check the grilled shrimp for you?" he teased.

"You always joke like this. If it's not too much trouble, could you help soak the noodles for me?" Krongkaew asked.

Prince Phutipat glanced at the white noodles on the table. The crispy noodle dish was a family favorite. There was also a boat-shaped shrimp paste that Grandma On used to make for everyone, but lately, due to her health, Krongkaew or the cook had taken over making it.