Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai

Chapter 19

It was a quiet evening when Phakrach called Chatklao. Earlier that morning, his mother, Lady Ampai, mentioned she had some business to attend to regarding a property in Chiang Mai, so it fell on him, as her son, to accompany her. Knowing that Chatklao was working on a government scholarship in Chiang Rai, Phakrach suggested they meet up, but he was surprised by his friend's response.

"What a coincidence—I'm actually taking time off to go to Chiang Mai as well."

"Something important enough to get a workaholic like you to take leave?" Phakrach teased. Back in school, Chatklao had always been diligent, and since starting his career as a doctor, his busy schedule rarely left him with any personal time. Whenever their friends arranged get-togethers, Chatklao was often stuck on duty.

"My younger sister has to oversee a fashion show in Chiang Mai. Since she's going alone, my mom was worried and ordered me to take time off to accompany her."

After hearing the details about the fashion show, Phakrach pondered. When he'd asked Lady Ampai about the hotel, she replied, "Oh, I just wanted a change of scenery, Phak. We always stay at the same place whenever we come to Chiang Mai. Besides, the broker I need to meet prefers a place in town. Do you have a problem with that?"

His mother's counter-question left him reluctant to dig deeper, though he couldn't shake off the feeling that everything was strangely coincidental. His friend's sister, Pakkaes, would be in town for the fashion show, while his mother also had business in Chiang Mai, and both of them would be staying at the same hotel as the show's venue.

Over the past months, he'd had numerous "coincidental" encounters with Lady Pakkaes, like the other day when his mother asked him to take some fabric to her shop. The following day, she sent lace, and the day after that, she had him bring a clothing design to discuss. Every time he returned, his mother would shower Lady Pakkaes with praise. Lately, she'd become the main topic at their dinner table, with his mother's admiration slipping into nearly every conversation.

"Your mother's not coming along to keep Pakkaes company, is she?" he asked.

"She barely had any notice about the trip, so she couldn't swap shifts. My dad, too. In the end, my sister had no choice but to go on her own, and that's exactly what's worrying my mom."

"You should give her a warning—traveling alone can be risky."

"I have, but you know Pakkaes. She insisted she'd be fine, said she'd have colleagues with her during the day, but it's at night I'm worried about. Since many doctors at the hospital are off sick, the earliest I can be in Chiang Mai is the day after tomorrow, though the fashion show starts tomorrow."

Phakrach fell silent, lost in thought. He thought of Arada's son, Atthawit, a notorious flirt. If he knew Lady Pakkaes was in town, he might try to make a move, and the thought made him uneasy.

"Well, there's no problem here—I should be able to fly in tomorrow morning. I could check in on her for you if you'd like."

"You?" Chatklao asked, sounding both surprised and relieved.

"Yes... My mother's meeting with the broker is in the evening, so I'm free in the morning. I'll stop by and check on her."

"Thanks so much, Phak. I was really worried about her. I promise to be there the next day. Maybe we can grab some good food and catch up once I'm there?"

"Of course, but this time, you're paying," Phakrach replied jokingly.

"Deal, that's not a problem. Do you need to head back to Bangkok that evening?"

"No... My mother plans to stay two nights. She has some relatives to meet and wants to visit the Doi Inthanon temple."

"Your mom's heading up to Doi Inthanon?"