Sotus After Story

Chapter-17 Kongpob

"How do I look?"
He asked, half looking at the mirror and half looking at me in his dream suit. Dream suit would be best word to define it; his most awaited wedding suit. The suit was blue, sharp-looking and well fitted. I was expecting him to wear something close to black. Black was the colour I wanted on him, but he insisted on blue. In fact it was more of like a demand to get him the "blue" one.
It wasn't all possible until he changed his mind.
The moment he mentioned me about his mother's condition, there was a fear hidden in my subconscious mind. I had complete trust in him, but his mother was way too manipulative to win over me.
That day, we were having a typical two way conversation as usual. And after he blurted out the exact thing that was troubling his mind, since the day he returned, I was expecting to put forward my opinion.
It may sound a bit altruistic, but I wanted to be happy. If he was alright with what his mother suggested then I'd try not to be a barrier. Though, it's not as simple as it sound. It was like all my effort was soon to be in vain, after all it wasn't a game that we played in childhood. Moreover, it was really hard to know what really was inside his mother's mind.
I gave it a minute thought, and was about to say,
"Do what you like."
Nothing came straight into my mind. I wasn't sure that he'd understand my feelings, & care for me above his mother.
"Will you marry me?"
He shocked me with a thrilling confession.
It was the least expected thing to be in my mind, but his seriousness filled me with gaiety.
The last time when I proposed him for marriage, he eventually agreed. But he wasn't being serious about when is the right time. "The perfect time".
There were times when I indirectly tried to remember him of the promise he made, but he tried his best to avoid that. Even when we were having our quality time during the beach trip, few months ago.

"Are you serious?"
I questioned him back, to be sure of what he just said.
"Do you think there's a way out of my mother's rat-trap, if we don't marry now?"
I just shook my head with a curved smile on my face.
"Are you sure?"
I questioned, once again. There was no way he was kidding, but it was our wedding. That wedding, which was worth all the compromises & hardships we went through during this period of five years.
"Don't you believe me?"
He said, somewhat sadly.
"Of course. I do. But I want you to think it over, again & again."
The path was going to be much more difficult than it already was, once we were married. Being in the relationship was a very big deal itself, and marrying would mean a next level of challenge. We both have been through these things earlier, but I wanted him to realise that he wasn't making his decision out of haste.
*****
The courage I mustered to call my dad, was praiseworthy. There was obviously nothing to hide from him at least, now that he knew. But still I wasn't just ready to announce him about my wedding. No one understands it better than the person who is soon to be married & want their parents to know that they were actually getting married.
My hands trembling with fear and my mind whirling in the speed of tornado with nervousness I managed to call him.
"Hello,"
He said in a squeaky voice as usual.
"Hello, dad..."
With a little cough & a pause he uttered,
"Are you tensed or what ?"
My dad was a genius person and he clearly realized that something was up with me. I don't know if it was actually something genius of him or his lifelong experience that made him flamboyant. But he understood me well. Maybe that was the art of being a parent.
"I want to ask you... uhm...uhm-no.. tell you...tell you...."
"Tell me what dear?"
He asked right away, before I could even finish.
"Tell you that I'm... I'm..."
"Stop it, I already knew it."
He halted me with a shock. I wasn't expecting him to know what I was about to say, but I waited for him to vocalize what he actually knew.
"What do you know dad?"
I asked out of curiosity.
"You're getting married?"
"Well-yeah...but..."
"How do I know?"
"Yeah."
"Try to find that out until I find a suit to wear!"
He laughed.
I sighed with a relief after hanging up.
P'Arthit came closer to me without me noticing his presence and enveloped me into a tight back hug.
"Whom were you talking to?"
He slowly whispered in my ears.
"My dad."
"Alright. Let's go out."
******
P'Bright was sitting next to Gun & M next to Tawan, who was supposedly his new buddy. For the past few months I haven't met him. I was too busy of my own. Now that he appeared because of the unexpected announcement soon to be made to them, he appeared with a guy, who supposedly was his buddy as he introduced him as Tawan. Oak was whispering something into Wad's ear and they both were engrossed in a chitchat from what I saw. No one was talking with me. Not even P'Arthit. He was being teased by P'Prem & P'Knock. They are always picking on him, nothing has changed over these years. They are still the same, like a kid.
The welcome drink was being served by the waiter, when P'Arthit cleared his throat, perhaps, to get ready. He stared at me for once to gift me with the best smile in the world for a few microsecond before he turned at them.
"Well, I want to tell you guys something..."
He paused with a sip of the drink.
"What? Are-you pregnant?"
P'Bright disrupted with his terrible joke, which caused everyone to bursts into laughter. I couldn't dare to hold mine as well.
"So funny right?"
P'Arthit said, unaffected.
"Well, let me tell you guys that I'm getting married."
Now the attention was rigid, everyone paid attention on what he was saying with a glimpse of surprise pasted on their face.
M couldn't hold it any longer, & shouted out
"Are you marrying Kongpob?"
I blushed.
"Who else do you think I can?"
He shrugged.

The wedding chapter is just a few chapter away!