AN ETERNAL LONGING

5 (ENGLISH)

-"PASTA!" - Aura exclaimed with a little scream while, letting go of her father's hand, she ran towards the table.

Arthit smiled as he let out a slight sigh of resignation.

"Mother cannot really say no to anything that this little devil wants...", he though as he looked towards the kitchen door.

There, observing him with a slight guilty expression on her face, was Mrs. Rojnapat.

The woman, still beautiful despite her age, shrugged as she approached them with two steaming dishes that she left on the table.

- "I know you said you didn't want pasta at night but ... once in a while won't be bad..."

- "Of course it won't be but...I think I remember you telling me the same thing about the ice cream or, just a couple of nights ago, about the pizza" - Arthit reminded her as he occupied one of the two empty seats - "you're spoiling her too much."

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You are spoiling her ...

No sooner had she heard his son's words that Mrs. Rojnapat began to blush slightly.

After all, she had to accept that it was true.

She was really giving her everything that she wanted. Every little thing, even if it was too expensive.

And yes, maybe she was being also too permissive.

It was possible that, as many had said before, she was making a mistake but ...

What could she do?

Every time she saw her little face, she couldn't control herself and, before knowing, she would be doing anything that would make her happy and never stop smiling.

After all, she did not want to see those eyes clouded with tears, not again.

Not after what happened before... during that dark phase in the life of his son.

- "Is there anything wrong?" - Arthit asked, making her come out of her sad memories.

Immediately, and with a slight smile that she hoped would not look too forced, she shook her head.

- "It is nothing important" - Mrs. Rojnapat said as she picked up her cutlery and began to eat - "you better not leave it for too long ... It tastes much better when it's hot".

Arthit raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Although, by his expression, it was clear that he was not going to let it be.

Mrs. Rojnapat sighed slightly as she brought some pasta to her mouth.

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER...

- "Aura, go wash your teeth and put on your pajamas, I'll go in a moment" - Arthit muttered while stirring the girl's hair.

- "I want a story ... read me a story!" - She exclaimed with imploring eyes, to which the young man nodded with a slight smile sticking out of the corners of his lips.

The truth was that..., it was not his mother the only one who was spoiling their little girl.

He was as bad as her.

A slight chuckle made Arthit turn to one of the comfortable chairs from which his mother had been observing the whole situation.

- "Do not even say anything about it ..." - he said to the woman while he occupied the other one  of the armchairs - "and yes, I know I'm going to have to check that she has brushed her teeth ... I do not know what's wrong but lately she does not want to do it. "

- "Maybe it's because of her teeth, you know ... she does not want to go to school without a tooth, again" - Mrs. Rojnapat reminded him with a little smile.

Arthit laughed lightly.

- "Do not remind me... last time she spent all day crying and did not want to go to school because, according to her, the other children were going to make fun of her".

His mother stopped smiling immediately.

- "Are they still messing with her?"

Arthit growled, nodding.

- "Apparently they are acting like that because she do not have a mother ... because it is you who go to the meetings with the teachers or to the parties where, generally, the mothers of the other children tend to go".

Mrs. Rojnapat sighed.

- "Maybe we should change her of school".

- "I do not know ... after all, the fact that her mother is not there is not going to change...nor that I need to work so I cannot go either" - he murmured while remembering the portrait placed on his own desk.

"Maybe it's time for Aura to have the picture in her bedroom ...", he though as he remembered Bow's words that morning when, finally, they had been able to spend some time with the newborn ..

That first and only day when Bow was able to cradle her daughter in her own arms.

FLASHBACK ...

Bow smiled as the nurse approached them with the newborn baby on her arms.

With great care, the young woman placed the child in the expectant arms of her mother who, with a slight smile on her lips, looked up at Arthit.

Her husband.

The young man, who was in front of her, had a camera in his hands and was waiting expectantly for her to give him the agreed signal.

- "Remember to put the photos in a visible place and talk to her about me, ok?" - said the young girl while kissing the head of the baby.

- "Bow..." - Arthit started to say but, a gesture from the girl, made him stop and simply nod with his head.

- Very good..."- she finally said, ending the conversation -" take the picture and then take another one of the three of us ".

Arthit sighed and nodded again, proceeding to do what the girl had just order.