RUNAWAY

CHAPTER 23

"Lia! Come back here!"

Kongpob pursed his lips together before he ran after a giggling Lia.

"Liane! You'll fall!" Kongpob shouted as he ran down the stairs in panic as he saw his daughter jumping down the stairs.

Lia landed her foot on the floor successfully and giggled as she looked at her mother's glare thrown towards her.

"Come here, you little Mumkin!" Kongpob shouted with a smile as he ran behind Lia around his lover's house, their home.

"Mommy can't catch me! Mommy can't catch me!" Lia shouted excitedly as she sprinted around the living room, making herself stand behind the sofas.

Kongpob gasped for air as he stood behind the sofa opposite to where Lia stood.

"I'll show you, do you think you can win? I'll catch you now!" Kongpob said playfully before he ran towards Lia with his hands stretched.

Lia laughed excitedly as she dodged her mother's hand that almost touched her.

Priya and David looked at the mother and daughter who ran round the living room from where they stood at the dining room. Their house became alive after Lia's arrival and they couldn't help but thank god for bringing happiness to them and their son who now smiles and talks without any artificiality.

The door bell rang suddenly, breaking the middle aged couple's thoughts.

Priya looked at Kongpob who looked back at her.

"Mommy! Play!"

Kongpob gave an apologitic look to Priya who only asked him to continue to play with her granddaughter.

Priya chuckled at the running Kongpob and Lia at the living room and smiled before she went to attend the door.

Priya chuckled when she heard Lia's loud laughter when she heard her mother hissed in pain when his leg hit the sofa edge.

She unlocked the door and smiled widely as she saw her son and his friends standing at the door.

"Swadee kharp, aunty," Arthit's friends bowed their head respectfully.

"Swadee kharp, nongs. Why are you all here? Anything special?" She asked as she looked at everyone, she recognised Arthit's four friends among them but the others were unfamiliar to her.

Arthit smiled and shook his head, "No Mae, I just brought them to show Lia to them. They didn't see her except my friends. And these are my juniors at University, Kongpob's friends," Arthit introduced the other people who had a wide smile in their face to which Priya nodded her head.

"Oh, great! Come inside," Priya excitedly invited all of them inside.

All of them nodded their head and walked inside, soon they heard bowls of laughter from the living room and the scene that greeted them bloomed a smile on each of their faces.

"Mommy can't catch me!" Lia shouted in between her laughter while Kongpob glared playfully at his daughter.

Both were unaware of the presence of the group of friends.

Kongpob dodged towards the opposite side to where Lia ran behind the sofa and caught the little girl by her waist.

Kongpob swirled her around, lifting her up on the air as Lia giggled loudly.

"So sweet!" Bright squealed like a girl seeing her idol.

"Daddy!" Lia screamed enthusiastically when she saw her Daddy standing at the entrance of the living room with a broad smile.