Un-Beam My Heart!

12. The Two Lost Souls...

          The beep sound from his desk phone distracted Tae from his work. He saved the design he was working on in his laptop and answered the phone.

           "Sir, your father is on line 2", Tony informed in his usual automated voice.

           "Connect him", Tae replied and waited, "Good afternoon father", he greeted politely as soon as his call was connected to his father.

           "How are you, son?", Nawat Kreepolrerk, Tae's father asked in her ever cheerful voice, "Why couldn't I reach you through your personal number?"

            "I am fine dad. Errr... My mobile phone is not working. I am getting a new one soon", Tae replied looking at the shattered remains of his phone in the dustbin.

            "Alright, would you like to join me and your mom for lunch tomorrow?", Nawat asked.

            "What is the occasion, dad? Did I miss anything important?", Tae asked surprised at the sudden invitation.

             Tae could hear the soft murmurs from his father's line. He chuckled understanding that his mother was probably nudging and pestering his father to get him home.

             "Do we need a reason to have a meal with our son? We will understand if you are busy tomorrow",  Nawat said, hoping that his son would say yes.

            "Of course not, dad. I will be there tomorrow", Tae answered smiling.

            "Okay, I will inform your mother. Be on time, son", Nawat said when Tae's mother interrupted from the background, "That's all? Won't you even ask if my boy is eating properly or sleeping well?"

            "Darling, you can ask him that yourself when he comes home tomorrow", Nawat chimed at his wife and returned to Tae's call, "Now get back to work, son. We will meet tomorrow"

             "Bye dad", Tae disconnected the call and scratched his forehead with his thumb thoughtfully. 

             He knew his father well enough to understand that it was not a simple lunch invitation. He pressed his temples with his fingertips when he heard a soft knock on his door.

             "Come in", Tae said disinterested.

              Tony entered his office and stopped in front of his table. He placed the box of a new mobile phone and pushed it across the table.

             "Thank you, Tony and I am sorry for my behavior earlier", Tae apologized sincerely.

             "There is nothing to apologize, sir", Tony replied politely, "Do you need anything else, sir?"

             "I will not be available for the rest of the day. So, prepare the files and documents that needs my immediate attention. I will look into them at home", Tae said checking his schedule, "And I am having lunch with my parents tomorrow. So, clear my appointments for two hours during lunch time tomorrow"

              "I will do that, sir", Tony bowed and left Tae's office.

               Tae unboxed the new mobile phone and added his sim to it. He messaged Tee about his whereabouts and received an immediate reply from him stating that he was already on the way back to the condo from gym.

                Tae gathered his things and walked out of his office exactly at 1 PM. He didn't pay attention to his staffs who bowed to him or greeted him on the way to the parking lot. The polite smile which always lingered at the corner of his lips was missing and it was too obvious that the staffs at his office started to notice his gloomy mood.