by J C Ryan
Rex understood Narong’s remark about his promise to mean he hadn’t detailed exactly how Rex and Digger had been of assistance. He nodded his understanding. “I was happy to help in any small way.”
Narong spoke in rapid Thai to Kraisee and then led Rex into the dining room, where they both took seats a moment before Kraisee followed with cups of fragrant coffee laced with condensed milk. Rex was surprised to find how much he liked it, since he usually took his coffee black. Kraisee went back to the kitchen, while Narong gave Rex an overview of how the day would proceed.
“I will pick up my parents at the airport shortly after our noon meal. While we, Sunstra, Kraisee, and I, are modern, and don’t stand on ceremony much, my parents are traditional.” He stopped talking and took a sip of his coffee, as if unsure how to proceed.
Rex understood the hesitation. It would be very rude to blatantly instruct a guest on the rules of etiquette, and yet Narong wanted him to make a good impression on the older Chevapravatgumrongs. Fortunately, Sunstra and his class in Thai language had taught him the basics. As a younger person, even though a guest, he would be expected to perform the wai, the gesture with which Narong and Kraisee had greeted him a few minutes before, when he met them. Depending on how the older couple viewed his status compared to theirs, they might return it.
“Don’t worry, Khun Narong,” Rex said, deliberately placing a light emphasis on the universal word for Mister, Missus, or Miss to show that he understood the proper form of address. “I will try my best not to embarrass you. Perhaps you could tell me your parents’ names, so I may address them correctly?”
He didn’t know why surnames were reserved for formal occasions or written documents, but he suspected it had to do with the odd rule Sunstra had told him about weeks before. It wasn’t surprising that pronunciation of the long names might be awkward, given that they had nothing to do with the language really, but were adopted only a few decades before. That was his theory, at least. Maybe he’d have time to ask Sunstra later.
“My father’s name is Kasem, and my mother’s is Nin. Thank you for asking.”
It was a matter of curiosity for Rex that he and Narong, with whom he’d had an uneasy and even testy relationship the previous day, were now behaving as politely as they did. Since Narong had set the precedent, however, it was incumbent on him to maintain the veneer. At least it was more comfortable than always having to balance between deferring to Narong’s mild arrogance and displaying some machismo of his own.
“If you will excuse me, I must give Digger a chance to get outside for a bit of exercise. Do I have time before breakfast?”
“Yes, of course. I will inform Kraisee. And then I will check on my sister to see how she’s doing and if she will join us.”
Rex took Digger on his leash around the neighborhood, stopping at every tree and shrub in which Digger displayed a particular interest this morning. About an hour later, they arrived back at Narong’s house. Rex stopped and was debating whether he should knock when the front door swung open and Sunstra emerged, looking like a dark-haired angel. It made Rex’s breath catch in his throat. However, he waited for her to make the first move.
For the first time since they’d become closer than merely teacher and student, Sunstra’s enthusiastic hug didn’t draw a disapproving growl from Digger. In fact, while enjoying holding her slim body, Rex was aware of Digger’s tail thumping against the back of his legs. After a moment that was a little too short for Rex’s preference, Sunstra let go and stepped back.
“I cannot thank you enough,” she said.
Rex smiled gently. “Hey, I thought we got past that last night. It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing, Ruan. You saved my life.” She took his hand and led him into the house. “You should see the feast Kraisee is preparing for tonight. My parents will be here this afternoon, and we will have a proper celebration in your honor.”
“No, Sunstra, I only helped your brother. Narong was the one who saved you.”
Sunstra fixed him with a hard stare. “Ruan, I know my brother well. He is capable, but he is a hothead. Against that killer, he would have been completely out of his depth. He’d have gotten himself killed, and I would have been killed as well.
“I don’t know where and how you got the skills I’ve seen before and again last night when I caught a glimpse of you handling that monster Ritthirong by yourself as Narong got me to safety.”
“Sunstra…”
“Don’t worry. I won’t give away your secret. But you must accept my gratitude.”
With that, she stepped forward and kissed him hard on the lips. This time, Digger growled.
“Oh, be quiet, Digger. It’s just gratitude, not an attempt to seduce your precious Ruan.” Sunstra laughed as she bent and roughed up Digger’s ears, to his evident delight, as he relaxed into a wide grin and leaned against her legs. “Thank you, too, Digger! I know you helped. I saw you biting that bad man.”
Digger’s tail wagged harder. Rex glanced down at him with a mixture of pleasure and irritation.
What a brown-noser!
Narong came to the door then and told them Kraisee had breakfast ready.
***
THAT AFTERNOON, REX had some time to himself with Digger as Kraisee was closeted in the kitchen and Sunstra had accompanied Narong to the airport to pick up their parents. He took the opportunity to take Digger outside into the gardens in the back for a run and a bit of training.
Rex was pleased that Digger hadn’t lost his edge when they were in working mode. He easily climbed a tree to the roof of Narong’s house, and he executed the commands Rex gave with no hesitation. Rex’s worry that Digger had lost some of his skill through their neglect of training time was dispelled. He remembered Trevor telling him that with the military dogs, the ones who got selected for training, the handlers had to show them something only three times and the dogs would forever remember it.
When they went inside, Kraisee had set snacks of every imaginable kind on low tables in what Rex was calling the living room, for lack of a better term. The seating was arranged for comfortable conversation, though the furniture was a bit low for Rex’s height. His knees stuck up at a comical angle when he was seated, but if the furniture had been higher, Sunstra’s feet would have dangled above the floor.
Shortly afterward, Sunstra’s parents arrived. Rex gave the wai gesture to the parents, Kasem and Nin, who returned the gesture to Rex in the midst of smiles all around.
Then Sunstra began laughing.
Kasem smiled indulgently. “Let us dispense with this formality. Khun Ruan, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for our daughter’s safe return to us. And thank you for helping us keep our land. We are most grateful.”
Once more, Rex explained that it was Narong who’d rescued Sunstra, with only a little help from him, which he was glad to give. It was beginning to feel natural to spin the story that way, so when the old couple turned beaming faces on their eldest son in approval, Rex was happy to not be the center of attention anymore.
Narong, however, looked a bit uncomfortable. Only a slight shake of Rex’s head made him remember his promise and press his lips together, so he didn’t reveal just how much Rex had ‘helped’.
“It was my honor to save my sister,” he said, his head bowed modestly.
Kasem clapped his hands. “Then, let us celebrate! Khun Ruan, you are in for a treat. My son Kraisee is an amazing talent in the kitchen.”
Rex answered, “Please, it is just Ruan. Your daughter is a special friend, the best teacher I ever had, and I think of your sons as my friends as well.”
Everyone except Kraisee went into the living room and began snacking. And of course, among all the jubilation, Digger made sure he was the center of attention much of the time. Fortunately, he didn’t embarrass Rex and demonstrated his class by not clowning for them. Instead, every now and then when in need of attention, he walked sedately to each person and accepted pats and treats before lying down
next to Rex’s chair.
Rex let the others guide the conversation. He was surprised they didn’t discuss the kidnapping. Instead, the family focused on him and his impressions of Thailand. Naturally, when Kraisee joined them after seeing to the progress of the meal, the subject turned to food.
As they were speaking in Thai during that conversation, Rex was a little confused when someone mentioned their forebears had been ‘food growers’. It took him a moment to remember that the words for rice and food were identical. They’d been rice farmers when the family’s land had been farmed. Even though Kasem had become a physician, he still had a great deal of respect for the land and the farmers, which was natural considering he was a practicing Buddhist from a northern province where Chinese influence was great. As such, he honored his parents and ancestors, as did Narong, on a family shrine that Kraisee had pointed out to Rex when he first arrived.
One day I’ll take up the study of comparative religions. It’s a natural adjunct to the study of history.
Rex didn’t consider himself religious, but he respected the religious beliefs of others. But that didn’t stop him from thinking that it might be interesting to do a comparative study of the world’s main religions.
But as the conversation swirled around him, Rex had to give up those private thoughts and pay close attention to follow what everyone was saying in Thai. He was not fluent enough yet to follow a rapid exchange among the family members.
Later, his right hand deftly gathering sticky rice in a ball and dipping it into Kraisee’s fabulous sauces, Rex found himself the subject of amusement again.
“You are welcome to use a fork in the way of your people,” Narong had said. “We will not be offended.”
“But this is so much more fun,” Rex said, grinning. “The only problem is, at home I’d lick my fingers.”
“You can always ask Digger to lick them for you.” Sunstra giggled.
The family exploded in laughter. Rex hadn’t been part of a family for most of his adult life, and he was now thoroughly enjoying the experience. They’d made him comfortable enough that he wasn’t self-conscious about etiquette.
The feast lasted late into the night, and when Kasem and Nin finally left, Rex fell into bed thinking he’d had enough rice in various incarnations, all of it delicious, to last him at least a month.
Chapter Twenty-One
SUNSTRA WAS ALREADY a couple of days late returning to work, but her ordeal was enough of an excuse for the delay. However, although her manager had been kind enough to allow her the time off, she was now needed in the classroom, and they were urging her to return.
Sunstra agreed. She realized that getting back into the teaching routine would keep her mind off the horrific experience of being abducted and threatened with death.
Rex had seen enough of Phuket for the time being, and besides, he wanted to keep an eye on Sunstra and make sure she was recovering mentally and emotionally. They flew back to Bangkok together.
On the flight back, Sunstra seemed distracted, but each time he asked her if she was all right, she smiled and said yes. After the third time, she put her hand on his arm.
“Ruan, please. I’m fine. I’m just working through an important matter, and your concern is distracting me.”
Rex apologized and fell silent and into his own thoughts about the future.
When they landed, Rex insisted on delivering her to her door in the taxi he’d hired. When she protested, he played the Narong card.
“Your brother would skin me alive if he found out I just sent you on your way, unprotected in the big city.” He kept his face straight, knowing the way he’d put it would needle her, but began to smirk as she proved him correct.
“My brother does not control my life, Ruan Daniel, and neither do you. I lived in this big city long before I…” She stopped short, having noticed the smirk. She laughed and lightly struck his arm with a delicate fist. “Oh, you’re teasing. Well, I’ll have something to say to my brother, anyway.”
“Please don’t. He said nothing of the kind to me. He trusts your judgment. I was just kidding. You’ve been so serious, I wanted to lighten your mood.”
She laughed again. “Well, I have something very serious to think about. Thank you for seeing me home, Ruan.”
“Dinner later?” he asked.
“Maybe tomorrow. Call me.” With that, she dismissed him, climbed out of the taxi, and hefted her own luggage without a backward glance.
It gave him only a slight pang. He should have at least carried her bag in for her, but she hadn’t given him a chance. Digger mirrored his confusion with a small whine as he watched her walk away.
Rex gave the driver his address, and they left the curb.
“Hey, buddy. I thought you didn’t want us together,” Rex said to the dog.
Digger was watching the sights outside the taxi, but his ears pricked up when he heard Rex’s alternate appellation for him. He turned at ‘buddy’ and let his grin show. His tail thumped once, indicating to Rex that he’d heard the remark but didn’t understand it or was not going to honor it with a reply. Rex gave up trying to understand the dog’s motivation.
Maybe Sunstra had been right when she said Digger was trying to save her from me. He seems to like her as long as we’re not in physical contact.
Arriving back at his apartment after a week on Phuket Island, Rex discovered his pantry was bare. Since Sunstra had declined dinner, he ordered in and turned in early, enjoying a good night’s sleep for the first time since being awakened by emergency sirens.
The next day, he waited until he knew Sunstra would be home from her first day back at school, and then he called her. She answered after one ring.
“Hi, Ruan.”
“Hey. How was school?”
“It was good. It took my mind off things. I have made my decision.”
“What decision?” he asked.
“I’ll tell you at dinner, if the invitation is still open.”
“You know it is. Shall I pick you up around seven?”
“No, I’ll meet you.” Sunstra named a restaurant they’d enjoyed before and told him to make it eight.
“I’ll see you there,” he replied.
He had nearly seven hours to wait, and the curiosity was driving him mad, so he took Digger and a Frisbee he’d found at a street market and went out for a bit of fun in a nearby park.
Digger loved it.
Rex remembered he’d intended to get both of them back on their training regimen, so he put Digger through a few of his paces, just those that wouldn’t alarm passers-by.
After several hours, it was time to go and get ready for what he suspected would be his last date with Sunstra. A little melancholy settled in when he thought about it, but not as much as it would have been a couple of weeks before. He was already moving on from Thailand in his heart and mind.
At eight, having left Digger with the Kong full of a special treat of roast duck and peanut butter—something he himself would have found repulsive but which Digger lived for and considered a reward for a job well done—Rex presented himself at the restaurant. Sunstra was there before him. She waved to get his attention, and he joined her at the secluded table.
“Thank you for coming, Ruan,” she said.
Suddenly, he had the idea that this was more of a formal meeting that she’d orchestrated than a dinner date. Unused to such a situation, he sat down without speaking and turned his intense dark eyes on hers with focused attention.
She nodded. “Let’s order, and then I’ll tell you what I’ve been thinking about since yesterday.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said, caution in his tone.
“Shall I order for you?” she asked.
“Please do,” he responded, sensing the occasion demanded some measure of formality. He didn’t often find himself off-balance, but the air of portent was palpable.
Sunstra ordered quickly and confidently in Thai. Rex caught a few of the familiar dishes and knew o
thers to be items he hadn’t tried before.
This is going to be an adventurous meal, if nothing else.
When at last the server left the area, he leaned forward.
He was about to ask her what all the mystery was, when she gently laid the tips of her fingers on his lips.
“Please. Let me speak. Then you can ask questions.”
Rex sat back in his chair and nodded. “All right. It seems this is your show. Go for it.”
She smiled. “I love your Americanisms. Yes, I know you are supposedly British, but I have learned to spot the differences in my job. Don’t bother to deny it. My brother has spoken of some mysterious competencies you have that were instrumental in my rescue, though he wouldn’t tell me what they are. He said something about he’d tell me, but then you might kill him? I assume he was joking.”
Rex stayed silent, although he let a hint of a grin settle on his face. He hadn’t actually threatened to kill her brother, but he was glad Narong was keeping his word and being circumspect with the details of the rescue, as he’d promised.
Sunstra had paused to leave room for his comment, but when he didn’t make one, she went on.
“We have never had reason to speak of it, but I do have a university degree. I prepared myself for a post in government. You didn’t know that.”
Rex’s raised eyebrows were the only encouragement she needed to go on.
“I once thought I’d like a job in our foreign service. Accordingly, I studied what you might call political arts?”
“Political science,” he corrected.
“Just so. In any case, when I completed my studies, my father was already in conflict with some officials in government who wanted his land. It didn’t seem to be a possibility for me to get a post, so I went into teaching.”
Rex nodded. Her ambitions had mirrored his youthful ones. He understood the pain of giving them up, though her reasons weren’t as traumatic as his had been. “Go on.”