A Very Stormy Holiday

Chapter 4

Phayu is surprised to see the little girl at his door.

"Lys, does Rain know you are here?" he asks.

"Handsome movie star uncle, we need to talk." The girl says.

Phayu is taken back by her precociousness. He steps aside to let the girl enter. Pai raises an eyebrow.

"Pai, this is Lys, Rain's little sister. Lys, this is Uncle Pai." Phayu says.

Lys gives Pai a polite wai but offsets it by saying, "You're the one that P'Sky slapped?"

Phayu snorts at this.

"Does the whole town know about that?" Pai asks.

Phayu shrugs, "Small town. What did you want to talk to me about, nong?"

"Why did you hurt P'Rain?" Lys asks.

"He told you what happened?" Phayu asks in surprise.

The little girl shakes her head. "He thinks I am a baby sometimes, but I can tell he isn't happy."

Phayu sighs, "I lied to him, well I kept something from him that I should have told him."

"That you are the one opening the new bakery?" Lys asks.

"What, how did you know?" Phayu asks.

"P'Ple told me. The day we went to the movies." Lys says. "I think everyone knew but P'Rain."

"You didn't tell him?" Phayu asks.

"I'm just a child, you should have told him." Lys says, now it's Pai's turn to give a bark of laughter. "Lying is bad handsome uncle, you should apologize to P'Rain."

"I want to, but he won't listen." Phayu says. "I don't think he likes me now."

"If he didn't like you, then P'Rain wouldn't be so hurt." Lys says.

"What a smart little girl." Pai says.

"Okay, I'll try." Phayu promises.

"I have a sleepover at a friend's house Friday." Lys says with a significant look. She then turns to Pai and says, "And I have it on good authority that P'Sky will be late cleaning his store that night if another uncle also needs to apologize for what they did. I'll be going now."

"That child will rule the world when she grows up," Pa says when the door closes behind her. Phayu agrees.

"What are you doing here?" Sky asks, "You don't seem like the comic book type."

Pai gives him a charming smile and says, "I thought I would get my sister a gift."

"Well, I am about to close, come back later." Sky says.

"Oh, can't I just look around? You can go ahead and lock up if you like." Pai says.

Sky shrugs and goes to lock the door. "Find what you are looking for quickly. I have a lot of work to do."

"Oh is there something I can help with?" Pai asks.

"You want to help me clean?" SKy aks.

"Uh, sure." Pai hasn't cleaned since he lived in the dorms in England but how hard can it be?

"Fine," Sky says. He goes to the back and retrieves a bucket and sponge. "Move all the books and wash the shelves. Don't put the books back on wet shelves, make sure they are dried properly first. And don't get the books out of order."

Pai looks around at the store, there must be a hundred shelves. "All of them?" he asks.

"Or you can leave," Sky says.