Loose Ends

1. Phone Calls in the Dark

But then, he'd stopped seeing therapists when he moved back to America to go to NYU.

Because he thought he was fine.

And then NYU about killed him.

So maybe he wasn't fine after all.

"You've yawned five times in the last three minutes." Em finishes with the cocktail shaker and pours the contents into a glass before turning her gaze back to Bel. "I counted. So what's going on?"

"It's one a.m., Em. Of course I'm yawning."

"Has Bellamy decided to give up sleep in exchange for a social life?" The new voice makes both Em and Bel turn to face the owner of the restaurant, dressed as always in a white tux, but with an orange carnation in the buttonhole. Bel would like to ask him why the colored flower in the buttonhole changes every night, but also decides it's none of his business, so he never asks.

Gulf is one of the few people who addresses Bel by his full name, and Bel lets him because Gulf is Bel's boss. He likes to brag to Bel that he's built up the restaurant where both Em and Bel work on his own, and every night, Bel can see how much Gulf's hard work has paid off.

While he might look young and sweet and innocent, with his round little face and hair that is constantly flopping in his eyes, Gulf has actually got a pretty shrewd mind and lots of ambition. His restaurant is a testament to that. Sometimes the customers are an even split between farang--both expat and tourist--and native Thai, and sometimes it's more of one than of the other. Either way, the restaurant was becoming one of the most popular in the city. Em calls him Teddybear--just not to his face.

Bel replaces the top of the whiskey bottle he's been pouring from before he answers Gulf's question. "None of your business."

"Fine." Gulf lets it go. Clearly, he was just asking out of politeness. Now he leans over the bar, so he can talk around Bel rather than to him. "Hey, Em, is your brother around?"

Em mimics Gulf's posture, both to take a little of the weight off her high-heeled feet, and to answer Gulf's question. With another question.

"What, are you two on again, or something?"

"Or something." Gulf checks his phone again. "He said he's in town, but I haven't seen him come in and thought maybe you had. He's not seeing anyone else, is he?"

Em throws Bel a significant look. "Not anyone in this country."

"Shut up." Bel flicks ice chips at her.

"Hey, ice is for the drinks, not for throwing." But Gulf is smiling, though whether it's at the ice throwing or that Silo really is in town is not clear.

"Well, it's true!" Em protests. "Whenever Nina is in town, Silo always meets up with her. And since how my brother chooses to live his personal life is his business, I don't see a problem with him dating you and Bel's sister at the same time."

"I didn't say it was a problem." Now it's Gulf's turn to protest. "I just wondered where he is. He hasn't picked up my calls."

"Well, that obviously means he's busy and will get back to you when he can." Em snaps without any real heat. "You're not even his boyfriend, so you don't have to be clingy."

"I'm not Silo's boyfriend, yet." But Gulf slips his phone back into his pocket. "So how 'social' is this new social life of yours, Bellamy?"

Em rolls her eyes. "I'm going to get more ice."

When she's gone, Gulf leans both elbows on the table, giving Bel puppy dog face. Bel flicks ice chips at him. "Hey!"

"Don't you have guests you should go mingle with or something?" Bel asks.