Prem & Wad, Part 2, Second Chances

Chapter, 9, Spilt Beans

Student-teacher Knot looked distracted and there was something else. Dat and Mali were the last to stand, it was an hour-long and the first period after lunch.

"Is Tat coming to help you this afternoon sir?" They spoke at exactly the same time.

Knot lifted his face to the two girls standing with their legs leaning on the front of his desk. "I believe so ladies."

Now, up close, and with the opportunity to look directly into his face they could see their earlier sense was correct. There was trouble behind his beautiful brown eyes.

"Ah."

Dat's mouth was open and she was about to speak when Tat came through the door. His gaze went straight to her and the very definite disapproving look on his face said she'd better save her question or comment for another time.

"Oh, here he is sir, we will go now." They were both holding their books to their breast's and moving quickly. They slipped to the side and moved behind Tat as they made their exit, his embarrassed glare almost shoving them out.

His worry was that they were saying something that would humiliate him, or worse, something that would indicate that they knew more than they should. He'd be furious with them if Knot knew what he had heard only days before.

That was not the feeling he was getting from P'Knot, "Ah, hello Nong, I still can't believe you find the time to do this every day, I'll feel really bad if I find out that your studies are suffering from it, or, that you are late for classes because you do this for me." Knot was looking right at him.

With the unintended gain of knowledge he had about Knot's private life, he was putting the pieces together quickly and, learning to decipher Knot's voice and looks. Something was off today and Knot's attempts to hide it were not working with Tat.

He didn't chat idly or bother Knot with questions, he just lifted the smaller of the two stacks, "Where are we taking these today, P'Knot?"

"To my office Nong, I'll read them this afternoon, my final two classes are cancelled for the rally. I'm sure you're going, all the kids are."

They walked quietly, Knot was far away in thought and, Tat couldn't get Knot's statement out of his mind. "He sees me as a kid."

Tat patted the sides of the stack with his palms and un-slung his briefcase strap from his shoulder. Carrying it now at his side, "I'll see you tomorrow P'." His voice was low and he didn't look at Knot as he walked out.

Tat's heart had been skewered even more in Knot's office, he saw the picture Knot had on his desk. It was of him and Wad, someone had taken it, the pair of them on Knot's motorcycle. In it, Wad's arms were wrapped around Knot's waste and bright smiles covered their faces as they turned to face the photographer.

Only after the boy had left the room did Knot discern the less than ordinary, farewell.

His mind was still back at lunch and Praepalin's narration of the letter Wad had received from Prem. From her description, it was deeply heartfelt and he was meditating on what Wad's reaction would have been.

.....................

P'Dok didn't put up any front when Wad asked her to come with him in the car that was coming, she agreed immediately, her only bargaining, she would have to get the neighbour to sit with ChaiSon. Wad was equally agreeable, he didn't want to go alone.

Wad's Friday envelope had had a spoiler. When the driver asked if he should pick Wad up at Dok's house it gave away part of Prem's plan. As they expected when they opened it, Prem's message was that a car would be coming for them at the suite, he was going to show Wad his dream for their future, he wrote, "I'm so excited."