...
He sat up and sucked his chest full of air. Air had a bad dream, one where a river of fire flowed across a ceiling. A nightmare where flames rolled up the walls and curled blistered wallpaper into black ashes. Cologne bottles boiled and exploded. A dream where his eyes stung and his lungs were scorched.
The images in his slumber were perceived as real, every inch of Air's body felt as if it had been poached.
All at once, Air's skin crawled with goosebumps. He shivered. He thought back to the hours after the fire. Chess held him close and they leaned back against a tree, in the shade of the morning sun. Fair had given them a cool sheet and after he was covered, Air started to fall asleep. He could still feel Chester's breath on his ear and hear what he said.
Air's back was on Chess. He used him as a full-body pillow. Chess's left hand was spread open and on Air's chest, his right was outside the sheet, he stroked Air's singed hair. The things he uttered were whispered:
"I am in your debt, young one, and I will take care of you as long as I live."
He shivered again and when he stretched, he realized that he was hurt. Air's back ached and his ribs stung the way they did two weeks ago from Pool's punches.
The soles of his feet hurt when they touched the wooden floor. Air had an oversized shirt buttoned over his birthday suit. He didn't have to ask Fair where it came from, he remembered seeing Fair take it from Chess's closet. It was still at Air's house weeks later; he couldn't explain why he hadn't returned it.
Air looked at himself in the mirror. He thought it was funny how big the shirt's neckline was. The shoulder seams were halfway down his upper arm. The tails that would normally be tucked into Chester's jeans, floated at Air's thighs.
Air took a towel and went to the shower.
...
He tiptoed down the stairs. Not because he was afraid Pool would be there or that he would be waking anyone, but because everything, everywhere was so silent.
Air walked into his living room. He went straight to the window and looked at the big house. He put his hand over his mouth to quiet his sudden gasp. Last night wasn't a horrible dream. The charred rafters of Chester's home were proof of that.
Air's next move was to find out where everyone was. Before he had the chance to take a single step, Chess closed his arms around Air from behind, gently and with the softest touch.
Chess didn't ask how Air was. He didn't mention the fire or Pool. He said: "Thank you, Air, for saving my life."
To Chester's great surprise, Air didn't say much. He let Chess hold him, and his head fell back on Chess's chest. "We got out in the nick of time."
...
Sky made the biggest move of his life, and he did it because he could feel Khemp slipping away. He kept trying to say what he needed to, but little Joe and Del were a handful. It wasn't until the boys started getting hungry and they were on the way back to the farm, that Sky found both the opportunity and the nerve.
As soon as the farm drive was visible, Del and Joe ran ahead.
"Khemp, I'm going to tell you something, whether you want to hear it or not."
Sky slowed right down, he stopped and faced Khemp. "You know I like you Khemp. It's true I've never come out and said the words, but you know that I've liked you for a long time."
Sky had his hands in his pockets. His arms were straight and he twisted nervously from side to side. He did his best to maintain eye contact, but most of the time he was looking at the string that tied Khemp's shorts.
Khemp was not surprised. If anything, he was waiting for this discussion.
Sky was one year older than Khemp and it just so happens that they started work on the farm the same day. In fact, they rode in the back of the same van from Chiang Mai and they were assigned to share the same room.
Khemp looked up to Sky, he still does today. Sky was gregarious and made fast friends with everyone, including people in the village. He pulled his weight and all of the staff liked him.
Khemp felt the same as everyone else. Sky was suave and had movie-star looks. When he turned his charm on Khemp, Khemp was done for. Within three months of being there, they slept together. Sky took Khemp's virginity.
It was wonderful for Sky, he'd fallen hard for his new work/housemate. He was ready to dedicate everything to Khemp's care.
Sky thought Khemp was the ideal man and everything about him was so natural. His black hair had never been dyed, his body had no tattoos. Khemp had no piercings or scars, no moles or birthmarks. Sky used to tease him that he was made from plastic.
Khemp was a much more timid person and kept mostly to himself. Any of the other farmworkers that Khemp met, he did so through Sky.
Between the pair, there had been no talk of boyfriends or of making themselves officially a couple. Sky had the feeling that Khemp was new to these things, and he sensed his new bed-friend wanted to be with others before settling down and choosing just one.
As much as Sky was in love with Khemp, he also knew that if he tried to possess him, things could turn out bad. Sky was no saint and had had his share, he thought that if he let Khemp have that same freedom, when he did decide to settle down, all that oat-sewing would be behind him.
Sky was gravely mistaken, and, the purposeful distance he put between himself and Khemp, backfired miserably. Khemp lost all confidence and started to believe he must have been a disappointing sex partner. He never pressed again. Khemp convinced himself that Sky was too handsome and popular to ever really look his way. He made himself believe that he wasn't enough.
It wasn't that he didn't still care deeply for Sky, but he didn't want Sky to feel obligated. Sky was guilty of putting the distance between them, Khemp was guilty of building the wall that unceasingly kept them in the friend zone.
So here we are, four years later and Khemp's interest in Air is the first in all that time.
Sky made this move because there was one thing he knew of Khemp to be sure. Khemp was the most honourable person Sky had ever met. The sheer fact that Sky had said the words, meant that Khemp would be bound to him until it was talked out and resolved, be that that they are boyfriends or forever separate souls.
Khemp put his hand flat on Sky's chest. His longtime friend's heart was pounding uncontrollably. He tried to push him back. "Why now? Why are you telling me this now?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm jealous. I can't stand it. I want you back, I want your attention to come back to me." Sky's voice shook.
The open hands in his pockets, turned to fists. "I'm really jealous."
Sky said the big words: "I'm in love with you Khemp and I won't give you up so easy."
After a deep breath or two, Sky sounded softer and resigned to whatever fate Khemp might have for him. All the fighting in the world wouldn't change things if Khemp didn't love him or didn't care.
"I know that Air is a good friend... a good person, but please Khemp, please remember that I was here first, that I loved you first." He whispered: "I haven't touched anyone since we..."
Sky had true and honest eyes. They looked sad, worried, and glassy wet.
He put his arm over Khemp's shoulder, the way he always did. They started walking again.
...
Air turned himself in Chester's arms. "Why don't I see anyone around. Green said something about twenty extra people coming to pick tomatoes."
"Mmm, tomatoes, are you hungry Air? Everyone is at the worker's house. Fair said we can come there to eat, or he could send food to us." Chess smiled: "I'm good either way."
Air looked down between them. "You should probably put something on P'."
"I think these are the only clothes I own." His lightweight t-shirt and boxers, the ones he rinsed the soot out of, were looking dismal.
"I think I need to call Green, he's the only person here who is my size."
...
... meanwhile, at the worker's house ...
...
Del and Joe crashed through the door first. They told everyone that Sky and Khemp were right behind. Del said he was starving and was lifted in the air and into a chair. Joe was plopped beside him.
The farm cook was the kind of man who loved kids. He'd always spoiled the two boys and made them whatever they wanted. Today, however, he apologized and said that without his kitchen, everyone would have to settle with what he could manage.
Three minutes later, two plates were delivered to the table. It was American-style hot dogs with ketchup and pickle relish. Del's all-time favourite thing to eat.
Nobody was talking about the fire. They were all trying to act as if it were any other day.
Today, was anything but ordinary and that was proved when Chess and Air walked in. Chess braced for the comments regarding his state of dress.
Sky and Khemp came in a back way. (Everyone noticed something was odd about them, but just like Chester's clothes, this was no time to discuss it.)
They all stood across from each other with the dining table in between. The few field workers who were eating, stopped. The clinking of cutlery and any conversation ceased as well.
Air didn't see who started it. A clap and then another. Soon they were all applauding and anyone sitting had risen to their feet. It was for Air, a hero's welcome.
Chess hadn't heard, he only knew what went on after he choked and hacked himself cognizant, and even that was blurry. He could remember a bit, Air's wet body on top of his, and what Air said and did.
The blankets went over their heads and Air told Chess to crawl with him. When they reached the place on the bedroom floor where all the shattered glass lay, Air directed Chess to stand and hang tight. "Take a deep breath P', here we go!"
Chess remembered that it was so hot, the air he breathed in, felt as though it baked his lungs. Air pushed him through a wall of fire.
The fall to the ground was in slow motion. He knew at that moment that if Air hadn't pulled him from his bed, by the time they thudded to the earth, he would have been dead. His mattress was fully engulfed before they had even crawled away.
No, Chester hadn't heard, but he would now. Some of it was toned down for the sake of Del and Joe, but the story was told from the viewpoint of several. In all of them, Air was described as unbelievably brave.
None of the glamour laid on him could go unrewarded. Tong, a short little dude who works as the dishwasher, came straight up to Air and handed him a nicely folded pair of boxers. "Nong, I found these by the pool. Somebody said they belong to you."
The next joke was about a naked superman.
Something happened that none of them were expecting. Air grabbed Chess's hand, it had been resting on his shoulder since they came through the door. He threw it off and turned. He looked up into Chester's face. His voice was dripping venom.
"You ass! Do you realize he could have killed you? He's an arsonist, right? Fire seems to be his thing."
No one moved, no one breathed a word.
Chess snapped back.
"You! If you ever do anything like that stunt you pulled last night, I'll toss you and your bags on the lawn. You can go back to where you came from."
Air was taking no prisoners: "You could hardly do that if you're dead."
Jet the mechanic was there. He went behind Del and put his hand over the boy's ear, the other one covered one of Joe's ears. He pushed the boy's heads together.
"Hey you two, remember the kids are here."
Air had complete control of his faculties and returned to normal. He started looking around the worker's house, it was bigger than he imagined, and frankly, nicer. Air didn't know why, but he had more a dorm-like situation in his mind. It wasn't at all like that. It looked like a home.
Chess wasn't so easy. His attention went to Sky and Khemp who were acting oddly.
"You two..." Chess looked at the clock. "after you eat, they will be coming to get Pool. You have his things packed up, right?"
Sky and Khemp looked at each other and then nodded that they had indeed packed him up. Sky said: "P'Chess, have you seen Nong'Zong?" (Pool's guard.) "He took a major knock on the head when Pool got out last night."
Chester told Sky that he knew about it and that he would take care of Zong.
"I have one more announcement." Chess looked straight at Del. "There is a horse arriving here today. It won't come until after dark, but..."
Chess didn't finish his sentence. Del stood on his chair and held out his arms for a hug.
...
Throughout the makeshift dinner, things were organized and scheduled so that harvest could continue uninterrupted. Plans were put immediately into place that would hasten the rebuilding of the house. Huge tarps would be stretched over the structure. The rains would surely come, just as the last field hands over its bounty.
Pool was leaving. Chester personally placed him quietly and unceremoniously into the back of a car. The man seemed neither happy nor sad. There was no curiosity in his eyes.
Chess was unashamedly crying. It was a silent cry. He made no excuses for his tears.
That evening was the very first time Air saw Pool's face closely. It took Air's breath away because Pool was unquestionably striking. Hollow as they were, his eyes were big and the colour of freshly brewed coffee.
Air was struck with a singular feeling. He couldn't be angry with Pool or hate him for his actions. He couldn't even dislike him. The man who owned the beautiful face and body wasn't there. What Air was looking at was just a shell, a husk, like Chess's burnt-out home."
...
Things did go back to normal, or as normal as they could be.
It was Chess that changed the most. He commandeered one of the guesthouses and didn't leave the farm for weeks and weeks on end.
Air kept to his regular routine. He and Del could be seen lying in the grass on warm sunny days with textbooks spread around them. Everyone could see that Del truly loved Air. He worked so hard at his studies so that Air would be proud of him. If Air was proud, he knew his dad would be too.
The word normal didn't apply to everything. Pilot was often in the grass with Del and Air. He slept on Air's porch and in his bed. The guard dog had retired completely, and if Chester wanted to see him, he knew where to look.
The horse took up a lot of Del's time. Many hours that he once spent in Air's company, were now used up on the back of, 'BlakJak'. The creature was aptly named for his raven-coloured hair and his single white foot.
(Old 'horsey' saying: One white foot, buy him; two white feet, try him... ... three white feet, look well about him; four white feet, go without him.)
BlakJak was good with kids, it meant that Little Joe could ride too. It was almost impossible to tear them away on Sunday nights when Joe had to leave. Both boys clung to the promise of 'next weekend'.
Khemp still took care of Air and Del. He came to their house when it was time to eat. He did all the things he did before but with one glaring difference. In the past, Sky had always been only two steps behind Khemp, but now he walks beside him.
...
The harvest lasts about seven weeks and they were coming near to the end. Air and Del waved to the guys super early in the morning. They rode in the back of a wagon and were taken afar to the fields. The mist hung in the air and they would vanish into it.
They also watched Chess each morning. He would usually have breakfast with the workers and see them off. He would go straight to the garage and check with Jet. The repairs to his car were happening, slowly but surely.
The house too, an architect had made the trip several times. The news around the dinner table was that Fair was right, it would take at least a year, but, Chester had added to the original footprint. The newly built house would be bigger, better, and more modern.
The gossip swirled like a tornado when the bulldozer rolled into Air's backyard. A hundred feet from the pool at Chester's, the ground was broken for a tennis court. It would have fencing and night-lighting, benches for the players to sit, and bleachers from which to observe.
There was even going to be an electronic scoreboard.
The gossip narrowed in on one conclusion, Chester had a big thing for Air.
There was no concrete proof of these allegations of course. Chess never said he wanted to court Air. He never stopped or interfered with the time Air spent with Khemp. (They remained very close and still swam naked together late at night. Mind you, Sky is swimming too.)
...
It was true that Chess didn't forbid Air from spending time with anyone.
It was also true that different people sent his jealousy metre to different levels.
Fair, for instance, could spend hours with Air, Green too for that matter. Air could fall asleep between them on the couch, it didn't bother Chess.
Chess saw Jet walk to the temple with Air one Sunday, he never said a word. Fair knew why; Jet lived with his girlfriend of many years. Their house was on the main street of the village.
It was generally known that Chess had his eye on Air. That kind of news can't be held back, and, each person that hears and re-tells it, adds their own embellishment. For this reason, a number of guys who were vying for Air's attention had now stepped back.
The green jealousy monster showed himself mostly when the vet came around. It was ugly, and Fair was the only one who heard about it. Chess kept saying they looked good together and that everyone else would say so.
He complained: "It's hard to compete with that. He's a good age for Air too."
Keel was at the farm more often than ever. There was much that Del and BlakJak's keepers had to learn when it came to the care of a horse. The Doc never failed to find his way to Air's house on these days. Fair would watch Chester's blood boil.
As bad as the envy was with Doc Keel, it was ten times worse when a new face showed itself. He came to the farm for one reason, and that was to see Air. This new and most threatening suitor was Ing's youngest brother.
Kik was sixteen. He was growing into his looks and could easily, someday, outshine his eldest sibling. While Ing was fluttering around Chess, Kik's lungs were filled with Air; his eyes and heart too.
He wasn't the huge threat Chess believed him to be. Air was polite and entertained the boy's questions, but he had a distrust. He knew the boy's crush on him was genuine, but, the courage to come to the farm and visit Air on his own, had to have come from his brothers. Air was sure they were up to no good. He felt a little sad for Kik, he was just a lad with a crush, innocent really, and being used.
...
No one knew anything about Air's feelings. He had a remarkable ability to hide what he was thinking and how he felt. No amount of examination would eke out anything he chose to keep to himself.
When it came right down to it, Air was struggling with how he felt. He really liked Khemp and loved how Khemp took care of him, but, in Air's heart, he knew all along that Sky had something for Khemp, and although he never said anything, it was clear to Air.
He knew that if he let his heart get attached to Khemp, he might lose him in the end. Air was not fond of the idea of having his heart broken.
Air wondered if his friend Sky from the orphanage had protected him too well. Would he be better at this relationship strategy game if Sky would have let him get hurt?
Air hadn't done it in a long time, he used to wish that Sky loved him in a romantic way but was too timid to say it. All Air was sure of, was that he would never be the kind to make the first move. Hell, he could barely admit to himself when he liked someone, let alone say it to their face.
His thoughts on love went back and forth routinely and without end. He couldn't explain to anyone how he felt or thought, simply because he didn't know himself.
...
When Air looked back on it, he realized how sly and tricky Mr. Chess could be. On a random Saturday morning, probably the last before harvests end, Chess asked Air to come with him to the wholesale market. He wanted Air to bring a blank notebook and record figures for him.
He said that when he made the deals, it was too much hassle for him to stop and do it himself.
Air didn't hesitate and agreed.
A fruit and vegetable wholesale market isn't exactly the place ideal for a first date. It's loud, crowded, confusing, and boring as hell if you don't understand what's going on.
Air stood beside Chess as he negotiated with one old man after another.
They stopped at a vendor and Chess bought two cups of tea. He pointed out the trucks with the produce from Wang Nam farm. It wasn't necessary, the name was painted right on the side, and Air was familiar with a few of the drivers.
"Are you hungry Air? That shop right there, makes the best Thai basil pork."
Chess used his fingers to make his point. "The basil comes from us, the limes and lime leaves, the green and red chillies, the onion." Chess took a breath. "Not the pork and the rice though, those come from our neighbours across the river."
Chess could not have seen it coming. The people he was speaking about, were walking up behind him. They heard him mention their name with its thirteen consonants.
The man put his hand on the top of Chester's head and called him Son.
Up close, Air could see that these people were comparatively well off. Everything about them said they weren't dirt farmers. The region where they live could support many just like them.
Air had the skill of making himself small and see-thru. The older man and woman talked with Chess for three minutes before they noticed him so quietly behind.
It is a good thing that they weren't aware of Air. He was holding back a cough. He heard the man say that they had just come from visiting Pool and that he was comfortably settled.
The lady stated something as she patted Chess's shoulder: "Pool said that you're in love. He hopes that he will receive an invitation to your wedding."
Both the man and the woman spoke at the same time: "We don't honestly expect you to do that, Son."
Chess invited them to the harvest party in one weeks' time.
...
... to be continued ...
FanFiction & Novel Adaptation by Kramdrof, all rights reserved, February 2021