...
...
Things could not possibly get worse. He not only broke a sacred promise and sent Pool away, Chess felt he'd lost the love of his best friend and supposed guardian, Pilot. The final straw, a large chunk of his family home had been destroyed.
For Chester, the only luck he'd had lately, came from Air.
Air felt like the kind of luck that can change a person's life. The kind that doesn't happen every day.
...
The older man held his hand out so that Chess could get up from the awkward picnic table he and Air were sitting at.
The couple seemed happy for Chester's invitation and thanked him more than once.
The woman was clinging to Chess's bicep. "You know the arrangement. We'll come to yours, if, you make an appearance at ours." She quickly rambled off several names, one female and three male.
She giggled at her own tease. "You should bring your new love. They'll be so jealous."
The lady let go of Chester's arm and moved around to face him. "Look at this. Were you in a hurry today? You've missed a button-hole, you're crooked."
She busily fixed him up and patted his chest with her flat hand. This moment with Chester seemed to remind her of something or someone.
When she lifted her eyes to Chess again, they overflowed with tears.
She returned to a subject, Chester thought they had finished with.
"We understand Son. After what Pool did to your house..." The lady's voice trembled. "Our friends, your mom and dad, what would they say?"
Chess, a man who was never short of words, mumbled something and then talked close to her ear.
Air leaned around in hopes that he might hear. He noticed the old man doing the same.
Chess and the lady started to laugh together. His smile was bright and he seemed to have her in the palm of his hand. She took the handkerchief he offered and dabbed her eyes and cheeks. Chess told her to keep it.
Now, the old man laid all of his attention on Air. Air, the young lad so quietly hovering over a paper cup of tea. The young lad with the intelligent eyes and a stubborn spirit.
"Who did you say your young friend was? Chess? Son?"
Chess stepped back and moved Air's shield of protection. The Mrs. was taking a particular interest in Air now too.
Chess spread his hand between Air's shoulders and at the base of his neck. He squeezed and rubbed. "Didn't I introduce Nong'Air?"
"Nong... the farm right across the river. This is them, ah, ma and pa."
He was more nervous than Air had ever seen him. Air couldn't understand what hold these people would have over him that would make him stutter and fall on his words. Chess's temple's got wet and sparkly droplets of sweat filtered through his sideburns.
"He's my son's teacher."
Chess started to ramble off Air's qualifications. It was almost as if he had memorized them word for word. He named the languages Air could speak, which were only in Fair's margin notes.
He slowed when he reached the end. Chester looked away from the couple and down at Air. "He's become very close to me"
...
It was the most polite kind of silence. The old couple gave each other knowing glances and searched no more into the chest of drawers of Chester's love life.
Chess let out an enormous sigh when they walked away. He squirmed his big legs back under the picnic table. He picked up his tea only to find it cold.
He swished it around and placed it back down, looking disappointed.
"I love those two a lot, but they're just like having my parents still alive. I can't lie to them, and they ask so many questions."
Air knocked the breath out of Chess.
"They love you like parents. You're so lucky to have had two sets. Some of us..."
Air stood from the table. "I want another. I'll get you a hot one."
He didn't look back.
Chester poured the cold tea on the ground. He crushed the cup in his fist. He chided himself bitterly.
...
When Air returned, Chess thanked him for the tea. "I'm really sorry about earlier, Air. I'm so thoughtless. You should call me out on that, whenever you catch me."
Air was using a conciliatory tone now as well. "It's not you P', It's me, I'm overly sensitive about these things."
Chess reached across the table and took Air's hand.
Air looked around the uncomfortably populated cafe tent.
"No, you're not. I was callous. What kind of an ass would say something like that?"
Chess gripped tighter on Air's hand. He made fun of himself. "Me, that's who. Don't let me away with it Air."
Chester leaned in as close as he dared. (Considering that he was surrounded by everyone he knew). "You're my hero, remember?"
...
Grumpy Chess returned. At the end of the market morning, he told Air to get in the jeep. Chester drove back and hardly said a word. He stopped at the front of Air's house and said, 'thanks', when Air handed him the booklet with all his sales and figures so neatly logged.
...
... Air's thoughts ...
"I was right. He's just a weirdo. It must be a rich kid thing." Air poured some cold water from the fridge. He sat at the front of his house. He couldn't stand the construction noise at the back.
He talked out loud to himself: "One minute he's warm and fuzzy and the next, I think he can't stand me."
Air swished a fly away. "I guess I'm right back where I started. It doesn't matter if he likes me or not, as long as I do my job."
...
... Chess's thoughts ...
"He's impenetrable!"
Chess hauled Fair out of the worker's house and onto the porch. They both looked across to see Air on his front deck. He was shirtless and sipping from a tall glass.
"He doesn't react when I expect him to."
Chester's head dropped forward and lobbed side to side. He stared at Air again. "But he so cute. So adorable."
Fair didn't remark, but he noticed how good Chess looked. His hair had product in it. He smelled like rain in the summer. His cut-off blue-jean shorts were snug and he wore a simple, soft white pullover.
Chess moved his eyes from where they beamed across at Air, he put them on Fair.
His tone totally changed and sounded beaten: "He's impossible."
"What is it that you expect from him P'? You have to remember where he's come from. For heaven's sake, his last name is Thammasat. They give the unnamed children the name of the institution. Air is named after a university."
Chess looked at Fair, a complete blank.
"P', Air is really smart, book smart, but what does he know of the world? You have to do everything P'."
Chester started to nod. That nod grew and was added to with a smile. Chess pulled out his phone.
Fair leaned on the railing of the deck. He thought he'd give Chess some privacy and turned back to face Air. He also thought that Chess got the drift of what he was saying. When Fair said Chess would have to do everything, Fair meant the romance and kindness. He meant all the stuff proper suitors do for their targeted counterparts. Things like asking him out on a dinner date or any of the dozens of cliche mating rituals.
Fair was starting to think that he should tell Chess everything he knew, or at least the story of Sky. Chester didn't seem to understand that Air was more than just a virgin. He remained untouched in all ways.
(Once again, Fair knew everything and did not consider Khemp's accidental kiss a stain on Air's purity.)
"Hello, is Ing there? Could you get him for me please?"
... seconds later ...
"Hi, Ing? You and your bros are coming to the harvest party, right?"
Fair almost gagged. He comically pulled at the hair on the side of his head and mouthed:
"What are you doing?!"
Fair looked over the lawn again to see Air stand. He watched his long lean back as it went around the screen door and inside.
Chess slid his finger across his phone with a grin. He touched Fair's shoulder.
"There, everything is set."
"What is P'? Why would you invite them?"
Chess took Fair's wrist again. They walked to a bench and sat beside each other. "I've spent quite a bit of time with Air. We've talked about so many things. I don't find him small or..." Chess struggled with the word: "He doesn't lack anything. I'm never bored and I'm not aware of the fifteen years between us."
Both of his eyebrows went up. "That could be it. I might be too old, even for consideration."
Chess stretched his neck and peered across at Air's house. "We'll find out on Saturday night."
...
For weeks now, every morning Air would find a small basket of Wang Nam farms finest fruit. The finest fruit anywhere. The biggest and most perfect examples of everything they grew.
Giant pears, so fresh that the stem and leaves were still attached. Apples, huge and shiny, sweet and tangy, one would easily feed two. Air woke early on Friday morning, he finally laid eyes on the secret deliverer.
Air saw Chess set the basket on the deck. He used his shirt and buffed up the gloss. He was walking away when Air opened the squeaky screen.
"Thanks for those P'. I'm making tea."
...
Air told Chess to sit at the back. It was too early for the work crews and nothing could compare to the view of the mountains. Air brought the tea out.
Chess pulled out the chair for Air. He poured Air's tea.
Chester loved the way Air used words. The lad didn't add extra ones, and nothing he said was veiled behind platitude. He was never aimless or vague.
Air put both hands around his cup and spoke with a voice that would brook no argument.
"I know you're mad, but I have no choice."
Chess was the one being vague, or more likely, playing dumb. "Pardon? No choice?"
...
Late last night, Air received a phone call. The only number the caller had was Fair's cell phone.
Fair got out of bed with his boyfriend and donned a housecoat. They went to Air's at midnight.
Fair came in the dark house. Green was right behind him. He was forced to tag along because Fair wasn't sure where Pilot was. They knocked on Air's door and were told to come in.
"Is Pilot in there with you?"
Green was bent over Fair's back. They both stood straight when Air stepped into the hall and closed the beast in. "He's sleeping."
Fair handed the phone over. "It's a man named Park."
He and Green followed Air down the stairs.
Air flipped the kitchen light switch and cause them all to squint.
Fair and Green thought he was so darling in his Mickey-mouse t-shirt; it was just long enough to cover the small briefs Air had on, they were printed with the famous mouse too. His hair stuck straight up from the top of his head.
Fair poured a glass of water while Air talked with the man.
The call only lasted a few minutes, and other than Air's one comment, (it's been a long time P'Park, you're still there?), they really couldn't tell what was going on. Only after Air hung up did they find out.
"Do you think P'Chess would be mad if I asked to leave for a week?"
Fair and Green were looking at each other, both said they couldn't see any reason why he'd be upset. "Del's school year isn't set in stone."
Air handed the phone back. "Everyone there is sick. They need my help until the flu passes through the school. Even the teachers are down."
Fair's posture changed altogether. "Oh, I don't know. That's different. What if you get sick?"
Fair already understood Air's dislike for hospitals. Khemp had told him everything.
"When do you have to leave?"
"I'll go the morning after the party... Sunday."
Fair had one extra curious question: "Who's Park?"
Fair handed the glass to Green. Green took a big swallow and handed it to Air.
Air sipped on the cold water. "P'Park is the guy who found me and named me. He's an orphan himself and was just a teenager then. He works in the administrative building these days."
Fair saw a sparkle in Air's reminiscent smile. He thought that this Park person must have been good to Air. Fair couldn't begin to imagine what Air's life was like there, but it made him feel better to think that there were people in Air's past that watched out for him. From what Air told Khemp, no one was ever able to get their hands on him. Air credited his Sky for that.
...
... Saturday, harvest party day ...
Khemp and Sky came early to Air's home. They dragged him and the boy's to the worker's house for an extra early breakfast.
All of them sat outside and drank tea and ate from a big basket of morning pastries that cook had sent. Del and Joe had milk with theirs.
"Where's dad?"
Fair answered Del. "He'll be here. He was up late calling and making sure everyone comes."
Jet came out of the house. He had a pair of greasy overalls on. "No rest for the wicked."
He smiled as he worked his way through the tables. He had a cup of coffee in his hand. He turned once he stepped down from the deck. "I'll see all of you tonight. I'm putting on my dancing shoes."
...
Harvest was over and yet the traffic in and out of the farm drive was busy. Air asked because he assumed things would be quiet.
Fair explained that borrowed equipment had to be returned to the farms it came from. Storage bins were emptied and would need cleaning. He listed off a whole bunch of things that Air had no clue about. "Wait till the strippers get here... woo whoo."
A number of the other guys joined in on Fair's howling.
"Strippers?" Air was flatly disbelieving.
Green held the pastry basket in front of Air. He talked with a sarcastic spoiler voice: "Strippers Air, they come here today and walk through the vegetable fields and orchards. They take anything that was left behind. It goes to the local charities and people who need it."
Green took one of the sweet breakfast treats for himself. "It's all perfectly good."
Green started to recite an ancient poem about wasting food and the importance of a single grain of rice.
Fair smiled and popped a pastry in his mouth. He talked while he chewed and elbowed his boyfriend Green. "Tonight's the big one, Air. The whole village will be here and all the surrounding farms too."
Air was trying to be funny when he said: "Yeah, and my baby boyfriend Nong'Kik. He'll be here."
All of them started to chuckle. Air suddenly stopped and reached across the table. He grabbed Fair's resting hand with both of his. "Oh P', you have to help me. What do I do about him? He won't take no for an answer."
Green chimed in. His problem was that he wasn't as up-to-date as Fair was. Green had heard the whispers that Chess liked Air, but Chess had done nothing to move the relationship along. As far as Green was concerned, Air was still fair game.
"Nong'Kik is a fine-looking young man. He's going to be more handsome than all his brothers combined." Green quit smiling. "And that's no joking matter."
It turned out to be a way bigger day than anyone thought. When Air responded to Green, he gave the first real evidence that he was even interested in a relationship. The first real evidence that he indeed thought about these things.
"He is handsome and he's a sweet boy too, but I don't want a younger boyfriend. I'm not good at taking care of people. I need someone older."
There was some tricky eye-flashery happening. Fair looked at Tong, Tong looked at Zong, Zong nodded to Green. Green didn't know who to look at.
The two guys dressed in kitchen whites both poured back the last of their tea. They shoved their chairs back at the same time. They both got up and wai'd at the same time. They went back into the house.
Fair sat up straighter. "Older, you say?"
Fair did everything he could to hide his excitement. "Have you met some older person here on the farm that you like?"
Air refused to answer.
Now the entire deck full of people were all whining and urging Air. "Who? Who?
The front door of the cottage Chester inhabited, slammed loudly. They all stopped their noise and turned to see Chester stretching in the morning sun. He looked over at his collection of employees.
Chess was fully dressed, and quite nicely too. He walked on the walkway and not the grass. He came up behind Air and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. He bent over and looked at Air upside down.
"All of these people have work to do before the party, but you don't have to teach. Would you mind coming with me? I have something to do."
The only sound anywhere was a male cicada with his loud vibrating buzz and clicks.
...
It was not lost on anyone the way Chess so kindly asks Air for things. He still barked his gruff orders with the rest of them, and they didn't receive his cheesy smiles either.
A big black SUV with tinted windows pulled out of the garage. It came around the curve in the drive and stopped in front of the worker's house. Jet got out and tossed the keys to Chester.
Air cranked his head around and looked up at Chess. "I have to change P'."
Air was looking down at the silly t-shirt he had on, and he'd slipped boxers over his Mickey mouse undies.
"No, you're fine. We're not going in anywhere."
Chess tugged Air's chair out with the lad still sitting on it.
Air finally answered: "Ah, ok, I'll go."
...
A few of the people on the deck had gotten up and left, but there was still a good number remaining. Khemp's face was red and his nostrils flared. Sky held tightly to his hand.
Khemp waited for the SUV to turn onto the road before he said anything. Khemp stood from his chair still looking in that direction.
"You know where Chess is taking him right? Why would P'Chess do this?"
No one was getting what Khemp was saying. Even Fair didn't understand.
"What Khemp?" Fair asked: "Where is Chess taking Air?"
"He's going to pick up Ing and his brothers." Khemp took a breath. "You know how evil they've been to Air. I thought Chester was starting to fall... care for Air... he knows this will hurt."
Fair twisted in his chair and looked at the end of the driveway. "He never said anything about the brother's staying overnight. I don't have orders to prepare for that."
Green stated the obvious: "There's no room for them here now anyway."
Green hesitated. "Unless..."
... to be continued ...
FanFiction & Novel Adaptation by Kramdrof, all rights reserved, February 2021