Chapter 22: The Accident Day (Part 2)

                                    

                                          
Arthit's POV
"Arthit, what the hell are you doing here?"

                          
"Me? I am here to meet my mom. Why are you here? Shouldn't you go back to Macau to spend more time with your mistress? What was her name... Lily?"
                          
Dad's eye suddenly twitched. I was bluffing him. I didn't know whether dad was already having an affair. But he definitely recognized the name which Kongpob told me yesterday.   

                          
"What—what are you talking about Arthit? Who is this Lily?" Mom asked. 
                          
"Dad, do you want to tell mom or should I? And you really dare to threaten a divorce? This whole house belongs to her, she is the majority stakeholder in the company, and you are the one who is cheating on her. I wonder what you will be left with if we take this to court."

                          
Dad suddenly grabbed my collar. "How dare you talk to your father like that? And why are you even here? I told you, you were not welcome in this house"
                          
I pushed dad away harshly. "And I am telling you now that you aren't welcome in this house from now on. You are not allowed to have any communication with mom from here. You want to talk to her, you go through me first. 

                          
I'll have mom's lawyers send the papers to you. Now, if you don't want the pictures and details about your mistress to be the front page news tomorrow, I recommend you go back to Macau right now."
                          
Turns out, bluffing him did indeed work. Dad finally left and I took a sigh of relief. One problem down, a million others to go.

                          
Mom was crying and shaking because of everything that she had just heard. "He is really cheating on me, isn't he?"
                          
"Mom he is the idiot. It is not your fault." I hugged mom tightly. 

                          
"Do you think I am a bad mother, Arthit? Did my problem with alcohol really ruin my whole family?" 
                          
"No, you are a great mother. And you haven't touched alcohol for weeks now. The problem is people like dad who don't understand what it really means to be a recovering alcoholic."

                          
"What should I do now Arthit?"
                          
"You can have breakfast with me , Mom and I will handle everything else." 

                          
I sat down at the dining table and had breakfast with mom. I still don't know if dad was the real trigger and if I had solved the problem. So, I decided to stay with mom for as long as I could. She was still in a bad mood, but she perked up a little after our talk post-breakfast. 
                          
I also texted Kongpob to make sure he was still in the house.

                          
Arthit[11:34am]: The fumigation is still going on the dorms. It could take a few hours. Don't leave the house without me, okay?



                          
Kongpob[11:36am]: Yes Arthit. I won't



                          
Arthit[11:37am]: Promise?



                          
Kongpob[11:37am]: Promise
                          
"Arthit, I'll make some chicken for lunch. You will stay, right?"

                          
We were already past the first accident time, but I wasn't sure if everything was safe. The accident time could change, Kong had already told me that. So I decided to call reinforcements — Bright and Prem. 
                          
"Mom, I am calling Bright and Prem for lunch too"

                          
"Sure, call your friends. I also think you should leave that apartment and come back home Arthit."
                          
"Not yet mom....not yet."

                          
Bright and Prem had lunch with us and they helped amp up mom's mood even more. I needed to find good lawyers for mom to make sure dad wouldn't be able to touch us. But that was a task for another day. Today was all about surviving.