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He looked at the computer
screen. The rows and columns of numbers staring back at him. He was tired of
looking at them. Tired of working. He glanced at the clock in the corner of the
screen. Then he groaned. It was only 9:30 PM.
Dougie rubbed his eyes, stifling another sigh. He really wanted to go to bed. But he couldn’t. Not yet. He still had to finish the current project he was working on. He still had at least another couple of hours of work ahead of him.Dougie picked up his pencil. He was just about to return his attention to the computer when he heard a noise from behind him. He paused. Listened. He heard it again. A soft knock at the door. Dougie set the pencil back down. He stood up and turned. He walked across the room. Opened the door.
Sumalee was standing outside. Dougie stared at her in surprise. “Hey.” Sumalee smiled back at him. “Hey, Dougie.” “What are you doing here?” he asked. “It’s Saturday. Don’t you remember?”. Dougie frowned. Then he did remember. Sumalee had come over to his apartment the last few Saturday nights. She’d come over to spend time with him. To cook him dinner. They’d watched television together. Sometimes they’d just talked. Sometimes Sumalee would rub his shoulders, or his feet.
Dougie always enjoyed her company. It made him feel better. Made him feel less lonely. He always looked forward to her visits. Usually. “Come on in,” he said. Sumalee stepped into the apartment. Dougie closed the door behind her, then followed her into the living room. Sumalee set her purse down on the coffee table, then turned to face him. Dougie watched her, his frown deepening. Sumalee was wearing a beautiful dress. Her hair was done up, too. She looked amazing.
Dougie suddenly felt embarrassed about his own appearance. He hadn’t expected Sumalee tonight, so he wasn’t wearing his usual Saturday night outfit. He was wearing an old t-shirt and sweat pants. He hadn’t shaved or showered or anything, either. He probably smelled. Sumalee stepped towards him. She took his hands in hers. Brought them to her lips and kissed them gently.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Dougie. I got held up.” Dougie stared down at her. “It’s okay.” Sumalee kissed his hands again. “I made dinner for you. I made Panang Gai.” Dougie smiled faintly. “That was nice of you.” Sumalee released his hands. Then she stepped past him. She picked up her bag and headed towards the kitchen.
Dougie followed her. In the kitchen, Sumalee set her bag down on one of the chair, then walked over to the counter. She began pulling Tupperware containers out of her purse. She arranged them on the counter. Dougie stood in the doorway, watching her silently. When Sumalee had everything set out, she turned to Dougie. She smiled at him. Then she walked over to him and took his hand.
“Come on. Let’s eat.” Dougie followed Sumalee back into the living room. She sat down cross-legged on the floor. Dougie hesitated, then did the same. Sumalee began opening up the containers. The delicious smell of Thai food filled the room. Dougie’s stomach rumbled in response. Sumalee laughed softly. She handed Dougie a plate, then began spooning food onto it. When she was done, she handed him the plate. Dougie took it from her. Began eating.
Sumalee watched him silently. Dougie glanced at her between mouthfuls. She was still smiling, but there was something in her eyes. Something he couldn’t identify. Dougie finished his meal. Sumalee took his plate from him, setting it aside. Then she took his hand again. “Why don’t we go relax in the bedroom?” Dougie frowned. He’d never gone to the bedroom with Sumalee before.
“Why?” Sumalee met his gaze. “Because I want to.” Dougie stared back at her. He didn’t say anything. Sumalee stood up. She tugged on his hand. “Come,” she said softly. Dougie stood up, too. He followed Sumalee into the bedroom.
Dougie lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Next to him, Sumalee lay curled up on her side. She was facing away from him. Fast asleep. Dougie sighed. It had been almost a year since that first night with Sumalee. Almost a year since she’d shown up at his apartment looking beautiful. Since she’d asked him to go to the bedroom with her. Since she’d made love to him. Since she’d told him she loved him.
It was strange how much things had changed since then. How much his life had changed. He never would have thought it could change so much. Or so fast. Dougie sighed again. Turned his head. Looked at Sumalee. She was so beautiful lying there. So peaceful. He watched her silently for a moment. Then he turned his attention back to the ceiling. He closed his eyes.
He’d really thought he would be okay when this day came. But now that it was here, he wasn’t. He wasn’t okay at all. He felt… empty. Dougie opened his eyes. Turned his head again. Looked back at Sumalee. He loved her. He really did. And he knew that Sumalee loved him, too. But things had become so difficult lately. So complicated. They couldn’t keep on like this. They couldn’t keep going on. It was time to move on.
Dougie stared at Sumalee. Took in her beautiful face. Her gorgeous body. He took a deep, shaky breath. Then he turned his attention back to the bedroom ceiling. Having spent too many years looking for ‘the one’, and now finding her, he knew that he needed to look … but not to find. He didn’t want to be like this, but this was the way he was.
He had made his decision.
And now it was time. Time to start looking again.
… when life gives you papaya, make somtam.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her phone clutched tightly in her hands. Her thumbs hovered over the screen, hesitant. How could she explain the situation to Toby? How could she make him understand?
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Malee |
It started with Phueng. Malee’s sister had always been wild, always chasing the next thrill, the next big score. But this time, she’d gone too far. Gambling with money she didn’t have, owing debts she couldn’t pay. Now there were men looking for her, men who wouldn’t take excuses or apologies for payment.
Malee had tried to help,
of course. She’d worked longer hours, taken on more clients, done things she
wasn’t proud of. But it hadn’t been enough. And now the men were getting
impatient. Threatening Phueng, threatening Malee.
She’d thought about
running, about disappearing into the crowded streets of the city. But she had
nowhere to go, no way to start over. And Phueng… Phueng was too stubborn, too
caught up in her own desperation to listen to reason.
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Phueng |
So Malee had done the
only thing she could think of. She’d reached out to Toby.
It hadn’t been an easy
decision. Part of her hated the idea of asking him for help, of admitting that
she couldn’t handle things on her own. But a larger part of her remembered the
way he’d looked at her. The way he’d listened when she spoke, the way he’d
touched her like she mattered.
She took a deep breath,
steadying herself. Then, slowly, she began to type.
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Malee |
“It started a month ago,” she said. “Men came to our apartment. Said Phueng owed them money.” She paused, remembering the fear that had spiked through her at the sight of them. The way Phueng had blustered and flirted, trying to sweet-talk her way out of trouble.
“They wanted 50,000 baht.
Phueng didn’t have it.” Another pause. “I offered to work for them, to pay off
her debt. They said no.”
Toby’s response was
immediate. “Jesus, Malee. Are you okay?”
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Phueng |
She felt a flicker of surprise at the concern in his voice. For a moment, she was tempted to brush it off, to pretend she was fine. But something stopped her. Maybe it was the memory of his hands on her skin, or the way he’d smiled at her in the darkness. Whatever it was, she found herself answering honestly. “No,” she said. Then, before she could lose her nerve, she hit send.
There was a long pause
this time, and Malee felt her stomach twist itself into knots. What was he
thinking? Was he angry at her for contacting him, for dragging him into her
mess? Or was he… was he considering helping her?
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Malee |
When his message finally came, it was short. “How much do you need?”
Malee stared at the
screen, her heart pounding. How much did she need? The answer was simple—50,000
baht. That was what Phueng owed, plus a little extra for the trouble she’d
caused.
But as she thought about
it, Malee realized she wanted more than that. She wanted a way out, a chance to
start over. To leave the bars and the tourists behind, to make something of
herself.
And she wanted Toby. Not
just for his money, though that was part of it. She wanted his attention, his
approval. She wanted him to see her, to really see her, and to accept what he
saw.
Slowly, she typed in a
number. 100,000 baht. Double what Phueng owed, but less than what Malee dreamed
of having. She hit send, then closed her eyes, waiting.
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Phueng |
Toby stared at Malee’s message, his mind racing. 100,000 Thai baht was a little over £2,500. Not an insignificant amount, but not an impossible one either. He could get it to her, if he wanted to. But did he want to?
He thought back to the
nights they’d spent together, the way she’d challenged him, provoked him.
There’d been a connection between them, he was sure of it. Something more than
just physical attraction, though that had certainly been part of it.
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Malee |
But this… this was complicated. This was getting involved in something he didn’t fully understand, in a situation that could potentially be dangerous. And for what? So Malee could pay off her sister’s debts? So she could make a fresh start?
He sighed, running a hand
through his hair. On the surface, it seemed like a bad idea. A very bad idea.
But there was a part of him that wanted to help her, that wanted to be the man
she thought he was. The man who could sweep in and save the day.
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Phueng |
“Do you have a bank account?” he asked finally. “Somewhere I can wire the money?”
There was a pause,
shorter this time. When her response came, it was tentative. “Yes. But… are you
sure? I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”
He smiled ruefully. Even
now, she was complicated. “I don’t,” he said. And then, because he couldn’t
resist, “But I want to.”
The next message was a
string of numbers, an account name, a bank name and a branch number. Toby noted
the exact details down on paper, then opened a new window on his phone.
It took longer than he’d
expected to arrange the transfer. There were forms to fill out, security
measures to navigate. But finally, it was done. The money would be in her
account by morning.
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Malee |
He sent her a message to let her know, then leaned back in his chair. There was a strange sense of relief settling over him, mingled with something else. Anticipation, maybe. Or hope. All this mixed with an undeniable sense of stupidity.
Malee checked her bank
account the moment she woke up. The transfer hadn’t shown up yet, but she
wasn’t worried. These things take time, after all. And Toby had promised. He’d
said he would help her, and she believed him.
For now, there were other
things to focus on. Phueng, for one. Her sister was still sleeping off last
night’s hangover, a tangle of limbs and sheets on the couch. Malee looked at
her for a long moment, feeling the familiar stirrings of frustration and
affection.
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Phueng |
“Wake up,” she said finally, nudging Phueng with her foot. “We need to talk.” Phueng groaned, rolling over to press her face into the cushions. “Malee, please. Not now.”
Malee felt her temper
flare. “Get up,” she snapped, grabbing a handful of Phueng’s hair and tugging.
Hard.
Phueng yelped, sitting up
abruptly. “What the hell?” She rubbed at her scalp, glaring up at Malee. “That
hurt.”
“Good.” Malee crossed her
arms, glaring down at her sister. “Maybe it’ll help wake you up. Help you
understand how serious this is.”
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Malee |
Phueng’s expression shifted, just for a moment. There was a flicker of fear in her eyes, quickly hidden behind her usual mask of bravado. “I said I was sorry, didn’t I? I said I’d pay them back.”
“With what?” Malee
demanded. “You have no money. You’re drinking and gambling it away as fast as I
can earn it.”
Phueng looked away. “It’s
not my fault things are slow right now. There are less tourists…”
“Enough.” Malee cut her
off. “I’m sick of your excuses. You got us into this mess, and now you need to
get us out of it.”
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Phueng |
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Malee could hear the city waking up outside their window—the blare of horns, the rattle of carts, the distant wail of a siren. It was familiar, comforting. It wasn’t the paradise many think it is, but it was her life, her sister’s life and it was something she was going to fight for.
The message arrived three months later. Just three words, no name attached. But he knew who it was from. Only one person had his number, had ever texted him from there.
He stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the delete button. He could pretend he’d never gotten it, could go back to his life as it had been. But as he thought of Suchada’s face, of the spark in her eyes, he found himself smiling. He saved the number.
Suchada stared at her phone, her heart racing as she waited for Karl’s response. It had been three months since he’d left, three months of silence and uncertainty. She’d tried to put him out of her mind, to focus on the stream of tourists that flowed through the city like water. But she’d never quite managed to forget—the way he’d looked at her, really looked at her.
Pupae had laughed when she’d asked for Karl’s number. “Why you want farang phone?” she’d teased. “He go home now. Forget about him.” But Suchada hadn’t forgotten. She’d saved his number carefully, her fingers tracing the digits like a talisman. And now, finally, she’d worked up the courage to use it.
Her message was simple – “Can we talk?”. She hadn’t been sure what to say, how to start. So, she’d kept it vague, a thread of connection he could either pull on or leave dangling. When his response came, she felt a rush of relief so strong it left her dizzy. “For what purpose?” he’d asked, and she’d smiled. He was curious, at least. That was enough.
“I need help,” she’d replied, then hesitated. How much to tell him? How much would he want to know? She could hear Pupae’s voice in her head, mocking, warning. “Don’t be stupid, Suchada. Farang don’t care about Thai girls.” But Karl… Karl had been different. He’d looked at her when others didn’t, had listened when she spoke. And he’d paid her—well and on time. She owed him nothing, and he owed her nothing in return. But still, she found herself hoping. Hoping he might remember her as more than just a holiday fling.
The minutes stretched out, agonizingly slow. Suchada found herself checking her phone obsessively, her nerves fraying. What if he didn’t reply? What if he’d forgotten her entirely?
The ping of an incoming message made her jump, and she grabbed her phone, her fingers clumsy with haste. “What kind of help?” She let out a slow breath, her mind racing. What did she want from him? Money, of course. That was the obvious answer, the one Pupae would give without hesitation. But Suchada found herself hesitating. If she asked for that, if she reduced what they’d had to a simple transaction… she wasn’t sure she could bear it.
“I…” she began, then stopped. There were things she couldn’t say, not like this. Not in a message that might be ignored, deleted, forgotten. “Please,” she typed finally. “I need you to come.” She hit send before she could change her mind.
Karl stared at his phone, Suchada’s message glowing on the screen. She needed his help, wanted him to come. To Bangkok, she meant. To her. It had been three months since he’d last seen her, but her face was still clear in his mind—the sharpness of her features, the spark of mischief in her eyes. He’d thought of her more than once, wondered what she was doing. If she ever thought of him. And now, here she was. Asking for help.
He didn’t have to go, of course. He could ignore the message, just pretend he’d never received it. But as he stood there, his thumb hovering over the screen, he felt a flicker of curiosity. Of concern. He’d liked Suchada, more than he probably should have. She was young, yes, and street-smart in a way that had occasionally made him uncomfortable. But she was also clever, ambitious. She’d spoken of studying English one day, of leaving the bars behind. And Karl… Karl had wanted to believe her. Had wanted to be someone who could help make that happen.
Now, faced with the choice, he found himself typing a reply. “Tell me what you need.” The response came quickly. “Money,” she said, and Karl felt a pang of disappointment. So she did just see him as a farang, a walking ATM. He should have known better. But then another message appeared, and the disappointment faded. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
Karl frowned. That didn’t sound like her. Suchada was many things, but sorry wasn’t one of them. At least, it hadn’t been before. “Are you okay?” he asked, and waited.
When Suchada’s response came, it was longer this time. “No,” she said. “Pupae and I… we’re in trouble. She owes money. A lot. And they’ll hurt her if we don’t pay.” There was a pause, long enough that Karl wondered if that was all. Then, “I don’t know what to do.”
He swore softly. This was more than he’d expected, more than he knew how to handle. But Suchada was scared, he could tell. And he remembered the way she’d looked at him, the way she’d touched him. The way she’d made him feel like he was the only man in the room. “Tell me everything,” he said, and braced himself for what was to come.
Suchada sat on the edge of her bed, her phone clutched in her hand as she tried to gather her thoughts. Karl’s last message stared up at her, “Tell me everything” and she found herself wishing she could. Wishing there was some way to put into words the tangled knot of fear and fury that had been building inside her for days.
Pupae owed money, that was the simplest part … but only one part.
… to be continued.