Chapter 6 Part I

The Arrival

    Homlom didn't rush to the temple in the morning. After all, the temple’s kitchen wouldn't be set up until noon. The plump Omega helped his brother in the kitchen early in the morning. They decided to make fish porridge for Grandma, pan-fried eggs with toppings, and a large plate of shrimp fried rice, fearing that the little one might be tired of porridge after having it all day yesterday. As they brought the food out of the kitchen, they saw Grandma gently stroking Homnoi's head. The little boy bowed his head, glancing at the elderly woman with uncertainty.

    The Chuenpakdee Family had always eaten on the floor, with only a low wooden table for placing food and sweets. Homlom looked at Homnoi with affection. The boy's round eyes glanced at him uncertainly, his lips moving as if he wanted to speak but was unsure what to call him.

    I don't know if last night was just a good dream. Maybe I was dreaming.

    Homnoi lamented inwardly. Happiness for the boy was as fleeting as a single dream. He wasn't sure if last night's events were a dream or not. If he called Kind Uncle 'Mommy' like he did last night and Kind Uncle didn't like it, what would he do? His little heart couldn't bear it if the person in front of him didn't love him as much as before.

    "Eat a lot, okay?" Homlom said, serving shrimp fried rice and pan-fried eggs onto the boy's plate, saving another plate for Grandma, fearing she might not want porridge either. "Eat a lot, okay, my child?"

    "Mommy made it with all my heart."

    Not only Homnoi was stunned; Mrs. Laor-Ong and Inpha were equally taken aback. The elderly woman regained her composure first, looking at her grandson as if asking if he was sure about taking on the great role of being a mother. Homlom understood and nodded in response, his eyes showing determination and pleading, as if asking his grandmother to trust him. Inpha, once he regained his composure, smiled. Judging from Homlom's behavior towards the boy, it wasn't entirely unexpected.

    The one most affected was undoubtedly Homnoi. His round eyes stared at Homlom, his small lips quivering wide, tears streaming down his face. No matter how much he wiped them away, they wouldn't stop. His trembling voice softly called out...

    "Mommy, Mommy!"

    It gradually grew louder, just like last night. Homlom smiled and opened his arms wide. The small figure hurriedly scrambled into the warm embrace, as if fearing the scene might disappear. The little body trembled so much that Homlom could feel it. He tightened his embrace, showering kisses all over the beautiful rounded head.

    Homlom met the eyes of his grandmother and brother, and seeing their gentle smiles, he felt reassured. Witnessing the happiness reflected in those round eyes, he was more confident than ever that he hadn't made a mistake. He promised himself that he would do his best to fulfill the role of a mother. No…he would be both a father and a mother to the little one.

    The small face nestled into the shoulder of his new mother, inhaling the soft fragrance with overflowing love. He pressed his small body into the warm embrace. The sound of his heartbeat and his mother's beat in unison, as if they might leap out of their chests.

    Grandpa...I have a mommy now. I'm not alone anymore. Can you see us from that star up there, Grandpa?

    In this moment of happiness, the little one still thought of his grandfather. But here, it wasn't as lonely as it had been that night. Now, he had his mommy holding him close, a mommy who was his family.

    The final night of Grandpa Kloi's funeral rites went smoothly. Homnoi kept calling Homlom: Mommy, which fueled rumors that the Chuenpakdee House had adopted Homnoi, spreading like wildfire. Because the soles of the little one's feet were still injured from running barefoot through the rain to get help the night Grandpa Kloi passed away, Homlom mostly had to carry the boy around.

    Those of higher status, upon hearing that Homlom had taken in a boy with unknown origin, sneered behind his back, criticizing Lady Laor-Ong for not stopping her grandson. Only the local villagers seemed genuinely happy for the boy, considering it a blessing for the little one.

    "Mrs. Chofa, the market owner in town, is the worst. Her mouth deserves a slap for what she said about my dear Lom."

    "What did she say about Lom?" Homlom raised an eyebrow.

    "She said that no one would ever propose to my dear Lom, and that if he proposed to someone, no one would accept. So, he took the opportunity to adopt a child to take care of him in his old age." Auntie Pranom cast a disdainful glance at Mrs. Chofa, the owner of several market branches, who was lighting incense in front of Grandpa Kloi's coffin. Mrs. Chofa was a person of some standing, as her husband once held a significant government position.

    Her status couldn't compare to Chuenpakdee House, yet Mrs. Chofa often liked to compare her children and grandchildren to the Chuenpakdee brothers.

    "What's the point of saying such things, Auntie Nom? When Lom hears it, he'll be upset again. It only adds fuel to the fire," Inpha, who had been listening for a while, scolded the middle-aged housekeeper. Fortunately, Grandma was engaged in conversation with the district chief's wife and didn't hear.

    The influence of Grandma was immense. Grandpa Kloi, who had no relatives when alive, suddenly had a grand funeral attended by many wealthy people, as if he were a person of great importance. The reason was likely the desire to meet Grandma, who hadn't appeared at social events for a long time. The ordination ceremony for the Venerable Brother was rushed, taking place in a single day with both the head shaving and entering the temple, as per Venerable Brother Aidin's wishes. These people missed a big opportunity then. When they learned that Grandma was attending Grandpa Kloi's funeral every day, they seized the chance to approach her. It seemed it was all about land—some came to buy, others to offer land for sale.

    Pranom's face fell when she heard this. She simply disliked anyone speaking ill of her employers. Mrs. Chofa was even worse, gossiping about people from the Chuenpakdee House right under their noses. Was she really there to pay her respects? Because the Chuenpakdee House was far from town, it seemed Mrs. Chofa took the opportunity to spy more than anything.

    "Lom doesn't mind, Brother In. I've faced worse. But don't talk about Homnoi or say anything where Lom can hear it. Lom won't hold back; Lom'll make sure they can't find their way home," Homlom's beautiful eyes flashed with irritation. He despised those who couldn't keep their mouths shut, the kind who jumped to conclusions and thought for others.

    Inpha sighed when he saw Auntie Pranom give his younger brother a thumbs-up. Homlom of the Chuenpakdee House would surely make good on his threat: to make them unable to find their way home. Watching his brother tenderly cradle the little one in his arms, Inpha's dark brown eyes softened. Homnoi had fallen asleep as usual in the early evening, likely accustomed to sleep early. Before the monks had finished chanting, he was already asleep. After all, with no electricity, the two of them probably went to bed after sunset.

    He pressed his nose down on the crown of a small head. Homnoi sat on his lap, nestling his face into the warm chest. Two small arms wrapped tightly around the soft, fragrant body. Homlom's gaze softened, unable to imagine what the little one would be like tomorrow, the day when his Grandpa's body would be reduced to ashes.

    Homlom decided to cremate Grandpa Kloi's body in the morning. He had to hire an undertaker from elsewhere to help manage the arrangements. Grandma mentioned that the temple needed to be renovated quickly. They were currently in the process of requesting electricity. Venerable Father and Venerable Brother were remarkably patient. With Venerable Father, it was understandable since he had been there so long he was used to it. But Venerable Brother Aidin, who had once lived comfortably, endured it without complaint, never mentioning it to Grandma. Even though ordination was a renunciation of worldly life, having electricity would certainly be more reassuring.

    Homnoi sobbed pitifully, his round eyes swollen and red as he watched the smoke rise into the sky. Homlom had to hold him close, whispering soothingly that: Mommy is with you. It's okay, my child, it's okay. Only then did Homnoi's sobs begin to subside.

    Venerable Brother Aidin promised to preserve the small hut belonging to the grandfather and the grandson. The temple itself had no plans for construction, so at least it would be kept until the little one's condition improved, allowing him to have something to remember his grandfather by. Homlom brought the boy to gather essential belongings, and the little one requested Grandpa's shirt to hug for comfort. Homlom agreed, feeling both sympathy and affection.

    That night, the sound of crickets and frogs filled the air after the rain had subsided. It was another night when Homlom was awakened by the sound of crying beside him. He saw the little one curled up with his back turned, hugging his grandfather's shirt tightly.

    "Homnoi, turn to Mommy, please, my child."

    The sobbing softened, and the small figure loosened the grip on his grandfather’s shirt, slowly turning to face Homlom. He looked up with an apologetic gaze for disturbing his Mommy rest, quickly snuggling into the warm embrace when soft arms wrapped around him. Homlom slipped a warm hand through the thin pajamas and gently rubbed his back.

    Homnoi's swollen eyes fluttered as Mommy soothed him to sleep, just like Grandpa used to do.

    "Do you want to hear a story?" Homlom asked, glancing at the clock.

    Homlom intended to adjust Homnoi's sleep schedule. He noticed that when the sun set, the little one would nod off and often wake up between two and three in the morning. Sleeping early and waking early was good, but if he could adjust Homnoi's bedtime to be a bit later, he might not wake in the middle of the night.

    "I do, I want to hear a story," Homnoi's round eyes gleamed with delight. He had never heard a story before, nor had he ever had a TV or phone. The boy's entertainment was nonexistent; in the evening, after dinner, he would crawl into bed for Grandpa to pat him to sleep.

    "Mm...Once upon a time..."

    The melodious voice, adapting to the emotions of the story's characters, kept the little one excited and wide awake. Homlom smiled gently despite his tiredness. The small voice interrupted with questions when he didn't understand certain parts, and the storyteller was happy to answer without annoyance. He chose a story that offered lessons, incorporating small survival tips, rather than those teaching children to be good without reason.

    To him, Homnoi was already a good child; there were just some things that needed adjusting and teaching. The little one, who had never listened to any story, was captivated by it, imagining scenes vividly. His small arms wrapped tightly around his Mommy's waist. After the story ended, the little one continued to ask many questions, and no matter how tired he was, Homlom was happy to answer each one gently.

    The translator, known by the pen name Love-Carrying Wind, could only hope that tomorrow, the boy with the radiant smile wouldn't cry again. But if he did, may his tears be fewer than tonight.

    Grandpa Kloi's remains were placed in an urn at the same temple, allowing him to rest in his final home. Homlom had just noticed that the temple didn't have an official name, as the villagers often referred to it as Wat Pa (the Forest Temple) due to its location among large trees. Grandma wanted to renovate the temple and have the Venerable Father give it a name to bring good fortune.

    Despite staying up late because of the little one's disturbances, Homlom got up at dawn to help Inpha prepare food. They planned to offer meals to Venerable Father and Venerable Brother at the temple, partly to make merit for Grandpa Kloi. Homlom didn't need to wake Homnoi with much effort because as soon as he moved, the boy would startle awake and follow him like a duckling.

    Inpha and Homlom prepared three to four dishes. They didn't know what Grandpa Kloi liked to eat. When they asked Homnoi, he said his grandfather liked eggs, but they knew Grandpa Kloi probably didn't like them and ate them out of necessity. They finally settled on a menu of steamed egg with minced pork, fish curry, sweet leaf curry with shrimp, and stir-fried long beans. For dessert, the siblings chose to make ginger syrup dumplings with black sesame filling, a favorite of Venerable Brother Aidin. Besides, Venerable Father was getting older, and too much coconut milk wouldn't be good for his health.

    Once everything was ready, Inpha helped Auntie Pranom escort Mrs. Laor-Ong down from the house, while Homlom held Homnoi's hand as they descended as well. The eyes of the grandmother and elder brother softened when they saw Homlom stand patiently helping Homnoi put on his shoes.

    The morning air after the rain was filled with dew drops glistening on the trees and grass. The scent of the earth was much more fragrant than the smoke in the capital. Homlom understood why his grandmother planted flowers and trees all around the house. Looking up at the sky, he saw the sun greeting them without the usual cloud cover, signaling that the storm had passed.

    Homlom looked down at the little one who had just finished putting on his shoes. His big round eyes looked up at him, tilting his head in curiosity when he saw Homlom still standing still.

    "Mommy, aren't we going?"

    The round eyes followed the backs of Grandma and Uncle In. Homlom chuckled softly, his soft palm tightening around the small hand. The little one paused slightly, then a small smile appeared on his face for the first time in days.

    "Yes, let's go, sweetheart."

    His heart couldn't stop fluttering at the child's call, yet he was happy to hear it.arge, heart-shaped leaves.