Chapter 29 Pravat
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: Pravat
It’s past midnight when Rama slips into my apartment using the key I gave him before he left.
“Are you okay?” I ask from the bed.
“Yeah. Sorry, I tried to be quiet.”
“I wasn’t asleep.”
Rustling noises tell me he’s getting out of his clothes, and then the bed dips, and I turn on my side to face him.
“How did it go?” I ask.
Rama’s quiet for a moment, and I think maybe I shouldn’t have asked.
But then he releases a long breath and says, “It was hard to get the words out, but after I did, I felt the greatest sense of relief. And Pah didn’t react at all the way I thought he would.
He didn’t get angry at me. He went into his office and closed the door.
I heard him on the phone yelling at his sister, and then he threw his phone. He probably broke it.”
“I’m not surprised,” I say.
“I guess I shouldn’t be, but I am. They were very close growing up.”
“You’re his son, and she hurt you. Nothing trumps that.”
Rama seems to think about that for a moment before speaking again.
“The hardest part was telling him that what she did is the reason our relationship deteriorated over the years. I felt bad about it because it wasn’t his fault.
But every time I looked at him, I saw her.
She took him away from me.” His face hardens. “I hate her for that.”
There’s nothing I can do to help him other than to listen. Although he seems much more at peace than he did when he left earlier, I’m certain he has a lot to sift through after revealing his secret to his father.
“He didn’t want me to leave tonight, but I told him I couldn’t handle being there right now. I also told him I don’t want to work for him, although that has nothing to do with this.”
“What did he say?” I ask.
“I think he couldn’t say much, considering. I guess he’s worried about me. It’s weird. I was so sure he’d be angry.” He sighs. “After I talked to Pah, I called Pete. I felt like I owed him an explanation. Telling him about our aunt was almost as rough as telling my father.”
“How did he take it?” I ask.
“Not well,” Rama says, sadness softening his features before he snaps out of it and looks at me. “It’s late, and I’m keeping you up. I’m sorry.”
I smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not tired.”
Rama hesitates, then says quietly, “Thank you for being here for me. There’s no one else I could talk to about this.”
“I care a lot about you, Nong. I hope you know that.” I want to kiss the worry lines from his face, but I don’t move.
“Did I make things weird last night?” he asks. I know he’s talking about what happened on the balcony.
“Of course not.”
“I wanted so much for it to be real,” he says wistfully.
“It was real,” I assure him. “But it doesn’t have to mean anything.” I swallow. I have to say this. “It’s probably better if it doesn’t.”
The hurt look on his face prompts me to hurry to explain. “We have to film the second season of My Doctor, My Love, which will be at least another twelve episodes long. It’s stipulated in our contract that we can’t be involved. Plus…” I leave off.
Rama’s expression clears. “Plus, it will look bad for you. After everything with Preed, people will say you coerced me in some way.” He reaches for my hand, his palm warm and dry against mine. The look he gives me sets my heart dancing. “But after the series is over?”
A smile breaks over my face. “After that, it should be okay.”
Lifting our hands between us on the bed, Rama studies them. “I’ve never been with a man before,” he says quietly.
“And you might not want to be,” I feel I have to point out. “I won’t hold you to anything. I want you to know that.”
“I know you won’t. But I think…” His eyes meet mine as he laces our fingers together. “I think I want to try.”
“It’s going to be difficult getting through this next year,” I warn him. “We can’t let on that there’s anything between us. If we’re found out, both our careers will be over in this industry.”
“Should we wait?” Rama asks, eyes never leaving mine as he brings my hand to his lips and kisses each finger in turn, setting my heart knocking at my ribs.
“That would be the smart thing to do.” Even as I say it, like steel to a magnet I move closer until he’s only a breath away.
Staring into each other’s eyes, several moments tick by before Rama whispers, “Being smart is overrated,” and closes the distance between us.
THE END