Chapter Text
“Uncle Phayu, we are staying with you!” Twin voices sing out as they enter the house.
Phayu leans down in front of the four-year-olds, one boy and one girl. “I know you are, while your parents go on a cruise, right?”
The twins nod in unison. Phayu swears they do everything in unison, he wonders if he and Saifah had been the same at that age.
“Tayada, Teerata, I want you both to promise to be good for your uncle while we are gone.” Heam says bringing in two bags and a cat carrier. A disgruntled meow comes from the carrier when she sits it down. She opens the door, and the orange fluffy cat comes out slowly looking around the new location. Saifah follows behind with more bags.
Phayu raises his eyebrows at the amount of luggage. “Your house is literally the next street over. I will be over there twice a week to water the plants. Was it necessary to bring everything the twins own?”
“Uncle Phayu, where's your Christmas tree?” the little girl, Tay says looking around.
“I don't have one.” Phayu says.
“Why not?” Tee asks.
“Because your uncle is grumpy.” Saifah says.
“Because they shed needles everywhere and make a mess.” Phayu says.
“Like I said.” Saifah says.
Losing interest in the adults, Tee says, “Can we watch TV? I want to watch Starlight Angel.”
“Starlight Angel?” Phayu asks.
“It’s a holiday movie. The twins are absolutely obsessed with it so be prepared to watch it twice a day at least.” Saifah says.
“Ironically one of the actors lives just down the street. I have been meaning to see if I could get a picture with him and the twins, but with work and getting ready for the cruise there hasn't been much time.” Heam says. “Maybe when we get back.”
She and Saifah go to hug the kids goodbye, but they are already engrossed in the movie and barely notice their parents leaving them.
“Well at least sweetie will miss us,” Heam says wryly, scratching the cat behind the ears. The cat purrs and rubs its head against her hands. Heam looks like she might cry.
“It's only three weeks,” Phayu tells his sister-in-law. “We'll be fine, and you can call as often as you like. Now go, before you miss your flight. Have a good trip.”
Saifah practically drags Heam from the house, but he is looking a little teary eyed himself.
Phayu looked at the twins peacefully watching TV and the cat curled on the back of the sofa. He sighs at the thought of cat hair everywhere but all and all this shouldn't be too bad. His niece and nephew are well behaved for the most part.
This is bad, this is so bad. Tay and Tee are both crying and Phayu is ready to throw his hands up. How could he lose the damn cat on the first night? He swears he only left the door open for a minute when their dinner had been delivered. He hadn't even seen the cat anywhere around. Since dinner they have been searching for hours and still no sign of the furball.
It's well past the twins' bedtime and it's getting late.
“Let’s get ready for bed, we'll look more tomorrow.” Phayu tells them.
They nod, but the tears keep coming. After he gets them in their PJs, Phayu says, “What if I sing for you?”
The twins look a little happier at that, they love Phayu’s singing.
“Get in bed and I will go get the guitar, okay?” Phayu asks.
When their uncle leaves the room, Tee turns to his twin and says, “Should we wish for Tato to come home like Nim did in Starlight Angel.”
“But we have to make three wishes, remember, that's how it works?” Tay says.
“What about wishing for someone for uncle Phayu to love. Remember Pa said uncle Phayu is sad because he doesn't have someone to love like Mae.” Tay says. Tee agrees that this is a good idea.
“What about our third wish?” Tee asks.
They look at each other and agree, “Chocolate chip pancakes.”
The next morning, Phayu decides to surprise the twins with their favorite breakfast to cheer them up. It seems to work when they both squeal and jump when he tells them what he is cooking.
Oddly enough Tay says, “It worked.”
“Yes!” Tee squeals.
“Go wash up and we will look for the cat after breakfast.” Phayu tells them.
“Tato will come home.” Tee says confidently.
Phayu has just mixed the batter when the doorbell rings.
Tay and Tee both hop down from their stools and run to look out the window. Tee gasps and Tay says, “Angel.” with wide eyes.
Phayu gives his niece and nephew a strange look and goes to the door. He opens it on the most beautiful boy he has ever seen. Actually, angel seems to be a pretty accurate description.
“Sorry to disturb you so early,” the boy says, “I found this little guy in my garage this morning and I have been going door to door to see if anyone knows who he belongs to.”
“Tato!” Tee and Tay say together.
The boy smiles at the children, “Is that his name? Tato?”
“Well sweet potato,” Phayu says, he personally thinks it’s the dumbest cat's name ever. Saifah had named the cat. “They just call him Tato because it was easier to say when they were younger.”
“Except Mae who calls him Sweetie.” Tay says.
“Would you like to come in?” Phayu asks him, “I’m Phayu by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Khun Phayu, my name is Rain.” The boy tries to give a wai and laughs when he realizes he is still holding the cat.
He follows Phayu into the house and gently places the cat on the floor. Tato, who has always been an inside cat, decides he has had enough adventure for this lifetime and immediately goes to hide under the sofa.
Rain looks around the house with interest, “This is a nice place, I love the open design.”
“Uncle Phayu designed it himself.” Tay says, “While he was still in school. Pa said so.”
“You’re an architect?” Rain asks.
“Yes,” Phayu says, then to make conversation, “What do you do?”
Before Rain can answer Tee tugs on his pants leg for attention. When Rain looks at him, he hands Rain the DVD copy of Starlight Angel.
Rain looks at the DVD then laughs.
“What?” Phayu asks.
“Do you like this movie?” Rain asks the little boy.
Tee nods and Tay says, “It’s our favorite, it’s the bestest movie ever.”
Rain holds up the DVD for Phayu to see the front cover. Phayu looks closely and sees that the actor dressed in a long white robe and angel wings is no other than the boy standing in front of him.
“Mommy said you are an accer, and that you play pretend to be an angel in the movie.” Tay says solemnly.
“That’s right,’ Rain says. “I am happy that you like it. Would you like me to sign it for you?”
“Pwease, Mae said she wanted to get you to sign it for us and that would make it more special.” Tay says. “She said she would ask you for your picture when she got a chance, but we couldn’t bother you if we saw you.”
“But it’s okay now, right?” Tee asks, “Because you are in Uncle Phayu’s house.”
“It’s fine, maybe your uncle would take a picture with the three of us?” Rain looks at Phayu who gives him a nod. Phayu takes out his phone and takes a picture with Rain kneeling between the two children. All three are beaming.
“Khun angel, will you come eat breakfast with us?” Tay asks.
Rain laughs and says, “If it is okay with Khun Phayu you can call me uncle Rain.”
“It’s fine and you can call me P’Phayu, I was about to make the children pancakes, please join us. It’s the least I can do since you brought the furball back.” Phayu says.
While Phayu cooks the pancakes he uses the time to try to learn more about Rain, “Have you lived in the neighborhood long? I don’t think I have seen you around before.”
“Not long, I just moved in a few weeks ago.” Rain says. “The house actually belonged to my grandmother. I thought I would renovate it.”
“If you decide you need help, I know a pretty good architect.” Phayu says.
Rain giggles at this, “Is that right? I might take you up on that offer.”
Phayu serves them all pancakes and gets milk for the children. “Milk, coffee, or juice?” He asks Rain.
“Milk please,” Rain says. Phayu gets a cup of coffee for himself.
“Uncle Rain,” Tee asks. “Are you going to marry uncle Phayu?” Phayu’s coffee goes down the wrong way and he coughs and sputters.
“Tee, you can’t ask that.” Tay informs her brother, “Uncle Phayu has to get a ring first.”
“Hold on,” Phayu says when he manages to stop coughing. “Why do you two think we are getting married?”
“But you are,” Tee insists, “We wished it, and it came true. Three wishes, just like Uncle’s movie. Tato to come home, chocolate chip pancakes, and for uncle Phayu to have someone to love like Pa has Mae so he won’t be so grumpy and will have a Christmas tree.”
“In the movie a little girl, Nim makes three wishes: she wishes that her mom finds someone to love so she can have a dad, she wishes for a puppy, and she wishes for a friend. The angel shows up and grants her wish for the puppy, orchestrates Nim’s mom meeting with her handsome neighbor, and becomes Nim’s friend.” Rain explains. “Honey, that is just make believe though, remember.”
“But you have to marry uncle Phayu,” Tay cries. “We got pancakes and Tato came home. You have too.”
“I tell you what,” Rain says, “I can’t marry your uncle right now because that’s not how it works. What if instead your uncle gets you a Christmas tree? I’ll help you make decorations if your uncle will agree.”
Tay and Tee jump down and go to Phayu’s chair. “Please uncle Phayu, please can we have a Christmas Tree? We’ll clean up the needles we promise.”
Phayu thinks the promise won’t last the day, but he supposes if the choices are getting a Christmas tree or getting married on the spot, perhaps the tree would be a suitable compromise. Not that he isn’t interested in the cute boy, but getting married to someone he met less than an hour ago probably isn’t a good idea.
“Fine.” He says with a dramatic sigh that makes the twins giggle.
“Uncle Rain, will you help us pick one out and decorate it today.” Tay asks.
“Tay, uncle Rain might have plans today.” Phayu says, but he secretly hopes he doesn’t.
“No, I am free today.” Rain says. “I would love to help the children with the tree.”
“Well then I guess someone should finish their breakfast, we have a lot of work to do today.” Phayu says.
The twins and Rain all dig into their pancakes, finishing them quickly.
They go to a nursery close by and pick out a tree. The owner says he will have it delivered to Phayu’s house.
Then they go to a local store to pick up some arts and craft supplies and some ornaments and lights.
Back at Phayu’s house Phayu and Rain set the tree up in the stand and spread the skirt around the base. Rain shows the twins how to cut out snowflakes and paper chains with the safety scissors while Phayu puts the lights and the ornaments on the tree. They also make paper chains for the mantel and the safety rails on the new stairs Phayu had installed when the twins were born. He had liked the aesthetics of the old stairs, but they were just too dangerous with the twins.
Soon the house looks very festive, although Phayu has to make a quick grab for Tato who is ready to climb the tree as soon as it’s up.
By the time they are finished it’s dinner time and Rain offers to order them all pizza.
After dinner Phayu walks Rain to the front gate. “I really enjoyed today,” he says. He can’t believe he spent the entire day with someone he only met this morning. He already feels like he has known Rain for ages.
“I did too,” Rain admits, “maybe we can do it again sometime.”
“I would like that, and I’m sure the little monsters would too.” Phayu says.
He watches as Rain walks back to his house. Yes, he would love to see the boy again, with or without the twins in tow.
He walks back into the house just as Tato knocks off one of the lower ornaments and bats it around the house like a ball.