![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
whrrenah posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
museboxonahillAfter three months and clearance about his diaphragm, Kim was due in for light work at the office. Understandably, he didn't want to leave Wren and Anurak at home given what happened the last time. Arista and Kohl had returned to their home after a few weeks but Roo and Hawke remained, mostly for Hawke's peace of mind that his sister and her family were safe and protected. And he also wanted to make certain there was enough help around the property so that Wren could concentrate on the baby and not other trivial things.
With kisses and reassurance, Wren bid her husband a good day at work and she would have the cell on standby in case anything happened. She too was nervous but did her best not to show it because she didn't want Kim to suddenly go into protection mode and call the whole thing off.
Face timing at lunch went without a hitch with Wren being dozy because Anu was taking in his lunch as well. It was about an hour after that call that weird things happened. First was Wren sitting on the front porch in the shade with the baby in the bounce bed. Watching the leaves on the trees had become a favorite pastime for the child and Wren was going to keep him outside as often as possible, singing songs or telling stories to him. Hawke was with her as was Roo, listening and joining in with the narrations. Roo even pulled out his flute to try a few notes but it seemed like Anu was more into his father's music as he started to whine. Wren could only smile and soothe Roo's pretend 'hurt feelings' as she lifted the baby out of the bouncer bed to cuddle. That was when Hawke stood and looked out over to the long driveway, eying the dust plume. "Are you expecting someone?" he asked, his voice low and words in faunlyn.
"No," Wren responded in turn, also looking at the plume. "Roo, take the baby inside. The guest room." She was already opening the door and pulling out the hand gun out of the table drawer and checked the safety. After dealing with Korn bullshit, she did learn how to use one under her father's and then Kim's guidance but it was more for warning people off than actually shooting them. She still hesitated. Hawke hadn't moved from his position at the top of the porch stairs, his entire body still. "And call Kim," Wren added, handing Roo her phone. "We're okay, but not expecting people here and his brothers know not to stop by unannounced."
In fact, that was the only reason why she knew that whoever was driving up wasn't family. Or delivery considering they kept track of their package orders. Wren moved to stand beside Hawke, both of them murmuring to each other about who could possibly be coming. Her frown deepened as she didn't recognize the car rolling up and she moved only slightly closer to Hawke's side. Without taking his eyes off the car, he wound his arm around her shoulders to give a comforting squeeze. "You both are safe," he murmured low in Faunlyn. "Breathe and let the fear roll off like water. There is only one."
She tried to follow her brother's instructions but it wasn't much help. After all, Kim hadn't been to work for this very reason. Was someone trying something again? The person who exited the driver's side was a woman, dressed in smart business attire, hair in a pony to keep off the back of her neck. Wren tilted her head slightly, thinking she might be familiar. Was it a secretary from Kinn's hotel?
"Are you lost?" Wren called out, not breaking her gaze. The woman looked almost comfortable here. Actually, she was deceptively comfortable.
"I hope not," the stranger called back with a smile. "This is Kimhan Theerapanyakul's residence, correct?"
"Perhaps," Wren said non committedly, her eyes searching for a weapon. "Who's come to ask? All business inquiries happen in the city in his office."
"All of them? But you're here." The woman remained on the ground at the foot of the steps when Hawke shifted his stance. "You're his lovely wife, aren't you?"
Wren didn't answer that. "I will ask this one more time: Who has come to ask?"
"I know you wouldn't recognize me, dear. That's alright. I've been out of the picture way too long. For that, I will accept the punishments of my children estranging me." There was a pause as she waited a moment. "I'm Kimhan's mother, Malai."
That reveal shocked Wren and confused Hawke, picking up enough words to comprehend. He spoke in English now. "Did he not say she was dead?" Wren nodded. "And now she is not?" Wren glanced at her brother and lifted her shoulder slightly. She didn't know.
"Their father insisted I needed to leave so that the boys could survive in the world they were born into," Malai began, looking saddened by that fact. "I thought it was for their own good and that was my mistake. And trying to get the upper hand on Korn is... not easy."
"He's dead," Wren answered flatly, not certain if she should trust this woman. She hadn't lied yet, which was comforting and concerning at the same time. It seemed more and more likely that the matriarch did rise from the grave. "He's been dead."
"So I heard. At great peril to Kimhan."
"And everyone else." Wren wasn't backing down, but she wasn't escalating it, either. There was a pregnant silence between them.
"Your Thai is very good," Malai started, working to change the subject.
"Thank you," Wren responded, not offering anything else.
A small smile crept on Malai's face. It was genuine and not malicious. "Does your guardian know much?"
"My brother is learning. But today isn't a lesson day." Another long silence. Wren wasn't good with that part. "Ms Theerapanyakul. Why are you here? If you are who you say you are?"
"Restitution," Malai answered with a somewhat remorseful tone and expression. "I've missed out on so much, and I should have dealt with Kornwit long before it got this bad-before Tankhun decided to hide in delusions, before Anakinn felt the weight of world on his shoulders, before Kimhan decided that being as far away from the family as possible was the best way to save himself. I'm happy he found you, and he found happiness. And I thought that starting here would be the best way to begin the reparations."
Wren stood there for a long time, watching the woman, studying everything about her. Was she genuine? Was she trying to get in to cause harm? Could she be trusted? Before Wren could finish her internal study, she heard the tell tale cry of her son finally fed up with whatever was happening. And that perked Malai's attention. Wren had to make a decision quick.
"Hawke, would you mind bringing Malai into the sun room? I will be there with you in a moment." She trusted Hawke to keep Malai under control should she get out of hand but she didn't think that anything would happen. There were no warning bells in her head, just caution. And the one 'sun stone.' that was hanging on the porch was still a lovely amber color. No danger.
Leaving her brother to his task, she hurried into the guest room as the insistent wails became louder and louder. Roo looked worried, pacing with the child in one arm and trying to speak into the phone at the same time. Wren came to the rescue, reaching for the baby first and offering Roo a comforting smile. "I think it'll be okay. Let me have the phone."
There was Kim's voice, cold and worried, all business at this time. "Love, we're safe. No one is here to take us. But I need you to come home. Don't race or get into an accident." She paused, then sighed. "Someone is here claiming to be your mother. And she's not lying. I see nothing that would say she is."
With kisses and reassurance, Wren bid her husband a good day at work and she would have the cell on standby in case anything happened. She too was nervous but did her best not to show it because she didn't want Kim to suddenly go into protection mode and call the whole thing off.
Face timing at lunch went without a hitch with Wren being dozy because Anu was taking in his lunch as well. It was about an hour after that call that weird things happened. First was Wren sitting on the front porch in the shade with the baby in the bounce bed. Watching the leaves on the trees had become a favorite pastime for the child and Wren was going to keep him outside as often as possible, singing songs or telling stories to him. Hawke was with her as was Roo, listening and joining in with the narrations. Roo even pulled out his flute to try a few notes but it seemed like Anu was more into his father's music as he started to whine. Wren could only smile and soothe Roo's pretend 'hurt feelings' as she lifted the baby out of the bouncer bed to cuddle. That was when Hawke stood and looked out over to the long driveway, eying the dust plume. "Are you expecting someone?" he asked, his voice low and words in faunlyn.
"No," Wren responded in turn, also looking at the plume. "Roo, take the baby inside. The guest room." She was already opening the door and pulling out the hand gun out of the table drawer and checked the safety. After dealing with Korn bullshit, she did learn how to use one under her father's and then Kim's guidance but it was more for warning people off than actually shooting them. She still hesitated. Hawke hadn't moved from his position at the top of the porch stairs, his entire body still. "And call Kim," Wren added, handing Roo her phone. "We're okay, but not expecting people here and his brothers know not to stop by unannounced."
In fact, that was the only reason why she knew that whoever was driving up wasn't family. Or delivery considering they kept track of their package orders. Wren moved to stand beside Hawke, both of them murmuring to each other about who could possibly be coming. Her frown deepened as she didn't recognize the car rolling up and she moved only slightly closer to Hawke's side. Without taking his eyes off the car, he wound his arm around her shoulders to give a comforting squeeze. "You both are safe," he murmured low in Faunlyn. "Breathe and let the fear roll off like water. There is only one."
She tried to follow her brother's instructions but it wasn't much help. After all, Kim hadn't been to work for this very reason. Was someone trying something again? The person who exited the driver's side was a woman, dressed in smart business attire, hair in a pony to keep off the back of her neck. Wren tilted her head slightly, thinking she might be familiar. Was it a secretary from Kinn's hotel?
"Are you lost?" Wren called out, not breaking her gaze. The woman looked almost comfortable here. Actually, she was deceptively comfortable.
"I hope not," the stranger called back with a smile. "This is Kimhan Theerapanyakul's residence, correct?"
"Perhaps," Wren said non committedly, her eyes searching for a weapon. "Who's come to ask? All business inquiries happen in the city in his office."
"All of them? But you're here." The woman remained on the ground at the foot of the steps when Hawke shifted his stance. "You're his lovely wife, aren't you?"
Wren didn't answer that. "I will ask this one more time: Who has come to ask?"
"I know you wouldn't recognize me, dear. That's alright. I've been out of the picture way too long. For that, I will accept the punishments of my children estranging me." There was a pause as she waited a moment. "I'm Kimhan's mother, Malai."
That reveal shocked Wren and confused Hawke, picking up enough words to comprehend. He spoke in English now. "Did he not say she was dead?" Wren nodded. "And now she is not?" Wren glanced at her brother and lifted her shoulder slightly. She didn't know.
"Their father insisted I needed to leave so that the boys could survive in the world they were born into," Malai began, looking saddened by that fact. "I thought it was for their own good and that was my mistake. And trying to get the upper hand on Korn is... not easy."
"He's dead," Wren answered flatly, not certain if she should trust this woman. She hadn't lied yet, which was comforting and concerning at the same time. It seemed more and more likely that the matriarch did rise from the grave. "He's been dead."
"So I heard. At great peril to Kimhan."
"And everyone else." Wren wasn't backing down, but she wasn't escalating it, either. There was a pregnant silence between them.
"Your Thai is very good," Malai started, working to change the subject.
"Thank you," Wren responded, not offering anything else.
A small smile crept on Malai's face. It was genuine and not malicious. "Does your guardian know much?"
"My brother is learning. But today isn't a lesson day." Another long silence. Wren wasn't good with that part. "Ms Theerapanyakul. Why are you here? If you are who you say you are?"
"Restitution," Malai answered with a somewhat remorseful tone and expression. "I've missed out on so much, and I should have dealt with Kornwit long before it got this bad-before Tankhun decided to hide in delusions, before Anakinn felt the weight of world on his shoulders, before Kimhan decided that being as far away from the family as possible was the best way to save himself. I'm happy he found you, and he found happiness. And I thought that starting here would be the best way to begin the reparations."
Wren stood there for a long time, watching the woman, studying everything about her. Was she genuine? Was she trying to get in to cause harm? Could she be trusted? Before Wren could finish her internal study, she heard the tell tale cry of her son finally fed up with whatever was happening. And that perked Malai's attention. Wren had to make a decision quick.
"Hawke, would you mind bringing Malai into the sun room? I will be there with you in a moment." She trusted Hawke to keep Malai under control should she get out of hand but she didn't think that anything would happen. There were no warning bells in her head, just caution. And the one 'sun stone.' that was hanging on the porch was still a lovely amber color. No danger.
Leaving her brother to his task, she hurried into the guest room as the insistent wails became louder and louder. Roo looked worried, pacing with the child in one arm and trying to speak into the phone at the same time. Wren came to the rescue, reaching for the baby first and offering Roo a comforting smile. "I think it'll be okay. Let me have the phone."
There was Kim's voice, cold and worried, all business at this time. "Love, we're safe. No one is here to take us. But I need you to come home. Don't race or get into an accident." She paused, then sighed. "Someone is here claiming to be your mother. And she's not lying. I see nothing that would say she is."
