“Pie…” Kim croaked. Her voice is throaty and dry. She slowly opened her eyes.

Aom startles, all gaped at Kim.

“Hi,” Kim whispers.

“Oh, Kim,” her voice is choked and at the same time relieved. She squeezed Kim’s hand tightly, holding it up against her cheeks. “You came back… I missed you.”

“I am, too.”

Kim gazed at Aom’s weary eyes. She missed her, too. She missed that voice for a long time. She suddenly struggles to move her body but winced in pain. Everything in her body aches. Slowly, she tried to move her arms and luckily, they obliged. She noticed the IV attached to the inside of her arm. Turning her head – the blipping sound annoys her – staring at the machines next to the bedside. Briefly, she observed her surroundings – the white walls and clean, sterile room of the hospital.

 “Wait baby, don’t move. I’ll call the nurse.” Aom quickly moved, alarmed and reaches for the buzzer on the bedside.

“Pie… I need to pee…” Kim whispers. Again, she struggles to sit up. Then again, an excruciating pain from her side and lower back made her flinched and momentarily shutting her eyes tightly.

“Let’s wait for the nurse, baby. Please, don’t move.” Aom said, pleading. She her slender fingers raking through Kim’s short hair soothing her pain.

“Please,” she groaned.

“Oh baby,” Aom whisper. Her eyes gleamed with pain and sympathy. She reaches her soft palm caressing Kim’s handsomely beautiful face – now pale and lips were dry and cracked. She missed her so much. “You’ll get better soon, baby.”

Kim nods gazing into Aom’s brown orbs. She bit her lower lip.

A nurse buzzed into the room which startles both of them making Aom pulling away from Kim. She must be in her late twenties –young and beautiful. Her deep brown hair tied neatly into a bun letting her face into a clear view.

“Welcome back, Mister–“ she paused staring at the couple. Her face turned crimson, embarrassed.  “I’m sorry…M- Miss Kimhan.” she stutters pulling her gaze from them. “I’ll let Dr. Phiangpor know you’re awake.” She gazed back at Kimhan for a few seconds, as if hypnotized.

“Um, Nurse.” Aom snaps. She glares at her.

“Oh,” she startles. “My name is Pat. Do you know where you are?”

“Yes. Hospital.”

“Do you feel anything –pain?”

“Yes. My side and back are killing me. And, I need to pee.” Kim said reaching out and grasping her hand to Pie.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Kimhan. You have your catheter.”

Kim glances anxiously at Aom, then back to the nurse.

“I want to use the bathroom.” She tried to move her body again but failed.

“Miss Kimhan,” Nurse Pat scolds.

“Baby…” Aom warns.

But then again, she struggles to sit up. “You’re one big hard-headed baby…” Aom shakes her head in frustration.

“Please…” Kim begs, giving Aom an exasperated look. “And please, take this off me. I can breathe all right as far as I can remember.”

Nurse Pat looks at Kim more sternly. Then finally nods defeated, agreeing and taking off the oxygen hose attached to Kim’s nose and set it aside.

“Let me remove your catheter then, or would you like Miss Aom to do it?” Nurse Pat asks patiently.

“Yes, please…” says Kim dismissing her nurse.

Nurse Pat and Aom lift Kim out of bed, slowly. Aom help her move to the bathroom, wrapping her arms around Aom’s small frame as Nurse Pat follows pushing the IV stand.

“Thank you, I guess, I’ll take it from here,” says Aom. As soon as they entered the bathroom, the light sensor switch automatically . Kim blinks twice blinding her from the fluorescent lamp. Kim’s feet swayed like jelly as Aom sets her on the toilet. She could hardly stand on her own two feet.

“Sit baby, before you fall.” Aom urges.

“I’ll call Dr. Phiangpor for you.” says Nurse Pat. She looks at Kim once more before turning on her heels and leaving the room.

Dr. Tao Phiangpor and Nurse Pat burst back into the room after a few minutes as Aom is helping Kim back to the bed. Aom tugged the IV stand beside the bed. Kim noticed she only wears hospital gown which is more embarrassing for Kimhan to face her doctor.

“They did strip me , didn’t they?” Kim whispered, embarrassed.

“Hmm,” nods Aom.

“Good morning, Kimhan. I’m Dr. Tao Phiangpor. Here, let me help you.” Dr. Tao offered as he lifts Kimhan back to bed. Aom managed to cover Kim back with the white bed covers.

“Miss Aom, here, I can manage.” Nurse Pat says. She adjusted the IV and moved the stand back.

“Nurse Pat, please check for vitals,” says Dr. Tao while Nurse Pat reached for the blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Kim’s upper arm. Kim glanced anxiously at Aom standing next to her bedside. Aom smiled reaching for her hand clasping it together with hers. Aom obviously looks dreadful and seemingly tired.

“How are you feeling?” Dr. Tao asked Kim looking intently at her.

“Achy. Hungry.”

Aom blinks in surprised, “Hungry?”

Kim nods.

“Doctor, the blood pressure is already normal.” Nurse Pat removes the cuff and without any other word, stride out of the room.

“Um, can she eat now, doctor?” asks Aom.

“Food?”

“Yes. She’s hungry. Is Chicken Thai soup okay?”

“Alright,” Dr. Tao smiles. “Soup will be fine, just the broth. Nothing heavy.”

“Thank you.” Aom fished for her mobile phone in her pocket and pressed a number. “She’s awake. She wants Chicken Thai soup… alright… Thank you.” then, she hangs up.

“Is that Air?” Kim asks quickly looking up at her stride next to the bedside.

Aom shook her head. “Alice.”

Nurse Pat returns with a pitcher of water. She carefully poured a glass out and hands it to Kim.

“Small sips now.” She warns. Aom glance at Nurse Pat. Kim finished the glass of water and asks for another. She felt thirsty. The soothing feeling of the water as it touches her lips replenished her sandpaper-dry like throat.

“Okay, I’ll examine you now, Kimhan.”

Dr. Tao starts to examine Kim thoroughly, shining a penlight in her eyes, making her touch fingers and her reflexes. His voice is soft and soothing. Nurse Pat helps Kim roll unto her sides for Dr. Phiangpor to check her wounds. Aom walks to the corner of the room and making some calls while Dr. Tao and Nurse Pat tend to Kim. Kim took a glimpse of her.

“I’ll prescribe some painkillers. You’ll need them for this and some antibiotics for your wounds to heal faster. Nurse Pat will dress your wounds later. These small red dots on your skin will heal in two or three days’ time. I suggest you must need more rest before I let you go home. And besides you’re still under observation due to your blood transfusion.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Aom mouths. She’s now standing again beside the bed.

Dr. Tao glances at Aom then back to Kim. “But if the progress is faster than I’ve predicted, I’ll let you go within three to four days’ time.”

“That’s good news, Doctor,” says Kim, hopeful. “I looked awful…” she sighed.

“No baby, you’re still handsome to me.” Aom whispered with gleaming love and happiness in her eyes.

Then abruptly, there’s a knock on the door which all of them turned at the door. Alice with Mr. and Mrs. Manaying enters bearing baskets of food.

“Welcome back, P’Kim.”

“Hello, Alice. Thank you.” 

As soon as they settled themselves inside the room, there’s another knock on the door. All eyes turned to the door’s direction, again. It creaked open; Air emerged with Zee and Dr. Dew on the door bearing still baskets of food and flowers. Holy cow.

“Hmm… family reunion, I see?” Dr. Tao says surprised. He looks pointed at all of them.

 “Oh my God!” Air burst, surprised and relieved to see her sister already awake. She rushed beside the bed with Aom. “Kim, thank God.”

“Hello P’Air,” Kim smiled. She reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

“I’m just happy, you came back to us." Air turned to face the other side when small tears spring from her eyes.

“Are you crying?” asks Kim worriedly.

“No.” Air says dashing the tears off her face. “I’m just happy.”

“Okay Miss Air,” says Dr. Tao. “I recommend for the patient to walk around just for some exercise and for her wounds to get used to it. But don’t overdo it.”

Then he returns to the patient. He tucked his hands unto his lab gown pocket. “Now Kimhan, take your medication as prescribed and you’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, Doctor.”

Nurse Pat finally finished dressing her wounds and adjusting the bed for Kim.

“Just call me if you need anything. I’ll be back to check on the patient again.”

Dr. Tao turned unto his heels and exited the room without even glancing at Dr. Dew. Then, Nurse Pat followed him behind leaving them all in the room.

“So,” Zee grinned walking towards Kim’s bedside. “How are you feeling, tiger?”

“Sore and hungry.” She smirked.

“You made us all worried like hell. But you’re one tough arse, baby.” Zee grinned boyishly.

“Of course, I’m superman.” Kim laughs. Then, she flinched a bit in pain.

“Oh yeah, you are.”

“How are you Kimhan?” Mama phan asks handing a bowl of Chicken Thai soup to Aom. “Have some soup. Aom said you were hungry. I cooked that specially for you.” she smiled in her motherly gestures.

“Thanks, auntie.”

“Hush, just call me mama from now on. You understand, Kimhan?”

“Um, Y-Yes, mama…” Kim smiled reluctantly glancing anxiously at Aom. But the latter just shrugged her shoulders off. She felt awkward calling Mrs. Manaying ‘mama’. Everything went so fast for them, from seeing Aom again after long years to having into a serious relationship with her. Now, unbelievably overwhelming her that her parents have accepted her into the family. Aom’s parents loved and adored her which is far beyond her expectations. Everything went fast and falling into their right places.

“Mom, don’t rush her. You’re scaring her. You –“

“Hush, Aom.” Her mom waves her off. “I like her to call me mama. Do you have a problem with that?” Mrs. Manaying went back to the small table to prepare the food they brought. “Let’s eat everyone. I’ve prepared something for us, too.”

 “But mom,” Aom flushed, rolling her eyes. But her mom just ignored her. She took a seat next to Kim’s bedside and started feeding Kim with the soup.

“Oh, that is so swe-eet.” Zee teased making Kim blushed profusely.

“Come on, dude, I know you envied me,” Kim countered grinning boyishly.

“Zee, stop it.” Dew scolds her. “I’m sorry Kim, just don’t mind her.”

“It’s okay,” Kim smiled.

 Zee turned back to Dew collecting a plate of food from the table. “Here, honey. Let me feed you, too.” says Zee. But Dew turned her back sitting next to Alice and P’Air on the couch.

“Thank you so much, auntie… uncle, for looking out for Kim. We owe you a lot.” Air said timidly. She sat next to Mr. Manaying on the couch. “I wouldn’t have known what to do if I lost my sister. What would our parents would say…”

Mr. Manaying smiled warmly. “Don’t be. We are family ever since. We knew your parents before and we think it’s just right for us to look after you, too, after what happened to both of them.” Then, he sighed. “Buddha, Bless their souls.” Papa Prasong laid his wrinkly hand over Air’s hand comforting her in kind fatherly gestures.

“Your uncle is right, Air. We are family.” says mama phan handling a plate of food to her husband.

“And I think we’ll be a real one family, soon.” Mr. Manaying added, smirking.

He looks at her daughter who patiently feeding spoons of soup to Kim. He had never seen her daughter so patiently and lovingly cared for anyone else besides her immediate family, not even with Mike. It just proves that her daughter truly loves Kim and so with her. But still, what happened to Kim lately bothers him a lot.

Kim, on the other hand, gazed at Aom lovingly. She reaches up her hand caressing her girlfriend’s face pulling it nearer to her. She missed her so much. And she’s so in love with her to hell and back.

“I love you baby…” Kim says softly in a low tone. “I’m finally home here with you.”

Aom closes her eyes and planted a soft kiss on her lips not minding the people around them. “I love you more, honey.”

Zee caught a glimpse of the two having their sweet moments. A thin evil smile curved her lips as she plan to ruin their moment and annoy Kim once more. One thing that she loves to do is annoying the hell out of Kim.

“Don’t swallow each other alive, will yah?” She grinned evilly interrupting their moment.

“Huh?” Kim squints raising an eyebrow.

“Do I hear wedding bells soon?” Zee said.

Aom flushed red at the thought of wedding.

“Why are you such a mood spoiler, Zee?” Kim sighed exasperatedly.

“Oh come on, dude.” Zee smirked. “I just find you, too sweet.”

“That is just sweet of you, my dear in’ cousin.” Kim says rolling her eyes on Zee.

“That soon…? We’re just starting,” replied Aom grinning. ‘Well, I’ve never been so sure about weddings until Kim. I hope to be married to her someday, too. And be with her for the rest of my life’. She noted mentally.

“I think it’s better if you and Dr. Dew get married first.”