Karakade just finished feeding the baby twins and climbed the bed gratefully, looking forward to a deep sleep.

“How’s life like, from where you came from?”

She seriously considered to just pretend she didn’t hear what Khun P’ was asking, but it’s a bit impossible, since he was pulling at her shoulder, making her had to face him.

“Khun P’ jao ka, do we really have to talk about this now?” she inquired back, in her most polite tone.

“I’m really curious.”

Karakade sighed. She could see that Khun P’ was completely awake and ready for a long discussion.

“You came 329 years from the future. It must be really different from now, right?”

She gave up thinking to avoid the discussion and nodded.

“It’s much different from now. But some things are also the same.”

“Tell me the differences.”

“There are so many differences, Khun P’. If I tell you everything, we won’t sleep tonight.”

“Well, at least tell me the most different things.”

“Hem......we travel with cars.”

“Cars” he tried to pronounce. “What it’s like?”

“If I’m not so sleepy, I would’ve drawn it for you. It’s like a wagon with wheels, but with a machine.”

“You’re being incoherent again.”

“Khun P’, I’m trying to tell you about life from my time.”

“Hm. These “cars”, are they fast?”

“Very.”

“How fast?”

“The distance that you travel for thirty minutes, can be reached in ten minutes, if there’s no traffic jam.”

“What’s traffic jam?”

Karakade waved her hand to dismiss the question and continued.

“We fly with planes.”

Khun P’s eyes went wider.

“You’re mocking at me.”

“I’m not! Khun P’, it’s three hundred years into the future. People have discovered a lot.”

“It’s unbelievable.”

“You reached Paris after months with a good ship, right? With a plane, you can reach Paris in a day!”

Khun P’ put his palm under his head, transfixed.

“And you know what, Khun P’?”

“What?”

“Humans can already fly to the moon.”

Khun P’ looked shocked, before he pointed to the window, “People can go to the moon up there?”

Karakade nodded.

“............what’s the moon like?”

“It’s not really pretty up close. The grounds are uneven and ugly to look at. And there’s no gravity.”

“What’s gra—“

“The force that makes us able to stay on the ground. The moon doesn’t have that. So the astronauts keep on flying and bouncing on air.”

Khun P’ looked fascinated.

“Women are different too, in my time.”

“How much different?”

“So much different than now. Women from my time are as smart as men. We go to school and study everything. We earn money. Women at my time could buy their own houses.”

“Really???”

“Yes. Not only that. Women could also fly to the moon. Be a physician. Be teachers. Be everything we want to be. We marry mostly because of love. We don’t marry because we need protection or money. Or at least a lot of women are like that in my time, depending on their situation in life. Women live a lot more interesting life in my time.”

She had forgotten her sleepiness and put her hand beneath her head too, her eyes were shining and she was speaking animatedly, fondly remembering where she came from.

“Or jao, do you regret coming here?”

Karakade’s smile disappeared. She blinked and took a better look at her husband.

“I was confused for a long time.”

Khun P’s expression fell.

“But I’ve accepted my fate now. It’s just destiny.”

He was then able to smile a little.

“Besides, if I didn’t come here, I wouldn’t have my Por Rueng and Por Rit.”

“..........only them?”

She put a straight face and added, “I also wouldn’t know P’ Pin and P’ Yam. That would be really sad.”

“You’re only sad if you don’t know them?”

“And your parents. Mae Janward and Mae Maria.”

Khun P’ was reaching for her arms by then, saying, “Just them?”

“And Joi. P’ Prik and P’ Juang........”

“Only them, Mae Karakade?”

He had pulled her to be very close to him, she could feel his breath fanning her face already.

“Why? Who else is here?” she asked cheekily.

“The father of your twins.”

“Oh. Him” she replied in a non-interested tone.

Khun P’ gently knocked his knuckles onto her forehead.

“Is it so hard to say what I want to hear?”

Karakade giggled.

“I’ll be sad if I never meet Khun P’. There. Happy now?”

Khun P’ smiled warmly and pecked her lips.

“Remember, no matter how great your time is, you can’t leave me here. I won’t let you.”

“Would Khun P’ follow me to the future if I go?”

“Yes. I’ll find a way. Then I’ll bring you back here.”

He looked very serious, so she caressed his arm soothingly, “Don’t worry Khun P’, I’m here to stay.”

“Good.”

Karakade smiled and kissed Khun P’s cheek.

“Are you ever going to tell me your real name?”

Karakade was silent for a while, thinking deeply.

“Everyone close to me called me Kade there.”

“Kade? Was your name Karakade too?”

She shook her head.

“Then? What is it?”

“Khun P’, do you really want to know?”

“With all my heart.”

She looked at him for several seconds before finally moving forward to whisper in his ear, “I was Kadesurang there.”

Khun P’ stared at her.

“Kadesurang.....” he tried pronouncing it. “It’s a nice name.”

“But I feel a bit sad listening to it now.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. So please, just call me Karakade.”

Khun P’ exhaled and took his turn to caress her arm.

“You are happy with this life, I hope, or jao?”

“I am, Khun P’” her tone was assuring.

“But you’re crying” he exclaimed, reaching out to dry her eyes with his thumb.

“Speaking about where I come from makes me miss it. But I’m fine. I do love my husband and babies.”

“I’m glad” he said, kissing a line of her tear away.

She suddenly hugged him tightly.

Khun P’ tensed, sensing her sudden wave of sadness, before he melted and embraced her.

“Don’t be sad.......I’ll always be good to you.”

Karakade put her forehead on his chest and let go.

She wasn’t sure where the tears came from. Probably she did miss home. Ever since she got pregnant and moreover when she gave birth, she wished.....she wished........

“I wish my mother and grandmother could see our children.......could meet Khun P’.......”

She sobbed and couldn’t stop.

It’s the first time they really talked about her past, so it was the first time for him to see her this sad.

It hurt to see her cry, but he guessed it’s better out than in.

So he held her and caressed her back, as she cried her heart out, wetting his shirt with her tears.

When she was finished and could breathe easier again, she stared at the top of their bed for a long time.

“I hope I didn’t scare you, Khun P’. I am happy to be here with you. I have accepted my destiny. I am happier than sad. So please don’t worry.”

He mumbled as an answer, but she assumed he understood.

She smiled and turned around, his arms automatically circling her waist.

Her mind wandered to how it would be like if her mother and grandmother could meet her husband and babies.

She didn’t realize she was touching Khun P’s hand with her fingertips back and forth for a while already.

“Or jao?”

“Hm?”

“Do women from your time row the boat differently than women here?”

She literally choked at that.

After coughing for a bit and taking deep breaths, she said, “Uh.....I think they do some things the same way. And some other things differently.”

“How do you know? You told me you never did it.”

“There were uh.....other ways of knowing. Even when I don’t want to, it’s hard to avoid knowing a little.”

“Do you, really?”

She forced a smile, “I uh – guess so.”

“Well, then show me the little things you know. I want to see the difference.”

She was facing him again by then, “Khun P’ jao ka, don’t tease me like this. You’re so mean. I never did it before you. How can I show you?”

“I’m not teasing, or jao. I really want to see it.”

“..........can I just explain it shortly?”

He grinned. “Sure. I’ll listen carefully.”

“Um. That’s – it’s like this –“

Khun P’ raised an eyebrow at her stuttering.

Karakade got annoyed and pushed his chest away.

“Or jao, pushing your husband is a sin.”

“But Khun P’, you’re just too much!”

“You still haven’t explained it” he reminded.

“It’s – I guess the difference is – women from my time – they – they are not ashamed to show it when they – are interested. I mean. When they want it, they tell it to their ......man.  And –“

“And?”

Her face was very red by then, “They uh—dominate. When they feel like it.”

Khun P’ frowned. “What’s “dominate”?”

“It’s –tsk. I don’t know. Good night Khun P’, I’m sleeping”

With that, Karakade closed her eyes and appeared to be sleeping seriously.

Khun P’ chuckled.

“Tell me, Mae Karakade.”

Accepting her doom, Karakade opened her eyes again.

“The women stay on top of the man and be the one that did it when they feel like it. Satisfied? Now you know, Khun P’. Can I go and sleep with the babies tonight?”

“Most definitely not” he answered with finality.

“Don’t try to ask me to do that for you.”

“I won’t. Not tonight.”

She heaved a sigh of relief, but then she felt him loosening her top.

“Khun P’, you said you won’t!”

“I only said I won’t ask you to show me how the women from your time row the boat, or jao. But I didn’t say I won’t touch you tonight.”

“But I’m tired and sleepy, Khun P’” she whined.

“I’ll do all the work” he promised, before taking off her top and throwing it to the floor.

As much as she liked it too, she wasn’t lying when she said she’s tired.

Still, she hugged him when he eased down onto her.

“Besides, you always sleep so well after we do this” he argued.

“Um. Sure. You’re only taking care of me” she replied with mild sarcasm.

“Haven’t I always, or jao?”

She couldn’t answer anymore since Khun P’ began to measure the length of her neck with his lips.

No, I really don’t regret moving to this era, Karakade thought, before all coherent thoughts disappeared.

Author's Note:

Because I'm currently in love with Khun P' and Mae Karakade from the historical Thai drama "Love Destiny".

They look so good together I'm TT_____TT