Chapter 2 Part II
“I want grandchildren!” Madam Warakun burst out.
The young man gave a deep chuckle. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Mother. Since I just won’t marry or settle down with anyone, you’re rushing me by using the excuse of grandchildren. I said what I said, Mother,” the young man stated, stressing the final words of his sentence. The words “I said what I said” were understood between him and his mother to mean he would not agree to marry. He took a deep breath and repeated the sentence clearly to his mother once more.
“I’m not ready yet and you don’t have to worry about grandchildren. Medical science is highly advanced these days. I guarantee that you will certainly have an heir to carry on the family name, Mother.”
“How many years do you think I have left to wait to see my grandchild, Pong?” Madam Warakun asked her son.
“I’m nearly seventy, Pong. I have an only son who lives overseas most of the time. Did you ever think that I was lonely? I don’t want to be alone like this until I die. At the very least, let me see my grandchild’s face. Let me have a short time towards the end of my life to raise my grandchild.”
The young man hesitated at this. He came to a complete standstill and turned back to look at his mother’s face. It was true, she had grown much older. His mother’s words were demonstration. It was as she said. All of it. He only used his money to take care of his mother. He paid for every convenience for her. At the same time, he had barely found any time to be with her each year.
“I’m not going to force you to marry anyone, Pong. Just have a child with someone. There won’t be any kind of relationship or commitment between you and her after she gives birth,” Madam Warakun offered.
The young man shook his head. Although he was sympathetic to his mother’s feelings and had been on board with her at the start, her methods still greatly conflicted with his feelings.
“People’s lives are not a television drama, Mother. How much misfortune and hurt would the child have to shoulder, if he knew he was born because of such a reason and was orphaned since birth? His father and mother did not love each other. How could that child feel any warmth?” He tried to explain it so that his mother would understand.
“Since you’re not ready to marry and settle down with anyone, I won’t force you. This is the only solution. This is the only thing I ask of you, Pong. Have a grandchild to pass on my name for me. After this, I won’t bother you or meddle in your life again,” said Madam Warakun in a softer tone.
“I’m elderly and you’re getting on in years. I don’t know if I can live long enough to see my grandchild. Please do this for me, Pong.”
The young man let out a big breath. He had been trying to find excuses for many years and he firmly stood by his previous words that he was not ready to marry or spend his life with anyone.
However, this time, he had been painted into a corner by his mother’s reasoning. Seeing her eyes and hearing her tone, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.
“And which woman is ready to accept your offer to become the broodmare for your grandchildren, Mother?” he prompted her, but the tone he used betrayed his dissatisfaction. He didn’t really like this type of method. If it were a worthless woman, one who didn’t work or do anything, merely sat around waiting for a husband and expecting a man to provide for her, he would be even more opposed to the idea.
“You only have to give me your word, Pong,” said Madam Warakun, without answering her son’s question.
The young man nodded in lieu of giving her an answer. The reason why he did it was for his mother’s peace of mind, while inside, he wholly opposed it. He was not persuaded in the least. He was forced to accept halfheartedly so that he would be able to get out of the current situation.
Pongket was a modern man. He liked a woman who worked, a woman who was talented enough to stand as an equal by his side, a woman who could be a credit to him and could be in a mutually supportive relationship. The reason why he had perfunctorily agreed to his mother’s proposal was that he had no intention of taking that woman as his wife. In the worst-case scenario, if he was unable to refuse his mother, at most she would just serve as a broodmare to produce his mother’s grandchildren.
Her son’s non-verbal acceptance made Madam Warakun able to smile, but she reiterated her points to be certain.
“All you have to do is give me your word that before you travel, you’ll give me a grandchild to carry on the family name, Pong. I’ll take care of everything myself.”
The young man only gave a short nod that served as a perfunctory agreement like before. He didn’t even care to ask for any details.
“Does that conclude your business, Mother?” he said, ending the conversation.
“If you give me your word, my business is done. Tomorrow, I’ll bring Sakunthara to the house to get to know you,” she said once again. She meant to make him aware of the details, but he didn’t care to remember or even pay attention to them.
Pongket made a weary face. When he didn’t insist on going against her or disagreeing with her, she liked to continue planning things her own way. It seemed every thought and action of his mother was in absolute conflict with his own thoughts at the moment. However, he didn’t express his thoughts in order to keep the situation from escalating further.
“Handle it however you want, Mother.”
Madam Warakun smiled widely upon hearing an answer that satisfied her. In the beginning, she had not thought the issue would be concluded nor ended this easily.
Pongket was a person who always kept his word. That was a characteristic of his that made her able to trust him. He did not show signs of opposition or feelings of coercion; rather, he had accepted it all reasonably.
“Thank you, Pong, for understanding me.”
“Yes…please excuse me, Mother,” he replied softly. He picked up the suit jacket that had been placed on the back of the sofa and laid it over his arm before preparing to make his exit. However, he thought of something.
“Mother, you’ve ordered the snack basket for me, haven’t you?” He asked after the snack basket he had requested his mother to take care of for him several days ago.
“I almost forget to tell you, Pong. Friday afternoon I won’t be free to take it into the office. Could you drop in and pick it up from the shop yourself?”
The young man’s eyebrows furrowed as though he was thinking of something. If it had not happened to be the dessert shop close to his home that this particular VIP preferred, he probably wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of having his mother handle things. All he would have had to do was giving instructions to the secretary stationed at his office and she would have completely taken care of everything.
On Friday, he did not have any urgent appointments on his schedule. He would be able to go in and pick the basket up himself. He had never once set foot into this dessert shop, even though rumors of the deliciousness of their treats had made their way to many high-ranking officials at the ministry.
After his mother had advised him to use those treats in gift baskets for the new year many years ago, he had constantly received compliments and queries about this shop’s desserts. They had turned into his go-to gifts by default. He didn’t have to waste time thinking about what he would choose to buy as gifts for higher-ranked officials, too.
When Madam Warakun saw her son displaying signs of hesitation, she rushed to add, “I’ll call and notify the shop ahead of time. All you have to do is walk in and tell them I’ve already made an order.”
“All right,” he agreed.
“All right, then it’s settled. Go have a rest.” The young man nodded once more and immediately made his exit.
Madam Warakun smiled watching her son leave. She could only hope that Cupid would help to fulfill her wishes, that destiny would intervene. Pongket hated matchmaking and being ordered around. This time, she would let everything happen naturally. At the very least, him going into the Thai dessert shop would likely lead to some good things.
Sakunthara was a simple woman, yet…she was a charming woman. She was warm, smiling, and affable, which was fitting for a shopkeeper. She was able to easily draw people to her.
Madam Warakun could only hope…could only ask that the two of them would have a chance to meet each other. She could only ask that Pongket would have a good first impression before she brought Sakunthara over to introduce her as the surrogate mother of her grandchildren.