Chapter 3 Part III
“Our shop does not have a policy of taking extra money from our customers, Sir. If you insist on giving me this whole amount without receiving your change, I’ll just have to increase the number of desserts to be equivalent to the amount of money you have given me.”
The young man nodded in acquiescence. He finally had to haul the desserts back to his home first because after taking the basket to his superiors, he had to attend a party. It probably wouldn’t be appropriate to leave the desserts in his car for several hours. As for the remaining items, he would likely hire a motorcycle taxi to take them to the employees at the office instead of driving them there himself. That would be the most time-saving solution. At first, he had intended to pick up the desserts and drop in briefly at the office, close to the time of the party.
Madam Warakun slowed her car and parked in front of the dessert shop. She looked at her son hopefully. Everything that was happening today was as she had desired. She had wanted the two of them to meet so that she could make some clear-cut decisions. Yet, when she saw Pongket standing and chatting with Sakunthara in the Thai dessert shop, his manner relaxed, his face occasionally sporting a smile, her faint hope started to grow, as she saw more clearly the light at the end of the tunnel.
After that, Madam Warakun returned home. She returned in time to witness the sight of her son walking smilingly into the house holding dessert boxes.
“Why such a large haul? Didn’t you repeatedly order me to reduce my sugar intake?”
“Could you ask the housekeeper to put everything in the refrigerator, please? I have to get to a party.”
“You don’t usually like to eat desserts.”
“Everything looked so appetizing, Mother. I couldn’t make a decision, so I just brought them all back with me.” He didn’t tell his mother the entire truth. That the desserts were appetizing was part of it, but the reason why he had brought back so many was actually because of the good humor and smiles of the shopkeeper.
Pongket placed the bags of desserts on the table. “I leave them in your hands, Mother. I have to hurry off.”
His mother wasn’t even able to give a response before he turned on his heel and walked out. Madam Warakun could only smile as she watched him leave. Madam Warakun left the house again in the evening. Her destination was Sakunthara Thai Desserts, which was about to close. She often dropped in at this time because the owner would have time to chat.
Madam Warakun wanted Sakunthara as her daughter-in-law. She had broached the subject to Sakunthara’s mother frequently. Mrs. Tipsakun was more than willing, but she didn’t want to meddle in matters regarding her daughter’s life partner. She gave Sakunthara complete freedom to choose her life partner by herself, without any coercion on her part, because it was her daughter’s life and her happiness.
Madam Warakun attempted to persuade her and put forth justifications, but she received constant refusals from Sakunthara. That was until last month when she told Sakunthara her most pressing reason and came straight out and pleaded with her. The madam only asked that she be a surrogate mother without any sort of lasting commitments, but Sakunthara still expressed her reservations, asking for time to make her decision. The madam could only hope that one day, Sakunthara would agree.
“Sawasdee ka, Aunt[1].” Sakunthara raised her hands in a wai along with greeting the older person first, after seeing her walk into the shop. Usually, Madam Warakun came to the shop almost every day. It may have been because she was close in age to Mrs. Tipsakun, and they got along well. Furthermore, she had had an affection for Sakunthara ever since the young woman was a teenager.
Madam Warakun smiled in greeting as she asked, “What is it that you’re doing? It smells wonderful!”
“I’m frying some shallots so I can use them to prepare the taro Mo kaeng2 tomorrow.”
“There are taro Mo kaengs tomorrow? Put me down for five boxes. The people in my household really love eating them,” Madam Warakun informed the young woman. She made a straight beeline to Mrs. Tipsakun, who was washing and cleaning mung beans that would be steamed to make desserts.
“Of course,” the young woman replied as she used a spider strainer to scoop up the fried shallots that were at the perfect level of yellow crispiness and left them to rest on a fine-mesh sieve.
Seeing that her daughter was preoccupied with what was on the stove, Mrs. Tipsakun continued the conversation. “Tomorrow we have orders for Luk chup3, taro Mo kaeng, and rose-shaped Khanom chan for an event at the municipality, so we have to prepare quite a bit.”
“Is that so? Is there anything I can help with?” Madam Warakun sat down next to Sakunthara’s mother.
“Please just sit and chat. We’re almost done anyhow,” Mrs. Tipsakun answered, although she continued to be preoccupied with picking out the spoiled mung beans.
Madam Warakun's visit did not come as a surprise to them. She regularly enjoyed coming to the shop to chat and lend a hand preparing the ingredients for the desserts, as it was known she lived alone in a large house. Her daily routine was mostly just collecting the rent on buildings and properties because most of the land in this area had been in her family's possession for years.
Madam Warakun was a down-to-earth woman, although she had been born in an old, esteemed family. Her great-grandfather had ascended to the rank of Chao phraya4 during the reign of King Rama V. Yet, she treated everyone as an equal, which made her well-loved by the people in the area. If there was anything she could help out with or lend support to, she did not hesitate to do so.
The people of this neighborhood believed she had no heir. The only people who knew otherwise were elders who had known her for a long time. Pongket lived in another house in the heart of Bangkok due to his studies, and when he had graduated, he had gone to work at the office building of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. That had required him to spend his daily life in the city and abroad for the most part. When he returned to his mother’s vacation home in Nonthaburi, he didn’t like going out.
Sakunthara and her mother had never once laid eyes on Madam Warakun’s son, even though she had often teasingly broached the subject of having the young woman become her daughter-in-law. In the past three or four years, the only thing Sakunthara knew was that his work involved tourism. Until last month, the madam’s overtures had become more serious; she had pleaded with her for her help.
“I have something urgent I’d like to discuss with you. Actually, I don’t want to rush you, Thara dear, but I just found out that my son will have to fly overseas to take up his new post very soon,” Madam Warakun said, hurriedly introducing the topic of discussion.
The meaning behind the sentence Madam Warakun uttered was immediately understood by everyone sitting there. It meant she was going to request an answer.
Sakunthara stopped what she was doing and turned around to listen intently. Her heart was thudding as she wondered if what she had been thinking was true: was the man from that afternoon him or someone else?
"I probably have to ask my daughter’s willingness first." The other party’s answer made Madam Warakun turn back to look at the young woman once again.
“What do you say, Thara dear? Would you be willing to help me?”
“For me, anything that mom decides is fine.” The young woman threw the decision back to her mother.
“Oh my goodness! Really! These two, mother and daughter! Throwing it back and forth!” Madam Warakun said, chuckling. She raised her head and locked eyes with Sakunthara. She sent her a look of pleading and entreaty.
“Don’t think about the money I spoke of last month. Just consider this my plea. Please help me out with this once.”
“Erm…” The young woman stammered.
“This time, I’m really out of options, child. I didn’t think Pongket would travel this fast. I really couldn’t think of any other way in time. Please help me out with this once. Or if you want to make an exchange or something, I’m completely willing.”
Sakunthara turned and locked eyes with her mother, pleading for her opinion. She nodded to show her agreement.
“If you don’t have a boyfriend, Thara, or any commitments, and if it’s not too much of a burden, I agree that you should be the surrogate mother for Aunt’s grandchild.”
Sakunthara’s face showed that she was in a dilemma. It was true that at the moment, she did not have a boyfriend, did not have any sort of commitment to anyone, but carrying to term a child who shared her blood and then having to cast off the role of mother was a painful feeling. And, seeing the child grow up without having the chance to know that she was his mother—she imagined it would be painful for both the mother and the child himself.
How would he feel coming into this world and, from the moment he started to be aware of his surroundings, finding out that he was a motherless child? At the same time, the mother could only watch over him from a distance. It was tormenting. She wouldn’t have refused at all if everything had happened as a result of love or mutual attraction.
A heaviness had formed in her at the start, and now, it was amplifying her heartache even more than before.
“Do you have any worries?” Madam Warakun asked again when she saw the expression in the young woman’s eyes.
“I just pity the child that will be born. I don’t want any child in the world to lack a father or a mother. He should be born out of love,” she said, pouring out her heart.
“It would be absolutely wonderful if everything could happen like you described it. I really want you to be my daughter-in-law. If you agreed, Thara dear, it would give me the greatest happiness. But I have so few options at the moment. My son is nearly thirty-nine years old.” The speaker’s eyes reflected the unease she was feeling inside.
Madam Warakun was a person who enjoyed everything in her daily life. Her attachment to simplicity made it possible for her to smile for everyone. The only thing that brought melancholy to her eyes was the issue of her son and an heir to carry on the family name.
The young woman gave an embarrassed smile. “A woman like me wouldn’t be able to make your son fall in love.”
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[1] In Thailand, terms such as “Aunt” or “Grandfather” can be used as polite forms of address between people who have no familial relationship, but who are on familiar terms.
[2] A Thai dessert that is similar in appearance to flan.
[3] Mung bean paste desserts that are often colored and shaped to look like fruits or other objects.
[4] A high-ranking member of Thai nobility.