Page 99 of Glow

“What brings you back here?” Decha asked. “When you left, you said you would never return.”

“I think it was more an agreement between the two of us, don’t you?”

Uncle Decha appraised him. Prin had never corrected him quite so forcefully.

“We don’t need to discuss our private business in front of a guest, Prin.”

“Would you like me to leave you to it?” Scott asked.

Prin took hold of Scott’s hand. His uncle’s beady eyes homed in on the action. Prin didn’t care. He might not have taken Brighton by storm immediately but he had shown that he could live a life independently of judgement and expectation.

“No,” Prin said. “Anything that is said, can be done so in front of you. Uncle, Scott is my partner. He isn’t a guest, he is family.”

Uncle Decha sat stiffly. There was no air in the room and it was stifling. Poor Scott was already perspiring.

“Very well,” Uncle Decha said. “We parted badly. It is true. However, it is good to see you again.”

That was as close as his uncle would ever get to saying he had missed Prin.

“How long are you visiting for?”

His uncle was the king of loaded questions.

“We’re not quite sure yet,” Prin replied.

“Have you been sacked?”

Prin sighed. It was like walking in a minefield. “No, Uncle. We have both left our jobs and decided to travel a little before finding something else.”

Uncle Decha frowned at Scott. “And was this your idea?”

“Uncle…”

Scott wiped his brow with his free hand. He’d gone a peculiar shade of red.

“Actually, Mr Lum, it was Prin’s honesty that made it difficult for him to stay,” Scott said. “He found out the son of a senior manager was stealing from the company and came to me to report it.”

Uncle Decha seemed surprised. He nodded to Scott to continue his story.

“The person in question was fired but I am ashamed to say that I let slip that it was Prin who had told me.”

“And the father wanted revenge?”

“Something like that.”

“He should be more concerned with having a thief for a son than attacking the man who uncovered it.”

To Prin’s surprise, Scott straightened up his back and stared Uncle Decha in the eye. “I agree but then sometimes we can all get caught up in how things look instead of focusing on the important things.”

Uncle Decha looked as if he were about to fly off the handle. Prin readied himself for another argument. Then the trace of a smile passed over Decha’s lips.

“That’s a very wise statement for someone so young,” he said.

The silence was awkward but Prin was determined not to be the one to break it. The intimidation that his uncle had always held over him was less than it had ever been. It was still there of course. Old habits die hard.

“Well, Prin, I am proud that you did the right thing.”

A tear pricked at Prin’s eye. “Thank you, Uncle. How is business?”