#progression 38

Chapter 38 of Progression is now up!

Khun: I am dumb and enthused about Namphueng. You should be dumb and enthused when Pa requests your company. Tried to keep him busy with the baby and the twins, but he's on edge so he left.

Arm: We are so happy and surprised Namphueng is talking. What a miracle!

The texts serve as both a piece of advice and a warning for the text that follows.

Korn: I am outside your suite. Where are you?

Kinn exhales shakily and texts the truth.

Kinn: On my way back. See you in a minute.

He is holding so much tension in his shoulders by the time he gets to his hallway and sees Pa outside his door. Before Pa turns around, Kinn thinks of the positives.

Namphueng can clearly voice. Regardless of hiding her other communication abilities from Pa, it was a genuine surprise. And it's a good thing when it comes to her future.

If Pa allows her to have one.

“Hey,” Kinn says with a smile, coming over to unlock the door. It seems to be the first time Pa has really taken in the new lock system, one that requires a certain fingerprint to unlock and records each and every profile that either attempts to open the door or accesses it. For some reason, Pa has yet to try to open this door even once.

“I just walked Porsche and Namphueng back over to her suite. Everyone is really excited,” Kinn says brightly, “She is so happy to have a conversation with her sons so she can get to know them and-”

“Have you been hiding this from me?”

Kinn pauses, tries to make sure his expression is neutral, then turns around, “Hiding what?”

Pa is practically seething. He hides it well, but Kinn can see it.

“Just a couple of days ago, my sister licked my face and barked like a dog, and Kim called that progress. Now, she is making toasts, recalling memories of my father, and being social at a dinner party, one that your cousins showed up at and you were somehow completely fine with that?”

“Pa, believe me, we were all just as confused,” Kinn says, ignoring Pa asking about Vegas and Macau for now, “If Namphueng made a huge stride like that prior to tonight, I would have said something. We were happy with her emoting more, pointing at things she wanted to see, eat, or do, and seeming to recognize us from the previous day. We had no idea something like this was possible at this point in her recovery, or possible at all. But at the same time, I'm not complaining. Are you? You tried to find a cure for her for years, right? You of all people should be thrilled-”

“I should have been informed!”

Pa doesn't raise his voice. He simply doesn't. The loudest he had ever heard him was towards Gun the night of the attack. He remembers talking to Ma about it once when he was young.

“Pa never yells, but he still sounds scary sometimes.”

“He doesn't want to be like your bpuu. But that doesn't mean he is any less scary.”

Even back then, it sounded like a strange thing for his mother to say.

“We were just as surprised as you were,” Kinn says more pointedly, “Why would we keep something that exciting from you?”

Pa steps forwards, his expression hardened.

“I feel like you have been keeping a lot from me. I want the details of her treatment. What medications is she on-”

“Ones that clearly work!” Kinn snaps back, “If you want details on her care, then ask her yourself! She is clearly able to tell you now, and it shouldn't matter anyway since it is working! It fucking worked and you should be celebrating instead of coming here to yell at me! Worse things have happened in the last few months and you didn't give a shit-”

“If you are referring to your brother, I TRIED to be present and it upset him more!”

“I was talking about ME!” Kinn yells, his voice becoming louder, “I told you I wasn't doing well! You know Lane started coming to meet with me too and you barely even inquired about it! You want to know why Vegas fucking showed up? We made up. We made up after he showed up at my fucking rapist’s funeral and smirked at the corpse! I reached out to see if the same thing happened to him, and it did so we made up and-”

“Kinn,” Pa cuts in, his voice sounding more resigned and hoarse, “Slow down. I need you to tell me what you're talking about.”

Kinn feels his face screws up, “Like you don't know! You let Douglas mentor me-”

“Because you seemed to respect him and enjoy the lessons!” Pa says in a hushed voice, “Not because…I didn't…You didn't…What happened? Tell me what happened."