Author Notes: Hello, my readers. This is the third chapter of My Stepmother from Thailand Has a Surprise. Sorry that it took so long. My co-writer, wumblebum arts, had to take a hiatus from writing for personal reasons, but now he is back and working on these stories. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
It was a fairly pleasant Saturday morning, all things considered.
The house still hummed with residual tension over the recent events between the three of them—apologies and platitudes had helped calm things down to a level of civility, but emotions were still high.
Peter was already sitting at the table, ready to get started on breakfast. His hair was still slightly damp from his morning shower, but it was a warm enough morning that he didn't care. The top button of his shirt was left lazily undone, leaving his collar to flop out over his thin grey sweater that slouched over his blue jeans as he sat.
"The kiwis are a good idea, Mali. She'll love that." He commented, glancing over his shoulder at his wife. "Although it sure is a lot of effort just for breakfast."
Mali tilted her head to respond, her dark hair swaying over her shoulder. In the light of the morning, he couldn't help but smile a little bit about how beautiful she looked to him. Her white dress flowed around her as she moved, cutting up the fruit for the oatmeal bowls, the thin material wafting around over her t-shirt and leggings. She was always beautiful to him, but something was captivating about how graceful she was even when she was simply doing something mundane. Her tone was somewhat jovial when she replied.
"You told me she likes them - technically, it was your idea, no?" She smiled sweetly before turning to focus on the cutting board again. "I figured… It would be a nice 'peace offering' of sorts. It might help to break the ice a bit more. Just my little attempt at making things up to her."
Mali couldn't help the light little chuckle that came out of her using the term 'peace offering,' but it was the most accurate phrase that had come to mind.
Peter gave a slow, appreciative nod. Mali was certainly right about that—Emma was so passionate about food that it would make sense to win her over with her favorite fruits.
"She deserves a little treat, you know, after the week she's had," Peter admitted, feeling a pang of guilt again over the situation.
By the time Mali was done sprinkling the sliced fruits into their bowls of oatmeal, they could hear Emma descending the stairs.
Emma's head poked in through the door, her hair tied back in a charmingly messy ponytail. She was quite well-rested, all things considered. She had thrown on a somewhat cheerful-looking outfit on purpose. It was one of those trendy little outfits she liked to wear on the weekend - jeans in faded blue with the cuffs rolled up and a classic white t-shirt with a loose green sweater vest draped over it.
Peter's daughter was always dressed in smart and fashionable outfits —she was surely growing up fast.
Peter smiled and gestured for Emma to join him at the table. Mali was gathering up the bowls of oatmeal and bringing them over hastily.
"Morning, Emma. We picked something out for you this morning—figured you deserve it." He spoke in a warm and welcoming tone.
Emma's eyes darted to the bowl Mali had slid over in front of her chair, and her face lit up. Mali had laid all her favorite fruits out on top of the oatmeal—lovingly prepared strawberry, kiwi slices, and a little handful of ripe blueberries. She felt her mouth water slightly just at the sight and smell of her breakfast.
Emma smiled at Mali, and despite all the awkwardness between them, there was a feeling of comfort blooming inside. "Thanks so much! It looks great."
The two of them exchanged a triumphant glance as Emma sat down before her breakfast - this was going surprisingly well so far, despite the initial nervousness. Peter almost wanted to laugh at how worried they had both been. After all, even with everything that had recently happened between them, Emma was still his daughter, the same bright and eclectic young girl he had always loved and cherished.
Mali poured some coffee for herself and Peter and offered Emma a cup. She gladly accepted, and they were all tucking into their breakfast before long.
But after a while, they were all eating in silence. Emma was undoubtedly enjoying her fruit-laden oatmeal bowl, but the nervousness started to kick in again. She wanted to start a conversation about how they would move forward from the… 'incident,' but she found her thoughts scattered on how she would bring it up. The nervousness gradually built up to the point where her eyes darted up to glance at her father and stepmother from across the table until eventually Mali broke the silence.
"So, Emma… I know that my new arrangement of the house caused you some trouble - it was pretty inconvenient to have everything suddenly moved around, right? If you like, we can spend a few hours this weekend redecorating."
Emma could sense a twinge of guilt in Mali's tone despite how casual she was trying to sound, and she didn't like how it felt to hear her speak that way.
Emma shook her head as she chewed and swallowed a mouthful of her breakfast. "Oh. Well, actually… The new 'feng-shui' inspired layout actually does feel pretty comfortable. I don't dislike it at all. Sure, it took some getting used to, but there's something very appealing about it."
Mali seemed a bit relieved to hear this, a little smile starting to twitch on her face.
Emma continued. "Oh, and to be quite honest, it would be a lot of unnecessary work to rearrange everything…"
There was a bright little smile on Mali's face now as she nodded her head. "Well, I'm sure you must miss a few things about the old layout. Maybe there's something particular that holds positive memories for you that you'd like to see back. We could work out a way to meet in the middle."
"That's… A sweet thought." Emma nodded back, a thoughtful expression coming over her face. "I'll think it over. Maybe some old unique touches can make a comeback if they go well with the new look."
A feeling of relief was also starting to bloom through Emma - thank goodness Mali had figured out a way to get the conversation started because she'd been on the verge of getting anxious over the whole thing. She was still getting used to her new step-mom, of course, but it was becoming apparent that she had quite a knack for reading the room and finding a way to approach the situation pragmatically. In a way, that was pretty damn admirable. She'd already managed to bring the nervousness in the room down significantly.
They ate silently for a while, though it was far from unpleasant. For the first time, Emma felt as if the three of them were totally relaxed in each other's presence. This was comfortable. She felt her mood perking up significantly and decided to try to pick the conversation back up again.
"Hey, Mali… What's the plan for dinner tonight?" She looked up from her breakfast and now asked in a much more relaxed rhythm.
Mali swallowed her mouthful of oatmeal and washed it down with a sip of coffee, nodding her head gently in acknowledgment.
"I'll be making a curry - a Thai curry…" She trailed off momentarily as the apparent thought occurred to her, and she noticed what Emma was probably thinking about. "You've wanted to help out more with the cooking, haven't you?"
Emma gave a quick nod of her own, pleased to see that Mali had caught on.
Mali nodded in Peter's direction. "Your father tells me you're a very good cook, too. Do you want to make dinner maybe together this evening?"
The suggestion immediately made Emma smile as her imagination conjured up the image of herself and Mali cooking together. It was such a peaceful and comfortable idea of what life could be like with all of them cohesively flowing together as a family.
"I'd like that," Emma responded, and she really meant it. "And you know… I'd really like to cook together more often if that's okay with you. Maybe I can show you some of my favorite recipes as well?"
Mali smiled softly as she took another sip of her coffee. She seemed to like the idea of simple but comforting domestic cooperation, which makes family life feel just right, just as much.
Mali gave an enthusiastic little nod. "Oh, definitely. Maybe once we're a bit more used to working together in the kitchen, we can figure out some schedule over time? We can take it in turns to decide what we want to make. I feel that would be pretty fun, don't you?"
The smile on Emma's face seemed genuinely excited, and Peter couldn't help but notice. It was like the energy in the room had shifted drastically now that Mali and Emma were talking about their shared interests. He watched them talk together in quiet appreciation, taking in that little spark of enthusiasm that was going on between them.
"Oh, Mali, I'd love to show you my signature casserole recipe - it was passed down to me by some relatives, but I've got my own spin on it… If you have a sweet tooth, I've been told I make a pretty good apple pie." Emma said.
Mali seemed touched as she listened intently to Emma, matching her enthusiasm immediately. "I'm sure it's delicious! I do have a soft spot for home-baked desserts, so I would love to try some of them. The casserole as well… You know, in return, I can show you how I like to make my tom yum soup - we could try making suki hot pot together as well if you'd like to." Said Mali
Emma seemed to be transfixed by the conversation now, nodding along with Mali's every word as she continued talking.
"And you know, as much as I don't mind cooking on my own, there's something very special about working together with somebody else in the kitchen. It's a great way to get to know each other - and they say that a meal prepared together as a team is just a little bit more delicious." Mali said.
Emma found herself nodding even more. "I think there's some truth to that."
The girl took a moment to let herself imagine it in more depth - herself and Mali in the kitchen together, talking about whatever might be on their minds and bonding like family members do… She imagined how they would work through each step together, chatting and sharing tips and learning about each other along the way. The thought of it was oddly beautiful, even if the concept itself was something so normal. Perhaps she had been missing this part of having another parent in the house, and it had simply slipped into the background of her thoughts over time. The idea of it sounded so natural and so relaxing.
Emma nodded. "We can take turns with some things as well if you want to. I'm sure it gets a little exhausting doing a lot of stuff on your own. I know I used to get a little overwhelmed occasionally."
Mali's own smile widened a bit. "You're a very helpful and attentive young woman, Emma. I've noticed it in other ways. You've been thinking about the workload of everything that needs doing, and not everyone is so mature at your age."
"Well, you know… If we're all going to be a family now, we have to figure out ways that everyone can pitch in. That's what families do, isn't it?" Emma mused momentarily, a pang of warmth blooming in her heart at the idea of them all being a family together. "Meal times have always been special to me, too, you know? I just think it would be nice to… I dunno…"
Peter finally perked up, seeming quite energized by how his wife and daughter were getting along.
"You know, it's really something - seeing you two talking about the stuff you enjoy, being so happy about it… I love you both a lot; you know that? I like seeing you both happy; I like it a lot. It'll be really nice seeing you two get to know each other, and you're both so damn good at all sorts of stuff." He smiled widely, his tone dropping its seriousness. "Oh, and of course… When there's a tonne of great food to eat, I'm sure as hell not complaining." Peter said.
Emma laughed abruptly at that against the back of her hand. "That's just like you, dad. You think with your stomach almost as much as your heart."
And at that, Mali couldn't help but laugh a little bit herself.
Peter shook his head, but that joyful little smile wasn't gone from his face. "Well, who doesn't love a good home-cooked meal? And… Well, I can't help the fact I love you both so damn much. Anyways, moving on from my appetite and my soft little heart… Mali, do you think Niran is ready to be introduced to his new stepsister? You were on a Skype call with him just the other night."
For a second, Emma and Mali exchanged awkward glances. Mali, in particular, seemed affected by the mention of her son—she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for not being able to introduce the two of them sooner.
But after a moment, Emma smiled softly again. "I would love to talk to him sometime soon. Mali, whenever you're ready, I think it would be really lovely if I could join you two on a Skype call or something…"
Mali gave a nervous little laugh before sipping her coffee again. "It will probably be a bit awkward at first, all things considered… But I would love to try to do that soon. I think it's about time I let you two get to know each other a bit. The two of you happily get along as siblings; I'm looking forward to it, Emma. I really am."
Emma couldn't miss that hint of vulnerability she was seeing from Mali, and she leaned forward to listen closely.
Mali continued. "I really want to bring him over here eventually - to bring him into this family fully. Now, of course, it won't be very easy… But my biggest regret about the entire situation that went down is that I ended up treating my son like a secret I was keeping, even if I didn't mean to. It feels wrong."
In response, Peter reached out to put a hand on his wife's shoulder, rubbing gently with his thumb.
"Darling, I really should take some responsibility for that. It's not your fault. I should have thought more about how we would bring our families together. It was stupid of me, you know, to assume that.
Emma needed to be 'eased in' to everything." He glanced up at his daughter, his expression turning apologetic. "You're a big girl now, Emma. I should have been up-front with you, and the way I went about things was a bit selfish. I often think with my heart and get caught up in things, but it wasn't fair on you. It probably feels like I've been an insensitive jerk to you lately. In a way, I treated you like a little kid. It was stupid of me. I'm sorry about that."
Emma nodded and sighed of combined relief and catharsis at her father's words. "Thanks, Dad. It means a lot. You know, I really don't like all the… Mean and resentful thoughts that this whole mess brought up in me. It's not like me. I guess the whole misunderstanding was just so huge that it made me a little bit crazy."
"Well, from now on, I will be more up-front with you. This whole thing has made me realize that my decisions, which are heavily based on emotions, must be kept in check sometimes. I mean, hell, I ended up making this whole thing way too awkward for both of you." Said Peter.
Mali nodded slowly and put her own hand on her husband's shoulder in return. "Of course. I think we should both make more effort from now on. I will admit that being in a new country and in a new house, I got swept up in everything. There were a lot of things that passed me by, but I'm ready to start taking them on now."
Emma found herself smiling again. "Thank you… Thank you both. That's a huge weight off my shoulders, you know? Things got pretty crazy back there. We all did things we're probably not proud of. I hope nothing like this happens ever again, though. I mean, I love you a lot, Dad. And Mali… I may not have known you that long, but you're a lovely person. Some of the stuff I did wasn't fair on you either. I did things that hurt your feelings and invaded your privacy. It wasn't right."
A wave of relaxation seemed to wash over Mali now that they'd all gotten their apologies out again. It would be a while before all of them were done fully making up for what happened, but it was clear that Mali was starting to relax just a little bit more as they chipped away at the huge block that was weighing down on them all.
Peter seemed to be deep in thought again as they all carried on with their breakfast. After a while, Emma glanced up at her father now and then as she wondered what he was about to say.
"About Niran, though…" Peter finally spoke up, clearing his throat to try and shake off any awkwardness. "Now, I'm thinking pretty far ahead here, of course, but when he does come over here to move in with us, it might be difficult to find space for him. See, we don't have a spare bedroom. The house is pretty small. See, I wasn't thinking ahead before, and we all know the problems that were caused, so maybe it's time I started planning things a bit more carefully. If it comes down to it, we might have to move."
Without missing a beat, Emma shook her head. "Oh, don't worry about that. I've already been thinking that over myself."
Peter raised his eyebrows with a pleasant surprise. "Really? Go on…"
"Well, it's simple. I thought about this a little last night. Niran can have my bedroom once I've moved out. Emma said.
The statement surprised both her father and stepmother for a few seconds, and then Mali gave a thoughtful hum.
"Peter, you could learn much from her about being more forward-thinking. Really, Emma, you're a very focused and smart girl. You're already so focused on your life goals even at your age." Mali said.
This brought a little chuckle out of Peter. "Well, she's always been a smart girl. I can't even count how many times she's impressed me with her sharp and practical mind. Still, I hope you're not too eager to move out right away - you're not that mad at me, are you?" Asked Peter.
Emma found herself laughing again, shaking her head. "Of course not. It's just that I'm getting older now, you know? I can't stick around forever. I will be a lot more independent eventually and need to be ready for that. This'll be a future thing, you know? Once I've found a good, steady job that can cover everything I need, then I can seriously think about my options."
"Ah, my little girl is growing up so fast!" Peter exclaimed, a little look of excitement twitching on his face. "You sure aren't a kid anymore, huh?"
Mali couldn't help but agree. "Oh, yes. With that attitude, I'm sure you'll find a great job that will reward you. You're a very bright girl. I know that I certainly believe in you. Keep on doing your best, and you'll be doing all sorts of impressive things in no time."
The praise was a pleasant surprise for Emma, and that warm and comfortable feeling bloomed inside her again. It certainly had been a long while since she'd had a supportive motherly figure so readily available, with how losing her mother at a young age had been so painful for her. She had grown accustomed to that mother-shaped absence, but she almost felt like a little kid again, hearing Mali cheer her on that way.
"Thanks so much…" She smiled warmly, a little overwhelmed by emotion. "Feels like we're almost a family already. I'm honestly really glad to have you here, Mali."
Mali smiled right back, her eyes forming happy little crescents. "I'm so honored, Emma. I really am. I think I'll be proud to call us a family."
"And you know what? Even after I move out, I'll make sure to visit you guys as much as possible - I'll try to visit at least once a week, alright? I don't wanna miss out on any important family time."
Peter laughed softly again, his voice tinged with affection. "Oh, that's my girl. You really do think far ahead."
When Emma spoke up again, they all laughed over her father's little comment. "Yeah, well, I'm just excited about what the future will bring! I'm ready to take it all on, no matter what."
Mali fell into a quiet pause as her laughter eventually wore off, and she suddenly spoke up again with a hint of concern.
"Emma, I hope you don't mind me bringing it up, but while we're on the subject of money…" She glanced over at her husband before finishing the thought. "It just dawned on me that the whole situation - those security cameras and the software… That cost a pretty penny, didn't it? I hope it hasn't been too much of a burden on your finances." Mali said.
Peter let out a low sigh. "Mali, you're right. Oh, you were saving up that money for a trip, weren't you?"
He gave Emma that apologetic look again.
"Your savings, Emma. I hope you won't have to miss out on that trip because of the miscommunication." Peter said.
Emma immediately shook her head in dismissal and mumbled. "Don't worry about it, dad. I'll replenish that money myself."
"No. I don't think I can let it slide. See, this all started because I failed to be straight up with you." Her father shook his head adamantly. "I'm responsible for that money being wasted in a lot of ways. I failed you as a father and want to make this right. Let me transfer some money into your account - I'll cover it all." Peter said.
Emma averted her gaze. She didn't like the sound of having to be bailed out by her father like this. She shook her head as well.
"I'll take up a few more shifts at work. It'll be fine." She took a deep breath. "Don't act like this was all your fault and your fault alone. I was the one who made the mistake of spending that money and all so I could invade your guys' privacy." Said Emma.
Mali quickly threw her hands up and stopped them both. "Okay, okay… Let's see if we can find a compromise."
They both turned their heads quickly to look at Mali, listening intently to hear her suggestion. She continued speaking, her tone calm and collected as she attempted to find some middle ground between the mess of emotions they both had going on.
"How about this… Emma, you can pick up a few extra shifts at your part-time job. Peter, you can send Emma some money. Each of you can cover half of it. Does this work for both of you?" Said Mali.
They both sat silently for a moment before giving a reluctant little nod. That would work just fine and allow both of them to make up for the guilt they were feeling. Thank goodness for Mali's pragmatic problem-solving skills, yet again.
"There we go. You know… The two of you are alike in some ways. You're both so serious about taking responsibility. Like father, like daughter." Mali said.
Mali's comment somewhat lightened the mood, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. At least now Peter could fulfill that feeling of obligation without making Emma feel embarrassed, and she'd be able to take that trip she'd been so excited about.
Then, it was Peter's turn to speak up again.
"You know… I'm really glad we're having these talks. I'm proud of us. Look at the three of us, sitting around the table and talking things out like some functional and happy family." Peter said.
Mali nodded. "You know, maybe we are becoming a family. And that's exactly what we all need, isn't it? I will do my best to keep us all on track."
"Of course, darling. So will I." Peter said.
Emma perked up a bit. "Yes! I'll always do my best, no matter what."
Peter smiled widely. "Okay. Well, this is just perfect! Now, how about we all do that delightfully corny thing that families do…"
He slid his chair back and stood up, holding his arms out towards his wife and daughter.
"Come on now, let's all hug it out," Peter said.
Emma couldn't help but roll her eyes, and Mali laughed softly under her breath. Both of them obliged him and got up. The three of them came together in a warm embrace, and despite how unfamiliar it felt to all hug each other this way, there was something so natural and pleasant about it…
After a few moments of holding each other this way, Emma could feel that sense of trepidation wearing off just a little more.
Of course, there was still a lingering guilt there. Emma was pretty certain they were all feeling it. However, despite feeling all sorts of regrets about the suspicion she had cast on her own father and how she had invaded Mali's privacy, there was something so warm and healing about all the understanding and patience they had for her that it was hard to cling onto that feeling too much.
Emma lifted her head to glance at her father and stepmother.
"You know, maybe one day this will all be one of those stories - you know what I mean? It'll all just be one of those wild and funny anecdotes stories that we all look back on as something we will always laugh about during family gatherings." Emma said.
Peter laughed again, and Mali gave an appreciative little nod.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Mali grinned as she soaked in the pleasant sensations of this silly but comforting little group hug.
Emma was practically beaming now as she grinned right back. "Alright… So, any ideas on what we'll get up to this weekend?"
Author Notes: This chapter mainly shows Peter, Mali, and Emma working on moving past their misunderstandings and mistakes to be better and become a family, like talking about their previous problems in the original video.
Like Mali redesigning the house to be more Thailand style, she offers to change the house because of the original look for Emma. Emma, having gotten used to the new look and feeling it would be too much work to change the house back, decided to keep the new look, admitting to Mali she had grown to like the new look of the house, but both of them were able to compromise by putting back a few things from the old layout of the.
Emma, in the original video, dislikes that Mali always cooks only Thailand food; in this chapter, Mali and Peter come up with a compromise of helping Mali cook, and the two of them take turns cooking different types of food, like Thailand food with Mali and Emma sharing her favorite recipes with Mali.
I show that Peter and Mali acknowledge their mistakes in handling this situation, and Emma admits she made mistakes in reaction to this situation. I also expanded on information from the original video, such as Mali's son moving into Emma's old room and Emma moving into a college dorm with two other roommates. I wanted to make it clear that Emma willingly gave her stepbrother her old room and is moving out of the house and into a college dorm to be more mature and not because of the previous problems of the story. Emma still is going to be close to her father and stepmother and is going to work on being a big sister to her stepbrother. She just feels that she needs to move out because she's growing up, but she will visit her family and always have a place there. I just wanted to make that clear in this chapter.
Finally, I felt bad that Emma lost money on her trip, so I had Peter offer to pay back the money she lost. However, Emma did not want to take her father's money for a mistake she made, so Mali came up with a compromise: Emma took odd jobs to make back half the money while Peter paid the other half.
I really hope you enjoy this chapter.