The Limpatiyakorn Family
Film had just returned from a modeling gig, tossing her bag onto the couch and stretching out when she caught sight of an unusual duo at the front of the house, Namtan and Fon, deep in conversation.
“So, you want to start a bakery?”
Fon repeated, crossing his arms as he looked down at Namtan, who nodded eagerly.
“Yes! A bakery that’ll be the talk of the town. Think about it, P'Fon! Freshly baked bread every morning, soft pastries, cakes that melt in your mouth, people will line up just to get a taste.”
Fon raised an eyebrow.
“Namtan, I know how to run a kitchen, but that’s a different thing entirely. And you? You’re good at eating, not baking.”
Namtan scoffed. “First of all, rude. Second, my job isn’t to bake....I’ll handle marketing, customer service, and making sure the place doesn’t burn down. You’ll handle the kitchen. Simple.”
Fon raised an eyebrow.
“And where exactly is this bakery going to be?”
Namtan hesitated. “Uh...well, funny story. I found a property.”
Fon narrowed his eyes. “Where?”
At that moment, Film appeared, sipping an iced coffee and observing the scene with mild amusement.
“Oh, this should be good.”
Namtan took a deep breath before blurting out, “It’s the old building on next to the public library.”
Fon frowned. “The haunted one?”
Film choked on her drink. “You mean the one where people hear whispers at night? The one everyone avoids?”
“Okay, first of all,” Namtan said, holding up a finger.
“Ghosts are just former tenants with unfinished business. We give them some cake, they move on.”
Film choked on air. “You want to run a bakery in a haunted building? Are you out of your mind?”
Fon pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Namtan, let me get this straight. You want me to invest my time, money, and skills into a bakery in a location where, last month, someone swore they saw a ghost carrying a rolling pin?”
“Pfft, those are just stories. No one has actually seen anything and ghosts don’t use rolling pins. That’s ridiculous.”Namtan waved her hands dismissively.
Fon threw his hands up. “That’s the part you think is ridiculous?”
Namtan rolled her eyes. “Listen, I went inside. It’s not that bad. Think about it. It’s cheap. Spacious. Sure, it needs a little cleaning, maybe a few repairs, but it’s a solid structure. Besides, people love spooky places.
Film let out a dramatic sigh. “Namtan, this has to be one of the dumbest—”
“—most brilliant ideas ever,” Namtan finished for her.
“Look, P'Fon, I know you want to do something more for your family. This is it. This is the chance to make something that’s ours.”
Fon hesitated. Despite the sheer absurdity of it all, Namtan had a point. He had been thinking about starting something for himself and for his family, something stable for the future.
“Okay,” he finally said, rubbing his chin.
“Let’s say I entertain this idea. What’s the next step?”
Namtan beamed. “We tell your mom, of course!"
Fon and Film exchanged horrified looks.
“We don’t tell Mom,” Fon corrected.
“Not yet.”
Namtan frowned. “Why not? She’ll love the idea! She loves baking!”
Film shook her head. “She’ll love the baking part. She won’t love the ‘I’m opening a business with Namtan in a haunted building’ part.”
Fon nodded. “We ease her into it. We talk about the benefits first, get her excited, and then, when she’s already interested...mention the property.”
Namtan tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Or we tell her straight away and make it dramatic! Imagine her reaction! It’ll be great.”
“We’re not doing that,” Fon and Film said in unison.
Namtan pouted. “Fine, fine. We’ll do it your way. But you better practice your sales talk, Fon. If she sees through you, we’re doomed.”
Fon sighed, already regretting every decision that led him to this conversation. “I’ll think of something. Just...let’s not do anything crazy.”
Namtan grinned. “No promises.”
It was a usual evening, except for the fact that Fon had something important to discuss. Something that required careful wording and precise execution. He knew how his mother could be, and if he wasn’t careful, this conversation could go sideways really fast.
Sarah, their mother, sat at the head of the table, gracefully scooping food onto everyone’s plates. Film, trying to act normal, kept her gaze on her rice, pretending not to know anything. Fon, sitting across from their mother, cleared his throat.
“Ma, I’ve been thinking,” he started, keeping his tone casual.
“Maybe it’s time we try something new...something that could help us financially.”
Sarah glanced up, her spoon pausing midair. “New?” she echoed.
“What do you mean?”
Fon shifted in his seat. “A business. A bakery.”
Sarah blinked, lowering her spoon. “A bakery?”
“Yes, Ma. A small one. Nothing too fancy, but something we can grow over time,” he explained, choosing his words carefully.
“We’ve always loved food, and people love your cooking. It could be a good opportunity for us.”
Sarah squinted. “Do you even bake?”
Fon cleared his throat. “That’s not the point.”
Sarah hummed, contemplating the idea. She had always enjoyed baking, and people in the neighborhood often praised her pastries. But running a business? That was a different story.
“Who’s involved in this?” she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
Fon took a sip of water, hoping to stall for time. “Just me. And, well...I found a place.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow. “You found a place?”
Film, unable to take the pressure, stuffed a spoonful of rice into her mouth to keep herself from blurting out the truth. She knew what was coming next.
“Yes,” Fon said carefully.
“It’s affordable, spacious, and it has potential.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes. “Where is it?”
Fon hesitated. “It’s...near the library.”
Film choked on her rice.
Sarah turned to her, frowning. “Are you alright?”
Film coughed, waving her hand. “Water. I just eat... too fast.”
Fon glared at her. Film gulped down her water and stayed silent.
Sarah sighed, turning back to her son.
“Fon, I know you mean well, but starting a business is a big responsibility. You have to think about rent, supplies, employees. It’s not just about baking.”
Fon nodded. “I know, Ma. That’s why I’ve done my research. I’ve looked into what we need, how much we’ll have to invest, and how we can make it work. It’s doable.”
Sarah pursed her lips. “And who’s going to run this with you?”
Fon forced a smile. “Just me.”
Film nearly dropped her spoon.
Sarah’s gaze stayed locked onto Fon, as if she knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth.
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely,” Fon lied.
Sarah sighed again, massaging her temples. “I don’t know, Fon. It’s a big step.”
“I know, Ma,” he said gently.
“But I really believe in this. I think we can do something great with it.”
Sarah exhaled, thinking it over. “Alright. Let me see the place first.”
Fon smiled, relieved. “Of course. I’ll take you tomorrow.”
Sarah gave him a small nod before returning to her meal.
“I swear, you children always have ideas,” she muttered.
Sarah suddenly turned to Film. “And you? Do you know about this?”
Film froze, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. “Me? Uh, no. What? A bakery? That’s crazy.”
Fon sighed. Sarah narrowed her eyes. “You’re a terrible liar.”
Film gave a nervous laugh. “I just think it’s a great idea, Ma. I mean, food is the way to people’s hearts, right?”
Sarah shook her head, but there was a small smile on her lips. “Let’s see this place first.”
Fon and Film exchanged glances. Step one was complete. Now, they just had to make sure step two didn’t involve Sarah chasing Namtan down the street with a broom.
The next day, the family arrived the property Namtan had found for the bakery. The street leading up to it was very quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you question if you’re walking into a good deal or a ghost story. Sarah stopped in her tracks when she finally got a good look at the place.
Her eyes widened. “Fon. This... this is the place?”
Fon nodded, a hesitant smile on his face. “Yes, Ma. This is the bakery location.”
Sarah slowly turned to him, her voice almost trembling. “Fon, this looks like the kind of house people enter in horror movies and never come out of.”
Film, who had been quiet the entire time, now burst out laughing. “Ma, don’t be so dramatic. It just looks... a little old.”
“A little old?!” Sarah gestured wildly at the cracked walls, the overgrown vines creeping up the sides, and the slightly tilted wooden sign that barely held on.
“This place looks like it saw the last century and decided not to leave.”
Sarah shook her head. “You’ll have ghosts kneading your dough.”
Before Fon could respond, a voice suddenly called out, making Sarah jump.
“Welcome to your new bakery!” Namtan appeared from behind the front door with her usual mischievous grin.
“Like what you see?”
Sarah held her chest. “Namtan! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!”
Namtan laughed and hopped down the front steps. “Nah, just making sure you still have a strong heart before we start a business together.”
Sarah froze. “Wait...what do you mean ‘we’?”
Fon coughed into his fist, suddenly fascinated with the ground. Film took a careful step back, as if distancing herself from the explosion that was about to happen.
Sarah stared at Namtan. Then at Fon. Then at Film, whose attempt to blend into her chair was failing miserably.
Realization dawned on her face. “Wait a minute... are you—”
“Yes!” Namtan interjected brightly. “Your favorite unofficial daughter in law is now your son’s business partner. Surprise!”
Fon cleared his throat. “Uh...well... surprise?”
Sarah blinked. Once. Twice. Then, to everyone’s horror, she picked up a slipper.
Film ducked under the table. “I KNEW IT.”
Fon raised his hands. “Ma, wait—”
“You mean to tell me...” Sarah said, brandishing the slipper like a weapon.
“That my own son has been conspiring with the neighborhood’s biggest troublemaker behind my back?”
Sarah took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Fon, I thought you were starting a bakery to support the family, not to help Namtan fulfill her neighborhood troublemaker dreams.”
Namtan gasped, placing a hand on her chest. “I’ll have you know, Mrs. Limpatiyakorn, that I am a highly responsible and skilled entrepreneur.”
“Since when?” Sarah shot back.
Namtan shrugged. “Since I decided to open a bakery with your son.”
Sarah opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. She turned to Film, eyes narrowing. “And you knew about this, didn’t you?”
Film let out a nervous chuckle. “I might have... heard something.”
Sarah let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. “I can’t believe this. My own son, lying to me. My own daughter, keeping secrets. And Namtan? Nevermind.”
Fon quickly stepped in. “Mom, listen. We really thought this through. This place, despite its, um, character, is actually a great location. It’s cheap, the space is perfect for a bakery, and best of all you get to bake again.”
Sarah hesitated.
Namtan jumped in. “Think about it! You’ll finally get to share your amazing pastries and bread with people outside of this house. And let’s be honest, the family business needs something stable.”
Film added in a softer tone, “Mom, you always talk about how much you miss baking for people. This could be your chance to do what you love again.”
Sarah crossed her arms. “So, I’d be in charge of the baking?”
Fon nodded. “Absolutely.”
“And I get to choose what we sell?”
Namtan raised her hand. “With some slight negotiation, but yes."
Sarah took another long look at the building. The cracked walls, the crooked sign, the quietness of the street. But she also thought about the way her hands used to move through flour and sugar, the way people used to smile after tasting her desserts. A spark of something long buried started to light up in her.
She sighed. “Fine. But if I see even one ghost in here, I’m out.”
Namtan whooped, throwing her arms around Sarah, who was shocked at the sudden embrace. Fon grinned, and Film let out a relieved breath.
“Alright!” Namtan clapped her hands.
“Now, let’s get inside and check the place out. Who’s ready for a haunted house tour?”
Sarah groaned. “Why do I feel like I’ve made a terrible mistake?”
As they stepped inside, the old wooden door let out a loud creak, making everyone freeze. Namtan turned to Sarah with a smirk.
“Just the building saying hello.”
Sarah muttered, “It better not say anything else.”
And with that, the Limpatiyakorn family and Namtan officially took their first step into their new business...possibly haunted.