Kamlai was missing.

It had been two years since A-Wut was forced by his father and the school into hormones, and so had begun a quiet downwards spiral. Kanya had heard that the unwilling kathoey had been called to Miss Karawek's office many times, and had either refused to go, or had left after less than two or three minutes of being there.

Dr.Mongkut had discovered that he had no tools left to control his daughter, as her behavior became more and more worrisome, and his wife had even less control, despite her best attempts to form a relationship with Kamlai, their family had been badly shaken by the actions of A-Wut.
She broke with Sunan and their group within three months and though her father struggled to try and control her, and show her that he still loved her, and her mother tried to rebond with their new kathoey daughter, but it was useless. Kamlai was filled with anger and betrayal, and no longer held her parents in any sort of regard.

After six months, markings started to show up on her body, noticed on her neck, back, chest and legs. Heavy, painful-looking bruises. She would sneer at the teachers and sit with her legs spread, and no warnings or attempts to embarrass her turned the girl away from her path.
But it was the bruises that worried both Miss Karawek and Dr.Mongkut: they recognized the signs from other kathoey; the marks left by rough customers...by those who paid kathoey for sex.

But what did Kamlai need money for? She wasn't so bad off, and she had the very thing that many kathoey sold themselves for. She didn't need to do it, the bruises and injuries upset Miss Karawek and angered Dr.Mongkut.

The Mongkut's had a tearful intervention with his daughter, along with Miss Karawek and Kanya, in the family's house. But it clearly didn't reach the girl. The beautiful young girl just sneered at them,

"What's wrong, 'Daddy'?" she spat venomously, "I am exactly what you made me! Men shackle me, just like my name, then they FUCK me!" her words bit into her father's heart and cut Miss Karawek.

How could they teach Kamlai that this isn't what they wanted? How could they reach her.

Dr.Mongkut grabbed her by the arms...then wrapped his around his daughter.
"I love you Kamlai," he whispered, "Please...don't do this. To yourself, to us. I love you...you are a beautiful young girl, you have such a future ahead of yourself. Don't do this to yourself"

"That's the problem" she hissed into his ear, "I am just fake girl." then she shoved away.

"No, Kamlai" Miss Karawek intervened, "You're not 'just a fake girl'. You're as real a girl as any, and if you choose this path, it will destroy you. You will hurt so many people around you, yes even Sunan and me. I worry about you Kamlai...and you will destroy your father and mother. Please...let us help you"

"Kamlai..." her mother cut in, "Why? Why would you do this? You are better than this, you're worth more than this. Please...we love you"

Kamlai's laugh was like scraping metal.

Kanya bit her lip, she had seen Kamlai's anger, and seen it grow and was scared for the unwilling girl. She was scared that Kamlai's anger was at the body she was growing into, that she abused it to hurt those around her...to hurt herself, to defy them.
"Kamlai..." said the young model, "I promised you I would help you, that there were good things about being a kathoey. But this isn't good for you, for anyone...especially not you. You're going to get yourself hurt."

Kanya pitied the girl, A-Wut's anger had only been transferred to Kamlai, who was now lashing out, trying to break free of the shackle placed on her.
"You need to let us help you, let me show you how you can be happy...be at peace"

"You've helped me enough!" and she ran out of the house, amidst the calls of her name. The group raced out to try and find her, but lost her on the busy Thailand streets, another face in the crowd.

That was a year ago.

Kanya felt like she had failed Dr.Mongkut and Kamlai, the doctor had entrusted Kamlai to her and she wasn't able to bring the girl any kind of peace.
Miss Karawek was wracked with guilt, and Dr.Mongkut threw himself into his work, praying every night for the safe return of his daughter. But she was just a kathoey in Thailand and not a high priority for the police.

Now, for the first time Dr.Mongkut regretted his anger-driven treatment of his child. He had assumed she would eventually grow used to her new gender, he never thought she would use it as a weapon against him!

The bruises haunted him, each injury etched into his mind.

As the kathoey came to his clinic, he would treat them with love and care and kindness...and always ask if they had seen her, a girl named 'kamlai'.
Kanya, Sunan and others had promised to keep an eye out for her, but with no luck; Thailand was big and it was easy for Kamlai to disappear into it, and the police were not overly motivated to find her, missing children were just too common in Thailand and the sex trade was rampant.
Kanya had spent time with Dr.Mongkut to try and fill the hole in his life left by the angry departure of Kamlai, and he had begun to cling ot her like a lifeline. They were at his clinic, with Kanya playing nurse and companion to the various kathoey when suddenly...Kamlai walked through the door.

"K-KAMLAI!" yelled Dr.Mongkut and bounded across the room, embracing the girl tightly, tears flowing down his cheek

"Oh gods Kamlai!" The doctor was so stricken by emotion that he didn't notice Kamlai's stiff, unresponsive body, and the shadow that a second
figure cast across them as he kissed his wayward daughter's head.
Kanya felt a palpable sense of relief, until she looked at the woman whose eyes were like cold steel.

"Let. Me. Go."

Kamlai's words cut through Dr.Mongkut's joy, and he pulled back.
"Kamlai?"

She slapped him, stunning her father who shook in shock, allowing the unwilling kathoey to break free of his grip step back, next to the woman who had followed her in.

The woman had brown hair and sharp, steel-blue eyes.
"My name is Catherine DeWinters, we should talk"

Gathering himself, Dr.Mongkut stood, and finally took stock of the situation, his joy melting into an unexplainable dread as he looked at Kamlai, who shielded herself slightly behind this DeWinters lady...the sight broke his heart.
"Y-Yes...um-"

"There is a," the woman opened a briefcase and shifted through some papers, "A...Miss Karawek that should be called, along with your wife. We wouldn't want any major players left out at the end of this drama"

Her tone and words sent a shiver up Kanya's spine, and the young kathoey wanted nothing more than to hide from her.
"I have patients-"

"Who I'm sure will be willing to reschedule, considering the gravity of the situation. Or, I can just take Kamlai and we can leave"
Dr.Mongkut's eyes widened

"You can't! She's my daughter!"

Miss Dewinter's smile didn't reach her eyes, which only grew colder. Winters was a good name for her.
"We have this discussion now, or not at all, Doctor. And then I go to the police about your medical malpractice"

Dr.Mongkut gaped, surely she couldn't be serious? What malpractice When had he ever-
His eyes traced to Kamlai, and the pieces began to fall into place.
"...I'll call my wife and Dr.Karawek, Kanya you can leave."

'Oh no, she should stay. She has a rather major role in this too..."

Kanya swallowed heavily and looked up at Dr.Mongkut.
"It's okay...I'll stay"

Miss DeWinters sat next to Kamlai while Dr.Mongkut looked longingly at his daughter,
"Kamlai...why did you leave?"

"Because I hate you" Kamlai responded viciously, "How could I ever trust you?" she demanded angrily, "I hate you!"

Just then, Miss Karawek and Miss Mongkut entered.

"I found her in a hospital, she had been attacked by one of her johns-'

"Kamlai!" Miss Mongkut rushed forward but was stopped when Miss DeWinters stepped between them,

"Sit." Stated DeWinters.

"That is my daughter" snarled Miss Mongkut with the savagery of a lioness, but was cut off by a cruel smile from Miss DeWinters.

"Not anymore"

Miss Karawek was apprehensive but at those words she and Miss Mongkut stared at the good doctor for some kind of explanation.

"What do you mean!?" Dr.Mongkut demanded, but Miss DeWinters only pointed at the chairs arranged.

"Sit"

reluctantly, Miss Karawek and Miss Mongkut sat, with Kanya moving closer to her auntie.

"So...the major players are all here." Smiled Miss DeWinters, "For the newcomers, my name is Catherine DeWinters, I own a number of hotels in Thailand and a hospital. I found Kamlai here quite by accident, I was touring a hospital when she was brought in. I asked her who she was and she told me...well...everything. Quite the story, maybe they'll make it a tv drama"

Kamlai smirked slightly at her words but nobody else seemed to find the humor in it.

"Needless to say, I am quite displeased with what I learned." her smile soured in a snarl, "What the HELL kind of father and mother mutilates their own child!"

"Kamlai hurt me!" spat Kanya, "He bullied me and forced me to become a kathoey. The number of people he hurt and bullied chose what would happen to him."

"I'm not talking to you" DeWinters snapped at Kanya, "I'm talking to the mother and to the Doctor who should know the very definition of medical malpractice!"

"I did what I thought was right," countered Dr.Mongkut, "A-Wut did despicable acts, he needed to be punished"

"So you did a despicable act right back, and saddled her with a name to represent a shackle. That her life was a punishment?"

When put that way, it certainly made what the Mongkut's had done to their daughter a bit difficult to defend.

"I love my daughter, regardless of what you think. I did what was best for everyone involved" challenged Dr.Mongkut, "INCLUDING Kamlai"

"EXCEPT for Kamlai. You chemically castrated her, and I have no doubts that you would have drugged her one night and medically castrated her"

"Absolutely not!" Dr.Mongkut fired back, "That would have been her decision!"

"Really?" DeWinters demanded, "And why should I believe that? You took every other decision from her, why should either of us believe you? What proof do you have?"

"ENOUGH!" Miss Karawek yelled,

She looked at them, then at Kamlai who did not look happy to be here, and as always, her first thoughts were for the kathoey.

"what is it Kamlai?" she knew that Kamlai hated her as well, but regardless she would put the girl first.

Kamlai was looked distressed and frustrated, and reached up; taking Miss DeWinters hand.

"I want Miss DeWinters to be my mom" she stated quietly, "I don't want THEM to be my parents anymore"

the Mongkut's pain was written on their face

"NEVER!" her father snarled, "NEVER! You're my daughter Kamlai! I love you, if you would just come home i could-"

"NO!" she yelled, "NO! YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU MADE MY NAME A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE NAME! YOU HURT ME! YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!" tears filled her eyes and Dr.Mongkut sat back slightly.

"I only want what's best for you," he countered, his own eyes wet, "I love you. That will never change Kamlai. I. Love. You."

"If you want what's best for her, maybe you need to accept that it isn't you" Catherine DeWinters looked at the parents,

"You have hurt her. You abused your position as her parents, as her doctor, to make life-altering decisions without her consent. You may think that's acceptable as her parents, but you had NO right to do so as a doctor. You see kathoey who struggle with their bodies EVERY SINGLE DAY!" the business woman took a calming breath.

"Every single day, Doctor Mongkut, you should know what would happen when you did the same thing to your son. How could he ever trust you, any of you, again?"

The room was smothered in silence as the weight of Miss DeWinters words sank in, while the business woman opened her briefcase and removed a small stack of papers.

"You WILL sign this" she stated in a tone that brokered no arguments, "They turn over guardianship of Kamlai to me until she is eighteen. After that what she does is her decision, but you will sign these papers. If you refuse, I will bring a lawsuit down on all those here responsible, for allowing this farce to continue. Yes, Kamlai will get in a bit of trouble, but I promise that Miss Karawek, her school, this clinic and you Mister and Miss Mongkut will be across every newspaper in the country. Your students, your patients will all be in the public eye. You will lose your medical license, doctor. And you, Miss Karawek will be brought up on review."

The parents stared at the pages, Miss DeWinters had them over a barrel and everyone knew it, too many lives would be hurt if they refused to sign.

"...You punished A-Wut for his decisions that hurt people, now you must face your own punishment"

"...please, don't make us do this" said Miss Mongkut, "Please, we may have made a mistake but we love Kamlai and want what's best for her"
But Miss DeWinters was merciless

"No, you don't. You wanted revenge, that's what everyone here wanted. Miss Karawek wanted to inflict the same humiliation and shame on Kamlai for all the precious kathoey that A-Wut had hurt, but news flash Miss Karawek: you can't be the good guy and the bad guy. If you try, you just end up being the bad guy."

She then rounded on Kanya, who up until now had been silent, and now felt very small under the harsh gaze of the business lady.
"You wanted revenge, you wanted payback and to inflict as much suffering on Kamlai as possible, but to be clean. You didn't want the moral burden of your actions, and were content to allow others to make the decision while you enjoyed the outcome. Some 'sister' you are."

Kanya flinched and her eyes watered as she looked at her feet.

"And you two...so eager to inflict payback on your own child. You're no better than A-Wut was, and now I can see where his behavior came from. You two are despicable, not deserving to be called 'parents'. You gave her a name that would ensure it meant 'shackle' to her, a punishment for the rest of her life and then you dumped the responsibility of making her at peace with it on Kanya's head. On a little girl with own problems. That's indefensible."

Miss DeWinters took a breath after her tirade.

"A-Wut deserved to be punished, but not like that, not like that at all. If you really want to help Kamlai, you will sign those papers and ensure I can get her the help she needs, in an environment where she feels safe. Not with YOU."

"...we just thought we were doing what was right" Miss Mongkut protested weakly.

"Well, you were wrong" snapped Miss DeWinters.

"Now sign the damn papers. If you really care about her...sign them."

"why is this so important to you?" Miss Karawek asked, as she cradled the sniffling Kanya into her chest

"...because I am also a kathoey" that revelation startled all those present, who looked at the tall women a little closer.
There were signs: the husky voice, the broad shoulders and tall stature.

"My parents didn't accept me, they did everything they could to make me a man, and it wasn't until my late twenties that I was albe to do something about it. They abused me because they couldn't accept me, so yes; I'm passionate about this."

"Please" Kamlai's voice spoke through the quiet, heavy air, "Sign the papers...I just...please"

Mister and Miss Mongkut stared at their child for a long time, for the first time seeing the pain and despair and anger that they were not able to manage, the child that only got more and more out of control, more resentful of them.

And they signed.

"And now this drama draws to a conclusion" Miss DeWinters stated softly, "I will not stop Kamlai from contacting you if she wishes, but I will bear responsibility for her until she turns eighteen.

As for the rest of you," she turned to look at Kanya and Miss Karawek, cuddling together on a single chair,

"I hope this satisfies you. You wanted your revenge...well you got it. I hope that you'll stop your teachers from hurting Kamlai further, let her find out who she is for herself. She will be returning to your school Miss Karawek, but if I find her treatment there unacceptable I will remove her from your care. "

Miss Karawek nodded, feeling emotionally drained and unable to look at the kathoey she had failed.

"...we still love you Kamlai" promised Miss Mongkut while the doctor struggled to find words.

Kamlai could only look at them, then reached up and took Miss DeWinters hand and the pair left the clinic and the broken family behind.

Kanya's little heart was in turmoil, as she knew there was some truth to Miss DeWinters words...she had wanted revenge, and she had been happy about seeing Kamlai miserable...but felt resolve filling her.

That didn't mean that it had to be true forever...she would be a better sister to Kamlai in the future, and try to repair the Mongkut family, she wanted to prove Miss DeWinters wrong.

Miss Karawek had a lot of soul searching ahead of herself, trying to see if she truly had Kamlai's best interest at heart...she thought she did but now she wasn't so sure. Kamlai wouldn't be allowed to run rampant, but would be given more leeway than other kathoey's, she had been through a lot.

The Mongkut's would enter family counseling and slowly over time, be allowed limited visits with their daughter.

But the future was uncertain, and no matter what; the Mongkut's would never be as close to the girl whose name and body was chosen to be a punishment. All would learn a lesson this day...and hopefully, would come out better.

Eventually.