My Handsome Uncle, Please Be Mine!

29 || Uncle Joe ||

Part 29.

“Since when Uncle is here?” Clara whispered. “Why do you like barging into my room so much!” she protested. They faced each other, Clara’s heavy breaths noticeable by Joe.

Silence.

Joe didn’t answer. His hands cupped Clara’s face, wiping away her tears.

“Uncle Joe, why do you keep sneaking into my room!” Clara asked again, trying to divert Joe’s attention away from her. She didn’t like Uncle seeing her weak like this. Clara always appeared fine. And now, she wanted to seem okay.

“This is my house, Clara, and lately, your room has become one of my favorite places in this house!” Joe replied. “Why are you crying?” He held Clara’s face in place.

Clara didn’t answer, too scared to meet Joe’s gaze. All she did was let her tears flow down her cheeks again.

“What did Vivian say?” Joe pressed on. Seeing Clara sad made him sad too.

“Nothing, Uncle!” Clara nodded slowly.

With one move, Joe pulled Clara into his lap, embracing her.

“My dear Clara!” Joe whispered. His hands tightly wrapped around the girl.

Clara didn’t resist, feeling sad and enveloped in Joe’s embrace.

“Listen to me! Never listen to anything Vivian says, I’m fed up with her too!” Joe said.

“Uncle, do you no longer love Aunt Vivian?” Clara wanted to know Joe’s true feelings. Who was the woman in his heart? Celine, Vivian, or Clara?

“I like you, Clara, I love you!” Joe leaned closer to the girl’s face, feeling her warmth.

“So, Uncle is returning my love?” Clara dared to touch Joe’s face with her hands. It felt strange, not strange but happy. The man she had admired for years was now hugging her, reciprocating her feelings.

“Yes, Clara, I love you! I want to make you my wife!” Joe declared.

They smiled at each other. Their presence filled each other’s void, no longer lonely.

“But…”

Joe’s words stopped. He planted a kiss on Clara’s cheek and lips. Clara’s tears still falling.

“But what, Uncle?” Clara asked after Joe released her lips.

“This won’t be easy, Clara, but I promise I’ll fight for us!” Joe said.

Clara’s stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten rice since morning. Just had some ice cream that wasn’t satisfying.

“Are you hungry?” Joe teased Clara. “A little jealous, stop eating, a little conflict, stop eating, if you keep doing this, you’ll get skinny, Clara!” he teased while gently pinching Clara’s cute nose.

“Yes, I haven’t eaten, Uncle!” Clara held her stomach.

“Do you want me to order food, or should I cook for you?” Joe offered.

“Can Uncle cook?” Clara wasn’t sure if he could handle cooking in the kitchen.

“Yes! Wait here, I’ll cook for you!” Joe got up from his seat and left Clara’s room.

He walked down the stairs. In the living room, Mr. Bond was sitting, relaxing, watching the news on TV.

“Where’s Kimmy?” he asked the middle-aged man.

“Kimmy is asleep, Dad!” Joe replied, passing his father and continuing to the kitchen.

Mr. Bond squinted. It was the first time he saw Joe going into the kitchen. He waited, and his son didn’t leave the kitchen.

Joe, in the kitchen, made instant noodles. Anyone could cook it, right?

“This is special for Clara, because I’ve never cooked for anyone before!” Joe muttered. He began to serve the dish on a plate, adding sauce and eggs.

Joe observed his cooking. “Great!” he praised himself and quickly brought two plates.

He walked and didn’t realize his father was still watching him.

“You’re cooking?” Mr. Bond was surprised.

“Yes, Dad?”

“Are you going to eat all of that?” he inquired, raising his eyebrows. It was unusual for Joe to eat like this. When eating with his son, he would only take a little. And this time, he brought two portions.

“Yes, Dad, what’s wrong?”

“One for Papa, while Mama’s not home. If Mama’s at home, Papa wouldn’t dare to eat instant noodles!” Mr. Bond continued to observe the fried noodles brought by his son.

Joe thought for a moment. “Can’t, Dad, I’m very hungry, besides, Mama will be home soon!” Joe reasoned. Then he walked enthusiastically to the second floor.

Unlucky on the second floor. Kimmy was already there with her nanny.

“What’s Papa eating?” the little girl asked.

“Papa’s eating instant noodles, Sweetie!” he replied and sat down first. No, maybe he also entered Clara’s room when Kimmy and Cici were there.

“One for Kimmy, please, Papa!” pleaded his daughter with a pouting face.

“No, darling, you’re not allowed to eat instant noodles!” Joe reasoned. The fried noodles he brought specifically for Clara, shaping the sunny-side-up eggs into heart shapes, were difficult. Joe wouldn’t make them again.

“Aw, Papa!” Kimmy pouted.

“Mbak Cici!”

“Yes, Sir!” replied the nanny.

“Take Kimmy downstairs. Prepare her food!” Joe ordered.

“Alright,” she replied. Then she took Kimmy downstairs to the kitchen on the ground floor.

After making sure Kimmy and Cici were going downstairs, Joe walked back to his current favorite room. Yes, Clara’s room.

“Darling, open the door!” Joe whispered. His hands were busy bringing food.

Clara opened the door, and Joe immediately burst in.

“Taa raaaa … This is a special meal for you, Clara!” Joe said, handing Clara a plate of fried noodles with heart-shaped sunny-side-up eggs.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Clara replied. They sat on the floor. Clara intentionally opened the curtains so her room wouldn’t be too dark.

“Come on, please eat!” Joe urged.

Clara ate the food Joe made little by little. It tasted delicious, besides, she was very hungry. The fried noodles made by Uncle Handsome were special.

“Delicious, Uncle!” Clara praised.

“Do you like it?” Joe asked.

“Yes, I do.” Clara took another bite. “Did Uncle ever cook for Aunt Vivian?” Clara inquired. Vivian’s unexpected arrival made her curious about Uncle and his ex-wife’s marriage life.

“Never!” Joe quickly replied.

“Why?!” Clara’s curiosity grew stronger. She wanted to know about Joe and Vivian’s past.

“Vivian isn’t the type to eat just anything. She always calculates the amount of carbohydrates and protein that goes into her stomach. She also prefers to eat fruits and vegetables in juice rather than cooked,” Joe replied. He still remembered Vivian’s habits very well.

“So, Uncle has never cooked for Aunt Vivian at all?!” Clara pressed on. Hoping this was the first time Joe cooked, and only for her.

“I have cooked for Vivian before, but my food ended up in the trash!” Joe said flatly, in line with his increasingly bland feelings towards Vivian.

“Emm…,” Clara murmured. It turned out Joe and Vivian’s married life wasn’t as perfect as she had imagined. Not as happy as the media portrayed.

Joe looked out the window. Vivian, one chapter of his life had ended. Now there was Clara, whom he would take into the future. Yes, Clara. She would be an obedient woman who listened to her husband’s commands. Not like Vivian, who never prioritized her husband and child.

“What about Aunt Vivian? Did she cook meals for Uncle Joe, occasionally or…,” Clara asked again.

“Sometimes, when there was a TV station covering her, she would pretend to cook for me!” Joe recounted. Remembering Vivian would only remind him of his marriage, not much different from a nightmare.

Silence.

Clara couldn’t speak. Vivian Rosaline, indeed not as she appeared in the media and on the screen. A woman full of drama.Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

With one last bite of Uncle’s homemade fried noodles, Clara’s meal was finished.

“I’m full!” Clara said with a smile.

Joe returned the smile and pinched Clara’s cheek.

“Uncle!” Clara whispered, needing to confirm something that bothered her.

“Yes, Clara?”

“Are we dating now?” Clara wanted to make sure of her relationship status with Uncle Handsome.

One.

Two.

Three.

Joe chuckled.

“Clara, I love you, I will make you my wife, not just dating. Until then, will you stay and stand by my side?” he replied with a sincere look.

Silence.

“Now, focus on your exams. After your exams, I’ll take you, along with Mom and Dad, on vacation, and I’ll start telling them about our relationship, about my feelings!” Joe declared. He reached for Clara’s hand and kissed it.

==❤==

Mr. Bond no longer welcomed Vivian’s visits. This made Mrs. Linn go out to talk to Vivian.

Joe Sebastian’s mother couldn’t refuse. Because Vivian tempted her with some information about Joe.

At a coffee cafe, Vivian invited her former mother-in-law to enjoy coffee while making a deal.

“Does Mom know who the woman is that’s close to Joe now?” Vivian started the conversation.

“That’s not very important to me, Vivian! The most important thing is, you don’t contest custody for Kimmy. I want Kimmy to stay with Joe!” Mrs. Linn replied.

“Alright, Mom, I won’t contest custody for Kimmy, as long as you do something for me!” Vivian requested.

“What else, do you need money? Or what?” Mrs. Linn started to get annoyed. Her former daughter-in-law always rebelled, contradicted, and did whatever she pleased.

“It’s not about money, Mom, I don’t need money!” Vivian refused, meeting Mrs. Linn’s gaze more boldly.

“Mom, you have to kick Clara out of that house, Mom!” Vivian requested.

“I won’t grant your request, Vivian, at least Clara is not like you!” Mrs. Linn exclaimed, almost shouting.

“Are you sure Clara is better than me!” Vivian challenged. “Just so you know, Clara is getting close to Joe, if you don’t take action soon, Clara will definitely seduce your beloved son!” Vivian explained angrily.

“Watch your words, Vivian! Joe only sees Clara as a sister, if you regret divorcing Joe, just say it!” Mrs. Linn challenged Joe Sebastian’s mother.

“I’m not jealous, Mom, if you don’t believe me, I’ll prove to you that Clara and Joe are in a relationship, not as Brother and Sister, but as lovers!” Vivian explained again. She had to get rid of Clara first before making Joe fall back into her arms.

Mrs. Linn got up from her seat. Reluctant to entertain her former daughter-in-law.

“Mom, Mom, you have to believe what I say, or I will prove my words, so you believe and immediately get Clara away from Joe and Kimmy’s life!” Vivian said before Mrs. Linn walked away.

To be continued.