16.


    For nearly three days, ra had been staying at Joe’s residence. Every day, she spent time ying with Kimmy, Joe and Vivian’s almost four-year-old daughter.


    Even so, this afternoon ra was sitting with Kimmy on the second floor, waiting for Joe toe home, because every time he came home from work, he would always spend time with Kimmy. While sipping her drink, ra took the opportunity to meet Joe.


    Tap…


    Tap…


    Tap…


    Footsteps were heard climbing the stairs to the second floor. ra had memorized those footsteps, who else could it be but the footsteps of the man she liked.


    “Good evening, Uncle,” ra greeted while sitting with Kimmy.


    “Good evening, ra,” Joe replied. He chose to kiss his daughter’s forehead and cheeks. ra swallowed hard and observed him from afar.


    “Uncle, do you want coffee or hot chocte?” ra offered. Her foot had healed, and maybe tomorrow she would return to the dorm. It wouldn’t hurt to try to contribute to Joe’s day by making him a drink.


    Joe remained silent, looking at ra. “Is your foot healed already?” Joe asked, squinting his eyes as he looked at ra’s ankle.


    “Yes, Uncle, see for yourself!” ra replied, spinning around agilely.


    “Alright, make me coffee and not too sweet!” Joe said.


    “Okay, Uncle!” ra replied and quickly got up. She stood up and walked quickly to the first floor.


    Once in the kitchen, ra made a cup of coffee for Joe and didn’t forget to make milk for Kimmy. During the three days of staying there, Kimmy had be close to ra. Yes, children were easily getting to know new people because they weren’t close to their mother, Vivian.


    After making the coffee, ra brought it to the second floor. She found Joe and Kimmy ying around.


    “Here’s your drink, Uncle,” ra offered, cing the tray on the table.


    “Yes, ra,” Joe replied casually.


    “Uncle, can I stay here?” ra asked. Seeing Joe every morning and evening was her own happiness. There was no harm in staying in this house and giving attention. Maybe today Joe still couldn’t see her charm. But who knows what will happen in a month or a year.


    “No, ra!” Joe replied firmly. To be honest, he was disturbed by ra’s gaze and her always attentive attitude.


    “Okay, then my foot won’t heal!” ra threatened.


    “ra, you have to get better, don’t think about anything else except school. I don’t want you to fail in your third year of high school!” Joe said. ra’s presence in the house only added to his burden with her strange requests.


    “So I’m not allowed to stay here?” ra asked to make sure.


    “Go back to the dorm and focus on studying!” Joemanded.


    ra was disappointed and chose to sit in the corner, not disturbing Joe and his daughter’s closeness.


    Mrs. Linn arrived, she had been waiting for Joe’s arrival since earlier. The middle-aged woman gestured to talk for a moment.


    “What’s up, Mom?” Joe asked.


    “You didn’t forget that tomorrow is Kimmy’s birthday, did you?” Mrs. Linn asked.


    “I almost forgot!” Joe said, tapping his forehead.


    “There’s not much Mama asks for, Mama just wants Vivian to be present too,” the middle-aged woman requested firmly.


    Before Joe could object, Kimmy, his daughter, held his hand. “Yes, Dad, Kimmy wants Mom to be there at Kimmy’s birthday,” the little girl joked in her cute voice.


    Joe just nodded, there was no other choice. Even though he was hurt by Vivian, Kimmy was their daughter. It was Kimmy’s right to meet her mother.


    “All right, you call Vivian and invite her here! Mama doesn’t care, that woman just acts as she pleases!” Mrs. Linn scolded. Since Vivian decided to pursue her career again, Mrs. Linn had been angry and decided to hate her daughter-inw.


    “Yes, I will call her!” Joe replied, swallowing his saliva, and nced at ra. He noticed that she was listening to their conversation.


    Mrs. Linn nodded and decided to go back into her room. Now, there were only ra, Joe, and Kimmy in the room.


    Joe reached for his phone and immediately made a call. He called Vivian. There was no response for a while, until his ex-wife finally answered the call.


    “Hello, what’s up?” Vivian asked curtly.


    “You didn’t forget, did you? Tomorrow is Kimmy’s fourth birthday, Mama has prepared a party, and you have toe!” Joe exined, half-threatening.


    “I can’t, I have a photoshoot, and I can’te!” Vivian refused firmly. There were thousands of reasons because she didn’t want to be involved with Joe and his family anymore, especially with Mrs. Linn’s rules.


    “Kimmy wants you toe!” Joe pleaded.


    “Sorry, I still can’t!” Vivian insisted and quickly ended the call before Joe could persuade her further.


    Joe hung up the phone and threw it carelessly on the sofa. Vivian was not easy to deal with. His face looked weary and mncholic.


    “Is Mama noting?” Kimmy asked, her face also sad.


    Joe didn’t answer. Seeing the ufortable atmosphere, one of the caregivers invited Kimmy to go into her room. Now, there were only Joe and ra in the room.


    Joe rubbed his face roughly. On one hand, he didn’t want to make Kimmy sad, but on the other hand, he couldn’t force Vivian toe. Vivian was stubborn.


    “Uncle, if I can bring Aunt Vivian to Kimmy’s birthday party, will you allow me to stay here?” ra challenged. She dared to take a risk.


    Joe returned ra’s gaze, trying to guess through her eyes.


    “Answer, Uncle! If I can bring Aunt Vivian to Kimmy’s birthday party, will Uncle Joe allow me to stay here?” ra pressed.


    Joe nodded slowly. He didn’t know what ra was thinking. Joe tried to agree.


    “Kimmy?” ra extended her right hand, offering a chance.


    “Kimmy!” Joe responded, ignoring ra’s extended hand. He stood up and walked towards his room.


    “Wait, Uncle!” ra stopped him.


    Joe turned around.


    “I am starting my business, and I am sure it will seed!” ra said confidently.


    “Do as you please!” Joe replied indifferently, continuing to walk to his room.


    ra grabbed her phone and opened a message from Nadia.


    [Call me after reading this message!]


    Without thinking much, ra immediately dialed Nadia’s number.


    “Hello, ra, how are you?” Nadia greeted from the other end of the phone. She sounded very concerned about ra.


    “I’m fine, Nadia, do you have time tomorrow?” ra asked.


    “Of course,” Nadia replied. Besides missing ra, Nadia also wanted to hear about her friend’s story with her beloved older men.


    “Tomorrow, apany me to meet Aunt Vivian, there’s something important I need to settle!” ra said enthusiastically.


    “Okay, ra, I will always support you!” Nadia replied more enthusiastically.


    “See you tomorrow!”


    “See you tomorrow!”


    ra ended the call and ced her phone on the nightstand. Then shey down on the bed, staring at the ceiling and walls of her room.


    “Uncle Joe, I’m sure one day my feelings of love will be reciprocated!” ra murmured to herself to encourage herself before falling asleep.


    The next morning, Sunday at 8:00 a. m., ra came out of her room. She was wearing ck jeans paired with a light purple t-shirt, her hair tied back. The 17-year-old girl descended the stairs and found the ground floor being decorated with various ornaments for Kimmy’s birthday preparation.


    ra approached Kimmy, who was sitting with her caregiver.


    “Don’t be sad, Kimmy!” ra knelt down next to the little girl.


    “Mama can’te!” sheined with a sad expression.


    “I will bring your mom here, don’t be sad, okay?” ra persuaded, rubbing her cheek.


    “Papa said Mama is working and can’te!” Kimmy insisted.


    “Trust me, your Mom wille!” ra reassured Kimmy and hurried out of the living room of therge house.


    Arriving at the veranda, ra met Joe, who was jogging. Joe’s knee-length pantsbined with a ck t-shirt fit his body perfectly. His muscr physique wrapped in his dark skin.


    ra secretly stole nces as she walked towards him.


    “Where are you going?” Joe asked, stopping his activity, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.


    “I’m going to bring Aunt Vivian to Kimmy’s birthday party so I can stay in this house!” ra replied excitedly.


    “Vivian is out of town,” Joe replied casually.


    “I don’t believe it! I’ll bring Aunt Vivian to Kimmy’s birthday party no matter what!” ra retorted.


    “Whatever!” Joe resumed running past ra.


    ra left Joe’s house. Nadia was already waiting for her in the online taxi waiting outside the gate.


    “Where are we going?” Nadia asked, opening the taxi door for ra.


    “We’re going to Apartment A,” ra said, mentioning Vivian’s residence. “We’re going to meet Aunt Vivian!” she added, sitting next to Nadia and starting to enjoy the journey along with the moving car.


    Throughout the journey, ra continued to recount every event that had happened between her and Joe. Nadia listened and was incredulous that Uncle Joe had kissed ra.


    “So, what do you have to do now?” Nadia asked eagerly.


    “I have to bring Aunt Vivian to Kimmy’s birthday party, and Uncle Joe will allow me to stay!” ra replied.


    “Then, won’t you stay at the dorm anymore?” Nadia asked sadly.


    “No, Nadia, but don’t worry, we can still meet during school hours!” ra persuaded.


    “All right!” Nadia replied, understanding ra’s struggle to get her love.


    “Miss, we’ve arrived!” the driver said, pulling over the taxi.


    “Yes, thank you, sir!” ra replied, paying the fare.


    The two girls got out of the taxi, coinciding with Vivian walking in the parking area.


    ra ran towards the woman.


    “Stop!” ra eximed, stretching out her hand to block Vivian’s path.


    “What are you doing here?” Vivian snapped, not liking ra’s presence.


    “Aunt, Aunt Vivian muste to Kimmy’s birthday party!” ra dared to reply, meeting the gaze of the older woman.


    “I can’t, I have work schedules!” Vivian dodged.


    “Aunt, I beg you!” ra knelt at the feet of Joe’s ex-wife.


    Silence. Vivian seemed disturbed to be the center of attention.


    “Now you stand up!” Vivian pulled ra’s hand and led her into the car.


    Silence.


    “I can’te, I don’t want to meet Joe and Mama!” Vivian said.


    “This is not for them, but this is for Kimmy who misses her mom, Aunt!” ra replied.


    “I can’t, ra, I no longer want to interfere with my ex-husband’s family!” Vivian tried to exin.


    “The ex-husband is there, Aunt, but the ex-daughter doesn’t exist, this is for Kimmy, not for Uncle Joe!” ra persuaded again. Yes, this was herst chance to be able to see Joe every day. ra had to use all her moves.


    Vivian looked out the window, acknowledging ra’s words. However, going to that house would only bring back painful memories of arguments with Joe.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    “I beg you, Aunt, Kimmy looks very sad when she knows you can’te!” ra pulled out herst move.


    Silence.


    Vivian was still thinking, oveing the hesitation in her heart.


    “What time is the party?” Vivian asked, starting to soften.


    “At one o’clock, Aunt,” ra replied, her heart rejoicing as she looked back and saw Nadia still waiting for her.


    “Okay, I’lle!”


    “Really?” ra asked to make sure.


    Vivian nodded confidently.


    “All right, I’ll tell Kimmy now!” ra said enthusiastically. She won over Joe, and he couldn’t stop her from staying in that house.


    “Yes, I’lleter!” Vivian replied, looking at her wristwatch showing 09:17 AM.


    “I’m going home now, Aunt,” ra said as she got out of the car.


    “Okay.”


    ra ran towards Nadia, who was still waiting for her. She hugged her reflexively.


    “I did it!” ra shouted in satisfaction.


    ==?==


    [Uncle Joe must allow me to stay, Aunt Vivian wille to Kimmy’s birthday party]


    Joe read ra’s message. He shook his head, swallowing his saliva. ra was indeed a girl who was too eager. Once again Joe admitted, ra was very determined to get what she wanted.


    “Damn kid!” Joe said with a mocking smile.