Part 45.


    Joe and ra were in the car. Joe sat behind the wheel, while ra was seated beside him.


    Silence.


    There was a longing between them, but it was awkward to say it out loud.


    Joe parked the car in a secluded spot. He nced at his watch, which showed 5:03 PM.


    “Sorry for beingte picking you up, ra,” Joe began the conversation.


    “It’s okay, Uncle, I’m not a priority anyway,” ra replied, stealing a quick nce at Joe. Truthfully, she missed him dearly. She wanted to ask for his warm embrace. But… She tried to hold back, not wanting to appear cheap by admiring him too much.


    “There’s Kimmy, Uncle also has to prepare to reconcile with Aunt Vivian, right now I understand my ce, who I am, and who you are!” she said, lowering her head. She had just realized that love, which began with happiness, could now be unbearable pain. When the desire to possess became greater, but reality spoke otherwise. She had to try to let go.


    “I won’t marry Vivian, both you and Kimmy are priorities! Understand!” Joe asserted. Swallowing hard, he pressed his lips together.


    “What about Mrs. Linn and Mr. Bond, Uncle? Last time, Mr. Bond wanted me to go to London and nevere back here! I’m tired, Uncle! Very tired!” rained. She didn’t expect that loving Joe would be so painful and exhausting. Joe’s parents, histe wife, not to mention the media always curious about the handsome man’s love story.


    “I don’t care about them, ra!” Joe interrupted her. “Emm… actually, there’s something I want to tell you, ra!” The man paused for a moment. One thing was for sure, he had to inform ra about the family members looking for her.


    Joe had confirmed the information from his hired detective. It was true that ra was the granddaughter of Freedy Lim.


    “What is it, Uncle? What other bad news do I have to ept?” ra asked, preparing herself for the possible bad news that would make her retreat.


    “I found your family, ra, they will pick you up in a week!” Joe announced. It was better to inform her sooner; it would be better.


    “My family?” ra asked in astonishment, taken aback by what Joe said. Even though ra had buried that desire deep inside her all this time.


    “Yes, they will pick you up in a week!” Joe repeated. This time, his eagle eyes stared sharply at ra.


    They looked at each other. Long, as if distance would soon separate them.


    “What about our rtionship, Uncle?” ra asked, needing certainty. She wasn’t the type of person to dy her desires.


    “I still want you, ra, but…” Joe stopped himself. ra didn’t know who her family was yet.


    “Let’s go home, Uncle, I want to rest, this is very tiring!” ra requested.


    Joe nodded and started the car, driving the four-wheeled vehicle back home.


    In the living room, Mrs. Linn and Mr. Bond sat. They looked towards ra and Joe as they walked into the house.


    ra stopped in her tracks. Her body trembled seeing Mr. Bond and Mrs. Linn ring at her.


    Joe turned, approached ra, and took her hand.


    “Let’s go in,” Joe whispered.


    They both walked side by side, with Joe holding ra’s hand tightly. Signaling that he had shown their rtionship in front of his parents.


    “Starting today, until ra’s familyes to pick her up, she will stay in this house, Pa, Ma!” Joe requested.


    “It’s up to you!” Mrs. Linn replied, still disliking ra.


    Joe led ra up the stairs to the second floor.


    “ra,” he called.


    “Yes, Uncle,” she replied, still looking down. Various feelings mixed in her heart.


    “We need to talk.”


    “Yes, Uncle.”


    “You shower, and we’ll have dinner together, okay?” Joe offered hopefully. Looking at ra with pleading eyes.


    “Okay, Uncle,” ra couldn’t refuse.


    “See youter!” Joe said.


    “Yes, see youter, Uncle!” ra replied. She smiled because Uncle, sometimes, was endearing. Their rooms were only about ten meters apart, and still under the same roof. But Joe’s gaze made it seem like they were going to be apart for a long time.


    ra walked to her room, while Joe went to his daughter’s room.


    “Papa’s home!” Kimmy shouted, throwing her doll and running towards her dad.


    “Don’t run, Papa doesn’t want you to get sick again, sweetheart!” Joe said. He hugged his daughter tightly.


    “Papa,” Kimmy called affectionately.


    “Yes, sweetheart,” Joe answered, carrying Kimmy to the bed.


    “Oma said Mama won’t stay here? Is that true?” the little girl inquired.


    “Yes, Mama won’t stay here anymore, Kimmy, Mama and Papa are divorced and things won’t be the same as before!” Joe exined, trying to trante it into words that his daughter could understand.


    “What’s divorce, Pa?” Kimmy became more curious. She sharpened her listening senses to catch every word that came out of her dad’s mouth.


    “Divorce is separating, not being together anymore, not sleeping together, not living in the same house, but Papa and Mama will always be there for you, Kimmy!” the man exined again.


    “Um, okay, Pa, Kimmy understands!”


    Joe nted a kiss on his daughter’s forehead.


    “Where’s Sister ra? Grandma said Sister ra ising home today?” Kimmy really missed ra.


    “Just wait here for a moment, okay? Papa will call Sister ra!” Joe granted permission.


    “Okay, Pa!”


    Joe got up and headed out of his daughter’s room. He walked towards ra’s room.


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    “ra!”


    “My dear ra!”


    The door opened. Their eyes met. Joe looked at ra, observing her face, her strawberry lips, her wet hair, and the lingering scent of her perfume. It tickled Joe’s sense of smell.


    “Yes, Uncle?” ra answered, still feeling awkward. Yesterday’s incident left her hurt, and it wasn’t easy for her to just forget about it.


    “Kimmy is waiting for you in her room. Turns out it’s not just me, but Kimmy also misses you!” Joe said.


    “Okay, Uncle, just give me a moment tob my hair!” ra requested.


    “Sure, um, let’s postpone dinner to tomorrow, okay?” Joe asked.


    “Okay, Uncle.”


    ra closed the door. She walked to the dressing table, gazing into the mirror, examining her rosy cheeks. Then, she gently tapped her chest. Her body still reacted the same way, her heart still beating very fast.


    “My dear Joe, will you still be mine?” ra murmured softly. Her heart was still pounding rapidly.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The girlbed her hair gently, applied a thinyer of powder to her face, and put on lip balm on her red lips.


    ra walked out of her room, heading towards Kimmy’s room.


    To be continued.