My Handsome Uncle, Please Be Mine!

Part 46.

Bachelor, alright! Widower is more tempting!

Clara arrived at Kimmy’s room. She walked in because the door was wide open. There were only Joe and Kimmy in the room.

“Sister Clara, where did Sister Clara go? Why did she just come home?” Kimmy blurted out, looking up for a hug.

“I’m sorry, Kimmy, for not taking care of you when you were sick!” Clara hugged the little girl.

“Kimmy, it’s time to sleep. Papa and Sister Clara will stay here to watch over you!” Joe persuaded.

“But Kimmy wants to play with Sister Clara,” she whined, her lips pouting five centimeters forward.

“Alright, Papa will call Dr. Gaston. Are you going to sleep or…?” Joe interrupted his sentence.

“Okay, Kimmy will sleep now!” she said flatly, moving towards the bed. Then, she crawled up.

Joe smiled at her expression.

“Kimmy, Papa said goodnight!” he said again.

Joe approached and spread the blanket to cover Kimmy.

“Say your prayers first!” Joe instructed.

Kimmy closed her eyes and recited her prayers softly.

Joe sat on the floor, the soft fur carpet serving as his cushion.

“Come here!” Joe beckoned, gesturing for Clara to sit beside him.

Clara got up from the sofa and sat next to Joe.

“My Clara, did you go to the beach with Gaston yesterday? Is that true?” Joe inquired. Honestly, he couldn’t focus until he knew what really happened.

“Yes, Uncle, I went to the beach,” Clara replied.

“So, what did you do with Gaston?” Joe’s eyes scrutinized Clara.

“We watched the sunset, talked, umm… Dr. Gaston offered his arm to lean on, and…” Clara paused her sentence.

“And what, Clara!” Joe impatiently interrupted. Two of them at the beach, with dim light. Strong wind making Clara’s skirt sway up and down. Joe’s left brain began to fantasize. Thinking about it made his chest tight and he felt like swearing.

“And…” Clara rolled her eyes, deliberately making Uncle curious.

“What, Clara? You didn’t kiss him, did you? Or perhaps you hugged him?!” Joe accused. His breath was racing with curiosity.

“Uncle’s guess is wrong!” Clara said casually with a flat expression.

“Tell me, or I’ll…?” Joe threatened, looking at Clara mischievously.

Silence.

Joe waited for an answer from Clara’s lips.

“Nothing happened between me and Dr. Gaston! We just talked!” Clara explained.

“Um, good!” Joe muttered. The drums of war and the flames of jealousy in his heart slowly subsided. He smiled secretly. Feeling very relieved.

Their eyes met. Joe looked towards Kimmy, the girl was already asleep. Maybe because of the medicine.

“Do you like Gaston?” Joe asked. This also bothered him, Clara’s feelings towards the doctor.

“He’s nice, and he’s there when Clara needs help, even when Clara doesn’t know where to go, Dr. Gaston is the only one who helps me!” Clara said.

“Do you like him?” Joe pressed.

“Yes, I like him,” she answered. Clara was also annoyed by Joe’s questioning tone.

“What’s so great about Gaston compared to me, that you also like him, Clara?!” Joe restrained himself from getting emotional. Gaston was his rival back in high school. And now the man was his rival again.

“Dr. Gaston is a good man!” Clara replied.

“Am I not good, Clara?” Joe tried to control himself.

“Uncle is good, Uncle Joe is very good!” she quickly replied.

“I’m a widower, Clara, and Gaston has never been married, but when it comes to looks and charm, I’m not inferior to him!” Joe boasted. “Bachelor is okay, but a widower is more tempting!” he added with a convincing expression.

Clara laughed.

“What’s funny? You dare laugh at me!” Joe protested, pretending to look angry.

“Uncle Joe is funny!” she said.

They fell silent and stared at each other.

“My Clara,” he called out, reaching for the hand of the girl sitting next to him.

“Yes, Uncle,” Clara looked at the man beside her without blinking. Joe, how he always looked handsome when silent and breathing, especially when he smiled. It melted her.

“I apologize for what happened at the hospital. I yelled at you, kicked you out, and you misunderstood. I’m sorry for making you cry!” he said, guiding Clara to lean against his chest.

The girl nodded quietly, hoping it wouldn’t happen again.

“I’ve thought about everything, Clara. I can’t be selfish. I can’t hold you back from meeting your family,” Joe said. He didn’t tell Clara that Clara’s grandpa was Freedy Lim, who probably wouldn’t approve of their relationship.

“Yes, Uncle, Clara understands,” she replied, leaning against his broad chest, feeling very comfortable. “It feels heavy to part with Uncle Joe,” Clara lamented.

“We can still meet, Clara,” Joe said, although he wasn’t sure, and this separation was harder for him.

“Uncle Joe, I…” Clara’s voice trailed off. Because the man next to her enthusiastically kissed Clara’s lips.

Clara also responded to Joe’s kiss more enthusiastically.

Joe released his lips’ connection.

“Now you’re getting good at it, Clara!” Joe teased, smiling mischievously.

“Well, Uncle Joe taught me!” Clara replied, not wanting to lose.

“Did Sister Clara and Papa just kiss?” Kimmy asked while sitting up and blinking her eyes.

Joe and Clara turned to the source of the voice. It felt like they were caught red-handed.

“So, you’re dating, huh?” accused Kimmy.

Joe and Clara remained silent.

“Papa’s dating Sister Clara??” Kimmy asked again.

“Yes, Papa’s dating Sister Clara!” Joe admitted.

“Okay, then you guys just date. Kimmy wants to sleep again. Sister Cici said not to disturb people who are dating!” said the little girl.

“Who’s dating anyway?” Joe inquired.

“Sister Cici said I have to sleep with her only because Papa is dating Sister Clara in the… li… br… ary!” Kimmy struggled with the last word.

“So, Kimmy already knows that Papa is dating Sister Clara?” he asked again.

Meanwhile, Clara remained silent and observed.

“Yes, everyone knows. Sister Cici knows, Sister Anik knows, Aunt Marni knows, everyone knows,” she replied innocently.

“Well, there you have it. What about you, Kimmy? Would you like it if Sister Clara became your mommy?” Joe asked.

Kimmy rolled her eyes and thought for a moment. “Um, so Kimmy will have two mommies, Pa?” she asked, showing an expression that couldn’t be guessed.

Joe nodded.

“Yes, Kimmy wants to!” the little girl answered.

Clara and Joe looked at each other and smiled.

“Papa will escort Sister Clara to her room first, okay? Then Papa will come back here to keep Kimmy company while she sleeps,” Joe said seriously.

“Will it be quick or long, Pa?”

“Just a moment, dear!”

“But we’re close, Pa, why do you have to escort her?”

“Um…”

“Papa, are you still going to date Sister Clara?”

“Just wait a moment!”

“Goodnight, Kimmy!” Clara said, following Joe, who had already left first.

Arriving in front of Clara’s room.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“Have a peaceful sleep and sweet dreams!” Joe said, looking at Clara’s face, trying to memorize it as much as possible.

“You too, Uncle.”

“Yes.”

Joe continued to gaze at Clara until the door closed. Only then did he return to his daughter’s room.

To Be Continued.