My Handsome Uncle, Please Be Mine!

8.

Arriving at the parking area behind the hospital building, the four of them stopped by the car.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“You and Nadia can sit in the back,” Mario instructed. He preempted Clara, who wanted to sit in the front. Unwilling to have the girl sit next to Joe, he felt the need to assert his presence.

Although a bit frustrated sitting in the back with Nadia, Clara tried to savor the moment, stealing glances at Joe and saving his handsome face as much as possible. Maybe next month would be the next time she would see him.

The black car started moving at a moderate speed, cutting through the city streets.

“Let’s grab a bite first,” Joe suggested, trying to engage the attention of the three teenagers in his car.

“Yes, Uncle,” Clara and Nadia responded. Mario chose to remain silent. He wanted to get out of Joe’s car quickly, wanting to talk one-on-one with the man.

The four-wheeled vehicle pulled over at a parking area of a restaurant that featured steak as its main menu.

Joe, Clara, Mario, and Nadia walked into the restaurant and sat at an empty table, the second one from the cashier.

Joe remained busy with his phone, while Mario kept a watchful eye on Clara, who continued to steal glances at Joe. It weighed on his chest, suppressing jealousy.

Wait! Did Mario even have the right to be jealous??

NO!!

Their orders arrived shortly after. Four servings of steak with different flavors and warm drinks.

Feeling a bit insecure about her appearance, Clara excused herself to go to the restroom. Nadia accompanied her.

Now, at the table, only Mario and Joe remained. Mario seized this opportunity to express what had been bothering him.

“Let me introduce myself; I’m Mario,” the teenage boy said, extending his hand. Now he could see the details of the mature man who had been the talk of Clara and Nadia.

“I’m Joe,” the man replied, shaking hands with Mario.

“Uncle isn’t planning to get close to Clara, right? We’re in the process of getting to know each other, and I don’t want Uncle to be interested in my crush!” Mario said, staring sharply at Joe. He hoped the mature man understood his words.

“Don’t worry, kid, I won’t disturb your relationship. Clara isn’t my type!” Joe replied firmly, intentionally baiting the young boy.

“Great if Clara isn’t to Uncle’s liking, that means Uncle doesn’t know Clara’s personality yet. Anyway, I’m afraid Uncle might become my rival!” Mario replied, making it even more intriguing. No need to explain who Clara was. Joe would be a serious competitor if he liked or even was interested in Clara.

“Rest assured, I see Clara as a little sister, nothing more,” Joe honestly stated.

“I believe you, and I hope Uncle Joe will always support my relationship with Clara,” said the hopeful teenager.

“Of course,” Joe replied, winking.

“But if Clara likes Uncle Joe? Would Uncle reciprocate?” inquired the uneasy Mario.

This time, Joe didn’t answer. He just smiled, finding it amusing to see Mario acting as if worried about losing Clara.

“What do you even like about Clara?” Joe asked casually.

“Clara is smart, kind, and cheerful. Her face may not be as beautiful as a Korean actress, but she’s sweet and not boring. For three years, I’ve been looking at her every day, and instead of getting bored, I become more interested!” Mario narrated, revealing facts about Clara. His eyes sparkled as he spoke about her.

Joe widened his lips. What did a 17-year-old kid know about women? His wife, Vivian, was beautiful, cheerful, kind, smart, sweet, and not boring, but the marriage built with the model was now on the rocks.

Clara and Nadia’s arrival silenced Mario, and they got busy with the steak in front of them.

Mario looked at Clara. Her hair was neatly combed, and secured with a white feather clip on the left side. Her lips looked moist, and her eyebrows were beautifully shaped. Still the same, those two eyes of hers always captivated Mario, with rosy cheeks. They weren’t pink like that a moment ago.

Clara started chewing her food.

“Eat a lot!” Joe encouraged.

“Yes,” Clara responded enthusiastically.

Mario tried to keep his emotions in check, not showing them when Clara continued to express her interest in Joe throughout their meal. They finished their food, and Joe suggested it was time to go.

“Come on, you all need to head home now!” Joe invited.

The seating arrangement in the car remained the same. Mario didn’t give Clara a chance to sit in the front. The car started moving at a moderate speed. Soon, they arrived at the dormitory.

The car stopped at the main gate of the dormitory.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Clara said.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Nadia echoed.

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Joe replied.

Clara and Nadia got out of the car and walked into the dormitory.

Mario looked at Clara’s back. There was a tightness in his chest. Tonight, he learned one thing: Clara liked Joe. Fortunately, the man named Joe didn’t know and wasn’t interested in Clara.

“You have no interest in Clara, right?” Mario asked to make sure.

“No, I’m already married, and even though my marriage is on the rocks, I can’t possibly be interested in a 17-year-old girl your age,” Joe explained. He was getting bored with what Mario was saying as if Clara had an extraordinary charm. Until now, Joe hadn’t found one reason to be interested in Clara as a woman, only seeing her as a little sister.

“Sorry, Uncle, is Joe getting a divorce?” Mario asked softly.

Joe just nodded, a faint smile on his face. He seemed fine, even though his heart was shattered into pieces.

“I’ll get off here, Uncle,” Mario requested; he needed to pick up his motorcycle left at school.

“Let me drop you off!” Joe insisted.

“No need!” Mario declined.

Joe pulled over, letting Mario get out.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Mario said.

“You’re welcome,”

Joe drove off.

“Darn it,” he mumbled when he saw Clara’s wallet left on the back seat.

Joe kept driving, trying not to care. It was Clara’s fault for leaving her wallet in his car.

A moment later, Joe turned his car around and returned to the dormitory to return the wallet to its owner.

Arriving at the main gate again, Joe called Clara through the green app on his phone.

“Yeah, what’s up, Uncle?” Clara asked, sounding surprised.

“Come down quickly; you left your wallet!” Joe instructed.

“Okay,”

Not long after, Clara came to Joe’s car.

This time, Clara had changed into cartoon-patterned pajamas, looking thin, worn-out, too small, and unfit for wear because they had been used for too long.

“Here’s your wallet.” Joe handed the pink box-shaped item through the open car window.

“On the weekend, I’ll take you out!” Joe invited, unintentionally catching a glimpse of the girl’s cleavage. He discovered the real reason why Mario wanted to pursue Clara.

Clara nodded and smiled sweetly. She purposely left the wallet on Nadia’s advice. Yes, the 17-year-old girl of today was clever. Clever at finding reasons to always meet her crush.

This time, Joe agreed with Mario; Clara indeed looked very sweet when she smiled.