Uncle Abian
As promised earlier, Freya really woke up very early. She even ran in her pajamas into Letta’s room, who was still wrapped in a thick blanket. The weather today was noticeably colder than before, making it difficult for Letta to get out of bed.
“Mom, wake up, it’s already morning. Aren’t we going to the city?” Freya said as she climbed onto the bed and shook Letta’s body, still curled up in the thick blanket.
“It’s still too early, dear. We can leave ina few hours. So, can you let me sleep a little longer?” Letta said, causing Freya to shake her head.
“No, Mom, we will need time to get ready.
I don’t want Uncle to wait too long. He’ll definitely be cold out there after waiting for an hour,” Freya said, finally making Letta open her eyes wide. “What?” Letta asked to make sure.
“Uncle has been on our porch for about an hour. I heard his car when he arrived. After waking up, I thought it was just the wine truck, but it turned out that after waiting for an hour, I saw someone standing in front of our house. It was Uncle. I wasn’t too brave
To check outside. You also locked the door, right?” Freya explained at length, making Letta really hurry and get out of bed, grabbing her coat to cover her nightdress.
Letta then hurried to unlock the door and opened it when she saw Marco rubbing his hands while sitting.
“Since when have you been outside?” Letta asked, making Marco finally get up from his seat and look towards Letta with pale and trembling lips.
“Yeah, about an hour or so,” Marco answered nonchalantly, making Letta look at him disbelievingly.
“Don’t you see how cold it is out here?” Letta said, making Marco just shrug.
“I was just a little excited and came too early. I also didn’t want to disturb your sleep. That’s why I waited on the porch,” Marco replied, finally making Letta sigh in frustration. Letta didn’t know when Marco had become so foolish, making Letta finally open the door wide.
“Come in, Freya keeps waking me up if I let you stay outside,” Letta said, making Marco smile, who finally followed her steps inside the house.
Letta then told Marco to sit and wait while she made some warm drinks, at least to warm up his shivering hands. While Letta was busy with what she was doing, Freya immediately ran still in her nightdress.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.
“Are you feeling cold, Uncle?” Freya
Asked, looking at him with a concerned expression, causing Marco to shake his head immediately.
“It’s not as cold as you think,” Marco said, making Freya seem to not believe his words. When Freya’s small hands reached for Marco’s, he fell silent. His little niece exhaled her warm breath onto his palms.
“Mom taught me how to ward off the cold. We can do this, Uncle can do it. Like this,” Freya said, doing the same thing, exhaling her warm breath onto Marco’s palms, and then rubbing them.
“How about now, feeling warmer, right?” Freya asked, making Marco smile widely.
“Yes, quite helpful. Thank you,” Marco said, finally making Freya sit right next to him. For some reason, since meeting his little niece, Marco had always paid attention to her, making him feel slightly uncomfortable. Even though it was his own little niece, Marco found it difficult to guess what was going on in Freya’s mind at the moment.
“Do you want to say something?” Marco asked, making Freya shake her head. Marco knew that the little girl seemed to be trying her hardest not to ask what was currently on her mind.
“Really? Then is there something strange on my face?” Marco asked again, making Freya pause for a moment.
“Can you look at me for a moment? Look here,” Freya said, making Marco raise his eyebrows, but still complying with what Freya wanted.
“Does my face look the same?” Freya asked, making Marco’s heart beat fast before he finally smiled. Was this what people called a spiritual bond between a father and a child, Marco thought.
“Do you think so?” Marco asked to confirm, because since their meeting yesterday, Freya had always said that they hada resemblance.
“Yes, besides our eyes, our hair, and nose,
It seems we have many similarities, right, Uncle?” Freya asked, making Marco fall silent. Marco also didn’t know what kind of answer he should give to his little niece.
“Are you married, Uncle?” Freya suddenly asked, making Marco nod his head.
“Yes, Iam married,” Marco answered, making Freya nod again.
“Do you have a child, Uncle?” Freya asked again.
“why do you ask?” Marco asked.
“If Uncle has a child, wouldn’t they look
Like me? So, my guess is that Uncle’s child would be just like me, we could look like twins,” Freya explained, making Marco smile. However, when Marco was about to respond to Freya’s words, Letta suddenly placed a steaming glass of drink on the table somewhat roughly.
“Freya, didn’t you whine to hurry up and go to the city? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to leave now?” Letta said a bit unfriendly in her tone.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I forgot. I was just talking with Uncle,” Freya said, making Letta fall silent before continuing her annoyance.
“Furthermore, isn’t it impolite to meet Uncle in your nightwear like that?” Letta continued, still with a hint of irritation, making Freya finally just bow her head.
“Okay, then I have to clean up first,” Freya said, finally getting up from her seat and walking clumsily towards her room.
“Isn’t she learning from her mother?” Marco said, looking towards Letta, who was dressed similarly, still in her nightwear, just with a coat on.
“It’s because I was in a hurry, didn’t want to leave someone freezing to death in my backyard,” Letta said, making Marco just smile. Marco then took the cup and felt the warmth of the drink Letta had served for him.
“Thank you, at least you still care about my well-being,” Marco said, making Letta fall silent before turning away.
“You can wait, I need to get ready first,” Letta said, making Marco nod as he waited for his two beloved women. Marco chose to get up from his seat. Marco didn’t know whether he could be considered impolite or audacious, but he felt curious about
The simple house inhabited by Letta and Freya. The house looked very simple, with wooden furniture and not many decorations on the walls. However, Marco’s attention was drawn to a framed photo placed ona bedside table.
Marco reached out, seeing how Letta looked as she held a baby, presumably Freya when she was very young. It instantly warmed Marco’s heart. Not only that, there were a few more different photos there, displaying pictures of Freya, but no pictures of Letta, only one that had kept Marco curious for the past 2 years, what he had missed, what interesting things, and amazing things he had experienced with the two people who were very important in his life. Until finally, Marco’s movement stopped when the door suddenly opened, making Marco turn around to see how Abian was approaching him.
“What are you doing here so early in the morning?” Abian asked in an unfriendly tone, causing Marco to look at him with the same expression.
“You, yourself, how can you enter a woman’s house so freely, without even knocking on the door?” Marco said, folding his arms and giving Abian a displeased look.
“Because we’re family, I’m used to it,” Marco said, then looking at the cup that still hadn’t been touched at all by Marco. That was a sign that Marco hadn’t been in the house for too long, Abian thought.
“Where is Letta?” Abian asked, making Marco finally walk closer.
“They’re getting ready, we’re going to the city. What about you, do you have some business, looking for them?” Marco asked, his confidence, which had left them for
2 years, coming from who knows where. Even though Abian had been around them all this time, if they were arguing now, it was certain that they would choose Abian. However, Marco seemed to have the power to draw Letta and Freya’s attention, by any means necessary.
“I’m also going with them. We’re going to visit the winery that processes our grapes. Letta didn’t even tell me she was going with you. Did you force yourself to come here early in the morning to join them?” Abian asked, making Marco sigh.
“I’m not the kind of person who would do that. Freya herself invited me and wanted me to go to the city with them,” Marco said, making Abian fall silent. Abian then chose to walk, then sat on the sofa, ignoring Marco’s intimidating gaze.
“Why are you sitting? Shouldn’t you be leaving now? You know, don’t you, that I’m the one who will accompany her,” Marco said, making Abian just shrug nonchalantly. “I don’t know, I doubt whether you can help Letta at the factory later. Aren’t you used to this kind of work? Aren’t you just used to sitting in front of a flat screen and piles of paper in your office? You should be doing that, and I’m sure right now you’ve been intimidating your subordinates to finish all the work, while you’re wasting your time here and disturbing Freya and Letta,” Abian said, making Marco clench his fists. He was about to explode when Freya shouted from behind him.
“Uncle,” Freya said, making Abian fall silent. For some reason, it caused something very painful in Marco’s heart.