Clara had been busy biting her fingernails after finishing talking to her father via the telephone line.
"Can you stop biting your fingernails," said Mr. K because he felt uncomfortable with Clara's behavior.
She doesn't usually do that.
Clara did not answer Mr. K's words but immediately stopped the action Mr.K had just reprimanded and let out a rough breath.
Mr. K just shook his head slowly.
"Tell me, what did your father say to make you nervous like this?"
With a bit of hesitation, Clara stared at Mr. K's eyes closely.
She neutralized her breath first before explaining her conversation with her father to Mr.K.
"So ..."
Flashback On
"Hello."
"..."
Silence with no answer from across the phone.
"Can you speak?"
"Da..-Dad."
Clara spoke a little nervously because she hadn't heard her father's voice in a long time.
Suddenly, Clara's father, who heard her daughter's voice, was immediately moved by hearing it.
"My daughter?"
"Hum ... it's me, dad."
"Why did you phone your father right now, not before, bad girl? You don't know that dad has called you many times, hum?"
"Tha...- that ... I'm sorry ... I ...- I—"
Before Clara had time to continue her sentence, which sounded doubtful, her father immediately interrupted Clara's words.
"Yes, I know ... you just got out of the hospital, right? For that, you don't want me to worry about that, right?"
Clara's eyes rounded at his father's words.
'How did Dad know?' Clara monologues to herself.
"Ho ..- how do you know? Are you monitoring me, Dad?"
"Dad has forced to look for you because I lost contact with you," said Clara's father honestly.
"Sorry, dad."
"Are you still sick?" asked the father in a voice that sounded soft
"Alright, I'm getting recovery, Dad."
"Thank goodness. Next time don't have to cover it up to dad. You always have to tell daddy, whatever happens, understand?"
"Fine, dad."
"Oh, I just remember, my person tells me when you were in the hospital you accompanied by a young man, can you introduce him to dad?"
Thump!
Instantly Clara was silent. She didn't answer her father's words.
'What should I say to dad?'
Clara scratched the nape of her neck and bit her lip slightly.
Mr. K, who initially left Clara alone, finally approached her, who, according to Mr.K, Clara's expression looked strange to him.
"Mmm, that's my assistant dad, his name is Ken."
Mr. K furrows his brows.
Why was he being talked about by Clara ??
"Dad just wants to know him; how about we have dinner at home the day after tomorrow?"
"Hah?"
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing, dad, it's just that dad's words were too sudden."
"Then, daddy, wait for your presence at home."
"Hum."
After that, Clara's father hung up on her.
Flashback Off
"How about this ?" Clara asked Mr. K, who was now in front of him.
"Alright, we are going there," said Mr.K.
" Is that okay?" Asked Clara, looking at Mr.K.
"Mmm ... I'll take care of you later."
Clara let out a harsh sigh.
"Okay ... then the day after tomorrow, you will come home with me," said Clara at last.
"Hum, Now, you clean your body after that, you rest in the room that I told you before," said Mr.K to Clara.
Clara immediately nodded her head, according to Mr.K's words.
'It's better before meeting Clara's parents. I have to prepare well, so if something worst happens, I'm ready,' Mr.K muttered in his mind.
With a slightly uneasy heart, Clara dragged her steps towards the room provided by Mr.K.
'Huh ~~ am I getting in the way of her job?' Clara whispered in her mind.
After seeing Clara has entered her room, Mr. K seemed to get into his office room and took his cellphone to call someone to confirm something.
***
Unlike the usual morning, this time, Clara had woken up earlier than the day before since she lived with Mr.K.
As Mr. K promised earlier, he took Clara to her hiding place, not the house where Clara had recently stayed.
Although the place they lived in this time was not the huge, fully furnished house that Clara used to live in, Clara was quite comfortable there.
The reason Clara was comfortable living there was ...
... Mr.K, because wherever there is, Mr.K Clara feels much more comfortable and safe.
Clara is now busy making breakfast for the two of them.
It's not that hard. Clara only makes sandwiches and milk as a complement to breakfast.
Just as Clara was about to walk to wake Mr.K, Mr.K had come towards Clara, who was in the kitchen with a face that was still a little sleepy.
"Morning," Clara chirped to Mr.K.
"Clara ??" asked Mr.K a little surprised.
Clara could only smile at him.
"What are you doing? It not like regularly you wake up earlier than me?"
"Hum ... I've already prepared breakfast for you, Kev," Clara chirped.
Mr. K also looked towards the dining table where sandwiches and two milk glasses were available for him and Clara.
With a little stunned, Mr. K walked towards the dining table and sat on one of the benches.
"Let's eat. I made it for you on purpose," said Clara, to which Mr.K nodded.
Mr. K started to eat the sandwiches that Clara was serving.
"Thank you for always helping me," exclaimed Clara.
Mr. K stopped eating then looked at Clara for a moment.
"Let's just say that what I've been doing so far is part of my job," said Mr.K.
"Hum, I know, but it seems like the things you do, in my opinion, are more than that," said Clara.
Mr. K did not deny or agree with Clara's words, but only smiled sincerely at Clara and rubbed her cheeks gently.
"As long as you are with me ... then you will be my responsibility."
Clara was touched to hear that narrative.
'Can I like him? ..... a ..- ah it looks like something is wrong with my brain.'
That things suddenly flashed in Clara's brain.
***
Clara's father and mother, and also Jacob, are now at the dinner table for breakfast, as usual. It's just that Clara's father's face is brighter than usual.
"Well, looks like you're in a good mood?" Jacob asked when he saw the look on his father's face.
"Of course, dad is happy. Tomorrow is the day you have to write down and remember!" said Clara's father.
Jacob and his mother were suddenly confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Yes, tomorrow Clara and also the young man who you said at that time will come here to have dinner with us," said Clara's father casually.
"Hubby? Why didn't you tell me our daughter was coming home earlier?" said Mrs. Clara, who was slightly sulking.
"Surprise," cried Clara's father.
"Woah, how come ... and how did you persuade Clara to bring Ken?"
"Clara's Father just shrugged his shoulder with a little smile proudly to answer Jacob question
"Who are you talking about?" Mrs. Clara asked, confused.
"You will see tomorrow," said Clara's father in response.
"Alright, means tomorrow Mother will prepare a delicious dinner for our family."
"Hum, remember tomorrow you can't work overtime, Jacob," Clara's father reminded Jacob.
"Okay ..."
Jacob is pleased that his family can finally be together again, even if it's just for dinner.
Sometimes Jacob always wished that Clara's biological mother was his birth mother, not just a stepmother.
Wouldn't it be happier and look perfect?
For Jacob, Clara's mother is good. She never differentiates between her biological child and her stepson. Even his stepmother always grows him up like her own biological child.
***
An older woman looked seriously talking with the middle-aged youth in front of her.
Now and then, the older woman took a deep breath and sighed in one sigh.
"So, Have you done to find that crazy woman? I had a feeling she was going to go after my grandchild."
"Not yet, Mom ... since she decided to leave ... I haven't managed to find her yet."
"Even though she not yet to found, I'm sure she won't just leave. You also really know what she like?"
"I know, Mom .... but .."
The older woman frowns when the middle-aged man in front of her suddenly hung up his sentence.
"What if it turns out that she has changed, Mom? And we are wrong?"
"I know very well her character ... She will never change."
The young man sighed for a moment.
"Fine, Mom, I will look for it again .."
"Hum ... what about my grandchild ??"
The middle-aged man looked a little uneasy because he had not managed to find the older woman's grandchild.
"Sorry.."
"Y ..- you !!!" growled the old woman.
"I'm sorry, mom ... I'll look back and give you the latest news."
"Go! Don't come back if you haven't found any information about my grandchild or that crazy woman!"
The middle-aged man bent his body towards the older woman to pay her respects.
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