Chapter 38 - Jing Residence (1/2)
Friday came sooner than expected. It was the day when Xiu would feel the taste of freedom in its true sense. Since she'd get two days to roll around in the sheets. Well, alone. Literally! Cough! Cough! The author means it in a very innocent sense. Don't work up your mind.
Moving on...
There was something special about this Friday night, she was going to Jing Residence with Nora for dinner. It had been six months since she last saw Mr. and Mrs. Jing also respectively known as Jing Ge and Clara Cartwright.
Xiu had just stepped on the driveway which led to a beautiful European style house when she saw Nora's mother Clara Cartwright coming out of the house with an apron around her waist looking very much like a housewife which she really wasn't. Clara Cartwright was a famous Attorney and even ran her own law firm which was why now, she had stopped going to the court herself. She was one tough woman and a brilliant Attorney. She hadn't just given Nora her own last name but also her feisty and tough personality.
Clara hugged Xiu kissing her both cheeks affectionately before saying, ”Welcome home, my little Xiu.” Xiu was smothered by her love but couldn't bring herself to push her away. That motherly affection and love were so relaxing and it made her eyes stung with tears threatening to spill out.
”I should be welcoming you instead, Clara mom,” Xiu replied in her slightly choked up voice. She wasn't used to calling her mom but Clara had insisted that Xiu treat her like her own mother. And so Xiu did. It was hard saying no to both Clara and Nora. You see, both mother and daughter were a bit too persuasive.
Pushing Xiu at an arm's length, Clara observed her from head to toe and frowned displeasingly as she said, ”You lost weight. Again.” Turning to Nora who was collecting the gifts for her parents from the back seat, Clara's tone took a sharp edge as she said in Spanish, ”Nora Cartwright, how did you take care of my little Xiu? I told you to look after her. You have done such a poor job.”
Nora opened her mouth to speak when she was shunned again by her mother, ”No excuses! Go inside and do thorough repenting.” Stroking Xiu's cheeks lovingly, Clara added, ”Oh dear, you look so thin. Don't worry, I'm back now. I'll make you a plump little ball soon enough.”
Xiu smiled at her genuinely and answered, ”I'd love that.”
It was clear from their interaction that Clara was closer to Xiu rather than Nora since the latter was completely forgotten and disregarded by her own birth-mother.
”I should help Nora with those gifts,” Xiu said as she looked at Nora's struggle trying to keep all the things balanced and failing miserably.
Clara looped her arm with Xiu and dragged her towards the wooden door of the house as she said, ”Let her be. Nora is a strong girl and look, how fat she is. She can manage this much.”
Xiu was stifling her laughter while Nora finally dropped the things in her hand on the floor as she heard her mother's words. ”Fat? How am I fat? Are you sure you're my mother?” Nora shouted well in a whisper, not daring to let her mother hear her voice. She didn't want to listen to a long lecture in Spanish all over again.
Walking through the foyer, Clara took Xiu straight to the family room where Jing Ge was talking over the phone. Seeing Xiu enter with Clara, he smiled at her affectionately.
”Dad!” Nora's loud chirp made him look behind Clara and Xiu. Nora dropped everything on the floor and ran up to Jing Ge, straight into his arms. ”I missed you so much.” She squealed as she hugged him like a bear.
Jing Ge laughed at his daughter and said to the person on the other side of the phone, ”I'll call you later. My daughter is at home now.” With that, he hung up the call and stroked Nora's hair lovingly. ”How's my little dolphin?”
”Very upset.” Nora's muffled voice came.
”Oh? And who dared to upset my princess?” Jin Ge asked in amus.e.m.e.nt.
”You did.” Nora looked up at him accusingly with a pout. ”You were gone for such a long time. Do you know how much I missed you?”
”Stop being dramatic, Nora,” Clara warned sternly which made Nora look at Jing Ge with pitiful look in her eyes.
”Dear wifey, don't say anything to my Nono. She's my little princess and if she won't be acting like this with me then who else?” Jin Ge said to his wife before giving his attention to Nora who was still stuck to him like daddy's little girl.
Xiu was really envious of her. Nora was truly a daddy's little girl even though Jing Ge was her step-father. No one could really tell that though. Because they shared a bond deeper than real father and daughter.