Substitute Mother
Chaptre 49. The Three of Us
“Can you please photo the three of us?”
Jeanno handed her phone to one of the officers. Then holding Aera who seemed giggling to see the father who is usually charismatic is now adorable with a funny bando.
“Eum, sorry, maybe you can shift a little so that all enter frame”
The officer gave orders that Judith stand not too far away. The woman cleared her throat again, then placed herself beside Jeanno. But presumably it is still lacking, because the position of Judith who is adjacent but silent sculpting, it is no different like a stranger who was taken photos together. Alias there is no chemistry.
Jeanno, who seemed to understand that the amateur photographer was frustrated, stretched out his hand to Judith's waist, bringing her closer. Only then did the employee smile by giving a thumb, then capture the moment through a photo.
There are several shots with various poses, including the three of them, Aera who is no longer carried by Jeanno, Aera and Judith both, and Aera who asked her parents to take photos together without her.
And of course it was still the same as before, the big hand perched right on Judith's slender waist, bringing her closer until she could smell Jeanno's perfume. There was a verbal form of praise from the officer about how beautiful their family was. Handsome and beautiful parents while their cute child. Do not forget to say thank you and pay bando plus tip, all three out of the store. Proceed to another game according to Aera's wishes.
Well, thanks to the goddamn bando that kept Judith out of focus.
**
When the afternoon began to say hello, Jeanno decided to end their activities at the playground. Aera with a heavy heart, in the end obeyed Jeanno's orders because he was also tired and sleepy.
“Aera sleepy? Here Mama gendong”
Just as Judith was about to bend over, Jeanno had already grabbed Aera's body into her carry. “Distance from here until parking is quite far. You can get tired if you carry Aera”
There was nothing Judith could do but nod. Following Jeanno from behind before the man turned his head and told her to walk beside him under the pretext that they would not separate. Given how crowded the place was by late afternoon.
Nearly six hours they spent on the playground, lying if Judith wasn't happy. He was last here about three years ago. First time here with Hannah and Renatta. Then he never imagined there would be a day when he came back here with different people, as well as different situations.
And maybe a different feeling.
**
The trip to the top was smooth even though some point they had been stuck in traffic, but lucky not too long. Aera fell asleep in the lap of Judith who was sitting on the seat beside the steering wheel. Jeanno actually felt guilty for taking her daughter to play to such exhaustion.
“If you are sore, just move Aera to the back seat”
Judith, whose attention was focused on the situation outside the window, turned around Jeanno's collar. “No. Later if moved fear Aera even woke up in a state of shock. And if so later the mood will be ugly”
“It looks like you already know Aera ya” very well
“Eh, sir don't misunderstand”
Jeanno smiled. “I don't misunderstand, I thank you if you really know my daughter. Because that means you are already close to him”
“Omong-by the way, sorry for the incident in the store earlier”
Forehead Judith shriveled. “Which incident?”
“That's. when I hugged your waist. I'm sorry if I surprised you and uncomfortable”
“Ah it.” Judith was bearded, regretting why she should be reminded again. As a result, his heart could not be compromised to just normalize his heartbeat. “No problem, Sir. I was surprised, a little. But it's okay. I can understand”
Silence back. Jeanno gives full focus to the streets while Judith actually wants to sleep, but she is not happy if she has to leave Jeanno alone who is driving.
“Sleep, I'll wake you up later when I get to”
Jeanno laughed a little. “I'm a grown man, indeed why if you drive alone? I know the way, I'm not sleepy either. We still have another hour and a half, I think it's enough for you to sleep first so that the villa will be fresher”
“But-“
“This is an order, Judith”
Judith sighed, nodding slowly. Then tightened his embrace to Aera before also being closed with the little girl.
**
The magnificent 3-story building located at the top has a good view. The front yard is a large field and surrounded by shady trees covered with fog every morning. Guarantee that whoever lives there doesn't want to come home soon.
Jeanno had the villa as a gift for her wedding with Nayara in the third year. This place they only visited twice, because after that he was busy with work and the following years he had to accompany Nayara in the hospital. A hard year, let alone think about the holidays, can eat alone be grateful. So long as he never visited here, the man even forgot he owned this villa. If it wasn't Nora who reminded. Fortunately Nora always make sure that the villa keeper takes good care of this building by calling every month. Be this villa is not like a haunted house even though it was not visited by its master for a long time.
“Hey, wake up. we've reached”.
Actually waking up Judith and Aera was a hard thing for her to see how peaceful their sleeping faces were. As if unwilling to wake up, but what else? Instead of their bodies sore because they sleep in a sitting position for too long.
“Aera darling, we've reached”
Jeanno took off her seatbelt, touching her daughter's soft puffed cheeks. “Come wake”
The eyelids moved, before meeting Jeanno's scythe. Aera raised her face while rubbing her eyes and yawning. “We've arrived, Papa?”
Jeanno smiled, nodding. “Iya, have arrived dear. Come down, pity Mama must be megal”
The man got out of the steering wheel around the front of the car to open the passenger door, helping his daughter out. While Judith seems still struggling in her dreams because she did not flinch at all when the car door was opened and Aera had moved from her lap.
“Honey? Wake up, we've reached”
Almost Jeanno mentioned Judith's name on the tip of her tongue if she did not realize that Aera was standing behind her. Can the length of business if Jeanno to tepplos mention ‘Mamanya’ with other women's names.
“Nayara.”.
“Looks like Mama pulas once” chirped Aera. Jeanno removed her seat belt and carefully carried the slender body towards the villa.
“Aera darling, come”
Before long approaching the villa door, a middle-aged man who is Jeanno's confidant to guard and care for this building.
“Master? Sorry, I think the master will be up to half an hour in”
“It's okay. Can you please bring our things in the car?”
The man named Pak Yudi then nodded and received Jeanno's car keys to then transport the bags and goods left behind. While Jeanno and Aera enter first. Circulating his views, Jeanno was amazed by the work of Mr. Yudi who was so painstaking in guarding his villa to keep it looking neat and well maintained.
“Papa want to take Mama to the room first, Aera wait here, okay?” The little guy nodded, his little legs climbing up the white sofa in the living room. Let Jeanno climb the third floor where the main room is located.
The room is the largest room in this villa that has a private balcony facing directly towards the city which if night like seeing a sprinkling of stars. Jeanno put Judith in bed, a little wonder how she could sleep so soundly after hearing so many voices around her. Is he tired?
When putting it on the mattress, the canal dress that Judith wore was slightly raised on her thighs, making her smooth legs plastered perfectly before Jeanno's eyes. For a moment, as a normal adult man, it was hard to ignore the moment. But the next second consciousness slapped Jeanno, making the man throw his face and reach for a blanket to cover Judith's body to the stomach. Then the man left the main room, to go down to meet the little guy and Mr. Yudi.
**
