Touching Hearts

Fourteen

"Kyaaa... How the hell is the cooking?" grunting Ara frustrated with his hands still busy scrolling the mobile phone screen about food recipes. Beef Lasagna's. Ara is trying to cook the menu this weekend. Early in the morning she had gone shopping by herself to the supermarket to buy the necessary ingredients. Ara did not ask for the help of the maid, she wanted to try to do it herself. This was the first time he learned to cook, but he never even entered the kitchen if he did not take food that was ready. But it has been an hour more, the food until now is not visible. Since then, he has only watched how to cook food from YouTube. Want to try immediately, but somehow he was always not confident again and again he watched the video.

"What are you doing?"

"D ******!!!" ara's shock, the phone in her hand almost fell

Ellard approached, taking Ara's phone which was still playing a video tutorial of a woman cooking lasagna. Ellard raised her eyebrows, looking at Ara and the ingredients that were still in her plastic groceries from the supermarket.

"Lasagna— you don't know how to cook food this easily?"

Ara grinned, she scratched her head that was not itchy at all.

"e-don't. But this is learning for him" Ara's great-grandson

"So why haven't you started yet?"

Again, Ara scratched his nape. "time see the video looks easy it is, but the fitting want to start.ok so complicated yahh,"

Ellard clucked, "the meal was immediately tried, instead of being watched. How do you want to be,"

Ellard put Ara's phone in her pants pocket and took out one by one the ingredients that were still in her wife's plastic groceries. From behind Ara noticed what her husband was doing.

"Don't just look, quickly wash the danging let me prepare the seasoning,"

"Every boss" cried Ara so excited.

Ellard could only shake her head at how enthusiastic Ara was. Especially when he saw his wife's innocent face and smile. Actually, he had been standing in the kitchen dividing room while leaning one side of his head against the wall. Ara was completely unaware of her presence there who had long noticed the seriousness of the girl watching Youtube while occasionally grumbling in annoyance. His lips smiled thinly every time he saw the tiny lips were struggling until finally he could not bear to wait and then approached the work of his wife who never finished. He knew Ara could not cook at all.

****

An hour later on the table were Beef lasagna, spaghetti and tortellini. Italian food's. With his cooking skills, Ellard added two more types of menus for their lunch. Ara clucked in admiration when she saw all those foods. The order is neat and very appetizing.

"Woah, I don't think you're very good at cooking" Ara praised, clapping proudly.

Ellard pulled up the chair and sat down next to Ara who had spooned the food into their plates.

"Hmm.. eat and make sure this all goes out,"

"Ohh that's for sure," Ara nodded vigorously, immediately devouring the dishes in front of her enthusiastically. "Hemm.. This is so delicious,"

Ellard smiled, one hand gently rubbed the top of his wife's head that was so greedy before she also ate.

"Thank you for the food, I'm full today. Often yes cook like this," chirped Ara after finishing all the food they cooked before without leaving. Ellard ate only a little.

Plastik

"Arrgghh.." ringis Ara rubbed his forehead which was snatched by Ellard "kok in the sentil sigh?"

"That's for a wooing wife" Ellard said casually "After this I want you to take a cooking course,"

"And uda there is a chef who every day masakin,"

"Who is my wife now? You or the cook at this house?" Ellard glared sharply

"Yes a-I am, but kan—"

"There's no reason. In the future all my personal needs and until what I eat, you have to do it. The rest let the waiter do it,"

Ara sighed. Freely refuted, "Yes well esteemed young master,"

"Try saying it again?" Ellard shined a sharp

"Hehe, meaning... Alright my dear" Ara quickly fixed her sentence before her husband's demonic horn appeared. He rubbed Ellard's biceps while grinning.

Suddenly the voice of the phone rang out, Ellard raised a call directly pasting it in the ear. "Hello dad"

"This afternoon come home with Ara. Um, your aunt and your cousins came to visit. They want us all to have dinner together" Holland said

"Okay dad, we'll come"

"Ok son, say hello to my beloved daughter-in-law"

Ellard smiled faintly, "Greetings to Dad"

"Daddy?" asked Ara who had been silent since

"Hm, this afternoon we are asked to come home. Daddy's sister and her children came to visit for dinner together. Family time"

Ara just nodded oh ria. But in her heart she grimaced a little, family dinner meant she would meet again with her husband's extended family. During their marriage, he did not have a chance to talk directly with the other Ellard families. Because she was preoccupied with greeting the guests present and again her husband's extended family also seemed to go straight home to each other after the event. Even the rejection of Oma Ela alone is still imprinted, it is said that tonight they will definitely meet again.

****

The dinner took place at the back of the mansion. They set up campfires in the courtyard and held barbeque events. Unlike what Ara had expected, it turned out that Ellard's oms, aunts and cousins were very friendly and warm. They treated themselves there very well. In his heart he felt very grateful because what he was worried about did not happen at all. He was just afraid that he would not be accepted or would be sneered but until this moment he was greeted warmly. Except for the Oma who had not cared at all about his presence there. Ara had experienced Oma and this time oma welcomed her even though her eyes still remained tight. But it's okay. At least this time it's better than no response at all.

"So Ara's still in college?" tanya Aunt Maya, a middle-aged woman who looks still beautiful

Currently they are sitting down to relax enjoying some snacks and wine after previously eating heavy food.

"Yes aunty" answered Ara

"Woah, it's still young. It's a shame you got married. If aunty is you, aunty will pursue a career first rather than marriage at this young age,"

"Blame your nephew, baby. The uda kebelet wedded," teased om Hans as he glanced at Ellard who was sipping his wine casually, looking unperturbed.

"Si El was afraid, Ara hunted taken people," chirped Aldrich

"Yes right, if not brother El will not have a wedding party as soon as yesterday. While all this time we know that El kak is valued by many beautiful women, ranging from models to successful career women. They all want to be married to El, but unfortunately, only Ara managed to bear the status of Miller's mistress in our family. Awesome you are Ra," Fera said proudly as she pointed her two thumbs at Ara.

Ara smiled clumsily. Glancing at Ellard who was next to him, still I was still silent while swaying the wine glass slowly.

"But it's natural. Ara is very young and sweet. Maybe if I first met with Ara— would do the same thing as well. So pebinor I'm also willing" said Aldrich as he rolled his eyes

BUGS

"What the fuc—" Aldrich did not continue his swearing as he stared at the perpetrator who threw the couch cushion right into his face. There Ellard looked at him sharply.

"This is a kid who wants to be castrated. Don't mess around, "sneer Ellard as she directly embraces Ara's shoulder

Finally, the laughter of all those who were there broke out to see the silly actions of the two cousins. Ellard who had not reacted so much became ferocious when she heard the frontal remarks of her cousin who blatantly voiced her desire to snatch Ara from her.

"Good night everyone"

The greeting of the soft voice suddenly made those who were laughing at once stop and turned their eyes to the figure of a beautiful girl who was standing adorned with a dazzling smile.

"Clarissa darling, you've come" Oma's excited. He approached Clarissa and led the girl's hand to sit next to him.

"wahh. kak Cla is getting more beautiful" said Fani, Fera's twin brother

"ngawur. The feeling from the old sister was like this," Clarissa flicked her hand in front of her face with a smile that was still imprinted

"It's really brother. I didn't lie. Brother is getting prettier knowing" Fani does not want to lose

Clarissa laughed, "Yaya well fani dear. Thanks yeah"

"Cla, why are you here?" ask Ellard

"I—"

"Oma told me to come. Kan Clarisaa uda like our family too, so there is no harm dong Oma told him to join," Cut Oma while stroking Clarissa's hand warm.

"What is Cla?" Aldrich pointed to the paper bag still held by Clarissa

"Oh this— was before I came here to make macaroons. Don't know if it tastes good or not" said Clarissa as she placed the box on the table and opened it

"Wahh, this is Ellard's favorite dessert. We both did this before. You still remember the end of it" said Oma while glancing at Ellard

"Yahh. means this for El aja dong," snorted Aldrich.

"Not so, I made this to eat everything anyway" Clarissa said

"Asikk. I'm trying it out, brother," Fera sparkled right away taking one macaroon and chewing it voraciously.

After Fera, the others took and tasted the food. Ellard also took his share with Ara. They enjoyed the dish while smiling in praise of Clarissa's macaroons.

"This is very good Cla, aunt saranin you should open the figure of bread deh. Surely will sell hard" praise aunt Maya "In addition to beautiful and smart, it turns out you are also a cook. Lucky for the guy who can get you."

"Haha, can you do this aunt,"

"kalo at Ara's house must also be good at cooking, right?" asked Maya to Ara who had been silent and too focused on eating macaroons in her hands.

Ara stopped her chewing, "Ara's not good at cooking aunty," he admitted honestly

Maya blinked, somewhat surprised "oh so yes..not anything Ara, later you can learn little by little."

"Oh my goodness, even cooking can't. So what can you be proud of then?" oma's circus stabs

"Ma—" as Holland remembers. Since then he has been warning the spicy speech that came out of his mother's mouth

"History, since the first women in this family are all very proficient in cooking even though they are busy. But only this time there's a woman in our family who doesn't know how to cook. What the fuck. Just be ashamed,"

Everyone who was in that place instantly fell silent. Oma who has been quiet since before the arrival of Clarissa is now a lot of voices. Even this time his words were more piercing to Ara.

"Oma, my wife doesn't need to know how to cook. I've hired a lot of cooks at home." Ellard answered. "Just simple, my wife's job is only to take care of my personal needs and our children later. That's it" continued low but no less sharp.

Ara who had been looking down since she turned her heated eyes, now looked up at Ellard who was so defending her. Ellard clasped Ara's hand and brought her up. Look thoroughly at his family.

"It's getting late, we leave first." said Ellard and immediately went to take his wife out of there leaving his family still the most proud.

"Hm, that's my son" Holland smiled knot

While Clarissa looked at everything with a pained feeling. How Ellard who was so protective of Ara and clasped her hand seemed to give strength and took the girl away with him. All of those views are painful.

****

Ara was sitting on her bedside with her legs dangling to the floor, overlooking the balcony of the room. Mind floated. Remembering what happened earlier. Her heart ached when she remembered every word of Oma, especially now in front of her other husband's family. Oma loved Clarissa so much, while she looked so disgusting in the eyes of the oma. Ara was jealous, she did not deny it. Clarissa looks so special in the Ellard family, making her feel left out.

"don't remember anymore,"

Ara looked up, it was Ellard who had just finished taking a bath. Ellard sat down beside him, took Ara's palm and squeezed it. Sometimes he plays with the ring embedded in Ara's sweet finger.

"Patience. Oma just needs some time to see how adorable her daughter-in-law's granddaughter is, "Ellard pulled Ara's round cheek

"iihh is sick tofu. Get out there-I want to sleep," Ara pushed Ellard's bare chest. He laid his body down after pulling the blanket.

Ellard chuckled before following his wife into the blanket and hugged Ara's body tightly.he pinned a kiss on Ara's forehead.

"You want me to tell you something?"

"what?" Ara looked up

"I loved Clarissa as a friend. Never misunderstand me. Oma also loves Cla and often compares you to her. But I hope you'll never be affected."

"you mean?"

"Actually long ago, the girl Oma wanted to be my wife was Clarissa. But I refused it"

Ara bergeming. Staring in the bead firmly Ellard.

"Listen, the only woman I want to be my life partner with is you. I never chose another woman over you. Because whatever happens in the future, stay with me. Never go anywhere. Promise me that you will fight for me just as I fight for you, even though I know that your heart is not there at all. But I'm gonna keep waiting until your heart turns around wanting me as much as I want you,"

Ellard's voice sounded warm in his ears. Ellard smiled, then slowly the man lowered his head, fusing his lips together. Ellard sucked Ara's lips alternately until Ara slowly opened her lips to receive and return the man's kiss.The two kissed each other intensely, slowly and unhurriedly. But over time the kiss deepened and grew hotter.

Ara and Ellard separated the link of their lips as her breathing began to feel short.

"I want you" Ellard said in a raucous voice. Staring darkly at Ara's iris.

To be continued

Olaaa..delayed up her yahh 😅.

Hehe..