The Reason I Keep Avoiding My Childhood Friend

d housekeeper who came yesterday.

When I first saw Mrs.
Marie, I felt that it was a waste for such a beautiful young woman to become our housekeeper.
Still, we desperately needed a housekeeper and she needed work.

“Please wash this.
My father bought it for me.”

Why did I add that second sentence? There’s no need for explaining. Guess I’m more thrilled about the first snack I got from my father than I thought.

“Oh my word, Arendine, you look happy.”

Mrs.
Marie smiled knowingly, making me blush.
Was I too childishly excited?

But strangely, I couldn’t tamp down my happiness.

“Yes, I’m happy!”

“Here you go, I’m done washing.”

“Let’s eat together.” Holding the plate of dripping cherries, I invited Mrs.
Marie to join us.

“No, I’m fine.
Enjoy it with your father.” Mrs.
Marie refused, seemingly unwilling to intrude upon the father and daughter.
So I didn’t press her either.

I sat on the sofa to wait for my father.
Unable to resist temptation, I picked up a cherry and put it in my mouth.

I rolled around the soft, smooth sphere in my mouth and then bit into the pulp.
Sweet and sour juice burst out.
Mhmm, so yummy!

I spat out the seeds and popped another cherry into my mouth.
Just seeing the pile of cherries on the plate made me happy.
Imagining my father buying these cherries himself, I smiled.
A beast-like man, buying cute little cherries.

Come to think of it, my first trip to the market with my father was quite amusing.

As I’ve mentioned before, my father has the appearance of a true villain.
Tall and heavily muscled, just his body was enough to make anyone feel threatened.
Added to this were a shaggy beard and round, beady eyes.

So when we went to the market, anyone who saw me walking with my father hand in hand, immediately perceived him to be my kidnapper.

“Let go of that child immediately!”

“Where are you taking the child?”

“It’s a kidnapper!”

“Call the guards!”

“Little girl, you must not blindly follow strangers.”

“No, he is not a stranger.” I had to repeatedly explain that he was my father, since each time this happened, my father would get confused on how to react and stand there awkwardly.

Of course, they would immediately apologize, still looking as if they don’t completely believe me.
The flustered look on my father’s face was priceless.

“Is it good?”

After washing up, my father sat next to me and asked.
Instead of answering, I picked up a cherry and held it in front of my dad’s mouth.
He looked embarrassed for a moment but then opened his mouth, allowing me to feed him the cherry.

“It’s delicious.”

How could you know without even chewing it? This thought came to my mind, but I pretended not to know.

“Yes.
It’s really delicious!”

I was feeling a little shy too, and my hands and feet moved around restlessly.