Looking at the empty bowl in front of Carlos, Piggy said cheerfully, "Uncle, you like wontons?"
Carlos nodded, "Yeah. It's yummy." Then he started on the beef and noodles.
Debbie walked out of the kitchen in an apron, holding a plate filled with a variety of sliced fruit. "Here, Piggy, have some fruit with Uncle. I bought your favorite cherries."
"Thanks, Mommy!" Piggy got to her feet and shot towards the bathroom to wash her hands.
Placing the plate on the table, Debbie followed Piggy into the washroom. "Hold on, honey. Mommy turns on the tap."
Watching their retreating figures, Carlos couldn't help but smile.
Piggy was the first one back to the dining room. She took a cherry from the plate, stood on tiptoe and raised it to Carlos' lips. "Uncle, eat this. It's my favorite."
Debbie just entered the dining room. Knowing about his obsession with cleanliness, she rushed over to stop Piggy. "Piggy, give it to Mommy. Uncle is eating noodles. He can't eat cherries while eating noodles, right? You can save some for him."
Piggy stared at her mom in confusion. "Noodles and cherries. Eat both. You do."
Debbie was lost for words. She didn't expect Piggy to have such a good memory.
As she was trying to come up with another excuse, Carlos raised Piggy's hand, lowered his head and ate the cherry. After eating it, he gave Piggy a thumbs-up. "Wow, it's so sweet! Thank you, Evelyn. You're a good girl."
Again, Debbie didn't know how to respond. 'So is he not a clean freak anymore? Or is that just for Piggy?'
After devouring the noodles, Carlos returned to eating cherries with Piggy. Debbie went back to the kitchen to clean the dishes.
Piggy suddenly asked Carlos, "Uncle, you have kids?"
"Nope." Carlos picked up a strawberry with a fruit fork and put it to Piggy's lips. Somehow, he loved feeding her. In his eyes, Piggy was the most adorable kid in the world. How he wished he could have a daughter like her!
"Uncle, may I call you Daddy? I have a Daddy Ivan and Daddy Yates," Piggy asked with a hopeful expression. She really liked Carlos a lot.
Debbie, who was listening to their conversation all the time, dropped the rag in her hand to the sink and ran towards them. "Piggy, be good! Are you done eating?" The words tumbled out of her mouth; she spoke rapidly and breathlessly. "Time to take a shower and go to bed," she added, her voice still betraying a bit of anxiety.
Suddenly, Carlos grabbed Debbie by her arm and asked in a cold voice, "Why don't you want me to get close to Evelyn?"
Debbie opened her mouth, but no words came out. 'Is it that obvious?' she thought.
With an embarrassed smile, she stammered, "Oh n-no. It's not that. It's... Piggy has a lot of...godfathers. Don't take her too seriously." In her mind, she yelled, 'You are her biological father. You can't be her godfather.'
"You're afraid of something. What is it?" he asked.
Debbie's thoughts were all mixed up. She was unable to come up with a perfect excuse now. "I... What are you talking about? You're imagining things." She lowered her head and pretended to untie her apron to hide her true feelings.
Carlos looked at Piggy, who was staring at them with her round eyes, and said in a soft voice, "Evelyn, you can tell me whatever you want, and I will do as you say."
'He spoils Piggy so much! I'm kind of jealous, actually, ' Debbie thought to herself.
Piggy hesitated. As a sensitive child, she could tell that her mom was not happy. "I...I just want cherries." After saying that, she picked up a cherry and popped it into her mouth, without saying another word.
Carlos stood up and said, "I need to go back home now. Evelyn, go to bed early. Goodbye."
Mother and daughter looked at his receding figure.
When Carlos reached the front door, he turned around and returned to the dining room. He told Piggy, "Evelyn, just sit right here, okay? I have something to tell your mom."
"Sure, Uncle." Piggy watched curiously as Carlos dragged Debbie's hand and led her to her bedroom. She had no clue what was going on.
Inside the bedroom
The room was bathed in darkness, the lights off. Carlos locked the door behind them and pressed Debbie against the wall. "Debbie Nian!" he said through gritted teeth.
"What?" Her heart raced, and she tried her best to remain calm.
"What do you want?" he asked. She had been pestering him constantly, trying to get him to notice her. But now he never saw her, like she gave up on him. It was sheer torture. As annoying as she was, she was also enticing, and he missed having her around.
"What?" Debbie was completely confused. 'What do I want? What's he trying to say?'
She could see his long face with the moonlight. With a pitiful expression, she said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Impatient, Carlos lowered his head and kissed her on the lips passionately.
'What's wrong? Why's he acting like this?'
If it weren't for Piggy waiting outside, Carlos wouldn't have let Debbie go. But now he couldn't just punish her in bed. Those tiny eyes and ears wouldn't understand. Letting go of her, he whispered in her ear, "Your apartment's access code?" 'She must have planned it this way, ' he cursed inwardly.
"0925," she answered honestly.
'That's my birthday. Is that a coincidence?' Carlos didn't know what to say.
Debbie first left the bedroom. Piggy still sat at the dining table. Upon seeing her mom, she asked with concern, "Mommy, your lips hurt? They're big."
Her face like a tomato, Debbie stammered, "I... I just bumped into the door."
Piggy nodded and blew on her lips. "Mommy, are you okay now?"
Debbie was almost moved to tears. She stroked Piggy's chubby face and coaxed, "Honey, I'm okay now. You're amazing."
"Mommy, where's Uncle?" Piggy glanced at the door to the bedroom.
Debbie bit her lower lips and stammered, "He...he'll be out soon."
'Thank God! Piggy's just a kid and knows nothing, ' she thought.
After calming down, Carlos walked out of the bedroom. Piggy was waiting for him at the door. Upon seeing him, she raised her head and said with a broad smile, "Uncle, stay?" The little one pointed to another bedroom. "There. Daddy Ivan was there."
Debbie was rendered speechless.
'When did Ivan sleep here?' Carlos flared up at Piggy's words and cast a murderous glance at Debbie. He squatted down and looked at Piggy. "Evelyn, did your daddy Ivan sleep with Mommy? Or did he sleep alone?"
"Leave her out of this, you pervert!" Debbie snapped.
"Shut up!" Carlos snapped back. If Debbie and Ivan had slept together, he swore to himself that he would punish her so hard that she wouldn't be able to get out of bed tomorrow.
Debbie pouted her mouth and thought, 'He's so mean! When his memory comes back, it'll be payback time!'
Piggy looked at Carlos and answered honestly, "Daddy Ivan is a man. A man can't sleep in the same bedroom with a woman. Didn't you know that?"