Bittersweet Arrangements : A Sugar Dady Affair

“Please come in!” Fatimah welcomed the beautiful woman in front of her.

“Thank you, Ma’am. I’m Dinda, Devan’s friend. Am I disturbing?” Dinda spoke politely as she entered Devan’s hospital room.

“Of course not. Please come in,” replied Fatimah, pulling out a chair for the woman.

Dinda greeted Zaky, who was sitting on the sofa, before turning her attention to Devan.

“Sorry to bother you,” said Devan, looking at Dinda who was placing the fruits she brought on the table.

Dinda smiled and took a seat.

“How are you?” Dinda asked, looking at Devan with a gaze filled with concern.

“I’m fine,” Devan replied. “It’s just a small injury,” he added with a slight chuckle.

Zaky and Fatimah exchanged glances as they observed the somewhat awkward interaction between Devan and Dinda. Fatimah began to notice Dinda’s polite and neat appearance. She exuded grace and gentleness, and her maternal aura was evident in the way she spoke. Fatimah’s assessment of Dinda was undoubtedly positive, matching her observations.

“Do you want anything? or shall I peel the fruit for you?” Dinda offered, a gesture that Devan promptly declined. Dinda felt awkward not because she was in front of Devan but because both of Devan’s parents had made her the center of attention since her arrival a few minutes ago.

“We’d like to get some fresh air outside. You two chat for a bit,” Fatimah excused herself, pulling Zaky’s hand to leave. Zaky, understanding Fatimah’s intention, felt hesitant. The woman his son loved was Elena, not the woman currently in front of him. Leaving them alone in the room wouldn’t be ideal.

Devan’s eyes widened when he heard his mother’s words. His gaze locked onto his father’s eyes as a sign to reconsider their plan to leave. Devan didn’t want to be left alone with Dinda in the room.

“Just Mama. Papa is lazy, and it’s hot outside,” Zaky refused, sitting back down.

Devan breathed a sigh of relief. His father always understood his preferences. Fatimah, feeling annoyed, went outside alone, genuinely seeking some fresh air around the hospital.

“Do you not have work, Din?” Devan initiated the conversation since the room had fallen into an awkward silence for the past five minutes.

“Since there was a lull at the office, I dropped by the workshop. Lucky mentioned you had an accident and were being treated here. So, I came directly,” explained Dinda, then gently touched Devan’s leg, which was encased in a cast. “This must be really painful, huh?” Dinda continued, grinning as she imagined the pain Devan was experiencing.

“It’s tolerable,” Devan replied briefly. “Oh, please help yourself to a drink!” Devan pointed to the table, which already had several bottles of beverages for the visiting guests.

To break the awkwardness, Dinda picked up a bottle and took a few sips. Meanwhile, Zaky, who was present, chose to act indifferent and busy himself with the newspaper. As Fatimah, his wife, had not returned yet, Zaky excused himself, intending to join her.

Feeling a warmth on his back, Devan slowly raised his body. Dinda, noticing Devan grimacing in pain, instantly offered her assistance.

“I can do it myself.”

“Excuse me, good afternoon.”

Devan’s words suddenly stopped. His gaze was immediately focused on the door. And sure enough, currently Elena is standing there with her Mommy who is still holding the door.

“Oh, there are guests.” Vanessa immediately approached Dinda and gave her old friend a warm hug.

“Hi, how are you?” said Dinda, returning Vanessa’s hug.

While the two women were greeting each other, two pairs of eyes were currently looking at each other. Expressing each other’s long-held longing. If Devan could walk he would definitely carry the girl’s body in his arms. Netra Devan started scanning Elena’s entire body. Starting from toe to head to make sure that the girl was okay as Erick said yesterday.

“Thank God I’m fine, what about you?” Dinda replied after their hug broke apart. “El, why are you still there?” Dinda added when she saw Elena who was still frozen in front of the door.

“Oh my gosh, I forgot about my own child,” chuckled Vanessa then approached Elena and took the girl with them.

Devan smiled at Elena. He didn’t care anymore about the two women beside him who were talking. Since then, it was the girl he had been waiting for. How willing is Devan to waste the opportunity he has? Devan slowly shifted his body down a little. Trying to reach the girl’s body. But because of the cast on his leg, Devan couldn’t move any further.

Ignoring the jealousy in her heart, Elena, who understood Devan’s wishes, gave in. The girl shifted her body slightly closer to the bed. Waiting for what the man will do in front of Mommy and Dinda.

A smile spread across Devan’s lips when his fingers were able to reach Elena’s. He held her slender fingers without breaking their visual contact in the slightest. The conversation between Vanessa and Dinda was of course just a passing wind for both of them. They are completing feelings of longing that have been hidden for a long time.

“Oh, sorry, I can’t stay any longer.”

Suddenly, Dinda couldn’t continue her sentence. Her tongue stiffened when she saw Devan holding Elena’s hand tightly. The scene felt very strange to Dinda. As far as she knew, they were like a family. But what she saw did not reflect that. Dinda looked alternately at Devan and Elena, her lips slightly agape. She couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. Sensing Dinda’s gaze on Devan and her daughter, Vanessa cleared her throat, trying to neutralize the suddenly uncomfortable atmosphere.

Devan and Elena, on the other hand, had been ignoring the people around them since earlier. They were too engrossed in their own feelings, unaware that they had become the center of Dinda’s attention.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Elena, you should sit down. Don’t stand for too long. Remember, your leg hasn’t fully healed yet!”

Vanessa’s warning managed to break the romantic moment between Devan and Elena.

A smile played on Devan’s lips as his fingers managed to reach Elena’s. He held her slender fingers tightly, maintaining uninterrupted eye contact. The conversation between Vanessa and Dinda, of course, was like a passing breeze for them. They were settling the long-held longing.

“Oh, sorry, I can’t stay any longer.”

Suddenly, Dinda couldn’t continue her sentence. Her tongue stiffened when she saw Devan holding Elena’s hand tightly. The scene felt very strange to Dinda. As far as she knew, they were like a family. But what she saw did not reflect that. Dinda looked alternately at Devan and Elena, her lips slightly agape. She couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. Sensing Dinda’s gaze on Devan and her daughter, Vanessa cleared her throat, trying to neutralize the suddenly uncomfortable atmosphere.

Devan and Elena, oblivious to the people around them, were too engrossed in their own feelings to notice they had become the center of Dinda’s attention.

“Elena, you should sit down. Don’t stand for too long. Remember, your leg hasn’t fully healed yet!”

Vanessa’s warning managed to break the romantic moment between Devan and Elena.

“Oh, right,” Devan responded, releasing Elena’s hand.

Devan looked awkward, offering a smile to Dinda and saying, “What’s up, Din?”

Dinda glanced between Devan and Elena, her lips pressed together. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Realizing her attention, Vanessa coughed, attempting to lighten the suddenly uncomfortable mood.

Devan and Elena, on the other hand, had been ignoring the people around them since earlier. They were too busy with their own feelings, unaware that they had become the center of Dinda’s attention.

“Oh, right,” Devan responded, releasing Elena’s hand.

Devan looked awkward, offering a smile to Dinda and saying, “What’s up, Din?”

Dinda glanced between Devan and Elena, her lips pressed together. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Realizing her attention, Vanessa coughed, attempting to lighten the suddenly uncomfortable mood.

Devan and Elena, on the other hand, had been ignoring the people around them since earlier. They were too busy with their own feelings, unaware that they had become the center of Dinda’s attention.

“Emm… I have to go back. We’ll continue this some other time,” Dinda excused herself upon hearing her phone ringing in her bag. She had gone outside during the break, and now she had to return to the office.

“Sorry, I can’t stay any longer.” Dinda held onto Devan’s arm, intentionally provoking a reaction from him and Elena, who had been looking displeased.

Dinda hurriedly left Devan’s treatment room with mixed feelings.

“No way. This must be just my feelings,” Dinda muttered to herself, trying to dispel the negative thoughts that were beginning to take root in her mind.

After Dinda’s departure, Devan called Elena to come closer. Devan missed the girl so much that he didn’t care about Vanessa’s presence. Elena hesitated but approached while glancing towards her Mommy, seeking permission. Vanessa nodded in response. However, Vanessa wouldn’t let them be alone in the room.

“I miss you, Bee.” Devan said, looking quite amusing in Vanessa’s eyes.

Before witnessing a love drama resembling a stand-up comedy, Vanessa chose to move to the sofa. It was okay if she had to be the mosquito repellent as long as she could continue to keep an eye on them, as promised to Jeremy. She didn’t want to make her husband angrier and more disappointed. Since the accident yesterday, Jeremy had been more contemplative. Even the nightly rendezvous, which was never missed by him, had to be skipped last night. This, of course, saddened Vanessa. She understood Jeremy’s feelings now. His self-esteem was too high to accept all of this.

By giving her approval to Devan and Elena, it would undoubtedly affect her husband’s psychological state. Because it was inevitable now that their extended family would become public gossip if Devan and Elena were to get married.

“I…” Elena couldn’t bring herself to speak. She was afraid and embarrassed to confess her feelings for Devan in front of her Mommy.

“Uncle, please forgive me, okay? Because of me, Uncle got sick like this,” El continued, trying to shift the conversation.

“I’m okay, El. It’s just a small wound,” Devan replied with a smile. Just being able to meet Elena made him happy enough. Moreover, now he could freely talk to his crush in front of Vanessa.

“Don’t say it’s a small wound like this; just look at Uncle’s leg!” Elena grumbled with regret. All of this happened because of her carelessness. If she hadn’t let her feelings get the best of her, she wouldn’t have crossed the road so recklessly.

“It’s okay, Bee. I’ll do anything for you.” Devan’s statement made Vanessa feel a bit ticklish.

Devan reached for Elena’s fingers, which she immediately rejected. But Devan didn’t care. He forcefully grabbed Elena’s hand again and held it in his.

“Ahem… She’s still a kid. Don’t flirt too much!” Vanessa warned Devan to prevent him from going further. It was already lenient of her to just voice her protest; if Jeremy were here, he might have broken the guy’s hand.

“Oh, come on, your Mommy is so strict, Bee,” Devan chuckled, still unwilling to let go of Elena’s hand.

“El, remember Daddy’s warning!”

This time, Elena pulled her hand. Daddy’s threats were never taken lightly. So, before something unwanted happened, Elena had to comply.

“Okay, I won’t touch Elena without your and Jeremy’s permission.” Finally, Devan gave in. It was better to concede than to face difficulties when he wanted to meet Elena again.

“Good boy!” Vanessa said casually, then continued surfing on her social media accounts.

“Well, I was learning to call you Mommy!” Devan teased, deliberately making Vanessa annoyed. Devan knew his friend would never be able to hate him.

“Be careful if you dare. I won’t let you call me Mommy!” Vanessa warned, managing to evoke laughter from Devan. Honestly, Devan himself felt amused having to address a woman two years younger than him with the term “Mommy.”

“Enough, don’t mess around! Step over Jeremy’s dead body first,” Vanessa continued, thinking about the sentence she had just spoken. “Oops, sorry… I meant get Jeremy’s permission first,” Vanessa quickly corrected herself as she had spoken without thinking.

Seeing the interaction between Mommy and Devan made Elena scratch her head which suddenly felt itchy. I swear to God, the two of them will never be worthy of being a mother and daughter pair. Just like he and Devan are not suitable lovers. Suddenly, Elena felt ashamed of herself because she might fall in love with the man she often called aki-aki.

“Mommy!” Devan called, deliberately teasing Vanessa as he grabbed Elena’s fingers again to hold.

Then, without Vanessa realizing it, Devan kissed Elena’s hand quickly and returned it to normal while whispering, “I love you, Bee.”