All Novel Drama
Chapter 37
Chapter 37
I know that my da
d will be surprised, but it’ll be good to see Uncle Iacopo. Yeah, my thoughts after I hit puberty were a
little less pure, but he stayed the same. A few more gray hairs, that’s all. My dad gained weight when
he got older, but Uncle Iacopo still probably has a six pack. I blush a little bit, since I shouldn’t be
thinking about him that way.
I unlock our front door and call out, “Dad! Uncle Iacopo! I’m home.”
I hear the sound of glass shattering. “Dad?” I walk deeper inside of the house, towards the kitchen.
Uncle Iacopo is sitting at the table, drinking a demitasse of espresso. My dad had a glass of orange
juice, but now it’s shattered on the floor.
“Don’t move. I’m getting a broom.” I open our broom closet and get out a broom and a dustpan. I
carefully collect glass and dump it in the trash.
When I’m done, I say, “Wow, I knew that my visit was a surprise, but I didn’t know that you’d be so
startled.” I lean in to hug my dad, but he’s as pale as he gets. “Aren’t you glad to see your daughter?”
Dad might be distant, but I know he loves me. Just not in the way that makes him constantly check on
me. He doesn’t care about my day-to-day life very much.
“Kelly, would you like to have a seat? Maybe a shot of espresso?”
“I’ll just take some orange juice, but I can pour it for myself.” I go to the fridge, take out the carton, get
two glasses, and pour orange juice into them. I give my dad one. He’s still frozen in place. There’s
sweat on his forehead.
“What’s wrong, Dad?”
“Maybe I should start,” Uncle Iacopo says. “Your dad and I have been talking about your future.”
“Um, okay.” I didn’t know that he was interested in my future. I never had to endure well-meant career
advice from Uncle Iacopo. Tons of people loved to tell me how to live my life, but not my favorite
“uncle.”
“Your father has run into a little financial difficulty, Kelly.”
“Dad?” I turn to him. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“Just fine, pumpkin.” He forces a smile. “But I won’t be able to pay for college anymore.”
My heart sinks. I have had to work hard enough to keep myself afloat. Without anything from my dad,
I’m not going to be able to go to school. I might have to take time off to save up.
“But I have a solution,” Uncle Iacopo says smoothly. “I’ve offered to help.”
“Oh, Uncle Iacopo, that’s very kind, but there’s no way that I could possibly accept.”
“I’m going to insist,” he says. His voice is hard this time. I hug myself, my arms crossed in front of me. I
see his eyes settle on the cleavage created by the position. The expression on his face doesn’t belong
on the face of a man that I call uncle.
“I can’t take money for nothing,” I argue. “I’ll just pick up another job.” And take a smaller course load.
And take forever to finish. Simple enough.
“It’s already done. I’ve paid your tuition until you graduate. I established a trust with you as the
beneficiary. The money will go directly to your school.”
“That’s very kind, but I’m still not accepting it.” Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.
“There’s nothing to accept. The bursar is more than happy to receive any kind of money. You don’t get
to give it back.”
“What do you want in exchange?” I tilt my head.
“You’re moving in with me. And I’ll decide when to let you go to school.”
I hear my dad’s swift intake of breath. His face is sorrow-twisted, as if Uncle Iacopo just said, “You’re
going to die.”
“I can’t move in with you.” I laugh, shaking my head. “I live at school. And what are you talking about,
you’ll decide when I go to school? I’m already enrolled for this semester.”
“You’ll live with me,” Uncle Iacopo says. “And you’ll have a driver to take you to and from school each
day when I decide to let you go. Your father has been…lax about your security, but it’s important to
me.”
“I don’t need a driver.”
“Then I shouldn’t mention that he’ll be your bodyguard.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard!” I snap at Uncle Iacopo. “Listen, I don’t know why my dad agreed to this, but
I won’t. You can stick your bodyguard where the sun doesn’t shine.”
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