Hidden Hearts

Chapter 19. Grumpy bear

Walking into Bob's dinner with Luke at her right, his arm over her shoulders, and North at her left, one hand in her back, Sang felt like the filling of a Taylor' sandwich. Trying to distract herself from her improper thought she started looking around, taking in the details of the place where she hopped to be working on.

The place was beautifully decorated and had a very homey feeling. It was the sort of restaurant where you could sit comfortably for hours, enjoying good food and relaxing while talking with friends and family.

The boys gave her a minute to look around before towing her to the back, where the doors to the kitchen stood. Walking through she was met with a cacophony of sounds, smells, and people.

The air was hot and heavy with different scents. There was a man standing by the stove keeping an eye on the food cooking there, another was by the sink, washing some of the dishes and putting others in the washing machine, a third man stood by an counter, cutting vegetables until he spotted us by the doors.

He was the one to attract most of her attention. The man was thin, bald and very old man, he stood with his back straight, shoulders back and chin raised while observing them from head to toe, much like she was doing in the moment.

Blushing in embarrassment she raised a finger to her lips, wishing the boys arms weren't behind her so that she could hide behind them for a little while.

Smiling, the man started to talk, his voice booming loudly in the room. "My boys! How nice of you to come and visit your old Uncle! Say, who is this lovely little bird?"

His eyes kept shifting from my face to where Luke's and North's arms rested on my person. I had felt odd but happy with them so close before, but now I felt only self-conscious. What would their uncle think?

"This is Sang Sorenson, Uncle." The sound of North's voice made the old man jump and stare at his younger nephew, his eyes suddenly filling with tears that he tried to hide by turning around and heading to the sink where he washed his hands while recomposing himself.

North shifted uncomfortably by my side and dropped his arm from my waist. Looking up at him I saw his face had turned to stone and his eyes showed regret.

I reached out and grabbed his hand in mine, interlacing our fingers together and giving a squeeze.

He looked down at our hands and then raised his eyes to mine. The look he gave me was in parts intense, soft and hot. It seared through my soul straight to my heart, like molten lava.

I sucked in a breath, my nose filling with the scents of the kitchen, Luke's vanilla smell and a musk that was all North. Turning back to face the kitchen I saw that Uncle had recovered and was watching us all with great interest, a slight smile on his lips.

"Welcome back to earth, kids." He said, his smile stretching with a mischief I often saw in Luke.

Blushing again I ducked my head while Luke laughed.

North grunted. "Don't tease her. She is shy." He said, making his uncle stare at him in amazement. He shifted uncomfortably again, but didn't comment.

"Well, then, what are you lot doing here? Come to help?"

"Sure." Letting go of me Luke headed to the counters and started to clean up. The lunch rush was over, now they had little to do.

"You may call me Uncle, little bird. All the kids do." He said while going back to chopping his vegetables. "And you might become family soon enough too..." the last was no more than a whisper, but my trained ear caught every word in the noisy ambient.