Chapter 914 Mumma! He is gone!

Chapter 914: Chapter 914 Mumma! He is gone!

Two days later...

The front door suddenly opened, followed by the hurried sound of little shoes running across the floor.

"Mumma! Mumma!"

Eli came rushing inside, his tiny backpack bouncing against his shoulders as he looked around for Bella. His cheeks were flushed from running and his dark hair was messy from the wind outside.

"Mumma! He is gone!"

Bella, who had been sitting nearby, immediately looked up.

Her eyes softened the moment she heard that familiar little voice calling for her. Even after hearing it for days, there was still something almost unreal about being called "Mumma." Every time Eli said it, she felt like she was living a dream she had never dared to ask for.

"Mumma! He is gone!" Eli repeated excitedly, running toward her.

Bella smiled and opened her arms slightly.

"Who is gone, baby?"

Eli stopped in front of her, breathing a little quickly from his run. His small chest rose and fell and his eyes were wide with excitement.

"That creepy uncle!"

Bella’s expression softened with understanding.

"Oh..."

"He’s gone!" Eli said happily, nodding his little head rapidly. "I looked everywhere!"

Bella smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Eli nodded so enthusiastically that his hair bounced over his forehead.

"I watched for two whole days!"

Bella blinked in suprise. "You watched?"

"Yesssss!!! Everywhere!"

He held up two tiny fingers with great seriousness.

"I looked when I went outside, when I went to class, when I went to wash my hands and even when everyone was playing. I looked everywhere!"

Bella couldn’t help smiling at the seriousness with which he had conducted his little investigation.

"And?"

"I didn’t see him!"

Eli’s whole face brightened.

"He’s gone!"

Bella gently reached for his backpack.

"Then I’m happy for you."

She slipped the little bag from his shoulders and placed it carefully on the couch.

Eli looked up at her with a proud smile.

"Me too."

He suddenly leaned forward and planted a tiny kiss on her cheek before immediately becoming shy about his own affection. His cheeks turned pink and he looked down at his shoes.

Bella’s heart melted.

"Aww..."

She wrapped one arm around him and pulled him closer.

"My little big champ."

Eli giggled, his shyness disappearing.

Then Bella noticed the way his eyes suddenly wandered toward the kitchen. She knew that look. She had seen it many times before.

Her lips curved.

"Do you want cupcakes and hot chocolate?"

Eli’s eyes became enormous.

"Cupcakes?"

"And hot chocolate."

His mouth opened in pure excitement.

"Yesss! Yesss!"

Bella laughed.

"Let’s go, then!"

She took his little hand, and Eli immediately began pulling her toward the kitchen as though she had just announced the most important event of his entire week. His small feet pattered against the floor and he tugged at her hand with all his strength.

When they reached the kitchen, Bella had already prepared everything earlier. The ingredients were neatly arranged across the counter, with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, chocolate and little cupcake liners waiting to be turned into their afternoon treat.

Eli climbed onto his little stool and stared at everything with sparkling eyes.

"Mumma..."

"Hmm?"

"Can I help?"

Bella looked at his hopeful little face. His eyes were wide and pleading and his small hands were already reaching toward the ingredients.

"Of course you can."

His smile became impossibly wide.

"I will help very carefully!"

Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Very carefully?"

Eli nodded solemnly.

"Very, very carefully."

A few seconds later, he had flour on his nose.

Bella stared at him.

Eli stared back.

Neither of them spoke.

Then he giggled.

Bella couldn’t hold back her laughter either.

"Eli!"

"I was careful!"

"You have flour on your nose."

He immediately rubbed his nose with his flour-covered hand, making an even bigger mess.

Bella laughed harder.

"Now it’s worse!"

Eli looked at his hands, then at her and burst into delighted giggles. His small body shook with laughter, and his eyes crinkled at the corners.

"What’s happening here?"

Jay’s voice suddenly came from the kitchen doorway.

He was leaning casually against the doorframe, a grin already spreading across his face as he looked at Bella and Eli gathered around the counter.

"We’re making cupcakes and hot chocolate!" Eli announced proudly.

Then he pointed at himself with a tiny, satisfied smile.

"And I was helping Mummy!"

Jay’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Cupcakes?"

He suddenly sounded more excited than Eli.

Bella looked at him and couldn’t help smiling. Sometimes she genuinely wondered whether Jay was an adult or simply a very tall child who had somehow been allowed to grow up.

"Can I also help?" Jay asked eagerly.

Bella laughed softly and nodded.

"Fine. Come here."

Jay immediately walked over, looking far too pleased with himself.

"I knew you would say yes."

Eli shifted over to make space for him.

"Uncle Jay Jay Jay can help!"

Jay placed a hand over his chest.

"Of course. Uncle Jay is very experienced."

Bella gave him a doubtful look.

"Experienced in what?"

"Eating cupcakes." Jay said proudly.

Eli burst into giggles.

"That’s not helping uncle Jay jay!"

"Of course it is," Jay defended himself seriously. "Someone needs to make sure they’re delicious."

Bella shook her head, smiling as she handed them both small tasks.

For the first few minutes, everything went surprisingly well.

Eli carefully stirred the mixture while Jay tried to help him, occasionally sneaking a little chocolate when he thought Bella wasn’t looking.

"Jay."

He froze.

Bella stared at him with her eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"You ate it."

"I was checking the quality."

Eli immediately pointed at him.

"Uncle Jay is stealing!"

Jay looked betrayed.

"Don’t expose me, little Champ."

Bella laughed and turned back toward the counter.

That was her mistake.

A few minutes later, another tiny disaster happened.

Eli accidentally shook the flour container while Jay was holding it.

A soft cloud of flour rose into the air.

Both boys froze.

Bella slowly turned around and stared at them with wide eyes.

Jay’s hair was covered in white.

Eli’s cheeks were covered in white.

There was flour across their noses, eyebrows, clothes and even their hair, making them look as though someone had dusted both of them from head to toe.

They stared at Bella.

Bella stared back.

For several seconds, nobody said anything.

Then Eli slowly whispered,

"Mumma..."

Bella pressed her lips together, desperately trying not to laugh.

Jay looked down at himself.

Then he looked at Eli.

Eli looked at him.

Both burst into laughter.

Bella finally lost the battle and started laughing too.

"You two!"

She reached over and wiped a little flour from Eli’s cheek but somehow managed to smear it even more.

Eli giggled.