Imperfect Desires

Coming back to the present...

Seeing Xiu's lost expression, Darren asked, "What's wrong? What are you thinking about now?" He only asked this because this was the only time he saw her quiet today. Since the morning, she had been talking and now it was already nighttime. He didn't believe that she was tired of talking and that's why she stopped. 

Xiu took another bite of the food before and smiled, "It feels weird."

"What?" he questioned with an arched brow.

"This bland food seems extra delicious today," she replied. "Or maybe my taste buds are damaged now."

"No, it must taste delicious," agreed Darren. "It's made by a father for his daughter. How can it not be delicious?"

Xiu nodded her head, "Right. It has to be because of that." She grinned at Darren and added, "This is my first in both of my lives." She looked back at the food before her saying, "I should savor it some more."

She was gobbling down the food when Jackie ran inside the room and waved at both of them, "Hi, patients! How are we doing today?"

Xiu gaped at him, "Little brother, are you making fun of us?"

Jackie shook his head, "Nah! I just wanted to do it once."

"Where were you all day?" asked Darren. "I didn't think you'd take this long to show up."

"Brother-in-law, if I could I would camp in this room," replied Jackie. "But I have a mother who didn't allow me to skip school. It's a tragedy that even I have to suffer through places like schools."

Darren couldn't laugh out because it'd make his own head dizzy, so he bit his bottom lip to hold back his laughter. "It's really a tragedy. Our smart Jackie is also a victim of schools."

Xiu frowned at Jackie, "Since when did you start disliking schools?"

"Since the time school is stopping me from staying beside my sister," replied Jackie without any hesitation.

Xiu smiled drily and said, "Bro, stop spending time with Nora. Her head is filled with Dora cakes. Don't let her rub off on you." She took a pause and added, "Where is Clara mom?"

"Mom is being savage today," he retorted.

"Savage?" repeated Xiu. "She was already pretty savage though." Sighing out, she asked, "Have you eaten something?"

"I have," replied Jackie. "I ate before coming here."

"Good."

Then Jackie moved over to Darren's side when the nurse cleared his table. He jumped on his bed and sat beside him with his legs dangling down. "Brother-in-law, does it hurt a lot?"

Darren was surprised when he heard that. "It doesn't hurt."

Jackie placed his small hand lightly on top of his forehead that was wrapped in gauze. "I think it hurts. But you're just not telling me. You don't want my sister to worry, right?"

Darren licked his lips and said, "No, I'm telling you the truth. It doesn't hurt at all." He took a brief pause and added on purpose to convince him, "It's a small wound. It's nothing to worry about."

Jackie made a displeased look before pulling out his phone and showed the screen to Darren, "I looked it up. And my research shows that no matter how small of a brain surgery it is, it's never too small."

Darren gaped at the little boy in disbelief, "Why would you even look it up?"

"So that I know what I can do to help you," he replied. "You need to get better fast."

"Little bro, you're not worried about me?" questioned Xiu when she heard Jackie talking to Darren. She was actually very amused but sounded like she was being wronged by him.

"I'm worried about you as well," said Jackie. "That's why I think you should focus solely on taking rest. If you don't jump around, I think you'd be fine, sister."

"You're upset with me?"

Jackie didn't refute her words, "Of course, I am. You don't take care of yourself at all. Do a better job. I want a healthy niece or nephew."

"It's a nephew," corrected Xiu.

"How do you know?" questioned Jackie.

"I had a dream," she answered him honestly.

Darren was amused to see how Jackie hurriedly even believed her words. Just because she had a dream about it, he'd believe it? Well, the facts proved that he would!

"Okay, then take better care of my nephew! Don't take your health as a joke."

Xiu held her hand over her chest and said, "I've always seen you lecturing Nora and never realized how it felt. Now that I'm at the receiving end, it sure feels like something."

Darren chuckled softly at her while Jackie said to him, "Brother-in-law when you get better, let's go to the amusement park together."

Xiu coughed out, "Wait! It's not even a science fair or astronomy exhibition. Are you really asking to go to an amusement park? What the hell is wrong with today?"

Jackie turned his head to give Xiu a look, "Why can't I go to have fun?"

"Baby brother, your definition of fun had never involved an amusement park," replied Xiu honestly. She was really having doubts whether this was really her brother or someone switched souls with him. 

Darren didn't pay attention to their conversation, instead, he rubbed Jackie's head and said, "Okay. We'll go to the amusement park. Anything else?"

Jackie shook his head, "Don't get the wrong idea. You won't be taking me. I'd be taking you to the amusement park."

"There is a difference?" asked Xiu.

"There is," he replied. He took a pause and added, "Let's take that annoying niece of mine as well."

Xiu giggled, "Call her by her name! Are you planning on calling my son this way as well?"

"What do you plan on calling your son?" asked Jackie.

"My little tiger," replied Xiu with a grin.

"Then I'll just call him that as well."

Xiu looked at him for a moment before looking at Darren, "Regan, there is definitely something wrong with him today."

Darren didn't pay attention to her. Instead, he asked Jackie, "Is there anyone else you'd like to take to the amusement park?"

Jackie cleared his throat and said, "I heard my annoying niece just got a new elder sister." He acted suspiciously as he added, "Although I don't like her mother, we can't hate her for her mother's choices. After all, we can't choose our parents." Darren nodded his head with his lips pressed into a thin line trying to hold back his laughter. "So, I think we can take her as well."

Darren patted his head, "That's a good idea. We should take Asteria. I like the way you think. Indeed, Jackie is a mature gentleman."

Jackie smirked saying, "Oh, right. Her name is Asteria."