Bittersweet Arrangements : A Sugar Dady Affair

Surabaya, 6:30 PM

Elora has been in Surabaya for three days. During her stay, Elora resides in the luxurious residence owned by the Seivaz family. The lavish house is inhabited by two heads of the family, Ferdinan and Anton. Although Anton and Devina already have their own home, due to Elora’s grandmother frequently falling ill from heart disease, Anton suggested to Devina that they live with her parents-in-law. Strangely enough, since they moved in together, Sekar’s heart disease has almost never recurred. The frail woman’s body is also becoming more robust, as is her grandfather, Ferdinan.

Elora’s presence naturally adds liveliness to the luxurious house. The three girls of nearly the same age are the reason behind it. Moreover, all three share a similar taste in fashion. Hence, they embark on shopping sprees for clothes and accessories in Surabaya’s major malls. When else could Elora freely wander wherever she pleased? Devina, Mama Nindy, and Kyla repeatedly protest because Elora seems uninterested in their boutique’s collection, despite never missing the trends of teen fashion in her OOTD (Outfit Of The Day).

As a designer, Devina always stays updated on the current fashion trends among adults and teenagers alike. This is especially true for teenage fashion that evolves constantly. While Aira focuses more on the world of Muslim fashion, Devina serves as a role model for teenagers. So, don’t be surprised to see Devina’s stylish appearance. Even when she is with her daughters, Devina seems more like a sister than a mother.

Observing Devina’s interactions with her two daughters makes Elora envious. Anton and Devina grant full freedom to their two daughters. Despite being two years apart, Nindy and Kyla seem like twin sisters, even though they have different physical features. Devina’s European features are inherited by Kyla, while Nindy is a duplicate of Anton’s face.

From morning until noon, Elora spends time with Sekar at home or accompanies Devina to the boutique. Only when Nindy and Kyla return from school does Elora resume playing with her two cousins. Engaging in enjoyable activities according to her wishes helps Elora forget the heartbreak caused by Delon.

After the Maghrib prayer, Anton intentionally invites the whole family for dinner outside, including Ferdinan and Sekar. Anton wants to please Elora as much as possible during her stay in Surabaya. Anton feels sorry for his niece due to Deanova’s possessive attitude. Even though, as parents, what Deanova did was right, overly restricting a child’s freedom can affect their psychology. A teenage girl like Elora still needs to experiment and explore to find her true self.

***

**Surabaya, 21:25 WIB**

“Aku pengen pipis!” said Elora, who had just entered Nindy’s room. Elora casually tossed her phone onto the bed and then ran towards the bathroom.

Since arriving in Surabaya, Elora has chosen to sleep in Nindy’s room. Not because Elora doesn’t have her own room, but they have agreed to sleep together. Even Kyla sometimes joins them for a collective sleepover. Nindy, who was changing into her sleepwear, was disturbed when Elora’s phone started ringing. At first, Nindy ignored it, thinking it might be a call from Daddy or Elora’s friend. The ringing paused for a moment. A few seconds later, it rang again. This time, Nindy walked towards the bed to see who the caller was. If it was Daddy calling, Nindy had to answer it before Deanova got angry. Nindy was well aware of Deanova’s attitude towards Elora all this time. So, Nindy didn’t want Elora to get into trouble and eventually be picked up by her Daddy.

Seeing Uncle Delon’s name displayed on the flat screen made Nindy’s eyebrows furrow. Why would that man call her cousin in the evening? As far as Nindy remembered, Delon wasn’t particularly close to Elora all this time. Yes, just like his relationship with Deanova. Nindy fell silent, waiting for the ringing to stop. Curiosity began to take over Nindy’s heart, and she glanced at the bathroom door. Seeing that the door was still tightly closed, Nindy began to open the WhatsApp application on Elora’s phone. She searched for Elora’s chat with that man, hoping it could answer her curiosity.

Nindy’s eyes widened instantly when she saw Delon’s name there. There were more than 10 unread messages from Delon. Whether Elora intentionally didn’t read them or didn’t know about those messages, the second argument was doubtful because it was impossible for Elora not to know, considering her phone was always in her hands. With a pounding heart, Nindy dared herself to open Delon’s chat. Nindy was aware that her actions were wrong because she was audaciously opening someone else’s phone. But to satisfy her curiosity, Nindy did it anyway.

This time, it wasn’t just her heart pounding; it was working so intensely that it made Nindy’s body tremble heavily. The initial chats were ordinary, but the chats from the last three days astonished Nindy. Even the more dominant conversations from Delon gave the impression that they had a special relationship. Before Nindy finished reading them, a new chat came in.

Uncle DelonContent (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“El answered Uncle’s phone. Uncle knows you deliberately didn’t reply to Uncle’s messages and calls, right?”

Nindy didn’t realize that reading the message meant that the check mark in the chat had turned blue. Delon, who was on the other side, was happy because Elora finally read the dozens of messages he had sent.

Uncle Delon

“Okay, if you still don’t want to reply, Uncle will follow you to Surabaya tomorrow!”

Nindy’s eyes closed for a moment to control the turmoil in her heart. Nindy is still trying to avoid what is currently filling her mind. Nindy is not an innocent girl like Elora. Still in the 10th grade of high school in the second semester, Nindy already has 2 ex-boyfriends.

Klek… The sound of the bathroom door opening managed to make Nindy’s body gasp. But because her back was to Elora, the girl was quickly able to control herself. He slowly placed Elora’s cell phone back on the bed, right next to her. Don’t forget, Nindy has also closed the WhatsApp application that she opened earlier.

“Who called Nin, Daddy or Mommy the most?” Elora asked while adjusting the clothes she was wearing.

“No!” Nindy replied briefly while looking at Elora who was now walking towards the closed walk in.

“So?” Elora asked as she took the nightgowns neatly arranged in front of her.

“Uncle Delon!” Nindy’s short answer was like lightning in broad daylight. Grabbed Elora’s petrified body instantly.