Chapter 34 Will you be my girlfriend?
“Mummy! Mummy!” Aurora heard the boys call her right from her slumber.
She groaned, turning on her side as she heard their voices again.
“Mummy, wake up!” Rowan uttered, holding onto her legs, while struggling to climb up the bed after his brother’s have.
“I’m up. I’m up.” Aurora grunted, forcefully opening her eyes. Very close to her eyes was Ryan's face, with a wide grin on it.
“Good morning, mummy!” He greeted, immediately he saw her eyes open.
“Hey, Ryan. Good morning. Why are you all up so early?” She groaned, moving her messy hair from her face as she tried to sit up.
“Up so early? Mummy, it’s 1 p.m. I don’t know why Ryan decided to say good morning. It’s afternoon.” Riley responded, shaking his head.
“She’s just waking up. Isn’t that the first thing to say to someone that just woke up??” Ryan retorted, causing Aurora to chuckle.
She rubbed their heads with her hand, letting out a wide smile.
“I’ll accept any greetings from you, okay?” She answered, and they nodded, smiling.
“Why did you wake up so late? We wanted to come this morning, but Papa said you had to rest more.” Rowan uttered, and Aurora nodded.
“Daddy was right. I had to rest. But don’t worry, boys. I’m up now.” She assured them, widening her eyes and making them laugh.
“Guess what, mummy?” Ryan added, and she creased her brows.
“What?” She asked, her gaze falling on their faces one after the other.
“Daddy is cooking today!” He answered, causing Aurora’s eyes to widen again.
“What? He’s in the kitchen? What of Theo?” She asked in awe.
“He told Theo not to bother.” Riley answered.
One of Aurora’s brows curved up at the thought of what the boys just told her.
‘What the hell is Mr Arthur doing in the kitchen? Is he trying to burn the house down with us in it?’ She pondered as she carefully yanked the sheets away from her body.
“C’mon, boys. Let’s say Hi to daddy.” She said to the boys, putting on her indoor slippers.
They all managed to get off the bed and made their way out of the bedroom.
Getting to the kitchen, Aurora’s face lit up in astonishment. She expected the kitchen to be in total chaos, but instead, she met a well organized kitchen, with a hot man in an apron and khaki shorts.
‘Who would have thought he’d look so good in an apron?’ Aurora thought, admiring him from the kitchen door, but she couldn’t do this at her satisfaction because the boys made noises as they ran into the kitchen.
“Daddy! Mummy is up!” Riley yelled, causing him to look back at Aurora.
“Hey!” He uttered energetically, showcasing a wide, happy smile.
“Hi.” Aurora answered shyly as she moved closer to where he stood.
“How are you feeling now? Better? Any hangover?”
“Hangover? I don’t think so. I must have slept through it.” She answered, causing both of them to laugh.
“You’re cooking. Why?” She asked.
“I felt the urge to.” He shrugged, letting out a chuckle.
“When the boys told me you were in the kitchen, I feared for our dear lifes, hoping you wouldn’t set the house on fire. I never knew you knew how to do things in the kitchen.” Aurora teased, and he scoffed.
“You shouldn’t judge someone like that, Aurora. You haven’t tasted my meal before. Because I have a butler, doesn’t mean I have no idea what is done in the kitchen.” He responded boastfully.
“Hmm. Really? And where did you learn how to cook?” She inquired, walking to the fridge to get some water.
“I didn’t learn how to cook. I grew fond of cooking when I was in the orphanage house. Weirdly, I love the smell of onions…”
“Onions?” Aurora asked in shock.
“I got that same expression every time I told someone about it back then in the orphanage home. They all thought it was weird. That I was weird. Onions just don't make my eyes water like it does to others.
“So I’d go into the kitchen often to help with slicing the onions, and soon I began to try some things out myself. After leaving the orphanage, I began to do wonders in my small kitchen when I got an apartment.” He narrated, smiling widely as he did.
Aurora smiled softly as she stared at him while he spoke. It was the very first time he said something about his past to her, and it felt so good.
‘He’s finally opening up to me.’ She thought.
“Why are you so quiet?” He asked, looking at her.
“Nothing. It was just random. I mean the quietness. So tell me, Mr. Chef, what are you making today?” She asked, folding her arms.
“Rocky Mountain Oysters.” He answered, and she broke into laughter.
“What?” He asked, furrowing his brows.
“What’s that? Is that even a thing?” She asked amidst laughter, and he nodded.
“Of course, it’s a thing! I’ll blow your mind off with the taste. I promise.”
They broke into laughter, looking into each other’s eyes as he continued cooking. The boys kept playing and running in and out of the kitchen, making lots of noise.
“Go and freshen up, okay? I’ll set the table.” Arthur said to her.
“I can help you set up.” She answered, and she shook her head.
“No. Theo will help me with that, okay? Caio.” He insisted, and Aurora, with a smile, nodded and walked out of the kitchen to do just as Arthur had told her.
Getting to her room, she began to recall that she had a conversation with Arthur before finally drifting off to slumberland the previous night.
But she couldn’t remember the details. She recalled his mouth moving and his face close to hers, but that was it.
“Argh! I must have said something stupid.” She groaned, as she made her way into the bathroom.
After freshening up, she put on her white simple dress and headed to the dining area. Getting there, the table was set already.
The aroma of the meal filled her nostrils, leaving her very hungry to devour whatever he had made.
“It’s all done.” Arthur uttered from behind her, carrying a white box in his hand. He carefully placed it on the table, and Aurora looked at his face.
“What’s that?” She asked, and he smiled.
“Dessert. That is for later. Let’s eat the main meal first.” He responded, pulling a chair backward so she could sit on it.
After she sat, he lifted the boys and placed them on the chairs, pushing them close to the table. And then he headed to his chair and sat.
“What about Theo?” She asked, looking up.
“I sent him to get us some fruit wine. The ones at home finished at the party last night. He should be here soon.” He answered, opening the main dish at the middle of the table.
“Thank you for the food, daddy!” The triplets chorused.
“And thank you too for eating!” Arthur answered, helping each of them serve their meals.
Aurora watched him with so much emotion written on her face. She could hardly remember the harsh and arrogant Arthur she used to know.
‘Soon, he’ll be able to open up to me about that Anita girl.’ She thought.
“Thank you.” She said to him, after he served her meal too. The meal looked so tantalizing, she couldn’t wait to dive in.
Taking in the first spoon, her eyes rolled up in a delightful surprise.
“What?!” She uttered, with her mouth full of food.
Arthur chuckled as he watched her facial expressions.
“This is so good!” She uttered, putting her hand about an inch away from her mouth.
“Yes! It’s so yummy!” Ryan added.
“Daddy is the best cook!” Rowan uttered.
All these compliments made Arthur so happy. The first time he cooked for someone other than himself was when he cooked for Anita, and she never appreciated him in such a loving manner.
After she left him, he never cooked for himself or anyone because it always reminded him of her. But this was different.
He didn’t think of her throughout his time in the kitchen. Instead, he was busy picturing Aurora’s face when she found out he cooked or even tasted his special dish.
And he was disappointed. Her reaction was just so right for him.
“Thank you. I bet I’ll start doing this often.”
“Oh yes, you should. I’m never eating any other kind of food except yours.” Aurora answered teasingly, causing him to laugh.
After a while, they finished eating, and it was time for dessert.
The boys were so excited and couldn’t wait to see the kind of dessert Arthur had prepared.
“Let’s open it already! You made this too?” Aurora asked, as Arthur reached for the box.
“Yes, I did.”
“Yes! I bet it will taste so good too.” She replied, clapping her hands in excitement like a baby.
Arthur laughed and moved away from the box.
“You open it.” He said to Aurora.
“What? Why me?” She asked, and he shrugged.
“Because I want you to. C’mon, open it already. The boys can’t wait.”
Aurora nodded with excitement as she pulled the cover of the box away from the top.
Seeing the cake in the box, Aurora’s smile was slowly replaced with shock.
On the cake, a question Aurora never expected to see was asked.
“Will you be my girlfriend?”
Her eyes widened as she raised her eyes to look at Arthur, who was smiling sweetly at her.
“Will you?” He asked softly.
Aurora tucked in her lips as she felt joyful tears heat up the back of her eyes.
“Yes.” She answered tearily, opening her arms so Arthur could embrace her.
“Girlfriend? What does that mean?” Rowan asked in confusion .
“Don’t worry, Rowan. It’s not for babies.” Ryan answered with a smirk, making their parents burst into laughter.