Driver and the Miss: Get Closer to Me

Chapter 9 – Yuki’s Past

Yuki stared at the photo in the frame on the table near her bed.

She reached for the photo frame, gently rubbed the handsome face that was there.

"Daddy, why did you leave me alone? Only you who love Yuki. Even though Grandpa loves me, but he still feels like a stranger to me.”

“Daddy, why does Yuki have to have a mother like Mommy, a mother who hates Yuki. People say there isn't a mother who doesn't love her child, but why doesn't Mommy love Yuki, why does Mommy hate Yuki, Daddy? Why did Yuki have to be born, if only to be hated and ignored?" Yuki sobbed while hugging her Daddy's photo.

Then she looked at her Daddy's handsome face again.

"Yuki wants to come with Daddy, but if Yuki catches up with Daddy, then everything Daddy has worked so hard for will definitely be taken and destroyed by Mommy and her new husband. I do not want to let them take Daddy's property..." Yuki sobbing then wiped her tears.

"Daddy, Yuki has a new driver this week, his name is so cool Daddy. Do you want to know what his name is? His name is Yuda Steffano William, it's cool, right? He's also cool like you, he's also patient and kind like Daddy. Yuki calls him Uncle Yuda. Uncle Yuda already has a wife, he loves his wife, just like Daddy loves Mommy.”

“In the past, wherever Daddy went, Daddy never forgot to bring Mommy souvenirs. Daddy said whatever Daddy enjoyed, then Daddy wanted Mommy to enjoy it too. Uncle Yuda was also like you, Yuki invited him to eat at the restaurant, but he said he wants to take it home so that he could eat it with his wife. Uncle Yuda like Daddy who loves Mommy, but Mommy... Daddy..." Yuki's crying grew louder. She laidon her side with her hands holding her Dad's photo to her chest.

Mr. Yamada, Yuki's dad, died in an accident 4 years ago. After Mr. Yamada passed away, Veronica, or Vero, Yuki's Mom, immediately brought home a man much younger than herself to their home. Vero said that the man was Yuki's new daddy. But Yuki refused to consider that man as her daddy.

Veronica, who was always rude to Yuki, got even harsher after Yuki's dad died. Yuki wasoften locked up in the warehouse if her Mom thoughtYuki made a mistake. Yuki wasonly allowed to go to school and wasnot allowed to go outside to play.

Yuki feltsick at home. Her mom often held parties with her friends. Yuki thought it wasted of her dad's money. But luckily, Yuki's Mom could not take over her late husband's company. Because the company was passed on to Yuki. When she was20 years old, or when she got married, the company would be handed over to Yuki.

For another year, Yuki had to suffer because of how her Mom treats her until the news of Yuki's dad's death reached her grandpa. The relationship between her grandpa and her dad was severed when Yuki's dad decided to marry her mom.

And here she was now, under his grandfather's protection. Her grandpa collaborated with her Dad's lawyer to hide Yuki from her mom,until the time  for Yuki to receive her inheritance would come. Her dad's lawyer smelled something suspicious and being planned by Yuki's stepfather. But they didn’t have enough evidence to report it to the Police.

****

After bathing and praying at dawn at the mosque, Yuda immediately drove his motorbike to Mr. Yamata's house.

Once he arrived there, Yuda went straight to the kitchen to ask for a cup of warm coffee.

" Yuda, what time did you wake up? You arrived here at this time," asked Mrs. Gayah, one of Mr. Yamata's household assistants.

"At 3 o'clock, Ma’am. I was going to the wet market," said Yuda

"What are you doing at 3 o'clock to the wet market?"

"I worked as a transport laborer from early morning until just before dawn at the market."

"Oh, you are a hard worker, huh. Even though you don't have children yet?"

"Yes Ma'am, I don't have any children, but I have a mother, in-law, brother, and two nephews that I have to support besides my wife."

"No wonder you works hard. I salute you, Yuda, you are so manly, handsome, but wants to work hard to become a laborer in the market."

"Hahaha, thank you for the compliment, Ma’am. If it's not me, who else will support my family. I will do whatever for the sake of my family, but the most important thing, it should be halal."

"That's right."

" Yuda," Mrs. Rah, who had just entered the kitchen called him.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Miss Yuki is waiting for you at the dining table"

"Alright, Ma'am. Then, I'll excuse myself, Mrs. Gayah. Thank you for the coffee."

"Yes, you are welcome."

Yuda came out of the kitchen, he went to the dining room. Yuki was already sitting and enjoying her breakfast there.

"Good morning, Miss."

"Good morning, sit down. Hurry and have breakfast, I'll be late!" Yuki said in a curt tone, even though her voice sounded a little different from usual. Yuki also didn't look at Yuda when she spoke, her gaze focused on her food.

What surprised Yuda was, Yuki has answered his greeting. And this was the first time this had happened in one week for him as Yuki's driver.

They ate in silence.

"I'll wait in the car, quickly finish your breakfast Uncle!" Yuki got up from her seat, then walked away from the dining table without looking at Yuda. Yuda felt something strange on Yuki's face. Her face was swollen, Yuki's eyes were red and swollen.

Yuki seemed to put on her glasses to cover what happened to her face.

Yuda quickly finished his breakfast, then followed Yuki to the car.

Yuki sat in the back seat, it seemed like she wanted to be alone. Her back leaned against the back of the car seat. The earphone was attached to her both ears. Yuda drove his car at normal speed. Every now and then his eyes glanced at the rearview mirror to see Yuki behind him.

'What made her cry? I think she has everything a girl her age could want. So what has made her have to shed tears? Miss Yuki, you have a million mysteries. Hhhh... why should I think about it? I'm just the driver. I don't deserve to know my employer's private life. Besides, there are still a lot of my own family matters that I have to think about.'

The car stopped in front of Yuki's school gate. Yuki got out of the car after Yuda opened the car door, but Yuki quickly got back into the car.

"Uncle, drive the car now!" She said almost shouting at Yuda. Yuda was still frozen in place.

"Uncle, hurry up!!" She exclaimed.

Yuda quickly got into the car. He drove the car and feeling very confused.

Yuda glanced at Yuki who sat down by lowering her body so that she could not be seen from outside the car window that was actually closed. As soon as the car was far from the school area, only then Yuki straighten her back.

"Where are we going to go, Miss?" asked Yuda who was still confused about Yuki's strange act.

"We're to go to Uncle's house," Yuki replied briefly. Yuda was flabbergasted to hear this.

"To my house, why, Miss?"

"Don't ask, just do what I tell you, understand!" Yuki replied loudly.

"Alright, Miss." Even though a thousand questions were in his mind, Yuda no longer dared to ask. He drove the car to his house.