The Ice Cream Deal [Fiction]

"I'm glad you came," my uncle said courteously, standing up to peck a young woman on her cheeks. She gave a stiff smile and sat across our table. She didn't look happy to be at the ice cream parlour.

I drummed my fingers on the table and smiled at the lady. She didn't return my smile. "Is he your son?" She asked.

"No," Uncle Tim chuckled and I frowned at him. He ruffled my hair. "He's my nephew."

I remembered Dad always argued with Uncle Tim and called him, I think something like the black sheep of the family. Dad hoped he would turn a new leaf.

When Dad begged Uncle Tim to babysit me for the afternoon until he returned from work in the evening, I asked if Uncle Tim had turned a green leaf. Dad guffawed and corrected me. "I'm hoping he will, son. Be good, alright? We'll grab dinner at that place you like beside the gas station." I nodded vigorously and promised to be on my best behaviour.

Soon after Dad drove away, Uncle Tim made a short phone call. He grabbed his car keys, paused my video game and said, "Hey kiddo, let's go grab a cup of ice cream, yea?"

I jumped for joy and ran outside to his car. He didn't need to ask twice, I loved ice cream.

We arrived at this pretty ice cream parlour where they sell fancy desserts and many flavours of ice creams. The fine lady showed up, walked to our table and sat down.

I sat beside Uncle Tim and watched them both for a while. I wondered why the lady wore her dark sunglasses in the brightly lit parlour and why they stared at each other without saying anything.

I was getting bored.

"Uncle," I whispered and shook his forearm. "You promised me ice cream."

Uncle Tim chuckled awkwardly and glanced at the lady and me. "I will. Just relax for a little while, okay?"

I sighed and turned to my left. Maybe gazing at people ordering their dessert would take my mind off ice cream.

^{Image credit: @wakeupkitty}

Then I saw the most tantalising sight ever. On a table were two sundae glasses filled with ice cream. One was filled with vanilla and chocolate with a wafer stick in it, while the other was just what I would have ordered—vanilla and strawberries!

My mouth watered instantly and my throat growled as I swallowed continuously. I couldn't take my eyes off the glasses of ice cream. I watched as a couple passed the cups to their children, wishing they were me.

I turned to remind Uncle Tim of my ice cream when I saw the lady pass a bulky brown envelope to my uncle. He snatched it off the table and quickly hid it in his back pocket.

The lady was angry at the moment and whispered from the side of her mouth as she stood up, "Don't ever bring a kid to our meetings again!" She walked away.

I turned to Uncle Tim. There were beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Why is your friend angry, uncle?"

Uncle Tim patted my head and put a hand on my shoulder like we were best friends. "She's not angry. I'll buy you any flavour of ice cream you want, just promise not to tell your Daddy about the lady, okay?"

I thought for a moment and glanced at my uncle's face. He grinned at me.

"Okay, uncle. Only if you buy me strawberry ice cream every day for a week, deal?"

His eyes widened in shock at my audacity. I shrugged and waited.

Uncle Tim burst into laughter and ruffled my hair. "Deal!"

What I see

I see a boy sitting with a couple but his attention is on the two cups of flavoured ice cream on a table.

What I feel

I feel the boy wants a cup and would do anything to get it.

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