Boneca [Doll]

Chapter 48: Dipshit

"Promise me," Junko stood in front of her father’s office, a hand over the door.

"Jesus. Junko, I’ve promised a thousand times. I'll... refrain from saying anything unnecessary." Luuk was about to twist the doorknob, but she gripped his wrist. Despite being female, she exuded a man's strength filled with testosterone.

“Swear on God’s name,” she muttered. “That you’re not going to do unnecessary things either.”

"Baby, give it a fucking rest. Once we step into his room, everything will change, for heaven's sake. Who's giving any tinker's damn on what I'll say or do to him? We're moving away after we’re done here.”

“I care.” She shook her head. “That’s totally contrary to what you promised me this morning. You can be—"

He pulled Junko's arm and kissed her so deep, the staff nurse at the reception counter coughed unnecessarily loud.

“What... What was that for?” She wiped her wet lips, nudging him the same time the door opened.

A voice said on his right, “I would like to know that as well. Jona?”

Junko jerked away from Luuk when a lanky boomer stood in front of the office, staring at them with golden eyes that Luuk knew so damn well. However, they didn’t mesmerize him the way Junko's did. Just seeing the amber in them burn the pit of his heart like Hell's stones.

“Dad.” Junko gripped the hem of Luuk's shirt.

Her father put glasses on. He always thought Junko looked Japanese, but looking at this insufferable shlepper, she looked exactly like him.

Would it be outrageous if he asked her to do plastic surgery?

“You care to let me know what you’re doing in front of my office, Son? We don’t have an appointment today.”

The white male receptionist approached them. “Dr. da Graça. I’m terribly sorry for the intrusion. Your son—"

Luuk stepped in front of him and faced Dr. da Graça. “We don’t need an appointment. There won’t even be a lot of palavers involved. I’m Dr. Luuk Smit. Why don’t we talk in your office? I’m sure you won’t enjoy anyone listening to our conversation.”

Dr Da Graça looked at the receptionist and gave him a curt nod. The guy left them. Then he entered his office, leaving the door open for them.

“Dr. Smit? Are you my son's private doctor? His orthopedic, perhaps?” He folded several documents on his desk. “Please sit.”

“I'm not a physician. I'm a linguist from Stanford. Professor Luuk Smit." He pulled a seat and got comfortable, pointing at the seat next to him to Junko. His eyes still hadn’t left the old man. "That aside, I'm Junko's… your daughter’s lover.”

His face paled at the mention of Junko's name, or gender, or perhaps at the fact that he said ‘lover’. His lips became as thin and white as the papers on his desk. He looked straight at Junko. His back appeared as stiff as a board.

As if he was demanding a telepathic “Explain”, Junko said to him, “É... o que ele diz. Estamos em um relacionamento." [It’s... what he says. We’re in a relationship.]

Junko's hands were trembling under the desk. When Luuk grabbed them, they were frigid.

“Seu relacionamento não é da minha conta. O que você precisa explicar é por que ele te chamou de Junko." [Your relationship is none of my concern. What you need to explain is why he called you Junko.]