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All I need after a long night of hacking into a corrupt corporation is the thought that tomorrow I’ll see my little Lena. I love the feel of her small arms around my neck when she hugs me, and her sweet laughter. It’s hard to believe she’s already turning six... I don’t like being the boring uncle, but I can’t deny that my heart breaks a little each time she waves goodbye as she heads into school. I wish I could spend more time with her. Lena is growing up so fast... I can barely keep up.
Tomorrow is Uncle’s Day, and she insisted on celebrating with me. I can’t wait to see her. I laid down comfortably on the motel bed, stretching my arms as I drifted off to sleep...
I adjusted the collar of my black T-shirt. Nothing flashy—I don’t like drawing attention. I gathered my courage and knocked on the door. Nicky greeted me with her usual warm smile.
“Aiden! I’m so glad you came! Jacks and Lena have been looking forward to spending time with you.”
I felt a bit awkward in that moment. I don’t know why, but when I’m with my family, all my defenses drop, and I turn into a complete softie, especially with Lena. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jacks too, but what I feel for Lena... it’s an inexplicable affection. Nicky wrapped her arm around my shoulder and guided me to Lena’s room. There she was, ready to go, wearing a green tank top. She was playing with some miniatures of a doll called... Hello Kitty?! I only know the names of these toys because of my nieces and nephews. I swear.
I opened my arms and kneeled on the floor, crawling up to her silently and giving her a warm hug. She jumped, surprised since she had her back to me, and let out a little scream.
“Uncle! Don’t squeeze me!”
I laughed as I held her tight, then lay down on the floor and released her. Lena, in turn, pretended I wasn’t there and went back to playing with her doll.
“Did you miss me?”
She just nodded, still absorbed with the doll. I saw Jacks enter the room and quickly sat up. He ran into my arms and hugged me tightly.
“Are you taking us fishing today?”
“Of course! And after that, we can go camping and stargazing. What do you think?”
He answered with a sincere smile, and I turned my gaze to Lena.
“And you, little one? What do you say?”
“Hmm! I don’t know! Mommy said I can’t come back with mosquito bites!”
She gestured like Nicky and I burst out laughing. Nicky herself appeared at the door, hands on her hips, as impatient as ever.
“When are you going? It’s almost lunchtime, and if you’re staying, let me know because I didn’t make anything!”
I lifted Jacks off my lap and stood up.
“Shall we go?”
Both kids shouted excitedly, jumping and running to the car. Nicky and I followed, helping them get into their booster seats.
“Take good care of them, Aiden!”
“Don’t worry.”
I knew the way well. Lena loved Pawnee and always asked me to take her there. We arrived before noon, and I spoke with a fisherman familiar to the family, who lent us fishing rods and bait. We sat by the river and waited for the fish to bite. The weather couldn’t have been better—the sunlight reflected on the water, making it seem even clearer, and the breeze was refreshing, causing the leaves to fall gently.
“Uncle! I think I caught one!”
I saw Lena pulling on the fishing rod with all the strength her tiny arms could muster.
“I... I think you did, sweetheart! Come on, try to pull it in!”
Jacks joined her in helping, and I positioned myself by the edge, ready to grab the fish.
“When I count to three, pull as hard as you can, okay?”
“Yes!” they chorused.
“One...”
“Two...”
“...Three!”
They pulled so hard they fell back, landing in the mud. Nicky would freak out, but since she wasn’t there, we all burst out laughing. I was on the ground too, feeling the fish’s tail slap against my face...
I brought the fish to our table, which we were sharing with a young couple and another guy with blue hair. I had never seen him before, but I thought his name was Markowicz. We shared our fish, enjoying a pleasant lunch. Afterward, we took a boat ride, relaxing as we watched the water. Lena and Jacks started playing pirates, and an older woman who was also on the boat struck up a conversation with me.
“They grow up fast, don’t they?”
“Yes, they do. Lena is turning six this June.”
“My son Marcus is an adult now. Can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday he was as little as your daughter!”
I blushed and smiled faintly.
“She’s my niece.”
“Oh! My apologies! You two really do look alike!”
It’s true—I am a father figure to both Lena and Jacks, and they’ve learned so much from me. I can’t deny that I like it.
As the afternoon wore on, we sat by the river for a small picnic. The sun was setting, and soon we’d be able to see the stars, just as I’d promised Jacks. I felt Lena tug on my shirt sleeve.
“What is it, princess?”
She pointed to her mouth and made a funny face—it was smeared with peanut butter. I grabbed a napkin and carefully wiped around her small lips with my right index finger. She blushed and rewarded me with a smile. I turned my attention back to the water when I felt another tug.
“Did you get messy again, sweetheart?”
I chuckled and turned to her. To my surprise, she was holding a gift box and a teddy bear with a small card. My heart melted instantly, and tears began to blur my vision.
“For... For me?”
She blushed and stretched out her little arms, handing me the gifts.
“Thank you!”
I picked her up, placing her on my right leg, and began opening the gifts in front of her. The teddy bear was soft and white, holding a heart that read, “I love you.” I carefully took out the card and began to read.
“Dear Uncle,
Thank you for all the moments we share together. You’re my superhero!
I love playing and going on adventures with you, and every moment we have is unique. You’ve always looked after me when Mom couldn’t, and you’ve always given me attention and love. Thank you so much for everything.
I love you a lot, you’re the best uncle in the world! Happy Uncle’s Day!”
At the bottom, there was a beautiful drawing of the two of us, done by her. I wiped away the tears and kissed her gently on the forehead. The last gift was in a blue box with a white ribbon. I carefully untied the ribbon and opened it. Inside was a golden heart-shaped locket with a picture of us hugging. I couldn’t hold back my tears and hugged her tightly.
“I love you so much, Lena.”
“I love you so much too, Uncle Aiden.”