“ Having a guy best friend who truly loves and cares about you is indeed super priceless. ” 
***
   “ Dad. ” 
“ Yes, Baby girl? ” He stared his little sweet sixteen who was looking more and more like her mom on a daily basis. 
“ Do you know I have a crush on someone? ” Her words made him pause from swinging the swing they were currently on. 
He'd made it a routine to spend quality time with both his children every weekend so he could get to know them and their personalities better. 
Though lately, he'd been spending more time with his daughter as it seemed the latter needs his time and attention most.
“ Oh, really? Who's the lucky guy? ” He grinned, on seeing the red blush on her cheeks.
“ He's Noel. ” She replied in a chicken-like manner. 
“ And he is? ” 
“ My Best Friend. ” 
“ Oh wow. ” Joseph instantly felt history about to repeat itself as he stared at his daughter.
“ Does he know about it? ” He inquired softly, taking her hands in his. 
“ No… I don't think he sees me that way though. ”
“ What way? ” He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her hairs, he'd miss seeing her long hair, but it couldn't be helped since the latter had made it a yearly ritual to cut her long hair short and donate it to charity organizations which specialize in making wigs for little kids with cancer. 
 Anytime anyone tried to talk her out of cutting her long and beautiful hair, her answer had always been the same.  “ Those kids don't have what I have, the least I can do is to help them keep their beauty alive. And if cutting my hair short every year is one of the ways I can do that. Then so be it. ”
“ Well, he only sees me as a friend and I'm interested in — ”
“ Dating him? ” He completed her sentence for her with a chuckle.
“ Yeah. ” She lowered her gaze subconsciously.
“ Have you told Nuel about this? ”
“ Nah. ”
“ Why not? ”
“ He's super possessive! ” Joseph couldn't help grinning at her complaint.  “ Last time I heard, he is the best brother ever. What changed? ” 
“ Who knows. He'd started acting weird from the time I turned thirteen and started having lots and lots of admirers. ”
“ Um… He cares about you, you know. ”
“ I've never doubted that. ”
“ Okay. ” He paused before continuing.  “ We haven't had a conversation on dating, have we? ” 
“ Not really. But you aren't against me dating, are you? ”
“ No, as long as you do it the right way and that is when you are eighteen. ”
“ Um… I don't think that would be happening though as the one I love doesn't even love me back. ” 
“ You can't be so sure, Hon. ” He placed his arms around her lovingly.  “ Remember the story of your Mom and I? ” 
“ Well, that's different. ”
“ In what way? ” 
“ Every Way. ” They both chuckled at her reply. 
[ A/N : How cute. ]
***
“ Our Daughter is in love. ” Joseph said, as his wife got ready for bed. 
“ What do you mean? ” Miranda paused in her skincare routine to stare at him. 
“ She's in love with a best friend, Noel. ”
“ Noel? I thought they were just friends. ” 
“ I thought so too. Until today when she told me herself that she wishes to date him. ”
“ Oh… ” Joseph stared at her downcasted expression, and instantly knew what she was thinking. Slowly, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. 
 Miranda let out a yelp when she suddenly landed on his lap. 
“ Babe… ” He peppered her face with little kisses till she started blushing.  “ That's tinglish. ”
“ Or should we say, it makes you want me? ”
“ You are shameless. ” She attempted to hit his chest, but he caught it before she could.  “ I guess I need to stop you from doing this, so Nuella won't think it's something to be copied. ”
“ Whatever. ” She retrieved her hand and wrapped it around his neck, as their silk pajamas touched each other. 
Contrary to popular opinions, the more they aged, the more the bond between them intensified. At this point, they've finally gotten almost all their clothes in pairs just like they did for their kids when they were young. 
“ Why does Ella tell you everything and not me? I'm her mother, okay? And I'm meant to be her closest confidant. ” She said, her expression forlorn. 
Joseph silently wrapped his arms around her as they fed on each other's warmth. 
“ It doesn't matter who she tells as long as she expresses herself, okay? Besides, we are one and Nuella is our daughter, not mine or yours alone, okay? ”
“ Hm… ” Miranda nodded, obviously not convinced. 
“ Come to think of it, why hadn't you been able to tell your Bestie what happened on our wedding night? Why had you shared your feelings with me instead and not her? ” She thought for a moment before replying.
“ Because, you are a man and obviously wouldn't react emotionally. Besides, you won't judge me since you don't know what it's like to be a female. Also because it requires thinking from a guy's perspective. ” Miranda couldn't help smiling at his gaze. 
“ You've just answered your own question, My love. ”
“ Um… Thank you. ”
“ My pleasure. ”
“ So does Noel love her? ” 
“ That's left for us to find out. ” 
“ Meaning? ” She stared wide-eyed at him. 
“ I told her to invite him for dinner tomorrow, we'll talk after that. ”
“ Oh wow! You are definitely the best Dad in the world. ” She grinned, pinching his cheeks happily.
“ What about the best Hubby? ” He squinted his eyes at her. 
“ Who knows. ”
“ Why don't I show you. ” He covered her lips with his before she could react. 
***
“ So you've known Ella since you were in grade 5? ”
“ Yes, Sir. ” 
“ And you've been close friends ever since then? ” 
“ Yup. ”
“ Does she know you love her? ” His sudden words made the younger boy's eyes widen in shock. 
“ How do you — ”
“ Know? ” He chuckled. “ Your expression says it all, little Noel. Besides, I've been there once. ”
“ Oh… ”
“ So you do love her, don't you? ”
“ I do… ” 
“ So why did you agree to be her best friend? ”
“ Because, I figured she isn't ready for a relationship and needed a close friend beside her apart from Noel. ” Funny how they'd always feared she'd never make friends with others when she'd actually formed a bond with someone from a young age. 
“ Um… Does she know you love her? ”
“ No. ” 
“ Why haven't you told her yet? ”
“ Can i? ” Noel couldn't believe his eyes, how can a father approve of his daughter dating at sixteen? 
“ Yup, but you are not allowed to ask her out until she turns eighteen. ” Noel couldn't help but chuckle at his playful, yet serious  words. 
“ Okay. ” 
“ By the way, Sir. Have you ever had a female best friend? ”
“ Yup and she's now the love of my life and the mother of my twins. ” He grinned, his eyes shining like stars. 
  “ I'd love to have what you guys have. ”
“ No little one, you gotta aim for something better. ”
“ Um… so history is gonna repeat itself, right? ”
“ Not while I am here. ” The duo turned to face Nuel who was staring daggers at Noel, while his eyes fumed with jealousy and rage. 
Joseph couldn't help chuckling on realizing that their fear had finally come true. 
Now let's see if Noel will be able to overcome this one. Hahaha
…
A/N : Let's see! What do you think, guys?