Is It Bubblegum?

Little Mo ignored Elena as if she was invisible. He began spilling out the details behind that nickname. "Do you really want to know about the origin of Little Banana?"

William hesitated as he saw his baby girl infuriated gaze but he nodded. He decided that he would ask for her forgiveness.

"Good." Little Mo laughed as a glimpse of mischievousness flashed past his eyes.

...

Elena was almost nine years old. She supposed to live with Little Mo when she was still eight years old but her fear shadowed her. If she stayed with Little Mo, she was afraid that he would gone like her parents and Uncle Qi. The cruel words that was said by Uncle Qi's family about her being a jinx unknowingly became a knot in her heart. The words was hurt that her that engraved in her heart.

Although Little Mo had offered her to stay with him, she didn't want to. He persuaded her since the day he brought her to orphanage until now but Elena rejected him over and over again. So, he imposed a rule that must be obeyed by Elena. They would go out every sunday and have fun.

Little Elena at that time was an introvert young girl. She wanted to reject his rule too but he was the only adult she closed with. So, she agreed reluctantly.

It was sunday morning and as usual, they would go out playing to somewhere else. Sometimes, they would go to the zoo, park, game center even internet cafe.

There were times when they couldn't do their sunday itinerary as Little Mo was sometimes too busy with his works. So, he would make it up on next sunday like today. Last week, Little Mo was out of town because of a case so he had to make up for last sunday.

Elena donned plain white t-shirt and jeans as her small bag was on her back. She wore slippers instead of shoes. She walked out of the entrance of the orphanage to meet Little Mo who was already waiting for her.

She saw him was talking to matron. He smiled sincerely and nodded once in awhile as he listened to matron.

Elena's little figure slowly appeared. Little Mo waved his hands and called her excitedly. "Sister, here."

Little Elena walked towards them with her flat face. She greeted them. "Good morning matron, brother."

"Good morning my girl. Have you had your breakfast?" The matron asked. Elena in her opinion was a taciturn girl. She would rarely speak unless it was necessary. She was completely different with other kids that it made her gave Little Elena more attention than the other kids. She realized this but she couldn't help but worry about Elena's well-being.

Little Elena replied succinctly. "Yes I have matron."

"Okay. I'll get in first my girl. Listen to your brother okay?" The matron reminded her softly.

Elena nodded obediently. "I will."

"Then go." The matron walked into the orphanage as she was not worry about Elena. Little Mo had came to the orphanage since the first day Elena came here and would come here frequently. Moreover, he would donate to thr orphanage. So, the matron had a full trust on him.

Little Mo's mouth twitched when he saw how obedient Elena was. The little devil he knew was an angel in the other eyes. Indeed, she was not talkative but once she spoke, it was as if a destroying missile had been launched. She would talk unfiltered that it made Little Mo, her biggest victim inwardly weeping.

Elena looked up and said to Little Mo. "I'll play rock today." She balled her little hand as she spoke.

Little Mo replied. "Then I'll play scissors." He would not believe that she would play rock. She always trick him when they play this. So, he decided to use scissors instead of paper.

"Ok." Elena instantly agreed. Both of them chanted together. "Rock paper scissors!"

Little Mo was flabbergasted by the result. Elena did use rock as she balled her fist while his index finger and middle finger made a V sign. Then he heard Elena said flatly. "Oh. I'm being honest with you. You're just too stupid not to believe me." Little Mo was speechless. How could he believe the little devil who had tricked him countless time?

Elena went into the shotgun seat and fastened her seatbelt. Then she commanded Little Mo who was looking at his hands. His expression was twisted. "We'll go to a supermarket."

Little gritted his teeth, silently swore that he would pay this humiliation. "Okay." He drove the car away from the orphanage to the supermarket near the internet cafe they usually visited.

Their itinerary was decided by playing rock scissors and paper. Sometimes Elena won and sometimes Little was the winner. Their battle was not merely about luck. It was all about who was the faster to read the other party, a battle of wits. Well, if it was Elena, they would definitely go to either place : game center and internet cafe. But today, she wanted to go to the other place instead those two places.

Little Mo slightly confused by her choice so he asked, "Why do you want to go to the supermarket?"

Elena frowned and looked at Little Mo as if he was an idiot. She asked the same question like what Little Mo asked, "Usually, why do you want to go to the supermarket?"

Little Mo answered instantly. "To buy groceries of course."

"Then don't ask me. You've known the answer. Don't be stupid." Little Elena's words pierced through Little Mo's tiny and fragile heart. Of course he knew about it but he asked why she suddenly decided to go to the supermarket instead of internet cafe or game center.

Little Mo caressed his chest to prevent himself from being enraged.

The two of them arrived at the supermarket after some minutes of driving.

Little Mo followed with trolley behind Elena who was seriously looking at the goods displayed. "What do you want to buy?"

Elena went to the food section and took three packs of her favorite chicken nugget, 'Fiesta'¹. "We'll cook one it in your house." Elena brought three packs because she wanted to give the other two to the kids in the orphanage. Although she rarely interacted with them, she would always share something to the others because her mommy and daddy ever told her that she should be good to others.

The two spent almost an hour in the supermarket, buying all the goods they saw eye-catching. Little Mo pushed the trolley that was now packed with goods they randomly bought to the counter.

Elena followed behind Little Mo when amazement flashed in her eyes. Near the counter, she saw a shelf full of colourful pocket sized boxes. There were orange, red, pink, yellow, purple and many others. She also read the flavor of each box. orange, chilli, grape, strawberry, banana and etc. The word 'Fiesta'² was written on each box. The only thing different was this 'Fiesta' was written colourfully compared to the 'Fiesta' chicken nugget she bought. She tilted her head in curiosity. 'Does 'Fiesta' also produce bubblegum?' She ever saw Little Mo had this kind of box that filled with bubblegum. So, she instantly thought the box with various flavor she saw right now was fruit flavored bubblegum.

Elena hold her chin with one of her hand as she pondered for a while before she took a yellow colored box. It was banana flavor. She didn't want to take the orange flavor or strawberry because they were too sour to her liking. She preferred something mildly sweet. So, she decided to get the banana flavor.

Little Mo was focusing on the groceries he bought which were being counted by the salesgirl. Suddenly, a little hand put a box that made both of them stunned in disbelief. They heard the owner of that little hand, Elena said, "Little Mo, I want this."

Little Mo would usually mad when she called his nickname in public but he could care less as what he saw right now was too mind blowing. "D..do you want to buy this?" He pointed at the yellow pocket sized box with 'banana flavour' written on it.

Elena nodded.

"Do you really want to buy this?" Little Mo asked again. His mouth slightly curled up but it seemed that he was trying to hold it down.

Elena squinted her eyes. Didn't just Little Mo heard that she wanted to buy this? Then, she nodded again.

Little Mo asked again. His face was red as he was trying to contain his laughter. The same was to the salesgirl. "Do you know what is inside of this box?"

Why did Little Mo kept asking me? Was there something wrong? Elena looked up as she asked to confirm. "Is it bubblegum?"

This time, Little Mo laughed loudly and the salesgirl giggled as she covered her mouth with her hand. His laughed startled almost everyone nearby. He clutched his stomach that was now aching from laughing too much. "You don't know what it actually is?"

"If it is not candy, then what is it?" Elena asked curiously.

"It's something you'll know later. Something that you might need in the future." Elena was still a minor so Little Mo thought it was quiet inappropriate to tell her about this directly although he knew she would find it herself. The most important thing was, if he let her know about it now, he had no way to tease her. "So, Little Banana, don't ask again okay?" He decided to call her Little Banana from now on because it would remind her this humiliating moment. He was sure that Elena would find about the reason behind this nickname in the end of the day.

At that time, Elena didn't know what Little Mo suddenly called her Little Banana. Only after she returned to the orphanage and found what she wanted to buy, she was utterly shocked.

She almost bought a pack of banana flavored condom. Yes, a condom.

Although Elena was still a young girl, she was a genius. So, after she read the description from the website, she almost immediately knew that the 'Fiesta' she thought of was different with 'Fiesta' in reality.

....

William mouth curled up as he covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to make any sound from his laughter. This story was too hillarious that he could not help but laugh despite his baby girl threatening glare. After some minutes, he regained his composure as Little Mo became serious. "Do you really love her? Really, really love her?"

####

In Indonesia, the shelf of condom would usually placed near the counter where we pay the bill.

1. Fiesta in here was the brand of a chicken nugget product.

2. Fiesta was referred to the well-known brand condom.