Page 14 of A Wife's Duty

“I’d love some.”

This was not the man she imagined was so terrifying to her family. He was so ... happy. She loved it when he smiled, it lifted his whole face.

She watched as he moved to the coffeepot and poured her some coffee. He added some milk, no sugar, just the way she liked it. How did he know what she liked? He put the mug in front of her, and she lifted it, taking a sip. It was good coffee.

She watched him, and he looked so different. Lucia hadn’t seen him cook before.

“Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did.” She took another sip of her coffee. “Did you finish your business?”

“Yes, I did.”

She didn’t want to know what it was.

He was happy and that meant she was happy. If it also meant he had pissed off her father as well, then she was even more happy.

She watched as he added some food to the plates, bacon, sausage, eggs, and even freshly grilled slices of tomato, and there was also bread.

“Go sit down,” he said.

Lucia didn’t argue with him.

The table was already set. Boone took the head of the table, while she took the seat right beside him. They sat, together.

He put the plate of food in front of her, and she thanked him. It smelled really good.

Back home, at her parents’ house, she wasn’t allowed to have a cooked breakfast. Everything had to be cereal, low fat, low flavor, the lot. Her mouth watered and she picked up her knife and fork, but habits were hard to lose. She was never allowed to start eating, until she was given permission.

“Eat, enjoy. Don’t let it go cold,” Boone said.

Her father had once made her wait until her food was completely cold. Everyone had been allowed to eat their food, but she had been made to wait. She’d been starving and it had been so humiliating. Her brothers found it funny, as did her sister.

Now, she cut into a piece of bacon and it was salty and so good. The sausage was one of the best she had ever eaten. She enjoyed every single speck, every crumb.

“Lucia, do you know anything about your father’s operations?” Boone asked.

This made her pause and she turned to look at him. Her first instinct was to say no, only that would be a lie.

She had no idea what to do in this situation. So many times over the years, she had been angry at what he had done or said to her. She tried to stay out of his way, but that didn’t mean she didn’t get curious, just in case she might need it someday.

Her father’s office was soundproof, or at least he thought it was.

She found out, by accident, that the library and her father’s office was connected in some way. Either way, there was a grate that allowed her to hear every conversation that had taken place. There were some she remembered, others she didn’t.

“I ... uh, yes and no,” she said.

“Tell me.”

She let him know what she would do and she didn’t meet his eyes. It was embarrassing to know she had acted out. Been a child.

Boone reached out and took her hand, locking their fingers together. She expected him to hit her, to scold her. Instead, he waited, and he didn’t look angry.

“Tell me,” he said again.

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