The foods aroma seemed to evade every corner of the room. Bottles of different beverages littered the table as Mary dished out the delicacies. Naomi watched dumbfounded as her eyes trailed over the different foods and drinks. She couldn't remember when last she had gotten the opportunity to sit with her parents at the dining table.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4KwsQ5wLk
Her feet couldn't sit still as it bounced up and down. Her hands shook in her lap, as her father's gaze landed on her.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyuFZSIUo2
"You helped your mother cook this food?" Joseph asked, her voice vibrating the table
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiMtsduhdi
"Uhmm. I...I" Naomi stuttered
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOk5FslCO2y
"Yes" Mary answered, Josephs attention turned to her "She helped me with some"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC1v4DmjoZ
"Some?" He inquired, Mary nodded. Joseph turned his head to Naomi, his eyes staring into her soul "Why not all?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2YwPKkmfS
Naomi remained silent, dropping her head to the plate infront of her as Mary finished dishing out the food and sat beside Joseph
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpA5DaXogbg
Joseph slammed his fist against the table, the plates and spoons bouncing with a clang "I'm asking a question!" He exclaimed
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B5qrlMJ9l
Mary placed her hand on Josephs fist "Joseph stop" she whispered. "Please"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyb5b89g3qL
They held each other's gaze, and Josephs fingers slowly unclenched.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAQdDkaV8N
He broke the eye contact and placed his attention on his food.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuYfBZJzCS
A comfortable silence hung over the air as they all indulged in their food. Every spoon was like heaven, an uneven comparison to the vegetable soup. Every grain of rice that touched their tongues was appreciated, Joseph took a sip from his glass and moaned in pleasure "This food is amazing" Joseph stated, a smile graced his face and Naomi watched mesmerized.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2teTw6QI8l
She had never seen her father smile, Mary reciprocated the smile as she gazed up at Joseph. "Thank you" she answered proudly.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJrNUycfK1
Slowly Josephs smile faded, his eyes remained on Mary watching her intently, his eyes scanning darting over her features
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC8t6eu1rx
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Mary inquired,
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWynnTUsQln
"What is with all that makeup?" Joseph asked, his eyes on her
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ysboQAJi3
"What makeup?" Mary inquired
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxPWQhqNiC
"The blush, the lipstick, the earings...everything else"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXZ3mrlK9x
"My face was looking abit pale, so I decided to put blush"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKS36zwVfp9
Joseph's eyes squinted, Mary seemed to fidget under his intense gaze "Who was here?" His voice was low, just above a whisper.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2VlTimc7h
"Nobody. It was just me and Naomi the whole day."
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsmeOGVi41
Joseph turned to Naomi, and she immediately dropped her spoon "Who came to this house?" Joseph asked.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYcsyrstjE
Naomi gulped and shook her head. Mary sighed heavily "Nobody came to the house Joseph"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTw7GXEZrF
"Shut your mouth. I'm not speaking to you." He exclaimed, Mary dropped her head and remained silent "Naomi who came to this house?!"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjSiI2rzt6
"No-Nobody came here" Naomi stuttered
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROps0OztaM
"Were you in this house the whole day?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyIAQv0bpY
"No I went to the field to harvest the crops"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6PMOAwV7P
Joseph chuckled humorlessly "Mary, you had the guts to bring a man to my house".
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpShclRDjS
"You know I would never do such a thing."
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaI5QprEQb
"Don't you bloody lie to me woman!"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIUbyWWtFh
"I'm not lying Joseph"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH1X8hvIip
"What other reason could you have to put all this makeup on?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rsU3Ijpcj
"I already told you the reason Joseph"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmm1le5vtVu
"You're taking me for a fool right? You think I'm playing with you. Do you know that I could slap you, right here right now? You're telling me that you put lipstick on your lips, and earrings in your ears because your skin was pale. What bullshit reason is that?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8ze13FlkN
"I just wanted to look beautiful for you Joseph"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92e472csSw
"Are you demented? You think I'm a fool. Now you wanna change the whole story around. Mary its going to be better for all of us, if you tell me the truth." Joseph banged his fist on the table once more "Who is that son of a uncircumcised turtle that you brought to my house!?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLPDTTnn2q
"I had been on the call with your sister for most of the time that naomi had been away and the rest of the time. I had been cleaning up the house. What time would I have to bring a man to our home?" Mary reasoned, tears welling up in her ears
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQCAXnt05R
"I'm going to call Jane... If I find out that you're lying to me I swear, you won't like what I'll do to you. Don't say that I didn't warn you. Do you understand me?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6h8c1o5DmA
Mary nodded softly, a tear sliding down her face as she dropped her head, lowering her gaze. Naomi wanted to run up to her mother and just engulf her in a hug, and wipe away her tears but fear stuck her feet to the ground.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSWNhyXw7L
"Use your words" Joseph commanded
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDf0dFVRy1
"Yes. I understand" Mary whispered
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNwBFYU4ze
"Stand up and go wash that rubbish off your face. Right now"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1rUoADsfi
Mary stood and disappeared to the washroom, an awkward silence remained in the dining room as Naomi had finished eating and wasn't sure how to excuse herself "Woman." Joseph murmured as he sighed softly "It's a struggle" He refilled his glass and it's contents disappeared with one gulp.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1oiikMC8c
Naomi didn't know what to say, panicked she allowed herself release a little chuckle "yeah" she murmured. Her eyes widened.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8IxnMhF6x
WHAT DID YOU JUST DO.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQwrMwS5bX
The words screamed in her head.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8bXYSDa2w
Josephs head snapped towards her, his eyes widening as if he had forgotten that she was there "Did you enjoy the food?" Joseph asked her.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6HMdskzQa
Naomi had never had an actual conversation with her father, this was an odd interaction for her "Yes. Yes I did" she nodded
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ787RIojF4B
"Do you know where the food came from?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdidcwdFJU
"No" she shook her head.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujHFKHSbSW
Feminine footsteps echoed in the room and Mary walked in, Joseph watched her as she took her seat. "You didn't tell Naomi about the source of the food?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1EgTxc4OP
Mary's gaze landed on Naomi, before resting on Josephs plate "She didn't ask. Do you want me to refill your plate?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1OtFJXkOr
"Yes just abit" Joseph answered before placing his attention on Naomi "Mr Reagan had packed the house with foodstuffs, he said that he didn't want you going hungry and that he wanted you happy and fed."
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0Cl3vsdEP
Naomi blinked, not sure how to react to that information
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGsiXTbvCp
"Are you not going to say anything?" Mary inquired
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnqSrXxjFI
"I don't know what to say" Naomi replied, she didn't like how all the attention had been averted to her
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6Iozu2jWd
"Imagine what more he could do for us when you get married to him" Mart beamed.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9teAW5j1P
Naomi smiled, humming in response. "I'll go and get water" Naomi stated "Can I be excused?"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbDozgaUjO
"There's water on the table Naomi,"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJeqWjk1Rm
"It's warm, I want cold water"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ494akf1glW
"Are you-" Mary began but Joseph stopped her
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjc7cLTapt
"You can go" he decided, Naomi nodded in thanks as she stood up and walked to the kitchen.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsZmaVwePg
Naomi leaned into the counter, her eyes tightly shut as she counted till ten. She pouted, as it dawned on her that she would become the fifth wife of an old man. She would never feel those butterflies that she read about in books.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmYJ7m5MbR
Slowly, she took a cup from the cupboard and took water from the fridge. As she began to return to the dining room, the chatters of her parents stopped her in her tracks "He had said that he wanted her, and was willing to pay double the price if he could have her" Josephs voice vibrated, echoing against the walls
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEkHbKCkvR
"Double the price?!" Mary gasped "That's impossible"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2GpcRKz55
"That's what I thought, but he assured me that he wasn't false"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8caO0tknW
"Mr Reagan must have said something about Naomi, it's not normal, how almost all the elderly in the community are suddenly interested in her."
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9ZSL5vGIP
"I agree. But all I care about is the money. If they have enough money, they can have her"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSxamRY4Sx
"Aren't you afraid that Mr Reagan might retaliate against us"
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVkWAPS3vf
"If they have more money than Mr Reagan does, obviously they'll have more power. They'll protect us against him."
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0v5zrr0kQ
Naomi gobbled the water down in one go, she was disgusted at how her parents spoke. She felt as if she were in an auction and her parents were calling out for the highest if bidders to come and buy her.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDJGG3aMpB
They were selling her off, this so-called marriage was an attempt for them to become richer. Not able to hear anymore of their talks she walked in and say down silently. Her parents, effortlessly dwindled into the subject of weather as if they hadn't been talking about her future just moments ago.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkhn9hqnd4
Naomi packed the dirty dishes and placed them into the sink. When she was done cleaning them, she wandered off to her room. Allowing herself wander into the realm of dreams.
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZfziRyy85
~~~~~~~~
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxg755AGDz
63Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo89QrQuvjf
