“Good, I guess,” I shrugged out.
“You look like you are enjoying life. Much better than how you were before Zach came along,” Travis spoke. “You have more color to you, now.”
“Not sure how,” I laughed out. “I have hardly been outside. I’ve only sat in the window seat that in the office.” Most days, the weather was a bit too windy to really enjoy being outside. I hated how the wind dried out my skin.
“Well, it must be something,” Travis drawled out. “Your cheeks are a bit brighter.”
I had nothing to reply with, so I only shrugged.
Moments later, the same waiter returned and took our orders before dashing off once more.
I had only been out to eat a handful of times in my life so far. I would be dragged to some fancy place that I could hardly ever pronounce the name of while Cody had a meeting with some man or couple that would be donating a large sum of money to the church. I’d mostly space out in my own mind at such meetings, finding them to be extremely boring.
This diner, although smaller than anything I’ve been to before, was nice and welcoming. It was cozy.
“I hear Toby’s doing well,” Tavis said. “Starting to settle in with Melio and Violet.”
“Yeah, he seems to be,” I replied. “I haven’t seen him for a few days. Although, the last time I saw him, he seemed happier, but still skittish.”
“It’ll take time for him more than just a few days to accept a new life, even with being only in the hands of a monster for a few days or weeks,” Travis said. “Not everyone is so lucky to come across Zach, or even Miquel.”
“Miquel was supposed to marry me,” I mused, pausing as our drinks were placed in front of us. I waited till the server retreated before continuing on. “That was until he saw my mark.” The same mark that had been branded into my skin shortly after I was kidnapped. The faint white lines could still be seen pretty clearly.
“Miquel is a different sort of man. He can be trusted to an extent,” Travis tried to explain. “I can guarantee that he’s never laid a hand on a child. That is probably one of the very things that Zach and Miquel agree on. Now, when it comes to women, free ones at that, he’s not the best at treating them with respect. He does know not to touch what isn’t his, though.”
“I could tell,” I said, recalling how Miquel held himself the few times I had met him.
The waitress came back, setting our food down and heading off to take yet another order.
“Do you come here often?” I asked, looking at my mouth watering food.
A simple hamburger, buns and French fries. A bottle of ketchup was already sitting on the table.
“A few times, yes,” Travis answered, taking hold of the yellow mustard bottle and dripping some onto his burger that had bacon on it. “This little place is pretty busy. Staff isn’t always too talkative, but it’s good food.”
We made small talk as we ate our meals. The smell of the warm, intoxicating food was just the tip of the iceberg. As I bit into the hamburger, I couldn’t help but let my eyes slide closed at the flavor.
“Told you it was good,” Travis said after swallowing his mouthful.
“We should make this a habit,” I mused. “I like this.”
“I’m up for that!” Travis said with a smile my way. “Maybe even get our other halves to join us, too.”
“Sure,” I said, not caring one way or another.
“Have you thought about seeing Racheal, if she’s willing?” he asked out as we started to slow down with eating.
“Not really,” I answered. “I’m not sure if it’s worth the trouble. Yes, I want to see her; meet her even. I’m just not sure if it’s worth the time, though. Would it make much of a difference?”
“It may,” he stated. “Have you read that letter?”
“Yeah,” I sighed out. “Cleared up a couple things, I guess. Not what I was expecting, that’s for sure.”
The letter was more of a journal entry. It had been written out shortly after the first time that Travis had visited her, I believe. It didn’t change things, though. I knew her reasoning a bit better, but that was as far as it went. I couldn’t forgive her for giving me up, even though it saved my life. Who knows what my life would be like if she kept me.
