Chapter Four
Maeve
Can he tell how nervous I am?
My palms are sweaty.I feel the butterflies in my stomach.I’m trying to play the part of being sophisticated, but this is one of those moments when I don’t know what I’m doing.My parents never took me out to a restaurant.My brothers and sister, yes, but I was the one that was made to stay home.
At first, it was because they would say they couldn’t afford to feed me.Then, I realized it was because, as far as they were concerned, I wasn’t a member of the family.It was why I always had to do things differently.Even Christmas morning, I had to unwrap my presents in my bedroom, I was not allowed to join the family.My rule at family dinners was to sit at the table, shut up, and be quiet.I was part of the family, and not part of it at the same time.They were just fulfilling the role of keeping me alive until they could get rid of me.
That was why I wasn’t allowed to go to school.I got nannies and private tutors.There was no love, no real care.And it was why I didn’t want to make a fool of myself here.
“I can promise you everything here is delicious,” he said.“You order what you want.”
There were so many options.If I went for the meatballs and spaghetti, would that be too basic?Childish?If I went for the chicken parmesan, what would that mean?
The waiter came over, and I didn’t quite catch what my captor ordered.In the end, I went with what I knew and ordered the chicken parmesan.I loved when Louis cooked it.
My captor poured some wine.I had partied a little.Alcohol didn’t hold much appeal to me.Although, I wanted to play my part, so I held the glass and took a sip.It was during my first sip that I saw my family.They all walked in, and they looked so damn happy—like a family—a family I was never supposed to be part of.It was like a sucker punch to the gut.I nearly dropped my glass, but I was able to rectify my mistake without looking like a total idiot.
My heart pounded inside my chest, and I felt like crying.I took deep breaths, but I was cautious as I did this, because I didn’t want him to know I was dying inside.
They didn’t even look in my direction.They were a little loud, and with a quick glance around the restaurant, I could see their noise was not welcome.That made me feel a little better.
“Do you want me to get rid of them?”he asked.
My captor drew my attention back to him.Staring at him, I felt comforted.He had placed his hand on top of mine, and it was like the magic pull I needed.
“It’s fine.”
“Say the word, they will be gone and never allowed to return here.”
“You’d do that for me?”I asked.
“Yes.”
I was going to leave it.I was going to be the bigger person, but their laughter was just too much.I couldn’t stand it.They were playing happy family, none the wiser that they had a daughter to save their own skin.If I was a bigger person, I might have done the right thing, but it was just too much.So, I nodded to my captor.I wanted my family gone.This was my night with my captor, and I was not going to have it spoiled.
My captor got to his feet, and I watched as he closed the distance between me and my family.
