I might be the only one feeling it, but I break the tension.
“You are a great cook. Did you cook dinner for your parents?”
“Sometimes,” she answers. “We have a chef. He taught me a lot.”
“A chef?” Noel blurts.
She nods. “Leo. He’s great. Trained in Italy and France. Oh my gosh, his lasagna is the best I’ve ever had!”
“Must be nice. Does he do the dishes, too?” asks Noel.
“No, we have housekeepers that do that.”
“Bruh. Badass.”
She chuckles softly, shyly. “I can hire someone to help here.”
Noel’s eyes brighten. “No shit? Our own chef?”
“Yeah!” says Tommy.
“Wait, wait, wait.” I hold up my hands. “Morgan, no.”
“Why not? You work hard. Wouldn’t it be nice having people cook and clean for you after a hard day?”
My stomach knots. She says it like an offering, but my body takes it like an insult. People to clean. People to cook. Money to smooth the rough edges. She is trying to make things easier.
All I hear is that the way I live is something that needs fixing.
“I told you to relax. I’ll cook for everyone,” I say.
She sighs as though I am impossible. I am, but we don’t need a damn fancy chef like we live in a palace.
“Please,” begs Noel.
“No, I don’t wantslave-labor.”
She scoffs. “Jack, it’s not like that. They aren’t slaves. It’s their job. They work like you work. They get paid well.”
“We can’t afford it,” I bite back.
“Actually, I can,” she quips, looking proud of herself.
The tension I felt earlier is very real and thickened. It’s permeated the air as everyone stays frozen. My heart isn’t just punching my ribs, it’s raging. Dinner isn’t going at all like I imagined.
When I don’t respond, she sets down her fork. “I understand. This is too much change. I’ll drop it.”
Noel shakes his head disapprovingly, then takes his and Tommy’s plate to the sink. I try to eat more, but my appetite is elsewhere.
Morgan attempts to help me clean up, but I guide her out of the kitchen this time. I won’t let her get overwhelmed. I can’t.
“Get ready for bed,” I say, firmer this time. “Please.”
Reluctantly, she obeys.
When I finish washing the dishes and wiping the counters, her slender arms wrap around my waist.
I turn around, finding her in pink pajamas and her hair in a ponytail.
