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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInCaAqKsbk
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO6f30L3JL
"You helped your mother cook this food?" Joseph asked, her voice vibrating the table
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJE1VcWemI
"Uhmm. I...I" Naomi stuttered
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyHANj6ouX
"Yes" Mary answered, Josephs attention turned to her "She helped me with some"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oLnTsm148
"Some?" He inquired, Mary nodded. Joseph turned his head to Naomi, his eyes staring into her soul "Why not all?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4s2SMrqkm9
Naomi remained silent, dropping her head to the plate infront of her as Mary finished dishing out the food and sat beside Joseph
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNswkrO9vw0
Joseph slammed his fist against the table, the plates and spoons bouncing with a clang "I'm asking a question!" He exclaimed
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR9F0FiROb
Mary placed her hand on Josephs fist "Joseph stop" she whispered. "Please"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjy9qx4XIL4
They held each other's gaze, and Josephs fingers slowly unclenched.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51wge9Fsie
He broke the eye contact and placed his attention on his food.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeDwTQ1Dyi
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFokSlrQo64
She had never seen her father smile, Mary reciprocated the smile as she gazed up at Joseph. "Thank you" she answered proudly.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlApdWE2Dj
Slowly Josephs smile faded, his eyes remained on Mary watching her intently, his eyes scanning darting over her features
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmmiN8aYPY
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Mary inquired,
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcloNslf3OD
"What is with all that makeup?" Joseph asked, his eyes on her
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JD54DALXa
"What makeup?" Mary inquired
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87e3P3O769
"The blush, the lipstick, the earings...everything else"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFO8I0Wa9q
"My face was looking abit pale, so I decided to put blush"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLx2GJPsSU4
Joseph's eyes squinted, Mary seemed to fidget under his intense gaze "Who was here?" His voice was low, just above a whisper.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlTkrh1oKL
"Nobody. It was just me and Naomi the whole day."
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUKG1ZgRpq
Joseph turned to Naomi, and she immediately dropped her spoon "Who came to this house?" Joseph asked.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyC4uQFprN
Naomi gulped and shook her head. Mary sighed heavily "Nobody came to the house Joseph"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3gauqiEDd
"Shut your mouth. I'm not speaking to you." He exclaimed, Mary dropped her head and remained silent "Naomi who came to this house?!"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDYi1c0MBL
"No-Nobody came here" Naomi stuttered
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFCnzNTqr7
"Were you in this house the whole day?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uO5oYKN6y
"No I went to the field to harvest the crops"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob29GgnMzJ
Joseph chuckled humorlessly "Mary, you had the guts to bring a man to my house".
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNvRCUIc7q
"You know I would never do such a thing."
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIQkLwkhCi
"Don't you bloody lie to me woman!"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLccgMdyGmj
"I'm not lying Joseph"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡps5bHhkFV1
"What other reason could you have to put all this makeup on?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxAlEtepy4
"I already told you the reason Joseph"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoUwBydERk
"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?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6feYlt38pf
"I just wanted to look beautiful for you Joseph"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DQENagt3T
"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!?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxg8p2JNyG
"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
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCATzqyztr7
"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?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3uIaCJpDQ
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgUXHaJvPM
"Use your words" Joseph commanded
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMb4IO0eGnw
"Yes. I understand" Mary whispered
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1tS3WjrGT
"Stand up and go wash that rubbish off your face. Right now"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTuVOeGjuZ
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oU27b51r9
Naomi didn't know what to say, panicked she allowed herself release a little chuckle "yeah" she murmured. Her eyes widened.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrdJHxljAZ
WHAT DID YOU JUST DO.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvPtcqf0bQ
The words screamed in her head.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4zzj7W4Iu
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurDb36cGVh
Naomi had never had an actual conversation with her father, this was an odd interaction for her "Yes. Yes I did" she nodded
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PL8FzgNSr
"Do you know where the food came from?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToZEtJIE9M
"No" she shook her head.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgcSehfhdI
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?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSvopCumYg
Mary's gaze landed on Naomi, before resting on Josephs plate "She didn't ask. Do you want me to refill your plate?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUFi5cLZFb
"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."
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaAaS3jEIx
Naomi blinked, not sure how to react to that information
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0X8tDtH6bB
"Are you not going to say anything?" Mary inquired
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD4OxErgv1
"I don't know what to say" Naomi replied, she didn't like how all the attention had been averted to her
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPO6D9C7Yp
"Imagine what more he could do for us when you get married to him" Mart beamed.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPo7Orw3oL
Naomi smiled, humming in response. "I'll go and get water" Naomi stated "Can I be excused?"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ19uUwTSqW
"There's water on the table Naomi,"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr1PJIIhSh
"It's warm, I want cold water"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvW7qGbc0u9
"Are you-" Mary began but Joseph stopped her
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhsMJXSBz5
"You can go" he decided, Naomi nodded in thanks as she stood up and walked to the kitchen.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf29MxbvPKs
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqvnmYSdLf
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
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvflbezg3c
"Double the price?!" Mary gasped "That's impossible"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayGRvpRvo4
"That's what I thought, but he assured me that he wasn't false"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQC4geT3Yef
"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."
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJvr1yrXqc
"I agree. But all I care about is the money. If they have enough money, they can have her"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6g7Vihgut
"Aren't you afraid that Mr Reagan might retaliate against us"
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXO6BQEHiq
"If they have more money than Mr Reagan does, obviously they'll have more power. They'll protect us against him."
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13nWg6GZlV
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NtIdqiDBg
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD1VKrhrUm
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.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡredARjrvWQ
~~~~~~~~
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ24t1ALQfU
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQt17Y8eJr7
然後按「加至主畫面」