Chapter 7 Mia's Pov

“So…” I continued after I slipped the cup back in place, splashes of water dotted my gown. Dishes were never my thing. “Lily seems better than when I first met her.”

Ethan quieted. He stuck a few more plates into the rack, wiped the counter with a rag– then turned to me. His expression calm, relaxed.

“She has always been quiet, she's just more… fun now.”

Fun.

“And chatty.” He added. “That's not how I trained her to be.”

“I can see.” I could not see, Lily was a child, like any other child, she should have been noisy. Surprising how she acted less like a six year old and more like someone my age.

“Dinner.” He mentioned, his fingers pointed at the basket of the remaining fresh vegetables he had. “We should be able to make something from that, next we'll need portion control.”

“A soup or a sauce?” I thought to join in. Not that I was the best cook. 

“A sauce.” He decided. “Lily is allergic to tomato soups.”

“That makes perfect sense. I'll wash and prepare the tomatoes and then I'll get to the minced meat.”

My feet moved before I could stop talking, Ethan stopped me, his hand we tapped gently around my wrist as he pulled me back gently.

“I'll handle it.”

His touch. His warmth. The way his eyes flickered soft. Helpful.

“Oh.” My voice softened. “But I don't mind helping, I'm great with washing things and making sauces.”

“I'll take care of it.” He insisted. His voice had a tone of finality in it.

I nodded slowly, no more arguments, his grip loosened slowly, I took my arm back, my breath leveled.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No.”

“Oh.” I coughed. Just once but enough to sound awkward, the silence afterwards did not help, Ethan moved away, I stood there watching. Like an inspector.

Or maybe an out of place lover who had no place in this man's home and no idea how to get closer to him.

The past few days had been great, Ethan warmed up to me nicely. 

He smiled a little more often, he took jokes, gave them back too, like that time I joked about Prince Charming being oddly attractive and how he would be cute for a Prince Charming role.

He asked me to show me who he was rescuing. Lily pointed to me, he laughed.

I giggled too, not because I thought it was funny.

No way. I forced a laugh through my throat so I wouldn't feel like I did now. Awkward and out of place.

“Mia…” Lily’s voice pierced through the eerie since in the living room. She had just woken from her nap. She came into the kitchen wiggling her hand over her eyes sockets, her hair wrinkly, saliva leaked from the side of her lips.

“Lily.” I gasped when she dropped her hands at her side. Her eyes were swollen, red, leaking at inner corners. 

I lowered to her height quickly, my hands touched her shoulders, I pulled her into me. “What happened?”

She hesitated, tasting her words.

“Did something happen in your room?” I insisted, wide eyed and curious. 

“I— I… I don't know when….” She started, her words cut in-between. “Daddy said I shouldn't—”

“Lily!” Her father yelled. Her body shook, flinched in fear. Lily turned in his direction, her eyes watered, her shoulder stiff.

“What are you doing?” Ethan approached, his voice hoarse. 

Lily parted her lips to explain but before she could say a word, he asked her to come to him. Hesitantly, she obeyed. She walked to him.

His arms widened, enough to fit. He lifted her in his arms and then held her up to the counter.

“Did something happen to her?” I neared them, heart thumping hard in my chest. “Was it a bad dream?”

“It's none of your business.” He answered without looking, I could tell by the look on his face and his focus on washing his daughter's face in the sink.

I caught the bump on the back of her head. My eyes widened, that could be it.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry but I think she has—”

“Can't you see we don't want you to hear?!” he raged, his voice echoed through the room, rumbling the house structure.

A shrill of fear ran down my spine. That was all the cue I needed. I staggered back, my throat parched quickly. 

“I'm sorry…” I trailed slowly, back to the door and then room. I closed the door quickly, the air was heavy and tight inside, my frame still shook from fear.

I hadn't seen his eyes but the rage in his voice. The first time I witnessed Ethan like that, my stomach folded into a knot.

“I shouldn't have insisted.” I swallowed hard. “I am a guest here and I should be acting like it.”

Whatever was happening between the man and his daughter, I shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place.

I lowered to the bed, luckily, the bedside drawer had a pen and a paper like the universe knew journaling was what I needed to calm myself.

I picked the book quickly, scrambling everything I needed to until my breathing was not as shallow as it was when I entered the room. I lowered the book hours after, when my fingers started to ache.

The room was quiet still, but the air was free. I felt the stress fading out of me as I sat in the middle of the room, watching and waiting.

The house was quiet too except the noise from the living room. When I listened, I caught Ethan’s voice.

He was… singing again.

I sat quietly listening but this time, my heart did not flutter. How could they when the man just shouted at me?

An hour slipped by with a few blinks. I heard his footsteps fade, a door closed earlier. I decide I needed water.

I picked myself from the bed, slid into my slippers and walked to the door when I heard a whisper I wasn't sure of.

A voice near my door called my name.

“Is someone there?"

He sighed. 

“Mia,please come outside. I need to talk to you.”