Dinner With A Stranger

The stranger and Daniel turned, leaving Ann remained rooted to the spot, staring at the staircase where he and the woman had disappeared.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of her blouse.

What just happened?

She had expected another argument. She had expected another lecture. She had even prepared herself for another night of sleeping with tears soaking her pillow.

But this...

This was something else. This wasn't something she could have ever thought of. It felt weird to be standing beside her husband as though she never belonged there.

"Ann!" The voice brought her back to life. She looked across the sitting room where the voice came from and found her mother-in-law striding towards her with her brows raised. "Dinner isn't going to serve itself."

Ann quickly hid her face away, blinking the tears threatening to fall. "Coming, Mama." She probed and forced herself into the kitchen.

The aroma of vegetable soup filled the air, but for the first time, it made her stomach churn instead of growl. She lifted the heavy pot carefully, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through her lower back.

Her baby kicked. Almost as though sensing her distress and this aroused the tears in her. Her clouded eyes began to stream out water like a fountain.

She placed a gentle hand over her stomach. "I'm trying," she whispered.

"I'm really trying." Her tears streamed down as she held onto the kitchen slab for support.

---

Ten minutes later, everyone was seated at the dining table. Everyone...

Except Ann.

As always, she stood, serving each person before taking a seat herself.

The whole dining room was covered in silence. No one was saying a word, not until Daniel's father cleared his throat and uttered, "Who's our guest?"

Daniel didn't even look at Ann as he slightly cleared his throat. "This is Olivia,” he relayed and a quick smile spread across Olivia's face.

"It's a pleasure to meet everyone."

Daniel's mother nodded and answered. "You are welcome."

Ann silently placed a bowl of soup in front of Olivia just to make sure she wasn't getting ahead of herself and her thinking. It would be wrong to treat Olivia wrongly when her only intention was visiting the home.

"Thank you," Olivia said with a smile.

But as soon as Ann turned to leave, Olivia spoke again. "I don't like too much pepper."

Ann paused. "I'm sorry... it's already prepared." She stammered, visibly.

Olivia looked at Daniel. "You remembered I don't eat pepper, didn't you?"

Daniel smiled. "I remember."

The words struck Ann like a stone. He remembers. How. What do they both mean? He remembered another woman's preferences...

Yet he hadn't remembered that the doctor said she couldn't stand for too long because of the pregnancy.

She swallowed hard. "I'll prepare something else."

"No," Daniel uttered. "She shouldn't have to eat what she doesn't like."

Ann nodded quietly. "I'll make another soup." Without another word, she returned to the kitchen.

Her legs felt weak. Her head, heavier than before.

She leaned against the counter for a moment, closing her eyes. Don't cry. Not again.

She stirred another pot while the voices from the dining room drifted into the kitchen. Laughter and conversations filled everywhere and it made her sore.

Even Daniel laughed.

She couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed like that with her. The night seems really strange to her. She struggled to know what was going on.

---

A few minutes later, Ann returned with a fresh bowl.

Olivia smiled brightly. "Oh, that was fast."

Ann placed it in front of her. "I hope this is okay."

Without a word, Olivia tasted a spoonful. "It's much better," she muttered while Ann watched Daniel nodding at her.

"Good."

Ann remained speechless once again. Not once has he asked whether Ann had eaten or not. Not once did he notice the exhaustion written across her face.

She decided to ignore once again as she quietly served everyone else.

By the time she finally sat down, there was barely any food left. She smiled to herself. It's okay. It was something she was already used to.

“I'm not really hungry anyway,” she thought and shrugged.

She reached for a piece of meat but before her fingers touched it, Olivia spoke. "Oh..."

"There was only one left." Ann tried to explain.

But before they could even argue, Daniel picked it up. "You like meat." He placed it into Olivia's plate.

Amara froze. "Eat.”

She wasn't even concerned about the meat. It was the gesture from her husband. A gesture that used to belong to her. Was she sure she was in her right senses or she has been imagining things for long. She was confused. She tried to stare around but discovered no one was even paying attention to her. It has always been like that but something still feels missing.

Lost in thought, she lowered her hand and quietly continued eating her soup.

---

Dinner finally came to an end. As usual, Ann began clearing the plates while the rest all stood.

Olivia suddenly turned to face her. "I'll help."

Ann threw a gaze at her but before she could utter a word, Daniel stopped her.

"No." He turned to Ann and added, "She isn't used to housework. You can handle it."

Starting to get used to his play, Ann simply nodded. "Okay."

She carried the plates into the kitchen one after another. Her swollen feet screamed with every step. Her back felt like it would snap.

Still… She washed. Rinsed. Stacked. Dried. By the time she finally finished, it was almost ten o'clock.

She sighed and made her way into the sitting room, hoping everyone had gone to bed. Instead, she found Daniel and Olivia laughing over old photographs.

Daniel looked up. "Good. You're done,” he requested and she nodded. "Take Olivia upstairs."

Ann frowned slightly. "Upstairs?" She inquired, confused.

His words were short. "She's staying here."

"Staying..." She dragged, "Here?"

"For a while," Daniel replied flatly. "You'll prepare the guest room for her."

Ann looked from Daniel… to Olivia… and back again. Her lips parted, but no words came. She wanted to ask why. She wanted to ask how long. She wanted to ask why her opinion didn't matter.

Instead, she simply lowered her eyes. "I'll prepare the room."

Olivia stood and picked up her handbag.

As they climbed the stairs together, Olivia slowed her steps until they were side by side.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "You know… I've always believed that when a woman stops valuing what she has..." She paused to make an intense look, "...someone else eventually will."

Ann stopped walking for a moment. She turned slowly. For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Olivia expected anger. Jealousy. A fight. Instead...

Ann smiled faintly. "I don't know who you are..." She started, "...or why are you here. But I hope, for your own sake, you never have to experience the kind of pain that makes you forget yourself."

Olivia's smile faltered. Only for a second. Then it returned. "We'll see about it."

She walked past Ann and into the guest room like she has been there before.

Standing alone in the hallway, Ann closed the door gently behind her and the tears she has been putting a show for finally fell.

Just silent tears from a woman who was beginning to realize that the greatest battles are often fought without anyone seeing them.