The Prostitute and The Painter

Chapter 13

Life here was different from any life that she had known before. There was no noise it was just peaceful. Too peaceful. Olivia was getting better by the day. The bruises that she had were gone.

Lucas was understanding most the time.

He never bought up the topic of the painting. It was hot at times and one would have to go down the stream to cool down.

She goes back to the farmhouse and finds that he is not there. Which meant he had gone painting. She goes and decides to start on lunch. Lucas often came back hungry and she was also kind of starting to get hungry.

"Smells good." as he walks in. She felt a bit proud of herself, she was learning how to cook properly. He sits down and she serves him some juice and a sandwich with mince and some potatoes on the side. "Thank you," he says as she sits across him.

"You provided the food and I cook it so there is no need to thank one another." He doesn't respond as he digs into his food.

She begins eating and when he is done. He smiles at her. "How was your day?"

"It was okay I guess."

"We can go have a picnic later on tonight. I know of a beautiful place."

"Okay." she looks forward to it.

They both turn when they hear someone walking in. Was it an intruder or a person who was lost? "Lucas do you know how much I have missed you, you old bas." before the stranger can finish his sentence. He emerges, and he looks puzzled to find her sitting there with Lucas.

"Bernard." as Lucas arises from his chair and he walks towards him, he hugs him in a brotherly manner which meant that this man was important to him.

She gets up so that she can clear the dishes and also use it as an escape to leave them to catch up as the two of them.

She scrapes her chair back and before she can take the plates. Lucas turns to her as he grabs her hand and pulls her next to him.

"I would like you to meet someone who is special to me."

"Of course." As Bernard puts on a smile that she can already see that it doesn't reach his eyes and its all for show. He must have known or heard about her. "This is my wife, Olivia." As he is gleaming at her. "And Olivia this man is like a brother to me. Bernard"

She plasters on a smile. She reaches out her hand "Afternoon, it is nice to meet you." He extends his hand a bit reluctantly and he takes hers. "It is nice to finally meet Lucas's wife. I was beginning to worry when he was going to get married as he has been saving himself for the right one." His last word has a cutting edge to it.

He lets go of her hand. "I will let you two catch up" as she takes the plates from the table to the kitchen sink. She can feel his eyes boring into her back until she is out of sight.

Why did she feel so suffocated in there? She can't help but remember the way that he had looked at her. Why did his heart feel heavy at the thought that he would obviously speak badly of her? Would he sway Lucas? Would she end up being thrown out?

Whatever she had to clean up in any case. Whatever happened she would take it one day at a time.

"Sit." as Lucas shows him to the living room. He sees that he is carrying a bag, so it meant he was going to be staying a bit. He unshoulders the bag and sits down. Lucas looks him over and he has a beard that has grown.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

He looks at him grimly "I would have. I got to your house in the city and to my shock and horror, I found new people living there. So, I thought long and hard where you might be and I came to the countryside instead. I thought that something had happened to you or you were heartbroken."