Painfully Ours

Twenty-Six. Issues

*Eleanora Elliot*

We got back to Andrei's home, Laura smiling at her sons but came to hug me first.

Lore and Hale scoffed, insulted and their mom laughed, hugging her sons.

They spoke, but Laura grabbed my hand and brought me to the kitchen.

With the guys on my heels they followed.

She told me to wash my hands so I did as my heels were being undone, left by Lore, right by Hale.

They took them off.

"I'm gonna shower." Hale kissed my shoulder, Lore doing the same as they left.

She had me help her make dinner.

She played music in the back, she hummed along and her voice was stunning.

"Laura!" Andrei called.

"I'll be back." She squeezed my forearm and went to find her husband.

I continued cutting the vegetables she had been cutting and diced them.

Afterward I didn't want to do anything wrong so I proceeded doing the dishes to help out and clear the sink.

-

We all sat, eating dinner. They all conversed in Russian.

I was beginning to catch on to more general words rather than cooking instructions.

I could tell my guys were a bit tense around their father.

I wondered why. But I wouldn't pry if they didn't want to tell me.

Maybe one day I'd catch on.

But meanwhile I felt myself grow full.

"What's wrong honey?" Andrei pointed to my plate.

"I'm full." I said lightly.

"No. Eat more." He said.

"It's okay dear." Laura reached for my plate.

"No." He said to Laura and she sat, now tense.

Oh.

"Pa." Hale warned.

Andrei said something in Russian.

I didn't catch that.

"Go clear your plate back in the pot. It's used for my father's lunches at work. You're fine." Lore said.

"Are you sure? I don't want to make anyone upset."

"You're full. You're fine to stop eating." He nodded.

I stood, "Nora." Andrei said.

I squinted, bracing as Lore shouted at his father.

"Keep walking to the kitchen." Hale said and I did.

A hand on my back, rubbing.

"So sorry." Laura whispered in my ear.

I gave a tight smile.

But I was anxious, I couldn't lie.

She did my plate for me, setting it in the sink as the voices got sharper. Firmer.

She opened the back door and we walked outside into the calm, rainy night.

We sat on the dry porch on the porch swing they had.

She pulled my hand into her own on her lap, gently rubbing the back of it and I rested my head on her shoulder.

I couldn't fathom letting your husband shout at your children. But this wasn't my place and her husband and sons weren't typical men.