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In all fairness had I given more of a shit, had I shown even the slightest interest in life outside of the marines, none of this would be happening. Whatever, none of that mattered now. I’m going to put a stop to her reign. It’s the only way to protect Lucia.
I took my time walking into the house but instead of going to mom’s rooms as I’d intended, I swung by the kitchen first to see her mother. She was busy directing one of the servants in the correct way to clean the silver.
“Mrs. Clifton, if I may have a minute.” She looked startled at my interruption. I’m not accustomed to being in this part of the house and here I was twice in one day engaging her in conversation.
She followed me into the study down the hall where I led her before closing the door behind us. “I need you to find a new housekeeper and caretaker.”
“I’m sorry, why, what happened, have I done something?” Damn this habit I have of saying shit the wrong way was becoming annoying.
“No, nothing like that, but I can’t have my wife’s parents working for me, not in that capacity anyway.”
“Your…what are you talking about?” The poor woman looked like she was about to faint. “Please sit down before you fall.” I helped her into a chair. She was so much like her only daughter. That soft, quiet, unassuming manner. Lucia was that way with everyone but me. I get her sharp tongue and snippy comebacks, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Now I don’t expect you to go without wages, but there must be something else you can do. I have a few ideas about that but one thing at a time. We’ll discuss all that later. I just wanted to give you a heads-up and to tell you in a roundabout way that I’m going to marry your daughter. I haven’t told her any of this yet so I’ll appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to her until I’ve had a chance to later.”
“Told her? We are talking about my daughter Lucia right? Five foot two, about one hundred pounds of hell on wheels?” She seems to have regained her composure quite well. And she was spot on about her brat of a daughter.
“The very one. And yes I will tell her, asking her anything as you know is like pulling teeth.” We both smiled at that before I let her go. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at me. “Are you in love with my daughter? I won’t ask you about Ms. Helen, that’s none of my affair, but I don’t want my little girl hurt.”
“Neither do I. Ms. Helen already knows, I just came from seeing her.” She nodded and left without another word. That was easy. I wasn’t expecting this next phase to go as well.
The day was full of surprises. She didn’t seem at all astonished at my announcement, almost as if she’d known. I guess I hadn’t been as good at hiding my feelings as I’d thought. First my mother and now hers.
Hopefully her dad would be won over just as easily. I don’t see why not, we’d both taken each other’s measure long ago, what with us both being military men. And I believe we each have a mutual respect for the other.
I could’ve used a stiff drink before going to see my mother, but that shit wouldn’t help. She wasn’t going to be happy no matter what and there was no point in prolonging the inevitable.
I took out my phone and looked at the screen where I had a stolen picture of Lucia as my wallpaper. I’d taken it one night early on when she’d fallen asleep in the chair next to my bed. It was the first sappy thing I’d done since we met. To be followed by many more I’m sure.
She looked so young and innocent, so pure. Was she ready for this life? To have her every move under a microscope? To be constantly judged by people who would never take the time to get to know her? She’d better be, because the shit was gonna come at us hard and fast.
I plan to be beside her every step of the way, making sure no one gets to her. I’ll try my best to prepare her for when I have to leave, and with her dad being a serviceman that shouldn’t be too hard.
We’d talked about that before, but in more general terms. She had a pretty good hang of it, having spent most of her childhood waiting for her dad to come home. But she’s never lived in this house, never had to deal with all that being my wife would entail.
I couldn’t help remembering that other young girl who’d been so desperate, who’d been the subject of such hatred that she’d seen no other way but to end it. I ran my finger lovingly over my baby’s face as I made a silent promise to protect her, to keep her safe from the people I’d once called friends.
