Elon left me alone. I took off my shoes, washed my face, and quickly assessed the room. A white bedspread, a blue carpet, and a few abstract paintings gracing the walls that were likely originals. From my bedroom window, I spotted the ocean in the distance. Elon probably had one of his yachts docked nearby.
My skin felt prickly. I left my room and tiptoed down the hall.
I peeked into Sam’s room and saw him playing a video game on his TV. I had no idea what game, but it was probably one he’d coveted forever.
I took the staircase down to the first floor, moving slowly to ensure no wood creaked on the steps. Once downstairs, I took a deep breath and headed into the kitchen.
No one was there. Perfect. I opened the refrigerator and found a bottle of water. My stomach grumbled as I hadn't eaten much all day. I grabbed a slab of cheese and decided to chop off some small pieces.
As I made myself a plate, Elon coughed to announce himself. I cringed, though a part of me understood he didn't care if I ate.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
My spine stiffened like I'd been caught doing something wrong. I gazed at him and answered the way I’d been trained to as a girl whenever I'd been caught. “Making us a snack.”
He took a piece of the cheese I'd cut and popped it in his mouth. “We can ring for service.”
I picked up the plate and whispered, “Servants talk, and they might tell my parents I'm here.”
He walked with me to the sitting room, and we settled on a couch. I nibbled at the cheese on my plate.
“What happened between you and your parents?” he asked.
My nerve endings buzzed. I closed my eyes, decided to delay my answer by eating the piece of cheese in my hand, and chewed.
Once I finished, I sighed and said, “When I was pregnant with Sam and told them I was going to keep the baby, they said I wasn't their daughter anymore."
He rubbed my arm.
"It’s fine,” I said.
"No, it's not." He continued to rub my arm. “That must have hurt. I wish I’d not been such an asshole. I wish I'd cared about your pain.”
Damn, there he was acting perfect again. I tilted my head and faced him. “You’re being hard on yourself. When they cut ties with me, it was almost freeing. It meant I could raise Sam—on my own.”
He relaxed into the couch like he was entirely comfortable around me. I stole another bite of cheese. Then he asked, “Why did you name Sam after my grandfather?”
I tensed as I was a private person and usually avoided conversations like this. I remembered how his grandparents visited once a month and, like clockwork, the rooms were readied for them. I turned and said, “Because I think he was the only person in your family to really see my life as it was.”
Elon sat up straight, and his gaze narrowed. “What do you mean?”
I sucked in my lips. I was about to say something I hadn't said out loud in years. Now that we were living with Elon, I needed to tell him enough so he entirely loved Sam. I wrung my hands, as confiding in someone wasn’t easy for me. “Your grandfather was the one who decided to pay for my school. He also arranged for me to get a ride with you every day.”
Elon inhaled. “I didn’t know that.”
I nodded. He probably hadn’t. Neither did his mother and father. I remember begging his grandfather to never tell anyone, not even Elon's parents. I was afraid they'd have told my parents.
“I asked your grandfather not to talk about me or what he'd done to anyone,” I said.
He sat up straighter and massaged the back of his head. “Why?”
Heat rose to my face. The sting of long ago shouldn’t still prick, but it did. I didn’t blink. “My parents would have refused his help. And the exclusive private school we all went to was the only place where I wasn’t being sent away until I got my job at the park.”
He folded his hands in front of him. “I’d like more info on your parents, so I can ensure they’re cut off from all knowledge about you.”
Right. I needed Elon to protect Sam, both from my parents and my violent ex. I lifted my chin. “Okay. They didn’t care about me. I was a mistake, a nuisance, a headache. My mother never wanted to have a child at all and mentioned that pretty much every night.” A sob escaped. “I won't rebel if that’s what you’re worried about.” My cheeks were wet, and my shoulders slumped, but I needed to finish. “I’m protecting Sam from pain as best I can.”
“Don’t cry,” he whispered and rubbed my back. Then his arms wrapped around me. For a minute, I pressed my head to his shoulder.
