A New Precious

Chapter 32

When I arrived back home, I began preparing and cooking the food. A few minutes later, Aaliyah and Máiréad arrived back. They'd spent the afternoon together.

"Something sure smells good!" Aaliyah called out from the foyer.

"I makes dinner for you, Precious!" I singsonged happily with a giggle.

"Ooh, watcha makin'?"

"Fettuccine alfredo."

"Oh, my favorite!" Máiréad barked excitedly.

I burst into giggles. "I knew you'd love that, Sweetie!"

Aaliyah laughed. "I love the way you make it."

"Awww, thank you." I makes the dish with a healthier pasta, and I makes my own alfredo sauce that is much better for you while still tasting the same. Although, Máiréad thinks it tastes even better than the original sauce.

"Yeah, you make the best fettuccine alfredo ever," added Máiréad.

"Awww, well, it'll be ready soon, my sweet baby."

She smiled at me, and planted a kiss on my cheek. "You're the best."

I giggled and smiled at her as I finished cooking.

Soon, dinner was finally ready. I filled three plates, and placed them on the table. I handed out silverware and napkins. Then, I filled everyone's cups with their preferred drinks. Finally, I placed a fourth plate in the middle of the table, containing slices of garlic bread.

"Oh, this looks amazing, Sméagol," said Aaliyah.

"Careful," I said. "It's hot."

As we enjoyed our meal, we talked about our day. I told Aaliyah about the young girl Máiréad and I met at the pool earlier, and how her bullies tried to drown her.

"Why would someone actively try to hurt someone else just because they don't like them?" Aaliyah wondered. "I never understood that. And, the fact that they kept teasing her after she almost drowned, that just... ugh!"

"You should've seen the way Sméagol told them off," Máiréad chimed in. "He was so mad, but he was still so sweet. It was amazing!"

"Wow, Sméagol, good for you for not being a bystander, and for sticking up for that girl."

"Yeah, I wish there were more people as brave as you. I've had bystanders just watch me getting bullied, and it was so humiliating. They didn't stick up for me. They didn't even ask me if I was okay. They just stood there, watching it all go down like it was some sort of freak show. Being bullied is painful enough, but when you have an audience..." She shuddered. "Ugh..."

"Yeah, I think being a silent watcher is just as bad as being a bully. It's like you're validating the bullying, like you're taking the bully's side, and you're entertained by it. What's so entertaining about watching someone getting hurt?"

"Apparently, watching someone being tortured and humiliated is funny."

"It's not," I said sadly, placing my hand on Máiréad's shoulder. "It's never funny. It's heartbreaking, and I couldn't lets that poor girl suffers any more than she already had."

"You were really sweet to her." She turned to Aaliyah. "She was clinging onto him like he was her lifeline. She even wanted to sit on his lap, and he let her."

"Awwww," Aaliyah sighed.

"And, he was comforting her, and he even sang to her."

"Awww, Sméagol," Aaliyah cried, "that is so sweet! You probably made that girl's day a hundred times better."

"That's all I wants, Precious," I said sadly. "I hates that people suffers so much. I wants to make life better for them, especially when nobody else will."

"Good for you, Sméagol."

"I met a lady at the grocery store who needed help. Very demanding and angry she was. She thought I worked there, and didn't listens at first when I told her I didn't."

"Oh, shit," Máiréad grumbled, "you had your first encounter with a Karen."

"Well, yes, but... I decided to helps her anyways."

"Even though she was really mean to you?"

"Yes, because..." I suddenly felt very sad, "I saw so much pain in her eyes when I looksed at her, and I could tells she wasn't a truly nasty person. She just needed a friend, and I was more than happy to be that friend to her."

"How did that turn out?"

"She was skeptical of me at first. She didn't understands why I was being so nice to her."

"Did she finally realize you weren't an employee?"

"She did, and she asked why I was helping her if I didn't works there. I explains that I just wanted to helps her, and I loved helping. She opens up to me about what was going on in her life. Poor thing was raising her five children on her own, because her husband is never around."

"Aww, that's so sad," Aaliyah chimed in.

"She's a sweet lady, just so very angry with the world and how her life is going. She didn't have anyone to turn to. I wanted to be that friend for her."

"Oh, Sméagol," Aaliyah sighed, "you are an angel to so many people."

"Well, I knows what it's like to be all alone, and I never, ever wants anybody else to goes through it, too. Nobody should ever be alone, ever. Everybody deserves love, even the worst of people." I sighed sadly. "I only wishes I could creates a safe place for everyone to come, talks about their pain, make friends, blow off steam, whatever they needs, and I wants to be the one to fills that place and their hearts with unconditional love."

"Hmmm." Aaliyah thought for a moment. "I may be able to help you with that."