The Butler and I (BWWM)✔

57

"Hi, you guys serve breakfast, right?" I ask entering Ro's again. There is something pulling me towards them. There has to be more to the story of why she is staying. What if he is keeping her bound? I'm crazy, he's not a witch or anything. I don't know why someone would allow themselves to go through all this pain and stay with the person causing it. 

"The visitor came back, must be doing our job," Jean-Robert jokes, "take a seat," he then says. I nod my head and take a seat on the exact stool I was sitting the night before. There are only a few people here, it is early, I came to grab some breakfast before I have to go back to the hospital to check on the patient we operated on before heading home later today. "What can I get you?" He asks me. 

"Surprise me," I tell him. 

"Surprise it is," he smiles and then leaves. Why does he smile so damn much? Was smiling part of the customer service? The back door opens and there comes his wife. When she sees me, she stares at me for a while. She then walks to a table I suppose she has to handle business at. Jean-Robert then comes back with my food after a few minutes, "pancakes and syrup with a cherry on top," I look down at the plate. It looks delicious, "hope you enjoy," he winks then leaves. 

I stare at where he just went, did he just wink at me? "Hi," his wife comes next to me. "I'm sorry about the way I reacted yesterday," she tells me. 

"It's fine, I was asking way too many questions," I fake a smile. She smiles back and stands there for a while. I take my knife and cut the pancake putting a piece of it in my mouth. It instantly melted, they might not be good people; however, they have amazing food. "This is really good," I tell her. 

"Yeah," she says seeming in deep thought. I look up at her, she is a beautiful woman. She has auburn hair, I wonder if it's natural. Even if it isn't, it goes with her. Unlike Luke and her husband, her eyes are light brown, she has a long face and a few wrinkles. "When I was your age, I had my curiosities for marriage also," she tells me. "I guess we all do," I chuckle. She puts the loose strand of her hair behind her ear, "my husband is an alcoholic," she says. 

I quickly drop my fork and look at her. I did not know she would say it to me. I knew he was an alcoholic, "oh," I say. I don't know if I should tell her sorry or ask if she is okay. 

"He goes to rehab," she says. "I've been trying to get him to go for as long as I can remember and two months ago he finally agreed to go," she says. "I guess that's one of the biggest issues that challenged us. I just want you to know you have to be patient," she says. 

"How?" I ask her, I want to ask her how can she be patience when he is abusive when he drinks? I stop myself knowing I will reveal my true identity. "How can you be patient with something like that?" I ask her. 

"Because I love him," she says. "The world often doesn't understand that, but I do love him, that's why I married him. I wish everyone would see him for who he is when he is sober. He's funny, such a flirt, and he's sweet," she says. I don't know what to tell her at this point. Some part of me understands her. "So, if you love this guy and he makes you happy, marry him." 

"Thank you," I tell her. She nods her head. I watch as Jean-Robert walks up to her pulling her towards him. He whispers something in her ear, she smiles, he turns her around and kisses her lips. 

I look around and I did see love in all of the pain. It is a weird love, but love nonetheless. I finish my food then make my way back to the team at the hospital before heading home. 

'''''''

The elevator dings and I walk out making my way to Luke's door. I am going to pick up Jake from his place. I stand in front of his door, I take my hair tie from my wrist and put it in a bun. I hesitate to knock on the door, should I tell him I went to his parents' restaurant, he is going to kill me. I know how sensitive he is about his family especially the whole situation of alcoholism. 

I am about to knock when the door opens, "sweetheart, don't stand in front of the door, it bothers me," he says. I nod my head remembering he can sense when someone is behind the door. He pulls me into a hug and kisses my lips after pulling away. "Besides that, I missed you," he says. 

"I missed you too, now where's my son?" I ask him. He chuckles and lets me inside the house. 

"Jake, you're mom's here!" he yells. After a few seconds, I see Jake coming out of the kitchen, he comes and gives me a hug. 

"Mom, you're back!" He exclaims, "you have to try this," he says pulling me into the kitchen. I raise my eyebrow asking Luke what he is talking about. He simply shrugs his shoulders, we walk to the kitchen and Jake makes me take a seat. He comes and puts a plate of food in front of me. I stare down at the dish which looks brown, I have no idea what it is. I think I spot some macaroni. 

"What's this?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulder, "and you expect me to eat it?" I question.

"Please mom, just one spoon," he says. 

"Okay," I say. He grabs the spoon and tells me to open my mouth. "It better not be poop," I tell them. I close my eyes and open my mouth. He puts it, I am ready to spit it out but it actually tastes good. I open my eyes and chew it down, it tastes like some kind of beef mixture. "What is it?" I ask them. 

"Beef, macaroni, pepper, carrots, rice mixed together," Jake replies. 

"Oh," I say. I take the spoon from his hand and start eating. "What have you guys been doing?" I ask. 

"Experimenting with food," Jake replies. "I think we created ten different foods," he says. 

"That's good, I'm gonna be eating this," I say. Jake nods his head and I continue to eat the brown mixture that looks like poop. 

'''''''''

"Thanks for watching him," I tell Luke. He nods his head, "I owe you," I add. I kiss his cheek, "Jake it's time to go!" I yell. 

"Do we have to?" He asks, "can't we just sleep here tonight?" He asks me. He comes to the living where I am standing. "Please, we'll have to drive for twenty minutes and I'm tired," he says with pouted lips. Those lips are not going to work with me anymore, I want to go home, I think Luke had had enough of him for one week. 

"I'm sorry, but we have to go home," I say emphasizing on the home. 

"You guys can stay," Luke says. I turn and look at him shaking my head no, "come on, I know you're tired," he says with the pouted lips also. 

"Not gonna work on me guys," I tell them. They stare at me waiting for my answer. "Fine, we can stay," I finally say. Thye both smile mouthing me a thank you.

"I'm going to bed," Jake says. I nod my head. 

"You sleep here all the time, what's the big deal?" Luke asks me. I roll my eyes at him, we walk to his room. We enter his room and close the door, he comes behind me and takes my jacket off. I am holding my phone, he takes it from me and set it on the nightstand. "I promise you'll have a better night sleep here," he whispers in my ear. I chuckle as he starts to place kisses on my neck. 

"Luke," I call him. He doesn't stop and continues to kiss me. I turn around and he looks at me raising his eyebrow, "I-I um..." I try to tell him about his parents. Just then my phone starts ringing, I turn and ignore it. 

"You're not going to answer it?" Luke asks. He walks to the nightstand and grabs my phone. He stares at the caller ID then at me. He licks his lips and shakes his head disappointedly. "I guess I know where we stand in the matter of trust," he says handing me my phone and walking out the room. 

AN

Who called?

Au Revoir...