June woke up with a loud yawn, and when she checked the time, it was past nine.
Immediately, she scurried out of bed and into the bathroom.
Now that Rauf had explained everything to her, she was no longer bothered about the toiletries in the room. In fact, it made it easier for her to use them without guilt.
And for the first time, she picked up her phone to check if there was anything.
There were several missed calls from Chris and messages. There were missed calls from Serena too.
Chris’s last message was an hour ago.
If I don’t get a response soon, I will find Rauf’s home and drag you home. Damn the Monterrios.
At this, a smile took over her face.
If she wanted to be fair, she knew it wasn’t Rauf or Serena’s fault. They were just doing what a mother and brother should do.
She shouldn’t hold their actions against them.
She finally typed a response.
Just settling in. Thank you.
She hoped that was enough to put his mind at ease.
But immediately, her phone buzzed, indicating there was a response.
Just five words don’t satisfy my curiosity. I want details about how you’re doing.
June rolled her eyes.
Chris was just as protective as he had been at home.
She did respond to him, so as not to cause another sense of anxiety for him.
June told him the house was cool and that she was settling in properly. She didn’t mention anything about the rules and regulations.
And she didn’t say she could see the mansion.
She dropped her phone back on the bed and changed into something casual.
At first, she was tempted to open the window and see if there was anything going on at the mansion.
But she thought against it.
She could always check later.
But the way she was hungry couldn’t wait until later.
Dressing in another casual outfit, she returned to the kitchen.
The silence in the whole house was something she wasn’t sure she would get used to. She wondered where Henson and Rauf must be.
She got into the kitchen, and there was no food. No plates.
Nothing.
She frowned and started checking each of the cabinets one by one.
How was she supposed to eat if there was nothing?
Fortunately for her, she soon found a few ingredients that would make a nice pasta. Without waiting, June started making it.
She sang slowly as she made it and inhaled the sweet aroma of the food she was preparing.
She was so engrossed in it that she didn’t notice someone was standing behind her, watching what she was doing.
June moved effortlessly, like she had been using the kitchen forever.
And Rauf watched her, holding the plastic bag containing the food he had just ordered for them.
He didn’t make a sound or try to alert her that he was behind her.
Just watching her doing her thing brought some peace to his mind.
When June finally turned and saw him waiting, her eyes widened.
Her gaze moved from him to the bag in his hand.
"What are you doing?"
Rauf raised the plastic bag.
"I bought breakfast and thought you might be hungry."
She nodded at the bag before turning back to the fresh pasta she had made.
"Thank you, but I think I already got myself sorted."
Rauf nodded but didn’t leave.
He watched her dish the food.
The aroma alone was familiar, and his mouth salivated at the thought of having a taste of the food.
Once she was done, she moved to the sitting room, and Rauf followed her.
He sat two seats away from her, bringing out the food he had ordered.
While June ate her food, she watched him.
He had been playing with the food without taking a bite while he watched her devour her food.
After taking the fifth bite, June couldn’t take her eyes off him anymore.
She sighed.
"So, you care for some?"
Shamelessly, Rauf pushed away the food he was toying with and nodded.
"I don’t mind."
She went back to the kitchen and brought back another plate of food.
Without letting her hand touch Rauf, she dropped it on the table for him.
Rauf murmured a thanks.
He could tell this did not mean she had forgiven him. She just couldn’t watch someone else suffer while she ate.
The moment Rauf placed the first spoonful in his mouth, his memories rushed back to every happy moment he had spent with his wife while blind.
The taste was exactly what he had been craving ever since he opened his eyes.
The taste Amie had failed to replicate, regardless of the number of times she had tried.
Rauf didn’t cry over things.
Ever since he lost his father, he had vowed never to cry over unnecessary things.
Yet, he could feel a drop of tear in his eye as he swallowed the pasta.
June saw it and paused, more out of shock than concern.
The man she knew never let out his emotions, not to talk of crying.
"Are you okay?"
Her voice was filled with concern she had no idea she still felt for Rauf.
He nodded, pushing another spoonful of the pasta into his mouth and humming.
He didn’t look okay.
"Are you sure you’re okay?"
Again, he nodded.
"I am. It’s just the food."
June frowned.
"Is something wrong with the food?"
She took another spoonful from hers and swallowed.
To her, it tasted exactly the way it should. The flavours were blended the way they usually were, and the food wasn’t too soft or too hard.
So, why would it be?
Annoyed, she turned towards him.
"There’s nothing wrong with the food. And if you don’t want it, you can always eat your order."
She pointed at the food he had pushed aside.
"No one forced you to eat something I prepared." ℴ
He shook his head.
"No, Mami. What I meant is the food is just too perfect, Mami."