attention to herself, she was fine.
There was only one tiny problem. She couldn’t read or write. They were skills she’d watched other women have, but she’d never been allowed to practice. She tried. When she was sent to clean the library, she’d find a couple of quiet moments to open a book and scan the pages, but that was all she ever had time for.
Nothing else.
Words were something she craved but could never have. Staring at the open laptop, she didn’t know what to type, and so she closed it and moved toward his small collection of books. They looked neat, tidy, even. Running her fingers across the back of the spines, she smiled. They had words.
Pretty words, she hoped.
Picking one of the books up, she flicked it open and scanned the pages.
Nothing.
Closing the book, she placed it back on the shelf. She sat down on his large sofa and looked toward the window.
The outside world?
She took her time, stepping up to the window. At first, she peered around the curtain, afraid of someone catching her. At first, there was nothing to see, just other buildings. Getting a little more confident, she looked down below and saw cars, activity. People walking on the streets, and she smiled. They were all free. Free to live their lives.
What would it be like to know what words actually meant, to pick up a pen? To have a life? Would she ever be a mother?
She put a hand to her stomach.
Giavanni had never allowed himself to take her cherry. It was what he’d called it. She knew she was a virgin. The guards were ordered to stay away from her. From time to time, others would attempt to steal what belonged to her, but they would get punished. Raphael, in some strange way, was always coming to her rescue. Thinking about Raphael made her feel a little nervous and guilty as she’d lied to him, but that was what she’d been trained to do.
“You’re Giavanni property. Everything you are belongs to Romeo and that is exactly who I am when I’m here. I’m Giavanni and you’re nothing but useless.”
He couldn’t hurt her anymore, not here. She pushed the past fear away. Did Raphael believe it was his father who hurt her? With his questions, she got confused. She was always told that she belonged to Romeo and even if he didn’t actually hurt her, or even know everything that happened, she didn’t know if she could tell Raphael the truth.
She hadn’t once said it was his father, not once. Did it make it right?
The sound of the door opening to her apartment filled the air, and she tensed up. He didn’t say anything about guests, or what to do if it just opened. She didn’t have to worry though. He appeared, carrying a brown paper bag.
“Afternoon, sweetheart,” he said.
He never called her Useless. He kept on demanding she find a name for herself.
“Hello,” she said.
“Do you have a new name yet?”
She shook her head.
“Maybe next time I ask.” He winked at her. “Want to come and see what I got?”
She nodded. It would be rude to tell him she was bored and didn’t have a single clue what to do. Did people ever get bored? Her life was all about cleaning, being ordered to do work. She was only ever allowed to rest at night, if her Master didn’t want her.
It was strange how fast her life had changed in only a day or two.
Raphael put the bag down and began to pull out vegetables and cans of food.
“I’m thinking a noodle stir-fry. What do you think?” he asked. “I also have some ice cream for dessert.” He placed the tub down and she couldn’t stop smiling.
“I’ve never tried ice cream before.” Nor a noodle dish, or rice, or most things. She had the same meal all the time. Stew. A vegetable stew and bread were all she was allowed. Sometimes baked apples if there was an abundance she’d collected.
“You’ve never tried ice cream? Well, I have to rectify that situation immediately.” He grabbed a spoon, opened up the carton. “This is a vanilla and chocolate mix. I forbid you to not love it.”
She chuckled as he presented a heaping spoon to her lips. She took it into her mouth, shocked by how cold it was.
Vanilla and chocolate melted on her tongue and she groaned, closing her eyes. “Wow,” she said.
“Yes, wow. Another scoop for you, and then we’ll save the rest for dessert.”