The kitchen matched the rest of the house in size. A sturdy table and chairs stood in the middle of the room, and modern appliances graced the counters. Norma stirred a pot on the gas stove, and Leeman sat at the table with his hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.
He glanced at Aspen as she entered. “Do you like the room you’ve picked?” he asked.
“It’s fantastic.” Aspen grinned. “It’s the biggest room I’ve ever had. I’ve even got my own bathroom.”
Leeman smiled broadly. “I’ve just boiled water. You’ll find cocoa in the middle cabinet and milk in the fridge.” He pointed to the massive stainless steel double-door fridge behind her.
“Thank you. Can I get you a cup, Mom?”
“No thanks, honey. Uncle Leeman already offered.”
Her mom seemed more relaxed than when she’d first arrived. She’d chosen a room close to her daughter and had unpacked her meager belongings quickly before she’d rushed down to make a meal. She hadn’t mentioned the scene with Stephan and Miriam yet.
Aspen poured hot water into a mug of hot chocolate and laced it liberally with milk. She stirred three spoons of sugar into the brew and swallowed noisily.
“Sorry about the sound effects.” She smiled. “It’s just so good.”
Norma placed the wooden spoon on a dish next to the stove and planted a kiss on Aspen’s forehead.
“Don’t worry, sweetie, no one is going to moan about that here.” She stood back thoughtfully. “This feels so different. I can hug and kiss you without being shouted at.”
Leeman fisted his hand, and the knuckles on his fingers turned white. “I should’ve hit him harder,” he said with a scowl.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Leeman, you were fantastic. Thank you for bringing us here. I’ve never been so happy in my whole life.” Aspen’s face was radiant.
His eyes softened as he looked at her. “Sorry it took so long, Princess. I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me your life was so bad.”
Norma looked at the two and frowned, probably wondering why Leeman would say that since he’d supposedly never met Aspen before.
Aspen glanced nervously at her mom and wondered how to distract her. “Will I have time for a quick bath before dinner, Mom?”
“Absolutely, honey. The stew will hold till then.”
“Thanks, I’ll be back soon.” She washed her cup, dried it, and darted out of the room.
After running a deep bath, Aspen lay back and soaked in the hot foamy water. The bathroom was light and airy, with white tile and chrome finishes. There was a wide sink in the corner, and an enormous shower stood next to the tub. It felt strange not to bathe in shallow cold water. Miriam normally used all the hot water in their dingy old bathroom, and Aspen had to hurry whenever it was her turn.
Now, the warm water relaxed her muscles and she breathed in the rose-scented bath salts she’d sprinkled into the tub with a contented sigh. A motorcycle spluttered and roared outside, and the sound made her sit up instantly.
That had to be Stephan’s bike; the sound was unmistakable.
She reached for a plush towel and dried herself quickly, her calmness forgotten. After throwing on a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt, she ran downstairs in her slippers as fast as she could. A tiny drop of moisture from her ponytail splashed on the floor as she wrung it out in the kitchen.
“Uncle Leeman. Is that Stephan outside?”
“Relax, Princess. He doesn’t know where we are. He’s just riding up and down the street because he doesn’t know what else to do. Our SUV is in the garage, and there’s a high wall out front with a locked wooden gate.”
She trembled slightly but forced herself to be calm. Stephan wasn’t as strong as she was, and he couldn’t hurt her anyway.
Her mother stood nervously in the kitchen with a wooden spoon in her hand, her eyes wide with fear.
“Mom, I’m starving. When do we eat?” Hopefully that would distract her.
“Supper is ready, sweetie. Can you help me set the table, please?”
While they all tried to ignore the drone of the motorcycle’s engine, Leeman opened the cutlery drawer and showed Aspen where everything was stored. He then reached for three plates and placed them on the tablecloth between the knives and forks she’d arranged in a U formation around the table.
Norma spooned rice on each plate and ladled steaming meat stew over it.
“Hmm, it smells great.” Aspen sniffed appreciatively.
Her mom smiled. “Dig in, sweetie, before it gets cold.”
Without hesitation, Aspen loaded a fork with rice and meat, then blew at the steam that rose from it. She crammed the food into her mouth and repeated the process until her plate was empty. No longer able to hear the motorcycle, she relaxed and finished her supper.
“Wow, looks like you were really hungry.” Norma grinned.
“Absolutely famished.”
Leeman scraped his plate and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “We need napkins. If you keep cooking like that, I’m going to embarrass myself and lick the plate.” He chuckled.