Page 44 of Break

None of us has been able to stop her from working around the house. It’s been impossible to convince Mina she doesn’t need to earn her keep, but she still insists on making three meals a day. Last night I found her on stomach with a hand vacuum cleaning up under the couches in the living room.

Anytime one of us enters a room where she’s working, she quickly finishes up whatever task she’s assigned herself and then slips away back up to her room. It’s exhausting just watching her. Begging her to rest and reminding her these aren’t her jobs, only have her deflating as if she’s doing something wrong.

I decided to push back my morning workout today to get ahead of her and prepare something for breakfast to give her a break. As I walk into the kitchen at six in the morning, there she is. The lights are off except for the light over the stove where she’s browning what smells like sausage.

So not to startle her, I clear my throat and bite back a smile when she still jolts at the noise.

“Oh, umm… good morning, Ethan.” Her voice is raspy this morning, having just woken up and not speaking to anyone yet. It’s still soft, but filled with her never-ending politeness.

“Mornin’.” My voice cracks, and I clear it awkwardly, giving her a quick smile. Making my way to the refrigerator, I pull the door open to grab out creamer and settle into a quiet routine of making my coffee. I shuffle around her while also keeping my distance, so she doesn’t feel like she’s in my way. Holding up the pot to her, I ask, “Coffee?”

“No, thank you. I don’t drink it.”

I lean closer to hear her because she’s talking in an almost whisper, like she’s afraid to wake anyone in the house. Looking over her shoulder, I see Walter zonked out on the floor to her left. Apparently, it’s too early for him as well.

I choose not to sit down, but lean against the counter a few feet from her, watching as she fries up a few pounds of sausage in a skillet. “Smells good,” I inform her.

She flicks her eyes over to me, then down to my chest and arms before rapidly turning her focus back on the pan. I look down at myself and curse internally when I realize I forgot to put a shirt on. To be fair, I normally go straight to the gym once I wake up, and never throw one on until after I shower. Cuts down on laundry.

Turning back at her, I open my mouth to apologize and offer to cover up, but I close it when I see what she’s looking at. Her eyes are locked on my arm, where I’ve got a full sleeve of tattoos decorating it from my shoulder to wrist. She doesn’t look horrified, just curious.

I decide to use her interest as a conversation starter hoping to learn a little more about her. “Do you want one?”

She blushes when she realizes I’ve caught her staring. “I can’t have one of those.”

“Why not?” Anyone can get a tattoo, unless they have medical reasons or something like that. She doesn’t answer. Flipping the burner off on the stove, she picks up the skillet to drain the fat onto a paper plate covered with paper towel where the grease can cool before tossing it away. “Do you want one?”

She shrugs like she isn’t interested, but I can see a flare of want on her face before she smothers it.

“Come with me,” I urge her.

Finally meeting my gaze, she looks up in confusion. “Come with you where?”

“To get a tattoo.” It’s not a terrible idea. I’ve witnessed many of the women we help do something drastic as a way to take control of their new realities. Some cut and dye their hair, others will get make-overs. I’ve seen new hobbies, enrollment in school, or lots of partying because they wanted to feel free. Why not get a tattoo?

“I can’t get a tattoo.” Mina is looking at me like I’ve lost my marbles, but I shrug. Clearly, I see no issue with them considering I’ve marked over a third of my body.

“Why not?”

“You’ll tell him.”

I’ll what?I frown at her, setting my cup on the counter to turn and face her fully. “Who? Danny?”

When she nods, I get frustrated. Not at her, but that she really thinks I’d run off and tell Danny something so trivial.

“I’m not friends with him anymore, Mina.” She looks at me skeptically, so I add, “I couldn’t tell him, anyway. This is what we do for a living. Our job is to keep you protected.”

I wait in silence while she stares at the cooling meat on the counter, debating with herself. She doesn’t look particularly happy about what I’ve said, but as I think over my words, there isn’t anything that seems wrong.

I try to push her, which was apparently the wrong move. “It’ll do you good. Just look around and see if there’s anything that sparks your interest. We’ll go after breakfast.”

She stiffens but nods sharply in agreement, and I realize she only said yes because I told what Iwantedus to do instead of offering her a choice. Quickly, I add, “Only if you want to. You don’t have to, Mina. Not if you don’t want to”.

Eyeing me warily, she must read something in my face because she mumbles out, “I’d rather not then… if that’s okay?”

“It’s okay, but will you tell me why?” I’m disappointed, but also glad that she felt she could tell me no.

She hesitates. “…I’m not comfortable with you. Besides, it’s not part of your job to entertain me.”

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