Fire in Her Eyes

Breakfast

The next morning, Val came downstairs to find the three men washing up from morning chores and her mother putting breakfast on the table.

“It’s so much easier to get everything done on the days you boys are here. I’m glad you’re getting your degree and have your life, but I sure do miss the extra hands.” Mr. Miller said to Marshall and Mark.

“Don’t mention it, dad. We’re happy to help.”

“Definitely. Your wife’s banana bread alone is worth it! I don’t know how you do this on your own. Country folk are built different.” Mark said.

Mr. Miller chuckled. “You’re not too bad for a cuty slicker. And you get better and better each time you’re here.”

Val noted tge exchange between the men. So they hadn’t been just tryimg to be nice when they told her that Mark helped out around the farm when he visited. And it sounded like a somewhat regular occurrence.

“Good morning, sweetheart, how’d you sleep?” Mrs. Miller asked her daughter, seeing her come down.

“Better than I have in a while. Thank you, Mama.” Val answered quietly. The men turned to face her. Mr. Miller and Mark smiled. Marshall quickly crossed the room and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I was worried sick, Val! We didn’t know if we would ever see you again or if you were even alive! Don’t ever do that again!” He told her.

Val tensed at first, tgen relaxed into her brother’s strong arms. At 6’5, Marshall was an imposing young man. He was two years older than Val and had been her best friend since before they became siblings. Marshall had been the one to tip off the adults that something was wrong with Val’s home life, and he had been protecting her ever since. Not being able to protect her from Ev had crushed him.

“Marsh, I need to breathe!” She laughed.

“Man, I missed that laugh!” He said, reluctantly releasing her. That was when he stopped to really look at her and his expression darkened as he gently traced a bruise on her cheek. “Please tell me you’re not going back.” He said in a serious tone.

“I’m not.” She answered, her tone just as serious.

“Good.”

Mark stepped closer. “Val, this is my roommate, Mark Sessor.” Marshall introduced.

Mark gently took her hand and brought it to his lips. “You must be the lovely Valerie I keep hearing about.” He said. Val blushed at the gesture and compliment. Marshall’s eyes narrowed and he looked at his friend suspiciously.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Val said timidly.

“She prefers ‘Val’.” Marshall said.

“Y-you can call me Valerie, if you want.” Val offered, looking into his intense blue eyes.

The Miller’s all looked shocked by what they had just heard. Val had always hated being called by her full name. Now she was letting this stranger call her that?

Mark smiled again and it made her a little weak in the knees. “Valerie it is then.” He said, finally letting go of her hand. He pulled a chair out for her. “Here, principessa.” He said softly. Marshall shot his friend another suspicious look at the endearment. Mr. Miller chuckled. Mark was always charming, but he had never seen Marsh bristle so much at his friend.

“Principessa? Is that Italian?” Val asked.

“Sure is. My parents moved to Chicago from Italy a couple months before I was born.” He answered.

“How nice.” She said with a smile. Mark smiled back and took his own seat.

Mr. Miller said grace, thanking God for bringing their whole family together again, then they all began to dig in. Marshall kept looking at Mark and Val. His friends could charm a snake right out of its skin, and he had seen him be smooth with his mom and the girls back in Wichita, but seeing it with his little sister felt different, and Val seemed to appreciate his attention as they chatted. He was surprised at how easily she was talking to him. With her background, it usually took a while for her to warm up to new people, especially men.

“Principessa,” Mark asked after a few moments when he noticed her caressing her still-flat belly. “Is it ok if I ask how you’re feeling about this pregnancy?”

Everyone stopped to listen for her answer. They had all thought of this pregnancy as one more thing Ev did to her. They hadn’t thought to find out if she felt the same way about it.

“I’m scared. Really scared. She said honestly. “But also excited? Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all. It makes sense that you would have mixed feelings.” Mark replied with a smile. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” She said, blushing slightly. She hadn’t expected anyone to congratulate her or celebrate this baby with her. But here this man was, checking in on how she felt and responding accordingly. She hadn’t felt so seen and valued since she had left to live with Ev.

Marshall couldn’t contain himself any longer. “What is this, man? What are you doing?”

Mark looked at his friend, then at Mr. and Mrs. Miller. After a moment to consider his response, he said, “I’ve just met the woman I’m going to marry some day.”

Mr. Miller barely avoided spitting out the sip of orange juice he had just taken. “I’m sorry, what?” He asked.

Mark turned to Val, who looked like she couldn’t decide whether to be flattered or terrified by his confidence. “Don’t worry, principessa, I’m not proposing yet. Just letting you know where this is headed. You deserve for someone to do things the right way. No lies, no mind games, no secrets, no sneaking behind your family’s back,” he said, nodding towards Mr. and Mrs. Miller, “just open, honest communication.” He told her. “If that’s ok with you, that is.”

Val smiled softly at him, then her expression fell. “But I’m carrying his baby.” She said, looking down.

“That doesn’t change what I said.” He told her, gently lifting her face with his hand. “And this baby isn’t his. This baby is yours.”

Tears pricked her eyes as he told her the baby was hers, not Ev’s. She had been so afraid of telling Ev she was pregnant. She knew he wouldn’t take it well. He’d probably force her to get rid of it. But here was this man she had just met saying that didn’t matter, that didn’t change her worth in his eyes, and that she was this baby’s parent. Ev didn’t need to have any further hold on her or her child’s life.

“You don’t care that I’m going to have someone else’s baby?” She asked.

“I care that you are the one for me. Baby and all.” He responded. “So what do you say? Will you give me the chance to show you how you should have been treated this whole time?” He asked with another disarming smile.

“I’d like that.” She said with a small smile.

Marshall looked furious. “You can’t be serious, man!” He said, unable to contain himself any longer. “That’s my sister whose feelings you’re playing with right now!”

Mark turned his focus back to his friend. “Marsh, I’m not playing. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I know how much she means to you. I would never do anything to hurt her, or you. You’re like a brother to me, Marsh. This doesn’t have to be a whole thing between us.”