Mr. Good Bad Guy

44 - Back Again

As soon as Ezra left for work the next morning, I made breakfast and went down to the basement. I knew there were cameras everywhere, but I wasn't going to let them continue eating the food Ezra kept saying was filling. It wasn't. I was sure they would appreciate me making sure they're healthy.

"Thank you." Leia accepted the plate I handed her. "Paris will appreciate this. She's been needing the nutrients."

"I got Jovani to get her some vitamins. It's the least I can do. It's my--" I started.

"No, it isn't," she snapped. "It's his and it'll always be his. No one asked for this. Will you at least eat with us?"

"Yes. Of course." I grabbed a plate and waited for everyone to settle down to say grace. I knew that even though they weren't my kind of people, they were part of my life and deserved to be treated with respect. At least they tried to obtain some sort of normalcy here.

Leia smiled at me, and I couldn't help but notice the tiredness in her eyes. Even though she was trying to maintain a sense of normalcy, I could tell that she was struggling. I wondered how much of it was because of her own feelings for what had happened to her, and how much was just the weight of the situation.

"Do you think we're ever going to get out of here?" Klara asked, staring down at her plate. There was a desperation in her voice that I couldn't help but notice.

I glanced around the room, taking in the familiar faces that were now part of my daily life. "I don't know," I answered honestly. "But I'm sure we'll figure something out. In the meantime, we should just focus on making the best of it."

Leia nodded, but her expression remained uncertain. "I just wish we knew what was going on," she muttered under her breath. "Why us?"

"You really don't know why?" I looked at them in turn. "All of your husbands were abusive. He claimed he wanted to save you guys from them. I believe it, but this is too much. Why keep you here and torture you with the thought of someday getting out?"

The basement was silent as everyone thought about what I had said. There was nothing more to say. What I said was the truth. Who in their right mind would torture victims as 'rescuing' them from what was presumably a bad life? The women looked at each other, each with their own thoughts and feelings.

"I don't understand why he won't just let us go," Leia finally whispered. "What do they expect us to do? Why would any of us say anything?"

"Maybe they're planning on selling us to someone else," Klara offered, her voice shaking.

Selling them? I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to buy them. The women looked at each other, their faces contorted in fear and disbelief. It was one thing to be held against their will, but the thought of being sold to someone was too horrifying to comprehend. They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

I tried to think of something comforting to say, but nothing came to mind. The weight of the situation was almost unbearable. I knew that they needed hope, but all I could do was offer them my support and my presence. I couldn't change their circumstances, but maybe I could help them endure them.

"I'll be back for lunch. Maybe there's a chance I could make being here...more comfortable. He owes you that, at least." I got up and started gathering their empty plates and glasses. "For Paris' sake, I hope reality hits him hard."

"Thanks, Irene," Leia said with a small smile. "We'll see you later."

I put everything on the cart and left the basement. I purposely didn't lock their cells to give them a sliver of freedom. The basement door locked once I was in front of it. Jovani was coming down the hall with a smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile back, even though it felt forced.