Storm and Silence Daydreams

One Shot 5: Trouble in Paradise (II)

I suggest you read Part I of this one shot before reading this. (I added some extra stuff to Part I thanks to a suggestion by book_geek3 )

Feel free to comment your thoughts as you read(just please don't be mean)! Then tell me what you think of this one shot as a whole.
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"Lillian, have you considered when you'll go back to your husband?"

Uncle Bufford fixed me with an intimidating stare. As though his stare itself could make me go back to Rikkard.

"I'm not sure Uncle. I don't think I'm ever going back to him."

I kept my eyes down, trying to hide my thoughts as much as possible. I'm not too sure what Uncle Bufford called me to his office for, and I'm not too sure I'll like what he says.

"Well that's a pity. When you left the roof of my house to get married, I was glad to have one less mouth to feed. Then you came back with two more extra mouths. But tell me, if you don't mind, why don't you want to go back to your husband?"

I wanted to use one of that said husband's tricks and say that I do mind so I won't have to explain, but since I don't want to go back to that said husband, and that my uncle was the only one who could help me, I didn't. I decided to be polite.

"Uncle, I... I don't think... he even... wants me back... He doesn't care about us anymore."

At my statement, a look of bewilderment passed through his face before he evened it out.

"And what makes you say so? "

His eyebrow half raised, as though not quite understanding my train of thoughts.

"He wasn't happy that we are having another baby. In fact he was quite against it. He hasn't been himself at all since the financial crisis. He has been neglecting his fatherly duties."

"You're pregnant again? If that's the case, I'll spend more money on yet another mouth!"

Did he not hear anything else that I said? Do all misers act like this?

Uncle Bufford rubbed roughly at his brow, the news of yet another mouth to feed acted like another weight dropped onto his shoulders.

I stared at him, unamused, and he still doesn't seem to notice the shift in mood.

"Lillian, for the good of your unborn child, you must go back to your husband soon. You'll need support that only a husband can  provide, not an uncle. I only allowed you to come back to my house in respect of your mother, my dear sister. I don't want her to toss and turn in her grave. Also..."

Did he not hear me say that my husband doesn't want me back?

"Uncle, Rikkard doesn't want me back!"

As I said this, I had unconsciously let stray tears fall from my eyes. The thought of it, and saying the words out loud, made something in me ache. I don't want Rikkard to not want me back...

My uncle stared at me for a long moment. He stood there quite shocked at my outburst. He seemed like he wanted to go to me and comfort me as his niece, but at the same time doesn't want to dirty his cheap handkerchief. It also seems as though he knows something I don't know.

"My dear niece, your husband does care about you. Even until now. I was about to address your point but you interrupted me. As I was saying, another reason to why I allowed you to stay here is because your husband provided me with some money to share your expenses..."