Stockholm Syndrome

65: Lonely

65: Lonely

While I sat on the counter, I didn't survey Luke's wet, soapy hands as they struggled to get into a glass like I normally did. I looked around the house, noticing for the thousandth time how big it was.

"Your house is huge." I commented, barely aware I was speaking out loud. Luke glanced at me before focusing back to the dishes.

"Uh huh." He nodded.

"You're nineteen. How did you end up so well off? You don't have a job..."

"My cousin was a really well off actor and author. We were really close and when he had a fatal accident, almost all his will was left to me. I used to have a job to keep the amount of money I had after his donation up but eventually I had so much saved that I didn't need to anymore."

"Why did you buy such a big house though?" I asked. "What's the point?" Luke sighed.

"A place in the woods, pretty solitary, that's what I've always wanted. At that point, it was the more space the better because I thought I was going to be getting married and having kids. That idea went down the drain along with my relationship."

"You were in a relationship?" I asked.

"Oh, don't act so surprised." Luke chuckled. "Yeah, I thought she was the love of my life. Turns out I was wrong." He told me, blowing it off. I didn't have the nerve to ask what had happened between them.

"You were planning on having a family here?" I asked quietly. Luke shrugged.

"I suppose. What are you getting at?"

"I just... planning to have people with you for the rest of your life... you ended up alone... it must just be really... lonely." My thought was a train wreck and I couldn't decide whether or not I regretted speaking it. I felt bad about the way it probably sounded on the receiving end. Luke took a deep breath.

"I guess." He paused. "After I broke up with my girlfriend... I went through a weird phase. I guess I started believing that being alone was the best thing for me."

"Did you decide you were wrong maybe around nine months ago?' I asked. Luke cocked his head.

"Why do you ask?" He asked, not putting two and two together.

"Because seven months ago is when you took me." I spoke, my voice soft. Luke looked at me.

"I didn't take you because I was lonely."

"Really?"

"I took you because you needed help."

"Why from you?"

"That's a long story."

"I think we've got time."

"The dishes are done." Luke handed me a final cup and watched me put it away, leaning against the island counter as he did so.