Mystery Life

5

Lydia is nervous, she can tell the bed is nice, it's more comfortable than any she remembers ever having before. Always before she was either kept in a cell like room or the room wasn't very big and the people holding her would move the furniture around to watch her fumbling and falling.

With a room this big, she's not sure what she's supposed to do. She feels tears starting to fall. "This room is yours, if you don't wish to stay here I can find a different room for you?" Dave is unsure what the tears are for this time. He sees the trepidation on her face and hopes it's not because of him again. "What's wrong?"

Lydia answers but her voice is so soft that he can barely hear it, "It's so big. Are you going to be moving the furniture around?"

"No, I am not that cruel. You're not a prisoner here, Lydia. Hell, I wouldn't do that to any of my prisoners either. I'll do my best at securing a cane for you. There is a guard at your door, but he is there to guide you as much as to guard you. You are welcome to go anywhere, even leave if that is your wish. I'll have you taken to where ever you wish. I don't know how safe you'll be outside of the estate, but if you no longer desire to be here then I'll take you to where you do want to be."

At Dave's words a horror filled face looks towards him. "No!" She collapses onto the floor at the very idea.

Dave curses himself, he really needs to work on the words he says. He goes to the female puddle and tries to hold her, but she shies away from him.

"Fuck." He sighs, "I'm sorry, Lydia. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you wish as my guest. I don't mean to make you feel like you have to leave. This room is yours for as long as you wish to stay with me. There are clothes in the closet, I don't know how to help you organize them, I'm sorry."

"Are they color coordinated?" Lydia asks hesitantly.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'll assign a maid just for you to help you organize and for whatever needs you might have. Will that be acceptable?"

Lydia is looking in Dave's general direction and all she can do is blink at his generosity. "It's more than fine, Dave." He had requested her to call him that the day after she woke up. He hoped it would make her feel more relaxed around him. He's not sure it worked.

"Dave?" Lydia says hesitantly, "Why are you doing all this for me? Not that I don't appreciate it," Lydia is quick to add in. "I just don't understand it or why?"

Dave barely caresses her cheek, "You intrigue me. Besides, anyone the Italians want dead, I'm more than willing to keep alive. But mostly because you DO intrigue me. I don't know who the fuck told you that you are ugly, but they lied. Hell, you're what 16? My men can't keep their eyes off of you. You are a very beautiful person, Lydia and the more I get to know you the more intrigued I am." Dave helps her stand up and over to the bed.

He hands her a cell phone. "It's one made for the blind. My number and Zander's are already programmed in. All you have to do is tell it to call us if you need us." He then helps her find the door to the bathroom. "I'll let you explore this room on your own. There are several different soaps and shampoos, scents for the tub. Use whatever you like and that's what we'll get for you in the future. On the other side of your bed is the closet. I'll send in the maid I have chosen for you and she'll help you organize your clothes how you want them."

Dave goes to leave when Lydia puts her hand on his arm. "Thank you, Dave. You are beyond thoughtful in your treatment of me. I am nothing to you, yet you are doing all this for me. I know you should have killed me, I'm not stupid. I'm a loose end that you should have snipped."

"You don't need to thank me. Take a long bath after I send in the maid. Then have the guard help you to the dining room. Are there any foods you don't like? I'll make sure that they aren't served to you."

"I'm allergic to fish, other than that I'll eat most foods."

"All fish?" Dave is amused. He's heard of shellfish allergies and even fowl allergies, but never a fish allergy.

"The ones I've had, yes. Previous captors thought it amusing to see if eating the food would kill me or not. I've come damn close to it several times." Dave is no longer amused. 

"I'll make sure that you are never served fish then. No other food allergies?"

Lydia shakes her head, "Not that I've found at least. I've learned over time to not be picky so there is no need to order special food for me."

Dave smiles at the down turned head of his guest, "Very well, unless  we're having fish I won't have anything special made for you."

Lydia looks up and in his direction. She gives him one of her rare smiles, "Thank you, Dave. I am already a bother and I don't want to be even more of one than I already am."

"I'll see what I can find for your entertainment. Audio books shouldn't be too hard. Do you have any preferences?"

At the words audio book Lydia's face completely lights up. Dave has to remind himself that she is only sixteen. "I love all kinds of fiction. Urban fantasy especially is good. Do you think you could find some Patricia Briggs? Her series are the best!"

Dave smiles at her new found enthusiasm. He chuckles, "I'm sure that I'll be able to find something although it might take me a few days. The maid can help you learn the remote for the t.v. until then. I know you can't watch it, but you can listen to it. There's a large selection of videos as well, if you're interested."

Lydia's smile dims a bit, "Audio is fine, but video always makes me sad. There is more description in the audio. I miss so much with just the video."

"I'm sorry, I thought you might like to have it for background noise. Is there anything you would like? I'm afraid I don't know what to do for you to make your stay more comfortable." Dave is at a loss. He has just about every known game system, a huge library of both videos and books. He even has some spare lap tops, but nothing for someone that's visually impaired.

Lydia turns her face towards his voice, "I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern. I will be very comfortable, you don't need to worry about me."

Dave takes her at her word and takes his leave of her but he doesn't leave without frowning at her. He just doesn't feel right, leaving her like this with no way to entertain herself.

"Dave, I have been left alone for hours, possibly even days in cells. Believe me, this is much preferable to worrying about when they were coming back to hurt me."

"Lydia, were you ever scared that they would force you?" Dave knows that he shouldn't ask that, but he can't help himself.

"Every fucking day. They even told me that they were going to, I have no idea why they never did. At least I don't think they did." Lydia says that last more to herself than to Dave.

Dave opens the door, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. They didn't."

Dave leaves and shuts the door after his words and so doesn't see the relief that spreads over Lydia's face. She had been terrified that she had been and just didn't remember.