The week had been surreal. He'd kept to his word and taken me all over New York. He took me to see the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and even to see Hamilton on Broadway. We ate at many amazing restaurants and travelled everywhere we could.
The main thing that struck me and made me conflicted was that he had no problem taking my hand in public, or putting his arm around my shoulders for pictures he insisted we had to take. Constantly, I would stare at our joined hands, and then look up to find his eyes beaming at me, smiling like we had known each other for years.
It was so overwhelming. Lucias seemed to have no issues with being seen with a man. I'd always been made to believe it was a bad thing. However, this straight man had no issues with it.
Currently, we were on our way home. Lucias had told me when we landed, he had to go to some meetings but Henry would take me home to start packing. As his husband, he insisted I had to live with him.
I wasn't going to argue. I lived in a small one-room apartment that wasn't home, it felt empty to me. I'd moved out during college and just never went back, it always felt like I wasn't wanted anyway.
Henry helped me pack the few things I had before taking me to Lucias' penthouse apartment. It was very lavish and felt more like a home than I had known in years.
Henry showed me to a room and told me that it was mine and I could decorate it however I wanted. He told me Lucias' room was just next door. When he left I strolled to the balcony overlooking the cityscape pinching myself, thinking I was dreaming. Then I decided to collapse onto the bed with a sigh.
"Sleeping in different rooms," I huffed sadly. "Why would I think that we would sleep in the same bed?"
My phone started to ring and I sighed, it was my father.
"Hello Father," I answered after a few more rings, putting it on speaker.
"Where are you? You should be home by now," he demanded.
"I am, Lucias has moved me into his house," I told them.
"His house! Why would you need to be in his home? This isn't a real marriage! You should be here where we can keep an eye on you, so you don't mess this up even more than you already have!"
"What do you mean?" I asked quietly, feeling punched in the gut.
"We got the email about the ruse wedding and that he was married to a man. You must have let it slip, I bet you did it on purpose to embarrass us. How can I face his father and tell him that I let his son marry a man!"
I looked in the mirror and watched as a stray tear slid down my cheek.
"I never told him, he already knew. He told me he found out before the wedding but still chose to go through with it. Lucias has even said he still plans on investing," I told him weakly.
"He is?" I could almost see the dollars rolling in his eyes. "That's good, good. Ok fine, stay there with him but don't even think about screwing anything else up. Take advantage of his generosity if you want but do not mistake it for attraction. Do not seduce him and humiliate us!"
He hung up the phone and the tears streamed down my face. I curled up into a ball and cried into the quilt. I was exhausted and alone.
Suddenly, I felt a soft hand on my arm. I jerked to see a small Spanish woman standing over me. She had a warm smile and friendly eyes.
"Sit up, Mi Cielito," she urged.
As I did she took a seat next to me and wrapped her around my shoulders.
"It will be ok Mijo, you're home now," she gushed and it only made me cry even harder.
We stayed like that for some time, her holding me whilst I cried on her shoulder. Eventually, my tears stopped and I sat up.
"Are you hungry?" she asked with a smile and I nodded.
She pulled me out of my room and into the kitchen. I sat and watched as she made me some food, it was the first time in years I had someone cook for me. I smiled tearily at her as I ate the sandwich hungrily.
"My name is Maria, I cook and clean for Mr Lucias, and now for you. You can tell me if there is anything you like or don't like to eat and I will happily cook for you," she smiled.
"I'm Seth," I told her and she beamed at me.
"I see you two have already met."
I jumped as Lucias came into the kitchen. He walked up to Maria and gave her a one-armed hug. She giggled and playfully slapped him as he stole a bit of the leftover food on the counter.
"If you are hungry Mijo then just tell me," she chastised.
"What does Mijo mean?" I asked.
"My son," she answered. "I've always called him that ever since he was a young man."
I smiled at how warmly she looked at him. It made me teary again and I had to hide my face.
"What's wrong?" Lucias asked.
"Oh, erm, nothing!" I insisted
Maria glared at me with a hand on her hip.
"Am I missing something?" Lucias asked.
He quirked an eyebrow at us but it didn't look like he was confused or missing something. I can't quite describe it but it was almost like he knew something but I wasn't sure what.
"Tell him Mijo, it will make you feel better," she told me.
I shook my head and shrugged.
"It doesn't matter. I'm pretty beat so I'm gonna go to sleep. It was nice to meet you. Goodnight," I told them before quickly heading back to my room.
I had hoped I could escape but after I came out of the shower I squeaked. Lucias was sitting on my bed waiting for me. His eyes raked up and down my body and it made me shiver. Despite having a towel around my waist I felt naked under his gaze.
"Now, are you going to tell me what Maria was on about?" he asked.
I shook my head as I quickly got dressed. My body heated up as I pulled my pj's up under my towel. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time.