Chapter 6
Dani
The following weeks flew by and Olivia settled well into her new school. The John Buchan Middle School had been built for the British military communities of Sennelager and Paderborn.
Olivia enjoyed going to school but much preferred to hang out in the library reading or studying, than hang out with friends. She was almost too good to be true that girl.
It was her birthday in two weeks’ time and she had opted out of a party in favour of a meal with her parents, and myself, of course. She told me that she found parties tedious but I think deep down she was worried that no one would turn up. We ended up enjoying a beautiful meal at Baltasar and I bought Olivia a Pandora bracelet with a bicycle charm to remind her of our time in Amsterdam.
I spent two evenings a week having dinner with the family at their request, and this was when Leo usually grilled me about my week with and without Olivia. I was pretty sure I’d managed to convince him that I loved my flower press more than life itself, and I was always careful to dress conservatively around them and I made sure that I barely wore make-up.
I sat at their eight-seat oak table and pushed the chicken stew around my plate, conscious that I would offend Alicia if I did not eat it, trying to psych myself up to put the overcooked, dry chicken into my mouth without gagging. I had no appetite and all I could think about was lighting up a joint when I got back to my room.
“Eat up, Rebecca. You’ve lost weight since we arrived.” Another one of Leo’s statements that was honest to the point of being rude. “We don’t want you setting a bad example to Olivia.” He added sternly.
I blushed and poured myself a glass of water.
“Sorry, I’ve just got a sore throat and I’m finding it hard to swallow.” I glanced at Alicia out of the corner of my eye and she smiled.
“Leave it, Rebecca, I’m sure I can make you some soup.” She quietly excused herself from the dinner table and busied herself in the kitchen, much to Leo’s disdain, judging by the look on his face.
“A good meal will do you the power of good. Better than any antibiotics. It’s all in the mind, you see.”
How I longed to say, ‘Oh, do fuck off, Leo’, but instead, I nodded and partially agreed in places just to placate him.
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