Passion and pursuit

denly froze. My heart thudded faster, like a drum beaten out of rhythm

ne was only to cook lunch from Monday to Saturday, when I was at

aunt's surname by marriage, so my aunt, Diana, was known a

chen, her eyes darted around,

nfusion to alarm. Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth, onl

she mouthed silently, h

cape the smoky haze, but I

sees you coughing, she wil

ck inside, where the smoke was j

r my thoughts, and then I answered the

en I checked the time on my phone's home screen and saw that th

aring at each other, the weight

The beans had burned to ashes. Mary look

oke the silen

fast. Time is not on our

gency creeped

me. Should we cook another pot of bea

had happened? The thought of her r

e chaotic if I told her, and

we r

ity of silence, I finally mus

he risk and cook an

on flickered in her eyes.

shoulder and glanced nervously at Mary as she c

from the pot with a spoon, I realized that the re

oping it would loosen the burnt bits later. I carefully tucked it into a co

illed it with fresh beans, turned the gas

n as we waited in silence, the onl

ssly, their rhythm clapped against eac

he beans to cook quickly. We needed to fin

so that the house wouldn't suspect anything going on in the ki

d upstairs, so I couldn't take an inch so that they wouldn't get

y came back to the kitchen, the water was about to dry up. Finally, we were

was opening the lid with the spoon in my hand while checkin

beans are abou

ht be hearing your voice upstairs." she urged me

er hear us. My words

say that?" Her face showe

mes when Diana usually has a conversation with her

ing is soundproof" she

es," with a no

tood up and opened the lid. The water has

them while I put the beans down on the fire and Mary to

t aside, and the bowl of smashed a

ach bowl while I was picking the bowl f

e bowl for toppings,"

l to pour the toppings of poached eggs into. I later saw the b

, turning slightly to the sides because

sed to the doorway. As we focused, a soft breeze drifted in through the

e the figure outside. Suddenly, without warning, a hand reached

ul silence. My eyes widened in shock as I instinctively placed my hand o