The Price of Curiosity

Just then, Lance's voice came from outside the door.

"Mom? What are you guys doing in there?"

Anna's expression flickered with panic. "Nothing! I'll be right out. I'm making dinner."

I quickly got dressed and stepped out of the room.

Lance looked completely clueless–confused, even. There was no way he could guess what had just happened. The thought left me with a quiet, guilty thrill.

Anna headed straight for the kitchen. Before long, she had a full meal prepared and called us over to the table.

Dinner should have been normal, but it was not. As we ate, Anna kept glancing at me, her fingers tapping lightly against the tableware. The faint, rhythmic sound made something inside me tighten.

I deliberately dropped my utensil and bent down to pick it up. From beneath the table, I caught a glimpse of her foot, the soft sheen of her stockings catching the light. The memory of earlier rushed back all at once, sharp and impossible to ignore.

I lingered there a second too long.

Above me, Anna stiffened almost instantly, her legs shifting as if trying to pull away. The tension was obvious then, even if Lance did not notice.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Lance asked, his voice full of innocent concern.

Anna shook her head quickly. "I'm fine. Just… a little tired."

She was not fine, obviously. Anyone paying attention could see it.

A moment later, she pushed her chair back and stood up abruptly.

"I'm not feeling well. I'm going to lie down," she said, her voice tight. "Lance, can you help clean up later?"

Without waiting for an answer, she hurried off toward her room. I straightened and returned to my seat.

Lance looked puzzled, watching her leave.

I gave a small shrug. "I'm done eating. I'll go check on her."

He nodded and started clearing the table.

While he was busy washing dishes, I made my way down the hallway and stopped outside Anna's door before quietly stepping inside.

She was lying on the bed, her face flushed, her breathing uneven. When she saw me, her expression shifted, a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "Joseph… you shouldn't have done that."

However, there was something else there too, something she could not quite hide. I stepped closer, the air between us thick with everything left unsaid.

"You don't look okay," I said softly. "Let me help."

She hesitated, clearly conflicted. I reached out carefully, testing the boundary rather than crossing it outright.

"No… You shouldn't…" she said, though her voice lacked conviction.

Not another second later, the distance between us disappeared.

"You're already this worked up," I murmured. "Why keep pretending otherwise?"