Faux Vows, True Desires

The silence hung heavy in the air that night.

Lucinda groggily sat up to the annoying beep of her alarm clock, fumbled for her phone to shut it off, and flopped back onto the bed, hoping for a few more precious moments of sleep.

But barely a minute had passed before she was sitting up again, this time fully awake.

Stefan, her husband, was nowhere to be seen.

Usually, it was he who killed the alarm, letting her sleep in those few extra minutes.

The sky outside was a dreary gray; it looked like rain was on its way.

"Stefan's always up with the birds," Lucinda grumbled. But she didn't fall back into the arms of slumber. Instead, she slid out of bed, her feet hitting the cold floor.

Her clothes for the day were already laid out by her meticulous husband, even down to the simple bracelet he'd chosen for her to wear. Since she was now just another face in the corporate crowd, her daily jewelry was limited to a single, unassuming piece. Truth be told, Lucinda would rather go without, but Stefan disapproved of her bare wrists. To keep a low profile, she had even removed her wedding ring, much to his chagrin. If she didn't wear at least the bracelet he gifted her, he'd be as long-faced as a horse.

Dressed and freshened up, Lucinda stepped out of the room.

As she made her way downstairs, she could hear the muffled voices of Stefan and Liam, speaking in hushed tones, probably not to wake anyone upstairs.

She caught snippets of Liam's distressed voice: "Stefan, I don't know what to do anymore. Tiffany's lost so much weight. Most expectant mothers gain pounds, but she's shedding them like crazy."

"The doc says morning sickness is normal, but seeing her throw up like that breaks my heart. I wish I could take her place."

"If she's afraid of vomiting, she won't eat at all, and she's just getting thinner."

Stefan, sounding helpless, replied, "Liam, what do you expect me to do? The doctor said it's normal. It'll pass with time."

"You're not a doc, Stefan, and you don't have kids yet. We always come to you when we're stuck, but this is one thing even you can't fix."

The Anderson brothers had a habit of turning to Stefan for help in times of crisis, but this was one area where Stefan was at a loss. He and Lucinda hadn't planned on kids yet; they were basking in their sweet, two-person world.

"Stefan, you've got the best chef around. What if we borrow him for a while, see if Tiff likes his cooking?"

Liam had come with an ulterior motive, seeking culinary salvation.

Stefan chuckled, "We've got a top-tier chef in the family, you know. Go ask Eric. Every chef we've hired has been trained by him."

Liam sighed, "I haven't seen that kid around in a while. With my wedding coming up, he's avoiding the family gatherings-probably doesn't want to be nagged about settling down. I went to his restaurant, but all he did was scribble down a pregnancy-friendly menu for me."

Downstairs, Lucinda emerged.

The brothers ceased their conversation at the sound of her footsteps.

Stefan rose to greet her.

Liam watched the couple with a touch of envy. Even after years of marriage, they still acted like lovebirds. He was about to tie the knot with Tiffany, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy at their closeness.

"Why didn't you sleep in?" Stefan asked with a warm smile, reaching out to assist Lucinda down the last two steps.

"The alarm went off, so I got up."

"My bad for not turning it off for you earlier."

The couple continued their display of affection, seemingly alone in their own world.

Liam stood and greeted his sister-in-law, "Morning, Lucinda."

"Good morning," she replied without sitting, her attention on Liam. "Is Tiffany still struggling with her appetite?”

"It's not the lack of appetite; it's that she throws up anything she eats. She'd rather starve or just munch on some fruit, which she can keep down."

"She only throws up if she eats?"

Liam thought about how Tiffany would even vomit first thing in the morning and shook his head.

"She vomits whether she eats or not. It might as well be after she's had something. Is Tiffany awake yet? I'll go check on her."

Liam could hardly contain his relief, "She should be up by now, probably hungry. Please, go see her. Maybe you can convince her to eat something. I'm at my wit's end." Lucinda headed out alone, unsurprised to find the Anderson grandparents already up and enjoying the garden.

"Grandpa, Grandma, good morning," she greeted them cheerily.

"Lucy," they both responded with smiles. The grandmother asked, "Going for a walk, dear? Why not have Stefan join you?"

"I'm off to see Tiffany. Stefan's still inside talking with Liam."

At the mention of Liam, Mr. Anderson grumbled, "That boy is losing sleep and his appetite over a little morning sickness. He's going to faint at the delivery room at this rate."

Mr. Anderson had raised his grandsons to be unflappable, and it irked him to see Liam so frazzled.

"I remember having a rough time with morning sickness when I was pregnant with the youngest," Mrs. Anderson chimed in, teasing her husband. "You were so worried; you wanted to call off the pregnancy. Now you're complaining about your grandson."

Mr. Anderson was left speechless as Lucinda quietly giggled. The Anderson men were known for spoiling their wives, and it seemed the trait was indeed hereditary.

Even though Mr. Anderson had retired from the helm of Ascend Global, he was still the family's patriarch. Stefan rarely challenged him, and only the matriarch dared to counter Mr. Anderson openly.

Mrs. Anderson had a patience that was nothing short of legendary, and Mr. Anderson never got riled up by anything she said. Their love was like a well-aged wine, robust and serene, the kind of partnership that weathered all storms with a smile.

Lucinda, often called Lucy by her friends, couldn't help but envy the old couple's enduring romance. She found herself wondering if she and Stefan would still be as enamored with each other when they reached their eighties, their hair a silvery testament to a lifetime spent together.

"Lucy, why don't you go and keep Tiffany company?" Mrs. Anderson suggested one afternoon. "She's been so listless lately, cooped up in the house all day doing nothing."

It was clear that the old lady held a soft spot for her granddaughter-in-law, Tiffany, but the years hadn't been kind to her energy levels, making it difficult for her to be the companion Tiffany needed these days. Of all the young men in the family, only Liam was considered safe company for Tiffany to pass the time with. The rest of the family was preoccupied with planning the couple's upcoming wedding, and besides, they treated Tiffany as if she were a national treasure. Perhaps it was this very treasured status that had Tiffany feeling a bit trapped, like a rare jewel in a display case, admired but left untouched.