"I agree, Marie. The other empty room in my house had already been cleaned when the cleaners came last time. You can stay there. I will provide you meals and accommodation. I'll pay you as well. Perhaps not as much as the amount that the Moore and Jules families paid you, but I won't mistreat you for sure. Well, I'll pay you... 3,000 dollars a month. Is that alright?"
Abby gritted her teeth and uttered the price.
"No, I'll pay for it."
How could Lucille let Abby pay? Including the salary and money that she earned by selling her paintings, Lucille could make more than 5,000 dollars a month. She even made more than 10,000 dollars over the past two months. It should not be a problem for her to pay Marie.
"Don't you have to raise a child with your money?"
"But it's not right for you to pay."
Lucille insisted, "Marie works at my house. Of course, I should be the one who pays her."
Abby and Lucille were arguing. Marie took the initiative to say, "You don't have to do that. I'm just an old woman with no companion. My son has grown up and is often not around. I don't have to spend much. Keep the money. I'll cook for you for free. You only have to pay for the groceries."
"No, Marie, we still have to pay you 3,000 dollars a month."
Lucille felt bad to let Marie work for free.
"Lucille, I have worked for the Jules family since I was young. I was there when your mother was alive. I only served your father and you in the family. Now, your father doesn't need me anymore. Let me stay here to take care of you. In the future, let me take care of the baby as well. This will be the best reward for me."
Marie spoke sincerely and earnestly.
She indeed regarded Lucille as her own daughter.
"Well... Marie, we'll pay you less then. What about 2,000 dollars a month? Not including the expenses. When I make more money in the future, I'll give you more."
Lucille knew that if she insisted on paying full, they would certainly continue to argue and would get no results. It was better for her to compromise first and then pay Marie more later.
"Well... Okay then."
Marie also agreed.
Abby and Lucille helped Marie to unpack her luggage while she was cooking in the kitchen.
Their life returned to the original path.
After Lucille told Franklin that she had gotten rid of the child and Marie was driven away, they no longer contacted each other.
It was as if the only thread holding them together was broken.
They had become independent individuals who had nothing to do with each other.
Lucille still went to the gallery every day. Other than promoting the paintings, she painted. The days were simple and plain.
After she stopped contacting Franklin, she felt as if she had been reborn. Lucille set up a large canvas in the gallery and started to create a painting that was inspired by her own life.
Zoel no longer showed up once a week like before. Instead, he accompanied Lucille everyday in the gallery and watched the painting be completed step by step from a sketch.
When the painting was completed, Lucille had been pregnant for 38 weeks and was going to give birth soon.
Her limbs were swollen at this time. She felt uncomfortable whether she stood or sat. Fortunately, she had completed the painting.
Lucille stood up and stretched. Looking at the painting in front of her, she was satisfied.
"What if we rewrite the stars? Say you were made to be mine..."
While Lucille was appreciating her own masterpiece, her phone rang. She glanced at the empty gallery. She thought it was Marie or Abby who called as she was lost in her own world, forgetting dinner time.
"I have called the day and will be back soon." Lucille picked up the phone and spoke directly.
However, after a moment of silence, a man's voice came from the other side of the phone. "Lucille, it's me."
"Dad?"
Lucille did not expect that it was actually a call from Marvin.
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