Couldn't Break Free

This time, Lucille finally reacted. She looked at Joseph in confusion and asked, "What are you doing?" As she spoke, she tried to pull her hand back, but he held on tightly. She couldn't break free no matter how hard she tried. Joseph asked, "Why are you upset?" His voice was as soft as a feather, but it stunned Lucille for a moment. She didn't expect him to be able to notice even the slightest change in her emotions. Lucille lowered her eyes and blandly muttered, "I just heard a sad story." It was a half-truth, because... she was the one who was telling the story. During the half an hour when she entered the house, she told the old lady about her son's experiences and his glorious achievements. The old lady listened carefully with her son's photo in her arms. When she learned that her son had died in action, the old lady, who had been suppressed for many years, was surprisingly calm. She restrained her tears and only said one sentence... "I figured." Her voice was trembling as she spo