herophine - Trouvaille

Chapter 6

Los Ángeles, 2026

Josephine feels the bile coming up through her throat, clear sign of anxiousness. For the past years she has become an expert recognizing the signs and taking control of herself.

She takes a deep breath, trying to push all those feelings that bother her to the back of her mind. It's an exercise that her psychologist has taught her, but she knows that this time the memories are too much and she is about to burst. Every time Josephine returns to sceneries from her past, everything is stirred inside of her. And right now Innana Sarkis is on the same hall than her, making all the memories flood her mind in a matter of seconds.

Having one of her old friends just a few meters away from her, brings her back to the After era. Inevitably the memories about After, come together with memories about Hero and with him, about the baby.

Perth - Australia, 2021

Four days after giving birth, she went back to that small apartment to recover. That's when she had her first anxiety attack: she was getting undressed to take a shower, when she saw it. A red and furious scar under her abdomen. 

Lena, who was in the living room, heard her and immediately called the doctor. The doctor who came injected her a strong tranquilizer and if you add it to the ones she was already taking to soothe the cesarean section pain, plus the medication to not produce milk, she was left K.O.

When the drugs effect had wore off, opening her eyes was difficult and breathing was a big effort. But physically she had started recovering because of her 23 year old body. So two months later, with less shine in her eyes, she was sitting on a plane next to Lena on her way back to Los Ángeles. 

Lena had talked with Chartier and he was already preparing Josephine Langford's return to the show business. What better come back than being the leadig actress of Tangled, Live Action?

Los Ángeles, 2026

She isn't mean to be rude, but Josephine doesn't feel very good after knowing that she will be sharing set again with Inanna, so her intention is to leave the building and going back to her house without anyone noticing.

She and her were close friends back in 2018, but it all changed and her friendship with Inanna didn't end up very well. Inanna had given birth to her daughter Nova and had invited Jo to visit them. But around that time Jo had found about her pregnancy and never got to see them. 

It's been five years since they talked or saw each other for the last time. Josephine had lost contact with most of her friends including Inanna and although the brunette girl had tried several times to call her, Josephine pushed her away.

Josephine turns around with the purpose of snicking out. Today is the first table read and she is sure that she won't have any problem is she misses it. She is not ready yet to face Inanna or any old memory. She walks back to the stairs and goes out to the street. 

When she is getting her car keys out, she notices someone running towards her.

- Mommy! - She looks up and sees a little girl coming closer, realizing that she is not referring to her but to the woman behind her.