herophine - Trouvaille

Chapter 18

Crosby, Liverpool - England, 2026

Josephine rings the doorbell early in the morning. Hero is still awakening when he opens the door.

- Sofía is getting ready for school. - He says before turning around and walking down the hall. He leaves the main door open and Jo, still feeling insecure about anything to do with them, doesn't know how to act. - Do you want a coffee?

She enters the house and looks for a place to sit, somewhere that doesn't bring much attention. Hero moves vaguely around the kitchen while preparing some breakfast, and by watching him Jo remembers that he isn't a morning person.

He is wearing tracksuit pants and a white t-shirt, which has always make him look better than black ones. Also, his hair, which is the same length as when they were in Bulgaria, is messy from his sleep and it makes him look even sexier. Just the thought provokes Jo a tiny flush, which is absolutely out of place because at the end she is there because of Sofía. Not to turn on like a teenager over his muscles under the white t-shirt.

Suddenly, Sofía comes downstairs wearing her school uniform. If she shows a dissapointed face when she sees Josephine sitting at the kitchen, nobody mentions it. Jo grabs her mug as it is a lifesaver. Sofía says nothing and sits on the chair in front of Josephine's.

The night before, Sofía didn't want to talk to her and Jo understood that they shouldn't preassure her. She soon left and went back to the hotel, resulting that day into a complete fail. After crying for a while, Josephine called Laura for advise. Her psychologist recommended honesty before anything else.

- Sofía, I wonder if I could talk to you... - The small girl stays focused on her toast and milk. Although Jo doesn't receive any answer, she continues.  - When I got pregnant with you, I got really scared. So much, that the fear made me get sick. And I didn't know how to be your mommy. Then, when you were born, I didn't get better... It took me a lot of time to get well.

Six years is a lot of time, Hero thinks. But, he knows it isn't time to make reproaches.

Even though Sofía doesn't say a word, her dad knows she is processing the information just given to her. Josephine stares at her with bated breath. She doesn't know what reaction she was waiting for, but the apparent nonchalant is not one of them.

Silence reigns the kitchen and when Sofía finishes eating, she stands up from her seat.

- I'm gonna brush my teeth. - She says before walking upstairs.

Josephine follows her with her sight. Then, looks to Hero.

- Nobody said it would be easy. - He sighs.

- Any advise? 

Hero nods and he can't avoid asking himself when will it be his turn to obtain some answers. He feels like he also deserves them. Yet, the important thing now is Sofía, not analising their relationship failure.

- I have to take her to school. - He pauses for a couple of seconds before adding. - Do you want to wait for me here?

Josephine tries to stay positive and value the fact that Hero accepts to talk to her. Nevertheless, she can't refrain from feeling a bit left behind. Obviously, Hero and Sofía have their own life together and their routines, and of course, she is not part of it. She hates feeling neglected and her stomach knots at the thought that this is the same thing they might have felt in the past.

Alone, in their house, Josephine feels like a thief. Hero let her wait for him there, but he didn't clarify the limits or specify in which room of the house she cannot enter.