herophine - Trouvaille

Chapter 23. Part II

Crosby, Liverpool - England, 2026

The last conversation has left them strained. It's been less than two weeks since they are back on each others lifes and it is difficult to define borders. They have talked about some topics these days, but they both know there exists certains limits which are dangerous for them to talk if they want to keep the peace they have for Sofía's sake.

Hero is angry. He is not sure if he needs an exhaustive explanation about what happened six years ago or if he contents with an apology from her. And it is because, this whole week that Josephine has been with them, she hasn't said a single "sorry". Therefore, Hero is angry, even though he doesn't dare to say it outloud.

Once they were back in the house, Hero went upstairs to his bathroom to take a warm shower that helps him calm down. Jo doesn't know what to do. Maybe she should go back to the hotel . Or maybe she should call Lena, her manager. But she doesn't want to. Hero has told her things about Sofía: her personality, her interests, he showed her pictures... And now, after the conversation they just had, Jo wants to know how these past years have been for Hero.

Josephine gets tired of waiting alone in the living room and decides to walk upstairs to talk with him. The house is silent, she knocks the door of his bedroom and waits nervously. Hero opens the door just a few seconds later, he is dressed up with black sport pants and a light blue hoodie. His hair is a bit messy and still wet from the shower. Without saying a word, he opens more the door and lets Jo enter the room. He sits on one side of the bed, like waiting for something, and Jo vaguely understands that she can sit on the other side.

- Have you modelled again? - She finally asks.

They have never mentioned on their conversations anything about their professional careers. Josephine knows that he hasn't acted again, but maybe he has accepted a small job as a model.

- Not since Sofía was born. - He then pauses before continuing. - I stayed focus on soccer instead. It has always been part of my life, but now it is my life being a coach from Crosby's soccer teams.

- Why Crosby?

- It is a small town, not like London. - By saying that, Hero really means to say that Crosby is a more hidden town than a city. And maybe he also means to say "it was more difficult for you to find me here", although the words doesn't leave his mouth.

Josephine remains quiet, analysing what he just said.

- Then, why did you tell Inanna to give me your address? - Jo has understood what Hero meant.

Hero could answer that in several ways: because she is Sofía's mother and she has legal rights, because he wants the best for his daughter and that implies Jo being part of their life, and because he has missed her. He won't admit this last part.

But explaining all this to her, could end up messing things up. He is angry and this feeling has being suppressed for so long, that now it threatens to come out. He could say things that would scare her so much that she would run away. He realizes how scared he is that Jo will disappear from his life again. For Sofia's sake, of course. So, he prefers changing the topic of their conversation.

- What about you? Have you been acting?

Josephine takes the hint. Change of course. She complies.

- I have. I got the part on several movies and I have been the image of some brands. - Not many details. - I'm still trying to figure out this last thing in my career.

Hero notices a certain disconnection of Josephine with her work. She is not insecure of not wanting to act, but with the other side that accompanies the industry. In this case, having to sign contracts with some brands. And Hero knows it. Back to the time when they were in the After franchise, Josephine was gaining some recognizition and several brands started becoming interested in her. Her manager saw this as an amazing oportunity and they signed those contracts. From that moment, Josephine has been the image of any brand and this is not something that Jo likes. She likes to act, that's it. However, you don't always get to choose what you want to do.