A Life Once Broken (Hosie)

Untitled Part 12

The next morning Hope wakes up and feels a weight on her. She looks down, only to see Josie's head on her stomach and one leg entwined with hers. She can't help but chuckle. Josie looks so cute and she really doesn't want to disturb her but she's had enough of just lying in bed and wants to get up.

She tries to untangle herself slowly so she doesn't wake her up, but Josie's eyes flutter open anyway.

"Hey you." She leans up and kisses Hope.

"Hey yourself, I'm sorry I woke you."

"I don't mind if you wake me up every morning as long as I can see your gorgeous face." She laughs. "Did that sound really cringey?"

"Never "Hope laughs back.

As Josie sits up to go and have a shower, she looks at Hope, she wants so desperately to ask how she's feeling about tomorrow night and the trap they've planned. But she can't. She knows it will set Hope off and that's the last thing she wants to do. Particularly since Hope seems jovial this morning. She pivots.

"What do you want to do today?"

Hope doesn't even have to think about it. "I would love to spend the day at the Bayou with you and Ava. Maybe even Alaric could come?"

"That sounds like a great idea, let's get ready and go" Josie says opening the curtains and looking outside. "It looks like a lovely day for it too."

They all have showers, have breakfast and again Ava and Josie are together packing a picnic lunch. Hope can't help but enjoy seeing her daughter so close with josie, she's become a second mom to Ava. It fills her heart with happiness seeing it and surprisingly doesn't make her feel sad knowing what she missed out on in her life. It's clear Josie is loving it too. The daughter she's never had the opportunity to have, yet.

While Hope and Alaric are alone in the living room she asks him if he'd come too but he declined. He wanted to stay near the house just incase Landon showed up.

"Are you sure?" she asks "He won't show up here until tomorrow night, I'm certain of that. It'll be a nice day away from all of this."

Alaric embraces her "I just want to be sure Hope."

He's feeling emotional this morning and it's so out of character for him. He can't understand why but as he lets the embrace go he stands therewith his hands on both her arms.. He exhales and looks at her. Hope can see his eyes shimmering a little. She has never seen him like this at all and wonders what is worrying him.

"Hope when you first became friends with Lizzie those many years ago, I could tell you were special. Believe it or not Lizzie was having anxiety issues back then but the more time you spent with her, the more confident she got, she grew as a person and dealt with things differently than before."

Hope scoffs. "Well look at the anxious mess I've become now." She looks at the floor embarrassed.

"Hope, I don't want to hear you say that, not ever. You are the strongest woman I've ever known. You've battled through years of abuse, family trauma, raised a daughter who loves and worships you, and for god sake you run a global industry. There is nothing you can't do Hope" he places his fingers on her chin so she looks up at him. "You just need to believe in yourself again." he smiles and continues.

Lizzie is the young, confident, successful woman she is now because she grew up with you and the opportunities you have given her, and I'm so grateful."

Hope shrugs sadly "I just wanted to be part of your family."

"And you are Hope, I've watched you grow up, you've become somebody I respect and love dearly. You are and always will be part of our family. Especially now you're dating my daughter." He laughs. "Josie has chosen you for a reason, and for my daughter to give her heart to you, so completely, so quickly and so certainly, shows me you are worth it and you deserve it.