Bittersweet and Frostbitten

Chapter Two

“Wake up.” He demanded softly. “Come on sleepy head” Josephine moaned and started to stretch without opening her eyes. “Come on, I attempted to make you breakfast miss, well the best I could do was make take bread and put butter on it.” Then heard a noise from her, a laugh. A short two-seconded laugh that even made him laugh. She opened her eyes into his and they looked so much better. So blue and full. She got up and followed him to the dining room. He pulled out the chair for her to sit, and still without saying a word she sat down.

He brought out the bread, which made her giggle some more. They both ate in silence as the sun started to light through the window and for the first time Andrew didn’t feel alone in his house. He felt at peace for the first time. “Josephine Lang,” Andrew quickly looked up from his bread. She spoke! He was surprised to hear an American accent, unlike his.

“Hm?” He still didn’t know what she meant.

“You were asking me last night what my name was.” She pointed out. “My name is Josephine Lang.”

“Well that’s a lovely name, but you still haven’t answered the other question.” She quickly looked down, and her breathing was heavy. “Why. were. you. out. in. the. cold?” He asked so softly, it sounded almost like a whisper.

A tear streamed down her face. “I have no home.” She continued to talk through her tears, “ Monday night my father died along with our home. I’m the only one left in my family. All my sisters, and my mom died. All from disease.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Andrew told her after a moment.

“We were so poor, my dad worked in a factory. We didn’t have enough money to my dad forced me to become a p-” She couldn’t even bare to say it. “A pro-”

Andrew helped her. “A woman who sells love for money.”

She pursed her lips and slightly nodded. “I sold my love to people like you.” She looked up at him with her eyes red and puffy. “Well, I mean not people exactly like you. Rich people.” She explained.

It was silent for a few more moments. “Is that why you kissed me last night. You felt like you were supposed to?” He asked.

She continued to look down, “I don’t even know.” She quickly looked up. “Sorry about that.”

Andrew got up from his seat and headed over to her. “Don’t worry love, get some rest if you need to.” He placed his lips on her forehead, so sweet and tender. Josephine didn’t feel so alone anymore either.

***

Josephine spent a majority of the day catching up on her sleep while Andrew patiently waited for her to wake up. When the sun had finally set her footsteps creaked down the stairs. Andrew greeted her in the living room. “Would you like to dance with me?” She looked puzzled. “I know we haven’t any music, but we don’t need that.”

She still looked a bit puzzled as Andrew wrapped his left arm around her waist, while his right hand linked with hers as she did the same. Andrew couldn’t help but smirk as he slowly glided her in the small space. He twirled her as she spun in smiles and laughter. Her wide-eyed gaze matched with his and she couldn’t remember a time she felt so secure. Their bodies were so close and they were touching. Never in her life did she think she’d have a real connection like this with a boy.

“I could tell you do this a lot.” She tells him.

“I’m not going to lie, my father has been trying to set me up lately.” He said.

“You mean to get married?” She asked.

He tried to explain but she backed up. She knew she didn’t belong with a boy like him. To her it’s just an impossible dream, so she ran up the steps and back into sleep where she can only dream about him.