Into His Love

Twenty-Nine

I wake up Saturday morning to a text message from my mom telling me that she'd be home later tonight and that Ken would be coming to stay the weekend. I find it odd that he can find a way to get off from work at the same time that she can come home but I don't think too much into it.

I end up driving to Josh's house to spend time with his family before his sister leaves for a couple more months. It's nice having them around when my mom is busy at work because they make me feel like I'm their own. I park in front of his house before getting out and knocking on the door. Seconds pass before Josh's sister, Valerie, opens the door.

"Hey!" I exclaim as she pulls me into a hug.

"Hi! Sorry, I took so long to come to see you," I say stepping into the house and closing the door behind me. The smell of seasoning hits me and I immediately know that Mrs. Daniel is cooking, as always.

"Girl, you're fine," She assures me as I take in her round baby bump.

"You're getting so big already." I place my hand on her belly and give a gentle rub.

She sighs and rolls her eyes. "I am so ready for February already."

"Is that Kimberly?" I hear Mrs. Daniel's voice. I turn to see her coming from the kitchen; Mr. Daniel trailing right behind. She really does live in their kitchen.

"It's me." I smile at her.

"Oh, good. Maybe you can drag that son of mine out of his room to spend time with the rest of the family," Mrs. Daniel chuckles.

"What's he doing?" I question.

"I heard him on the phone with some girl earlier. We were teasing him about it," Valerie laughs walking over to the couch and plopping down.

"Ahh. He's just being a guy," Mr. Daniel defends with a raspy chuckle.

"Oh, hush. I have to check the pork chops," Mrs. Daniel hurries back to the kitchen.

"That woman," Mr. Daniel chuckles shaking his head, before walking over and taking a seat on the couch.

"Be right back," I walk down the hall to Josh's room giving it a small knock.

"Yeah?" His voice travels through the door. I walk in to find him laying on his bed, his phone in his hand. "What's up."

"On the phone with some girl, hm?"
I tease raising my eyebrows.

"Shut up." He chuckles tossing his phone down. "Valerie talks too much. Couldn't keep a secret of you paid her."

"Oh, but who said Valerie told me?" He tilts his head at me making a face. "Okay. Valerie told me." I laugh. My phone buzzes and I pul it out of my pocket to read the message on my screen.

"You good?" Josh questions. I must have been staring at the message longer than I thought.

"Uh, yeah. It's my mom. Apparently, she wants her, Ken, and I to all spend some time together tonight." I walk and take a seat in Josh's bean bag chair. This thing has to be at least ten years old.

"That's good,' he states. I look over to him then back at my phone. "Right?"

"I guess so. He is about to be my stepdad." I mentally cringe saying stepdad.

"I think it's a good idea and you need to stop that right now."

"What am I doing?"

"You're about to get all in your head and come up with about a thousand things that could go wrong."

"Okay, but you don't understand Josh. You have the perfect little family over here." He sits up and stares at me. "What?"

"Everything isn't as it seems from the outside. You know that." A knock sounds at the door and we both look to see Valerie peek in.