The Stupid Side of Practical

Chapter 12

A week had gone by since the night of the incident. It was the longest they were apart since he moved back to Chicago. Josh was beginning to adjust to staying at his mother's full time instead of bouncing back and forth between the two apartments. His own bed had seemed so huge, empty. Cold. At one point he had rolled over ready to pull her into his arms, only to find that she wasn't there. It was odd how her absence had loomed through the long almost sleepless nights.

Odd how quickly he had grown accustomed to her presence, the low even breathing, the warmth of her body. The way she woke up and spooned into him, the long hair spread over both pillows.

Odd how right it felt.

Climbing the stairs to his mother apartment he wiped the sweat off his brow with a towel. Even his morning runs left him feeling unsatisfied and usually they helped him get into the zone. Making his way to the kitchen he paused when he heard Maria's voice in discussion with his mother.

"I know her," Maria said quietly. "She's just as stubborn as the rest of them."

Josh hung back not sure if he should make his presence known.

"She wanted to leave home after college, her father and I respected that." Maria continued "We were both working at a young age, so we get the need to try something new."

"Of course, if you guys didn't take a risk on the restaurant you would never be where you are now," his mother raved.

Maria murmured, "Gina's always been on her own. We're not foolish enough to think that she doesn't have a life. We've always know she's had a bit of a wild streak."

"Things will change." His mother sighed, "In times like these it's important that we all stick together."

"At least you know your son. I have no idea what my daughter is thinking. She won't allow us to pay her rent or buy her a decent car or help in her career. I don't like it, but I accept it. She only comes over on Wednesday nights. I mean, I try to tell myself that at least I get to see her for a few hours even if I know she's sitting there counting down to dessert."

Josh felt a pinch in his heart for Maria. Gina was very private come to think of it. She was lying to her parents about her job, her relationship and hiding herself away from them.

Josh bit his bottom lip as he quietly retreated into his bedroom, careful to shut the door quietly behind him. He reached for his phone and unlocked it to check his messages. Still not a word. She had been in Tokyo for three days now.

Was this how his friendship with her was going to end? He thought as stared at his phone screen. Not with a spectacular all-out screaming match, but in a forced silence so uncomfortable she couldn't even bring herself to speak to him.

They didn't hate each other. In fact just the opposite, she told him she loved him. But I've loved you a lot longer.

An uneasy feeling filled him as he thought about the last few months. He should have been honest with her when she first asked about Sheena. Why had he thought that she wouldn't put the pieces together? She knew him better than anyone else did. Of course she'd figure it out. He scowled at his phone. They had twenty five years between them, and he was damned if he'd let her push him out of her life. Especially over the past.

Gina sucked in a long breath, forcing herself to stay low and remain still, remaining quiet despite every nerve frizzing with excitement. Slowly, carefully, she focused the zoomed lens.

Click.

The humming bird didn't know it was being photographed.

She lowered her camera. The hummingbird was blissfully ignorant, unlike Gina who now had way more knowledge then she ever wanted to have. How much she wouldn't give to be ignorant one more time.