Thinking about her makes me want to see her. I push away the thought.
" I don't need the girl. I don't worth her. " I say silently.
" What girl? " Trace asks. I must have said that aloud.
My face goes red with embarrassment and I laugh nervously to hide it.
"Aww, Trace, nobody. There is no girl. "
Trace looks at me with that cynical look of hers. I am convinced the lady is a mind reader. She laughs mockingly at me and sluggishly push her pregnant body away from the studio. I am left alone with Stan.
" I painted that during the one week I spent in Florida some years back" Stan says pointing to a watercolor hanging on the wall.
" It's be
Prom Night"Ann, Ann is that you? " Dad asked playfully upon seeing me in my mother's prom dress."No dad. It's Josie" I reply smiling" You look so much like her on that blessed night. " Dad walks up the short flight of stairs to me." Princessa, you know she's proud of you wherever she is right? " he asks taking my slender wrist in his large hand."I know. "" Good girl. So, what are you gonna do? "" Make her proud, Dad. " I reply. This has been our thing since mom died: Dad reminding me of how great I was and how mom expects me to make her proud from the great beyond. I know Dad wants me to be the perfect daughter, he's so scared o
JOSIESitting out here with Daniel is cool. I shock myself by using his first name. I feel like I have known him forever. While we talk, I can't see the clouds anymore in his eyes. His brown eyes are warm and friendly. They make me think about puppies."Josie" He calls. His voice is very small, yet deep. I look up to see him fidgety."Done the couple dance thing before? "" Uhm, no why? " I ask, genuinely surprised."Come. " He says, standing up to his feet. He stretches his hand towards mine. I think it's the timbre in his voice that does it. It calls me to him, it's beyond the simple command. It reaches out to my soul. I stand to my feet." Do you like the Judds? " he asks, wrap
Saturday morningIt is the buzzing of my cell phone that wakes me up. I had fallen asleep with the paper on which I sketched Josie plastered to my chest. The sweat on my body made the paper stay stuck. The events of the previous evening come rushing back. I smile, I can still smell her on me."Hello," I say picking up my phone"Hello Dan" It's Trace screaming at the top of her voice, she sounded traumatized."Trace, is that you? " Tension begins to rise in my chest."Where's Stan?" I ask apprehensively. How can he leave the woman alone at this time? She's near her due date for Chris sakes."Stan's not here, he has some businesses up in Detroit to handle."
JOSIEDaniel Winchester is Mr. Jeremy's nephew, the one who moved down here from Florida. The guy whom they say killed his father. This is so much information for me to process at the same time. I have been moving around the house like a shell-shocked person since breakfast. Stacey had left to an errand for her father. Dad does not seem to understand the sudden change in my mood. I have never been one for hiding my emotions."Hey Hijita, " Dad calls from the doorway, I turn towards him eyes blank and revealing nothing."Are you okay? ""I am, Dad. " I answer and nod my head."You look like one who has seen a ghost, are you sure you are okay? ""I am. "
JOSIEI stand starring fixedly at Daniel. It is hard to believe I just confessed my feelings to him, yet he is sending me away like an errant child."What? " I ask, I cannot believe my ears."You should leave Josie." He replies, not looking at me."Did I do something wrong?" My confusion is so real.This man is like a winter sky, his mood changes so swiftly like a clear sky suddenly turning into dark clouds. He turns to me. The look in his eyes makes me recoil in fear. The brown of his pupils has grown so dark within the last minutes they could be mistaken to be proper black. The look in Daniel's eyes are suddenly a chilly cold. They look like Death itself to me. When he speaks to me, it was in a voice
DANIELLittle Josh Devin is two weeks old today. The birth of the baby seems to bring on an extra shine in Stan's home."You look awkward in that. " I say to Stan, half joking. He is putting on the apron Trace wears to feed the baby. My friend says nothing but grins at me. Stan, he looks out of place in all of this. He's that sort of guy who belongs to a gym room or a tattoo parlor. He's clearly not suited for daddy duties, but I do not think he cares.Today makes it two weeks since I asked Josie to leave my home. I do not like to remember it. I can still see her face wearing that hurt look and it makes me to realize how much of a monster I am."You can take Daniel out of Florida but you can't get Florida out of Daniel. "It's Randy's voice i
DANIEL"Young man, I need you to work with me, talk to me. You must open up if you want us to help you. "Silence."You have been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If we must help you overcome this challenge, we have to know what we are dealing with here. You are not helping by keeping quiet. "More silence.The silver haired doctor in his dazzling coat lets out an exasperated sigh at my continued silence."Honey, I know how hard having to do this is, but you need to talk to him, let him help you. “Mom tries to coax me into speaking but I don't budge."Your record says you are often getting int
JOSIE"Josie, there's a man looking for you. He is outside waiting. Would you want to see him? " Patty is asking me. I am at work. Winter is finally here and the smell of Christmas with it. Life also seems to be meaningful again since I stopped my wild goose chase with Daniel Winchester, it’s no use spending so much time cooped up in my teenage fantasy. I am excited about going to college in Spring. Utah is my first choice."Wow, looks like you are becoming quite popular with the guys these days. Way to go Josie. " Stacey says. She's here so often chattering away, one would think she was also an employee at the restaurant. Its only lucky Patty does not care so much."A man? I am not expecting anyone. "I say"Well, he's waiting and wouldn’t go away