Chapter 13: What Do You Mean? (2)
Breakfast, as John said, was not meatballs. No, it was a tender and juicy beefsteak. The searing brow color of the meat was ominously delicious.
Soon as John’s words fell, the three of us took a seat. I picked up the fork and knife quickly. Josh sat across from and looked at me doe-eyed, precisely cutting the meat to pieces.
I watched Josh slice the steak good n’ proper.
John roared with food in his mouth, accidentally spilling a small piece. He was embarrassed. Josh let out a small chuckle, enjoying the embarrassment of his father.
He answered firmly and glanced at my plate.
John relished in revenge for the sufferings he’d gone through previously, and I looked up at John’s plate in a fit of anger… but… he had cut the steak with impeccable precision and all I could think was ‘damn’.
I could not find anything at fault to complain about so I minded my own business and cut the steak again. But the very next second, a surprising occurrence happened. John, with his long arms, reached out and swapped my plate with his and what I found on the plate was perfectly cut steak.
The image of John pretending to be a well-mannered man was frighteningly appalling.
I looked at him in disbelief.
***
I wore a big smile on my face.
A fresh smile spread across his face. Josh grew up a considerate child.
True. I did call myself a beautiful beggar in front of John. It was a bizarre title, nevertheless.
Josh smiled, showing his pearly white teeth. I reached out and stroked his fine, blonde hair.
As expected. He was at the age I previously guessed.
Josh replied, head bowed down a little too low.
Josh nodded vigorously. I giggled and rubbed his hair unevenly.
He asked suddenly.
I was at a loss for words and my smiling face twitched, ready to break out into a cold sweat. I wondered if I’d be able to explain to a 5 year old the word which had a negative meaning…
I coughed.
I couldn’t resist leaking out a chuckle. Josh didn’t know why I was laughing but it mattered not. He laughed along with me. For a while, we laughed like fools, but then it suddenly occurred to me… it’d be a nice view and hilarious to watch Josh call John, “Papa is an @sshole!” with an elated smile.
I could only imagine how surprised he’d be.
Frightened, he’d probably stagger back and faint.
I laughed louder, holding the pain in my stomach, imagining the ordeal John would go through. Josh followed along, roaring loudly with an overbearing laughter. He didn’t know why I was laughing. He just laughed with me.
What a cute child.
***
After spending time with Josh as his pseudo-mother, I laid in the bedroom assigned to me freely. Josh had gone and left me to attend classes and before leaving he had repeatedly state that I not go anywhere else.
I was hungry at the time and I wanted to eat, but I endured the urges and kissed Josh on the cheek. “I’ll be here.”
And so here I am, lying in bed and lulling myself to sleep.
***
When I woke up, I felt something pressing on me. I opened my eyes halfway with furrowed brows. I could smell the terrible scent of alcohol. I looked over and saw the great John Lancaster.
His was resting on my stomach!