With Me by Gabbie S. Duran Read Free Book Online Page A

were younger. Every time he was near me I grew giddy and excited.
    “I hear San Diego is beautiful, but I wouldn’t know. Besides the bible retreats I would go on with my parents every year and Savannah, this is the only other place I know,” I say with a chuckle, trying to defuse the remorse of having to say it.
    Joseph is about to say something, but I see Josephina walking towards us, still looking sleepy as she rubs her eyes. Eyeing Joseph, she smiles and quickly walks over to me, taking a seat in my lap and facing him. I hug her close, taking in her childish scent. Looking back at Joseph, I see him admiring her in my arms.
    Josephina reaches down, tugging the picture from Joseph’s hand, making me scold her for being rude. Ignoring me, she continues looking down at the picture. Her brow scrunches down as she concentrates on it. “Mommy, who is this baby you’re holding?”
    “That was you, sweetheart, on the day you were born,” I tell her, watching for her reaction.
    Curiously she tilts her head to the side as she concentrates on the picture. “Oh,” she says, “Why would you have it?” she asks Joseph, still focused at the object in her hands.
    “He wanted to see a picture of you from when you were born, that’s all.” Knowing how curious she’ll get if I allow her, I pull the portrait from her hands and hand it back to Joseph. “Why don’t we start getting things ready for dinner? What do you feel like eating tonight?” I ask, trying to distract her little mind.
    “I want spaghetti with meatballs,” she says with enthusiasm, making me laugh knowing it’s her favorite.
    “Okay, spaghetti with meatballs it is then. You’re lucky the meat is already in the fridge. Go wash up,” I tell her, giving her a little shove, so she will do as requested. Josephina grabs onto Joseph’s hand, dragging him behind her to the bathroom to wash up.
    Standing up from the couch, I head to the kitchen and begin to remove the necessary items to start dinner. Within minutes, I see both of them exit the bathroom and join me at the table where I have placed the items Josephina likes to help with. Joseph stands at her side, helping her as she instructs him on what they will be doing. His attention unwavering, he follows her orders of what they will be doing.
    I wash my own hands in the kitchen sink and start chopping the vegetables needed to go into the meat, listening in on their conversation at the same time. At first their conversation begins with simple questions to get to know each other. Joseph asking if she goes to school and what she likes to do for fun. With time, I grow distracted with preparing the food and don't hear what Joseph tells Josephina, which causes her to squeal with excitement. From the way she’s smiling, I have a feeling it isn’t good. She’s only that excited when she’s been promised something, usually something that is huge and beyond her normal expectation.
    “Mommy, mommy, guess what? Joseph lives by the ocean and he said we can go visit him so I can see it,” she squeals, the excitement still clear in her voice.
    My chopping has completely stopped at this point. The hand holding my chopping knife is gripping it so tight that I feel it digging deeply into my palm. Breathing deeply to control the rising anger inside of me, I have to remember he’s still a stranger to her before I turn around and face them both.
    I smile to conceal the anger rising within me. “Sweetheart, you know we can’t afford to travel right now, but it was nice of him to offer,” I say, now glaring daggers in Joseph’s direction. Her excitement dies; her expression now that of disappointment. I see her open her mouth to say something, most likely a rebuttal that I’m used to. “Why don’t you go wash the meat off your hands in the bathroom,” I tell her, grabbing for the bowl with the mixed meat to add the vegetables.
    She stands up from the table and does as ordered, her face still gloomy, already