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.

“Let’s eat.”

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.

“Mama, Mama! Did you see how I cut the meat? It’s good, right?”

I watched Josh slice the steak good n’ proper.

“Yes, you’re good. You can get married now.”

“Hey, you can’t say he can get married!”

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.

“Papa, I’m not able to marry?

“Not yet.”

He answered firmly and glanced at my plate.

“In comparison, your knife cutting skill is terribly horrendous.”

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 know. Aren’t you proud?”

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.

“Oh, don’t get any silly ideas in your head. Just watching you gets me frustrated.”

The image of John pretending to be a well-mannered man was frighteningly appalling.

“Oh my God!”

I looked at him in disbelief.

“What…? How long are you gonna look at me like that? I don’t want you to get any illusions up in that empty head of yours.”

＊＊＊

“Mama’s so pretty.”

He said cutely. Oh he’ll become the death of me one day.

“How can Joshua be so cute?”

I wore a big smile on my face.

“Hehe, I guess it’s because I’m Mama’s son.”

A fresh smile spread across his face. Josh grew up a considerate child.

“I won’t deny, but your papa wouldn’t have called me a beauty.”

“You’re right! Papa won’t say that so Joshua will! Mama, don’t you also say that you’re a beauty?”

True. I did call myself a beautiful beggar in front of John. It was a bizarre title, nevertheless.

“Yes, I did…”

“Hehe!”

Josh smiled, showing his pearly white teeth. I reached out and stroked his fine, blonde hair.

“So, how old is Joshua?”

“Five years old!”

As expected. He was at the age I previously guessed.

“What do you like, Joshua?”

“Anything sweet! I love candy the most, but… Papa doesn’t like me eating it…”

Josh replied, head bowed down a little too low.

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring you candy without Papa knowing. It’ll be our little secret.”

“Really?”

“Of course. But you have to brush your teeth when you finish eating the candy, alright?”

“Yes!”

Josh nodded vigorously. I giggled and rubbed his hair unevenly.

“Mama, Joshua has a question too!”

He asked suddenly.

“What’s that?”

“Mama sometimes calls Papa an @sshole. What does it mean?”

“…….”

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…

“Well, Josh, ehem…. Someone as cool as your Papa is called an @sshole.”

I coughed.

“Wow! I see! A man as cool as Papa is called an @sshole!”

“Yep! Your Papa is so cool, so handsome so perfect!”

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!