Cherry Plum Lips

Chapter 26

"So how are you and Joshua?" Gina says sipping from her tea. I shrug and I stare at my tea. I don't know this women at all but there is something so trustworthy and warm about her that I just want to tell her how I felt throughout these days.

"I don't even know myself. One day were good, the next were fighting. This weekend has been nice I guess because we were drunk."

"Joshua looked like he didn't sleep for a week." She laugh and I giggle because its true.

"I think were over everything and we can start all over again."

"That's good. He seems so protective over you." She smiles and I nod.

"He didn't mind when I was making out with a girl as a dare yesterday. God, I was smashed." I sigh and put my head in my hands. Gina just laughs and I blink a few times embarrassed.

"So how you liking America?"

"Still the same. I just haven't been here since my sister died. Everything looks the same like nothing changed."

"Did you used to live here?"

"I was born here and but Joshua's mother wasn't. She was oldest and I am the youngest." She swallows and I can tell her this topic is hard on her.

"How old were you when she past away?" I ask, chewing the inside of my cheek.

"I was 15 and Rose was 28."

"She was so young."

"Yeah, and David was about 30. Joshua was unexpected." She giggles at the memory and I see some tears in her eyes.

"My mother freaked out. She hated David. But she was all the way in Italy and there wasn't much she could do. They decided to keep him, get married and even though it ruined my mothers relationship with Rose's, she didn't care. Rose struggled with cancer for years.. In a way that was what brought Rose and my mother back together. The memory of Rose and America just stuck together so I packed my stuff and went back to Italy. I left 8 year old Joshua Alfredo with his father." She whipes her nose and I bite my lip. I hate these kind of situations.

"You bought that?" She cocks her head.

"What?"

Joshua walks in and opens a cupboard after looking at us both. His hair is wet and he is wearing clean clothes.

"Quit that shit Gina. I told you not to do it on her." He pours himself some cereal eventhough its not even morning.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. "

"What?" I ask and I whipe the tears off my cheeks quickly. I can't believe she is just messing with me.

"She always does that. Such a freak. Stop playing with people's feelings." Gina giggles and I look at her. She was good. I chuckle and shake my head.

"You're good." I laugh and Joshua sits down next to me and puts his hand on my thigh. I bite down on my lip and swallow. I'm uncomfortable because I know Gina knows me and Joshua still haven't figured things out and to be fair I am post phoning all conflict and anything close to a confrontation. I really just want to stay in this mood forever.

I sigh and drink my tea in silence. Joshua and Gina are talking about Mr. Miller and when he is coming back.

"He really shouldn't leave you alone this much. Look what you get up to." She says and Joshua chuckles and shrugs.

"Who cares, I am perfectly fine on my own. You sound 50. Is that what you become like when you're about to get married?"

Joshua's POV