Manhattan Dreams ✅

17. Fighting

I walk down the stairs, finding my mommy and grandma on the couch. It looks like mommy is crying and grandma is comforting her. I look on confused, moving closer to the two. "Mommy what's wrong?" I ask worriedly, resting my head on the armrest of the couch.

"Nothing baby girl" she insists, forcing a smile onto her face. "Everything's fine."

"Don't lie to the girl" grandma scolds. "The girl is going to have to learn to deal with heartbreak eventually."

"Not at seven" my mom argues making me even more confused. I needed daddy, he would explain everything to me.

"Mommy when's daddy coming home?" I ask curiously, the innocence of the question so obvious in my voice. My mom starts crying harder as my grandma shakes her head in pity, her eyes locking onto mine.

"Your father isn't coming home."

"Maya" Josh exclaims, shaking me making my eyes pop open. "Baby what's wrong?" he asks worriedly, panic written on his face as he looks down at me. It's then that I feel the tears on my cheeks. I was crying. His fingers move to wipe away my tears as I calm my breathing.

"Sorry" I apologize.

"Don't apologize" he shakes his head, "just tell me what's wrong? You have a nightmare or something?"

To be honest this used to happen a lot when I was little, but over the years they became less frequent and when Shawn came into my life they stopped altogether.

"No" I whisper, "I mean not really, it's more like a memory."

"A memory of what? You got really upset" he points out.

"The day I found out my dad wasn't coming back" I admit, my voice soft as Josh stares back at me sadly, his hand moving to caress my cheek, comforting me.

"Do you have that dream a lot?" he asks worriedly.

I shake my head, "no" I say softly, "I think it has something to do with me fighting with Shawn and my mom" I admit. "I can't lose him."

"Maya I promise that me singing one sensual song to you and you deciding to sing with me once a week at a sketchy bar isn't gonna make Shawn leave you" he smiles sweetly. "Dad's get mad at their daughters, it's part of life."

I smile up at him, overcome with disbelief as to how the hell I got lucky enough to have someone so incredibly amazing to love me, "thanks Josh."

"For what?" he asks confused.

"For worrying about me and for being here" I smile, staring up at him lovingly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too Maya" he replies, leaning down to give me a quick kiss. "You ready to go back to bed now?"

"Mhm" I smile, snuggling up against his chest making him chuckle as he wraps me in his arms. "Goodnight Josh."

"Night Penelope" he replies, kissing the top of my head. "I love you."

"I love you too" I reply before falling back asleep.

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Incessant knocking is what wakes me up the next morning. I moan in annoyance, curling up into Josh's chest, hoping to drown out the noise and fall back asleep but the knocking only gets louder.

"Ugh" I moan in annoyance as I finally sit up, I pull back the covers and step down the ladder, grabbing one of Josh's shirts off the floor and pulling it over my head before walking over to the door to pull it open.