Chapter 23
They had already spent two days in Manchester and Justin couldn't wait to be back in L.A. Just another four days, thats how much longer he had to put up with Rosa's mother glares, and sly comments. He hated her, he had no idea how she could possibly have raised Rosa.
They were heading over to a family gathering, in which Justin would meet the couple getting married and a bunch of other people related to Rosa.
Samantha hadn't asked Rosa to move back to Manchester yet, she hadn't brought it up to him so he was sure she hadn't yet. Rosa would tell him and she's ask his opinion and then she decide to stay and live with him. Or that’s how he hoped it would happen.
Why would she want to leave? She was happy and so was Maddy and he wanted them there. He knew that sometimes she felt like she was intruding but he never thought so. She had even started to pay him rent but he just shoved it all into a bank account and was going to give it all back. He didn’t need the money and he had friends stay with him all the time without charging them, he wouldn’t start charging her.
“Justin, are you okay? You look a little pale.” She placed her hand on his forehead. “Hmm, a little warm. Are you feeling alright? I mean you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“No Rosa, I’ll go. It’s fine.” She starred at him, thinking.
“No, you do look quite pale; you’ll stay at the hotel.” She decided, nodding her head. “I mean, I can’t have everyone think I brought some pale looking American as my date.” She smiled. “Maddy could even stay with you; she didn’t really want to go. None of my cousins have any children her age or children at all in the matter, so she’d just be bored out of her mind. Would that be a problem?”
“No I’m sure we’ll find something to keep us entertained.”
“These things tend to go a little late, so don’t wait up for me, I have a lot of catching up to do.”
“No problem, we won’t.”
“Okay then, I’m heading out. My mother wanted to have a cup of tea beforehand, she said she had something important to discuss with me, I wonder what it could be. Feel better.” She grabbed her purse and keys off the table by the door and opened the door.
“Wait.” He shouted, she turned around and eyed him curiously. “Um, sorry for shouting but Rosa… you…I mean you and Maddy… you guys like living in America, right?” She looked at him strangely, not quite understanding where this was coming from.
“It’s quite nice yes.”
“I mean you like living with me?”
“Only when your not home.” She joked, trying to lighten up the conversation. “Justin, what is wrong?”
“Do you want to move back to Manchester? Back here with you parents?” He blurted out, taking small steps towards her, feeling a little light headed.
“Well I have thought about moving back-“
“You have?!?!” He repeated, shocked.
“Well I always have but I don’t know…Justin where is this all coming from? Are you scared just because I’m back home I’ll realize how much I’ve missed it and decide to move back?”
“Ya, uh, I guess that was it.”
“Well don’t worry about it; I’m fine where I am.”
“You mean that?” He asked, raising his hand and stroking her cheek.
“I do.” She whispered, allowing him to caress her cheek.
“Okay then, have fun at lunch with your mom.” He pulled his hand away.
“Okay. Bye.” She seemed confused as she turned and left the hotel room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was nearing midnight and Maddy was still awake, when Rosa had given him specific orders to have her in bed by 8 so she was definitely going to kill him for keeping her up. She just had so much energy tonight. They had done so much, he was pooped.
He had taken her for a walk and then they headed to the park where they spent an hour or so. They got ice cream, went out for dinner, looked through some shops, came back to the hotel and played every game she could think of and now they were going to watch The Little Mermaid. He was hoping a movie would make her go to sleep.
“Okay Maddy, movies about to start, get over here.” He laid down across the sofa, making himself comfortable. Maddy bounced in the room and laid down infront of him.
“I love this movie, Juju.” She whispered giddily.
“I know.” He kissed her forehead. “Now no more talking.”
She was silent for fifteen minutes before she started talking again.
“I love Flounder. I had a fish before.”
“Really? When?”
“Before.”
“What happened to him?”
“I killed him.” She confessed frowning.
“I’m sure you didn’t.”
“Jonathan said I gave him too much food and he exploded. I don’t have fish anymore.”
“It’s okay, we’ll get you a fish when we go back home. Now no more talking.”
Another fifteen minutes Maddy was talking again. He just wanted to sleep.
“Eric is cute, huh?”
“Um, ya very cute.” He agreed, not knowing what else to say.
“I wanna marry a boy like him. He’s pretty to look at.” She giggled, blushing.
“Don’t worry Maddy, you’ll marry yourself a good guy but its not all about looking pretty, remember that, okay?”
“Okay.” She replied even though she probably had no idea what he was talking about. “Do you think mommy is pretty? I think she’s the prettiest, do you?”
“Yes Maddy I do.” She giggled.
“You think mommy’s pretty.” She chanted, laughing. “Are you my mommy’s boyfriend Juju?”
“Um, I’m not sure Maddy.”
“Even if your not, we’ll always be friends right Juju?”
“Forever Maddy.”
“Because you’re my bestest friend in the whole world, even more than Kelsey.”
“Your one of my best friends too Maddy, now watch the movie.”
“Friends forever.” She promised, and grabbed his pinky with her own.
Ten minutes later she was fast asleep in his arms and a few moments later, he was fast asleep, never feeling more content in his life.
Rosa woke up in the morning remembering the horrible lunch she had had with her mother. Her mother wanted her to move back to London. To live in London. Her life was in America. Of course right now she didn’t have all that much there. She no longer had her husband, or a house. All she really had was her job….and Justin. Her mother had made her feel so ashamed to be living with him but he was her friend.
Her mother had made in seem as if she was breaking the law and going to hell for living with a man who had saved her life and had done so much for her. Her mother hadn’t convinced her to move back but she almost did convince her to move out of Justin’s and find a place of her own.
That was until she walked in last night and saw a sight that brought tears Justin and Maddy were lying together on the couch asleep, The Little Mermaid just finishing. How could she leave him when she loved him?
She knew she shouldn’t love him. She had just gotten out of a horrible marriage; she was young and trying to get her life back on track. She had so much to think about before she jumped back into a relationship and even though she knew Justin had feelings for her she couldn’t risk their friendship for a what if relationship. If she messed up he could he be out of their lives for good? Maddy wouldn’t be able to handle that, she had gotten to close to Justin over the last four months.
She headed down towards the living room, only to find that Maddy wasn’t laying with Justin anymore, but he still looked gorgeous. His features peaceful, his lips slightly parted, his hand placed on his stomach. She watched him for a minute before she went looking for Maddy.
“Madaline.” She called out. “Madaline.”
She appeared from the washroom, scaring the crap out of Rosa.
“Shhh mommy, you’ll wake Juju.” She got down on her knees and hugged her.
“Sorry. Did you guys have fun last night?”
“Uh huh.” She nodded enthusiastically. “The funniest night ever.”
“Without me?” She feigned shock.
“Uh huh, mommy I love Juju, I wanna live with him forever.” She announced before bouncing into the kitchen.
Rosa just watched Maddy leave to the room, her words echoing in her mind.
“Me too Maddy, me too.”
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