Life Begins Read Online Free PDF Page B

pick up her own children, Josie had fallen just the slightest bit in love with Žarko’s daughters. They were funny and very easy going, which shouldn’t have been surprising since they’d been good every time they met. It was just nice and gave her hope that her own children would turn out well with a single parent in charge of them.
                  Then she saw her son having a tantrum the moment she stepped inside. She sighed. Somehow, she would have to ask Žarko how he raised such well-balanced children. No one else seemed to have any insight into how to get her crazy toddler to obey his mother.
     
     
                  Žarko didn’t just drop his daughters off at the apartment this time. Instead, he wanted them all in Josie’s space so that he could have a talk with her. After their talk that morning, everything she’d said had weighed heavily on his mind. He knew how he could help her, but he definitely needed to have her give him something in return.
                  “If you girls have homework, you can use the table in the living room,” Josie said to his daughters. Then she turned to him and paused briefly. “I don’t know how long you plan to stay, but you’re welcome to eat dinner.” She went to place her daughter in the baby swing in the corner facing the couch. She turned it on, letting soft music play as the seat swayed calmly back and forth.
                  Her son had already removed his coat and shoes and ran toward the back of the house, items of clothing trailing behind him. He watched Josie sigh as she moved to pick up the discarded clothing. “Let me make sure he’s not getting himself into trouble. You can have a seat if you like.” She then took off after the boy to do whatever it was she planned to do.
                  He made sure his girls started their work before he moved into the kitchen area adjacent to the living room. Josie had a small dinette table complete with two chairs. He took the one near the back door, knowing that it would give him a good view of both the whole kitchen and the living room because of the half wall. He saw Josie reenter with her son carrying some kind of toy before she walked into the kitchen to begin going through the refrigerator.
                  “Is there anything you or your daughters are allergic to?”
                  “ Ne .”
                  She nodded before pulling out a container of meat. “I think spaghetti might be the best thing.” She glanced at him quickly, as if uncomfortable with the idea of him being in her space. He didn’t allow it to stop him from watching her. She would eventually get used to it.
                  It did make him think about the kind of relationship she had with her husband. He must not have been any sort of man considering the way she seemed so uncomfortable around men. He couldn’t imagine keeping his hands off of her if she had been his wife, let alone spend much time in a room away from her. “How long were you married?”
                  Her whole body tensed as she kept her attentions on the browning meat in her skillet. “Almost ten years.”
                  “And your husband is the only man you’ve had.” He wondered if she would answer, because even if she didn’t he knew the answer. And obviously, it must not have felt good from her lack of body awareness.
                  “I don’t know how that’s any of your business.”
                  “It’s my business if you desire to get through this rough time as a divorced woman. Your group will not give you the help you need.”
                  “And how do you intend to help me? Besides giving me a ride and wrangling my son into behaving himself. I don’t see how you can do anything that they can’t.”
                  “I can be honest about your chances. You are