"There's enough sorrow in the world, isn't there, without trying to invent it."
E.M.Forster, A Room With A View.
"Mama's coming today, Joe" Luka shared the news with his young son as he lifted him from his crib.
"Mama." The toddler parroted the name, the word just one of his growing vocabulary.
"That's right, Mama, she's going to be so glad to see you, to see how big you've gotten." He drew the boy in for a good morning hug and kiss before carrying him to the bed for his diaper change.
The last few weeks had been difficult ones, not just for having to work with Niko on the arrangements for their father's funeral and burial, but for time afterward when those close to Josip Kovac had come to pay their respects to his grieving sons. While many were content to reminisce about the elder Kovac, other's were unable to contain their curiosity over his return, questions about Joe and inevitably the whereabouts of Abby.
While at the time he has evaded their scrutiny by simply saying that work had delayed her joining them, the truth was what was keeping him up at night, Even now, knowing she would be here before day's end, he found a cloud hanging over them, what if it was only to say she was leaving?
Tending to the arrangements for his father and to his son's daily needs had been a way to avoid thinking about the things that had led Abby to her relapse, but, her arrival tonight meant they would have to face them. Was he ready for that?
"All done, Joe, ready to get some breakfast?" As he finished dressing his son, he tossed the soiled diaper in the hamper and picked him up. What if the worst were to happen when Abby arrived? What if this time away from both he and Joe had made her realize that marriage and a family were not what she wanted in her life? Was he ready to hear that, was he ready to let her go if that was her decision?
"Tata...eat?" As Joe laid his hand against his father's face Luka forced his thoughts back to the present. He couldn't worry about what might happen when Abby got in now, it wouldn't make the day go any faster, or her arrival come any sooner, nor would it change whatever news she might bring with her.
"Yes, Joe, time to eat." He kissed his son's palm before resettling him on his hip.
"Let's go feed you." The worry could wait, he had a hungry mouth to feed.
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