Miss Josefina: Nobody's Princess

"Dorian, I heard you were coming home today, so I got up early and made you some soup. I'm not sure if it's to your taste. Please give it a try." Lena offered the soup to Dorian with a beaming smile, eager to see his reaction.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Dorian watched the steaming bowl before him and nodded with a smile, "Thanks, Lena."

"You're welcome, Dorian. The soup's just the right temperature. Have a taste and let me know what you think," Lena said, taking a seat beside him, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Dorian was about to take a sip when Josefina came over. "Hold on a minute."

At Josefina's interjection, Dorian paused, a quizzical expression crossing his face as he turned to her.

Lena's expression faltered slightly, "Josie, what's up?"

Josefina spoke up, "Lena, when you were making the soup, I think you might have gone overboard with the salt. It looked like you mistook sugar for salt and tossed that in too." Dorian was quite startled. His anticipation for the soup suddenly plummeted.

"That can't be right. I know the difference between sugar and salt. There's only salt in there, no sugar," Lena retorted, her annoyance clear.

Josefina walked over, picked up the bowl from the table, and offered it to Lena. "Why don't you take a sip first? Just to be sure you didn't mix up anything. How about that?"

Lena's face was a picture of wounded innocence as she pleaded, "What 's that supposed to mean? How could I not know what I put in the soup? Why are you picking on me?"

"I'm not targeting you. I'm just telling it like it is," Josefina replied, her expression unchanging.

Dorian stood up, "Lena, just try the soup. I'm quite jet-lagged from the flight and need to adjust my body clock. Maybe I'll have the soup later."

Lena was seething. Why was Josefina trying to stop Dorian from having the soup? Could she have found out something?

She managed a smile, her voice soft,

"Josie, why do you want to stop Dorian from having the soup? Sure you're his real sister, but I've been part of this family for eighteen years. In my heart, Dorian will always be my brother." Lena's look of utter Vulnerability made it seem as though she was on the verge of tears.

Dorian frowned, and Josefina finally spoke up All I'm asking is for you to taste the soup and check the seasoning. How did this escalate to a discussion about sibling relationships?"

Dorian added, "Lena, Josie just wants you to taste the soup. She didn't say anything else. You're overthinking this."

Lena's face fell at Dorian's words. "Dorian, Josie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just being overly sensitive right now, worried about losing you all."

As she spoke, Lena's tears began to flow, but she seemed to have forgotten one thing: dwelling on an issue can indeed be irksome to others.

Take Hattie, for instance, who was watching Lena's emotional display and wondering whether it might be best for everyone if Lena moved out.

Hattie's shifting gaze didn't go

unnoticed by Lena, who suddenly felt panicked. Quickly she offered, "I'lI take the soup back to the kitchen. I might have indeed mixed up the seasonings."

Josefina stepped forward, "Lena, dear, why not have a sip right here? It'll prove whether I'm wrong or not. If I've accused you unjustly, I'll owe you an apology." Lena felt cornered. Damn it, why was Josefina hell-bent on confronting her?

With a gentle smile, Lena replied, "Josie, you're making too much of it. We're all family here. There's no need for apologies, not at all."