Rafel
Josie waited patiently outside of her school. She was told by Keelin, who dropped her off in the morning, that Klaus would be picking her up. Josie wasn't sure if Klaus had forgotten about her or if he was just running a little late. If Klaus was running Josie would be late for her tutoring session with Hope.
Josie sighed when she spotted the white car and saw Klaus in it. She rushed over to the car and go in. When she put on her belt Klaus asked her about school and how her day went. Josie let Klaus know that her day went well but she was missing her kids more than usual.
The car ride came to an end outside of the Mikealsoon house. Josie made her way into the house and was going to make her room upstairs to meet Hope.
"Josie," Klaus said.
"Yes?" Josie asked as she turned around to face the older man.
"Freya asked me to give you this." Klaus handed Josie a small rectangular box. Josie looked down at the box. She smiled and looked up at Klaus to thank him. "I know it won't replace all the photos you had on your old phone but this way we can communicate."
"It's okay," Josie assured. "Lizzie has most of the twins' photos backed up on her drive. She thought my old flip phone was a ticking time bomb."
Klaus offered the teenager a warm smile. "The Mikealson family will always be one call away Josie."
Josie smiled at the words and dismissed herself. She had to make her way upstairs to help Hope. Josie rushed into the room and was surprised to see that Hope wasn't alone, she was with a boy. The brunette placed her backpack on the free chair next to Hope.
"You're here?" Hope said with a wide smile. "Josie this is Rafel," Hope said pointing to the boy next to her. "Rafel this is Josie. He is my partner for the essay I have due in three days."
"Cool, have you two started?" Josie asked, switching into tutoring mode.
"We have," Rafel told Josie. "We have got six paragraphs so far but we can't agree on how to end the essay. Hope believes we should add in statistics and make an emotional appeal, but I think it would be best to just do an emotional appeal and re-state how the system sucks."
Josie chuckled at the boy's last words. Josie looked over at Hope and noticed the essay prompt next to her. "Can I?" Josie asked as she reached for the paper. When Hope took her elbow off the paper Josie read the prompt. "So what system exactly are you talking about?"
"The foster system." Hope and Rafel answered in sync. Josie looked at the two people in front of her.
"I still think it's not all bad," Hope argued.
"Says the kid who has two parents, that are dam near, perfect" Rafel told Hope.
"You're the one to talk," Hope said with a smile. "Your father is Malivore Kirby he owns Malviore Tech which is the fourth richest company in our town."
Rafel didn't reply to what Hope said. Josie could tell however that Rafel was hiding something. Josie took the essay from Rafel and read it over. She reread it again after finishing twice, she wanted to make sure she didn't is anything.
"It's good, but I think Rafel won I this one." Rafel threw a smirk towards Hope. "However you cannot say the system sucks. You have to word it in a way where you are showing how the system can be improved and why it should be improved. Also, statistics would make your thesis stronger." This time Hope returned the smirk.
The rest of the tutoring session consisted of Josie looking over the multiple drafts and letting both of the Salvatore students know where they made grammar mistakes and some words that could be changed to give the paper a better effect.
When the session ended Hope told Josie she had to go because she had a football game. Rafel had asked Josie for some help on another essay which Hope assured Rafel that Josie wouldn't mind helping him with.
"See you in a bit?" Hope told Josie and got closer to her.
"See you after your game beautiful," Josie told the girl.
"You're cute," Hope said with a cocky smile. She planted a quick kiss on Josie's lip. "The family is going to the game so I will see you at the game. Also on my bed is one of my jerseys wear it please."
"Why?" Josie protested, she hated when Lizzie begged her to wear jerseys for MG'S game.
"Because you're my girl."
Josie wanted to protest more but Hope had run out of the study room. Josie turned her attention to Rafel. As she took a good look at him she couldn't help but feel as if she had seen the boy somewhere before. Josie decided to shove her thoughts aside and look over the essay Rafel needed help with. After marking up the essay in red pen where she knew it needed fixing Josie began to explain to Rafel where his essay was strong and written beautifully but she also told him where he needed to change things. She also suggested that he change the order of his second and fourth paragraphs so the essay would flow better.
"Rafel can I ask you something?" Josie said despite her decision to not be nosy.
"Sure?" Rafel wasn't sure what the girl was going to ask him but he wasn't worried, Josie seemed harmless.
"What's your last name?"
"Kirby why?"
"Nothing," Josie said as she felt her heartbreak a little.
"Tell me." Rafel insisted.
"It's just you remind me of this of a foster brother I use to have but his last name was-"
"Waithe," Rafel said.
Josie nodded. "Rafel?" Josie did not want to say the words louder because she was afraid she was getting ahead of herself, but when the boy pulled her into a hug she was certain she had not gotten ahead of herself. "Last time I saw you, was at the Westons."
"Yes, you were 11," Rafel added to Josie's statement. "After you left I got adopted by my dad." He pulled away from Josie. "My family great Josie, I'm happy."
"I'm so happy for you."
"What about you when did you get adopted."
"I haven't," Josie answered honestly. "But it's okay, I'm so happy right now. I have kids."
"Really?"
"Yes, they're twin,s and they are 1. They're my entire universe."
"I would love to meet them."
"Yeah, I'd like that." Josie opened the box she had left on the table and turned on the phone. Josie went into her contacts, she was going to get Rafel's phone so they could stay in contact. Josie smiled when she saw that already in her contacts were the Mikealsons phone numbers. Josie handed Rafel the phone and let him put his number in it.
When the boy was gone Josie went to Hope's room to see the jersey Hope had left for her. Seeing what Hope had left in the bed Josie could help but have a couple of tears in her eyes. Josie picked up the black jersey and admired the two smaller jerseys. Hope had left jerseys for the twins.
Josie took off her white button-up and put on the jersey.
~~~~
Josie was starting to think that Hope was avoiding her. It seemed that every time Josie mentioned Lizzie, Hope would run the other way or suddenly remember that she had something to do. Josie kept trying to corner the girl to talk to her but Hope kept getting lucky, and as much as she wanted to talk with Hope she knew she couldn't get in Hope's way today.
They were at a fundraiser event, where they were raising money for charities that helped families of children that had been missing. They gave the family access to free therapy, offered to pay search parties, and even help with the investigation by hiring a private investigator at no cost to the family.
Josie checked her phone when it vibrated, she was hoping it was a text from her blonde friend but sadly it wasn't it was the nanny that the twins were with at the Mikealson house. Josie opened the message and smiled when she saw the photo of the twins sitting with Henry and Pedro watching a movie. Josie was starting to believe she should have stayed home with the kids instead of the fundraiser.
"Josie?" When Josie heard her name she froze, she had not heard that voice in a long time. Josie turned around to see the curly-haired boy that the voice belonged to. Josie forced the smile on her face.
"Landon?" Josie said as she looked around to make sure no Hope was nowhere near her. She knew Hope was a bit protective when it came to strangers being around her. "What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" Landon asked the brunette. "My dad's company is hosting this fundraiser. I haven't seen you since forever. Here have a drink." Josie took the drink from Landon and placed it on the table.
As Landon leaned in to hug her Josie gagged at the smell of alcohol that came from the boy. Josie felt uncomfortable in the hug and pulled away but the boy was no losing his grip.
"Hey Landon, can you let go?" Josie asked as she tried to push him away.
"I want to apologize," Landon explained. "I should have never told you what I told you." Josie knew exactly what Landon was talking about. "It's okay though, we can make another one." Josie stepped back as Landon placed his hand on her stomach.
"Landon stop it." Josie pulled away but was pushed right back. Landon placed his hands on Josie's hips and Josie let out a frustrated groan.
"Get your hands off her hips." Josie looked to her right to see Rebekah.
"This doesn't concern you." Landon spat to the blonde woman.
"Unless you wanna lose your hands I suggest you remove them from the girl's body." Josie didn't need to look to her right to know that Klaus was the one threatening Landon. Josie hated that Landon wasn't listening to the adults around them.
"Landon just listen to them." Josie pleaded.
"No this is between us." Landon asserted and tried to kiss Josie but she turned her face so he only kissed her cheek. "This is between you and me we both made a mistake. We should have kept them."
Josie thanked Klaus when he pulled Landon away from her. Josie excused herself and stepped outside to get some fresh air.
She leaned on the wall and took a couple of deep breaths. Josie had suddenly noticed how difficult it became to breathe, she tried to grip onto the wall to keep herself steady but that failed. Josie kept herself balanced and tried to focus on her breathing. It has been a while she got an anxiety attack this bad. Josie looked up when she felt someone pat her shoulder.
"Mrs." Josie was struggling to talk. "Saltzman... I-I-I."
"Josie sweetie," Caroline was trying her best to help her daughter's best friend. "What can I do for you love?"
"Hold me." Josie managed to spit out the words in one breath.
Caroline did as the teenager told her. She pulled the brunette into a hug and held her tightly. Caroline had no idea why she felt warmth in her heart, it was like if she was comforting her own child. Caroline knew it felt that way because her own child was currently slipping away she also knew it was due to the fact that she promised Lizzie she would look after Josie like os she was her own daughter.
"Breathe in, and breathe out," Caroline instructed.
After twenty minutes Josie was back to being herself. She thanked Caroline and asked her about Lizzie, which to Josie's shock Caroline told her that Lizzie was at her grandmother's.
Josie stayed outside for a little while longer until she got a text from Keelin. Keelin had forgotten to take lunch and her wallet for her night at the hospital. Josie let Keelin know she would take her lunch.
Josie texted the family letting them know she would be heading to the hospital in an uber.