bChapter /bb266 /b

    201

    Skt immediately folded her arms protectively across her chest and spoke sternly, “I’m warning you–don’t try anything funny”

    Yosef joked, “Hey, I’m not doing anything funny–wasn’t that what you said?” He reached up and yfully rubbed her ear. With a teasing smile, he added, “It’s just a little touch–didn’t you say that yourself just now, Skr?” Leaning in with a yful tone, he said, “You touched mine—now it’s my turn, right?”

    Skr was both shocked and furious, thinking, ‘Since when had he be like this? How shameless can one be? Where did that aloof and arrogant Yosef go?‘ If it had been the previous Yosef, she could have managed him, but now he had changed, she felt uncertain about how to handle him.

    Yosef said with a yful grin, “If you don’t speak up, I’ll take that as a yes.”

    Just as Yosef prepared to take action, Skr scoffed and delivered a sharp kick to his shin. Caughtpletely off guard, Yosef went crashing to the floor

    with a loud thud.

    Startled awake, Adam sleepily mumbled, “Mommy, did something fall?”

    “Your dad identally fell off the bed,” Skr replied.

    Startled, Adam quickly turned on the bedsidemp. Its soft glow illuminated the corner of the room. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Adam asked with concern, “Daddy, how did you end up on the floor? Does it hurt?”

    Skr, who had been boasting, quickly restrained her smile and reassured Adam, “Your dad’s tough as nails–he hardly felt a thing.”

    Yosef stood up calmly and brushed himself off. With a wry smile, he remarked, “Nope, it doesn’t hurt at all.

    “Time to rise and shine! We’ve got an exciting day ahead,” Yosef said with a cheerful smile.

    “Okay,” Adam said softly, obediently getting dressed.

    Once they were ready, the family of three stepped outside. Despite it being a cold season, the midday sun felt pleasantly warm. Skr and Adam both wore sunsses and hats to protect themselves from the sunlight, while Yosef thoughtfully held an umbre over them for extra shade.

    The three of them wandered through a lively market street, pausing whenever they spotted something appealing or intriguing to examine more closely. Tired from their walk, they rested at a cafe, ordered hot chocte, and enjoyed a brief break.

    Yosef wasn’t particrly fond of sweet drinks. After a few sips, he set his cup aside. Propping his chin in his hand, Yosef watched Skr and Adam enjoy their beverages.

    Sometimes, Skr and Adam were remarkably simr–especially now, as they drank, their movements perfectly synchronized. Skr nced up and asked, “Why do you keep staring at us?”

    Yosef smiled and said, “Is it inot /ienough for me to just look at you and Adam?”

    “No,” Skr said coldly.

    Yosef’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Why not? You’re my wife, and he’s my son–is it wrong to look at my own family?”

    Skr said, “That reminds me, when exactly are you nning to-” However, Yosef interrupted her before she could finish and quickly shifted the topic. “Adam, would you like some more?”

    Adam rubbed his t belly, so he thought he could drink a little more. “Okay!” he eximed.

    Yosef slid his barely touched hot chocte over to Adam. “Here, don’t let it go to waste,” he said.

    Adam took the cup, held it carefully, and took a sip, one small spoonful at a time.

    201

    Skr tried again. “Yosef, you.” But Yosef stood up and said, “I’ll take care of the bill.”

    After being interrupted repeatedly, Skr realized what he was doing. ‘He’s doing this on purpose,‘ Skr seethed internally. ‘He promised me fair and square, and now he’s backing out? Unbelievable!‘ She bit her lip. ‘This isn’t eptable–I need toe up with a solution,‘ she thought.

    Skr was trying to figure out how to convince Yosef to agree to a divorce when Adam suddenly tugged at her sleeve and eximed, “Mommy! Someone copsed!”

    Skr immediately sprang to her feet, her physician’s instincts taking over, and rushed over. Adam quickly followed, pulling at her sleeve. “Mommy, what’s wrong with that boy?”