Joanna

29

Mathias had come down sooner than I expected "girls are asleep," He told me with a towel on top of his wet hair with a pair of sleeping pants and a random t-shirt on. "What are you doing-" he paused at the arch.

I paused as he caught me in the middle of putting my phone in a Ziploc "oh- well we went to the beach today and it kinda got wet," I explained as he started making his way over to the stove "Do you need a new one?" He offered with his back still turned to me. "Huh?" "I could always provide you with a working phone" once he had a plate made he faced me across the island counter.

"I'm sure I can save mine just needs to dry, you don't gotta do that Mathias." "Of course I do. How else would I contact you?"

"It's might work," "say it doesn't, and there's an emergency you can't call me for," he challenged eating a spoonful of food. "Then, I'll tell you if it doesn't and we'll have it your way," I said matter of factly making him let a small laugh out.

"Well, you might as well pick a color now," he shrugged. I scratched at the counter with my finger before speaking "why's that?"

"I always get my way," he sassed sounding a lot like miss. emila herself "oh my," I raised my eyebrows.

I glanced at him seeing him finish up the last bit of his plate "Done already-?How was it?" What with guys and inhaling their food? I swear to go Joseph and JoJo do the exact same thing.

He looked up from the bowl licking his pink lips while he did "Delizioso," then grinned at me. I looked away from him and nodded "That's good..."

"How'd the dinner with Hannah go?"

He groaned softly "let's not talk about her" and chuckled after. "That bad?" He rolled his eyes playfully "stop talking," he hummed going over to the stove for seconds. It made me happy he and the girls enjoyed my cooking.

"Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something," I told him quietly still scratching at the counter. "Yes?" "I was wondering if you ever tell the girls about Eliana."

He froze at the name "It's none of my business I know! but the-" "Rarely," he answered in a mummer opening up, without me even having to finish explaining why I was asking. "I know I should've. It was just easier to...not. you know?"

"Mathias that's so stupid," I scolded truthfully- "You don't get it,"

"Maybe I don't, but there's no justifiable reason for them to not know their mother!"

"Are you mad at me-?" I watched him step back I shut my mouth closed and lowered my voice "No, I'm just... telling you," "you're telling me?" He put his food down cocking his head to the side. "Yes," My voice sounded as if it was getting smaller and smaller "I get why you're upset with me but, I don't believe you've lost someone the way I did. Have you?" He asked with a small smile I dropped my head and gave him a short quick "No."

"It's harder to talk about someone who's gone when it looks like they're sitting right in front of you."

I stayed silent "I could never bring myself to it."

"I'm sorry..."

"Anyone else I swear I could go hours, but with the girls. I choke," he tossed his dishes in the dishwasher and opened a cabin to a bunch of alcoholic drinks. Jeez, I never really noticed how much he drank until now.

Mathias picked one out and turned to me motioning to it "I'll pass," I shook my head as he made himself a cup and took a long sip.

The mood felt off now, I didn't know what to do. Once he put his cup down I just stood awkwardly "how was your day?" He had changed the subject.

"It was fun...the girls got to see JoJo today," "and the other one?" I'm guessing he meant junior to which I just shook my head to.

"No, not today we had just met up with my father, mother, and horrible older brother,"

"I'm sure he can't be that bad," "Do you have siblings?"

"I have a twin," he chuckled making me do a double-take... it kinda made sense for him to be a twin- I mean he did have twins.

"You do!?" "Yep, I'm older by 15 minutes," He hummed proudly as if he had anything to do with the odds of that. "What's their name?" I gaped at the newfound information "Mattia."

"Oh, I see," I mumbled nodding "are you identical?"

"Unfortunately," he rolled his pretty blue eyes before looking at me. "Though, I am in better shape," he flexed in his shirt before taking his cup drinking the rest of it. "Oh, I'm sure,"

"He didn't wanna go into my father's business like I did,"

"What did he decide on?" "He races,"

"He whats?" "You know those circle courses and they race fast cars around the loop," he leaned on his elbow on the island counter. "ohh, adrenaline junky?" "That's the word."

I hummed "Have the girls met him?" "Well, duh,"
"dUh," I mocked him quietly "it was just a question,"

"jUsT A quesTion" he mocked me "of course they have,"

"You never know with you," I shrugged "oh?"

I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling looking away from Mathias's direction. It kinda felt like a fever dream talking to him right now. The mood was so bubbly and my chest felt so light if that makes sense.

Mathias

I had only now realized what she had been wearing. A simple pair of black shorts and a grey t-shirt that just fit so perfectly on her. "Well, I'd like to meet him, since you've met my brothers and all,"

"Maybe,"

"And also...." "Also?"

"Try to tell the girls about their mother?"

I blew out a sigh and began to reach for my bottle but saw Joanna's hand slip around the top to pull it out of my reach. "I will," I mumbled reaching over just for her to pull further.

"That didn't sound too convincing,"

I stepped closer grabbing the bottom of the bottle attempting to take it for her to only grip it tighter. "I'll try Joanna." I moved my hand higher on top of hers around the bottle. I watched her tense and look away from me. "Are you going to give it back?"

"Sorry," she quickly tried to slip her hand out from under mine. When she had I grabbed it before she could try to pull it behind her back. "ok," She mumbled cutely not knowing what to do.

~~~

Pls excuse the errors :'

Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter:)