"I'm here!" Matt calls as we walk inside. The home is decked out in Christmas decor, it's obvious the Sturniolo's love Christmas.
I'm greeted by a sweet little pup in a red jumped that I assume is the famous Tessa. The others walk into the room, and Chris stops in his tracks, looking shocked to see me.
I figured Matt would at least text and let them know I was coming but I guess not..
"Oh you brought Iris!" Ellie exclaims as she walks over to us. "I hope I'm not intruding or anything." I say.
"Of course not, we would love to have you." She says and gives me a hug.
"Oh and don't you two look so cute in your matching outfits! Let me get a photo!" She says and pulls out her phone.
I completely expect Matt to protest but instead he happily puts his arm around me and smiles for the photo. I see Chris mutter something to Sam, who nudges him with his elbow. They're definitely talking about us. "Iris? Is Aubrey here too?" Trev asks. "No she's at home." I say. "Aubrey?" Ellie questions and Matthew and I laugh. I'm guessing Trevor hasn't told her about his girlfriend yet- or whatever they are.
"Yeah didn't you hear? Little old Trevor is in love", Matthew teases him. "Am not!" Trevor scoffs. "Don't tell her I said that though.."
That's so sweet.. he is completely in love with her. River girls just swoon for the Sturniolo boys, and vise versa. "Well make yourself at home." Ellie smiles. "Egg nog? Apple cider?"
"Apple cider would be great, thank you." I nod. Ellie heads off towards the kitchen to get everyone drinks and leaves Matt and I with Chris, Sam and Paddy. "I hope this is okay.." I say quietly to Chris. He looks between Matthew and I, obviously displeased with us being together let alone being here on Christmas together.
"It's perfectly okay", he smiles. "You'll come to your senses eventually." He leaves the room, Pulling his brothers along with him and I see Matt is enraged.
"You can't punch your brother Matthew", he mutters to himself.
I run my hand up and down his arm, trying to bring him some peace. Ellie walks back in, handing me the glass of warm cider that I can tell is homemade just by the smell of the house alone. His mum is everything I wish my mum would be. "Thank you." I say. "I'm going to help Sam out with the food and then I can show you Matt's Christmas photos throughout the years!" She says excitedly. "Absolutely not." Matt says and I laugh. "I would love to see them." I interrupt him. "I'll find them." She says, headed back to help Sam.
Matthew grabs the back of my arm, and starts leading me down a hall and up a staircase. "You don't need to see my bare ass as a baby." He laughs. "Oh I really think I do." I giggle and he rolls his eyes.
Oh man torturing him with his mother today is going to be so much fun. "Matt's room keep out." I read a sign on a door and turn to him. "Yeah you're going to have to show me what's in there."
"Lucky for you, I'm proud of this room." He says, and turns the door knob, leading me into a very dark room with black painted walls covered in band posters, old instruments strung out all over the place, and band tshirts hung like trophy's over his bed. "Oh my god you were one of those outcast kids",I laugh as I walk through. "You definitely wouldn't have been my friend in high school", he says.
He's not wrong. He's the kind of guy I was always warned to stay away from. "Drums?" I question when I see the old dusty drum set. "Tried it, never got into it." He shrugs. I see a violin sitting in a case, and I turn to him with a pouty lip, pointing to the instrument. "Please." I say. He walks over, and kisses my forehead. "Anything for you my princess." I happily sit back on his childhood bed as he pulls the violin out of the case.
I don't know why, but it seems so out of character for him to play things like the violin. Soon, his starts to move the bow across the strings, creating a beautiful sound. I can see how he instantly calms, his shoulders dropping and his face relaxing as he plays. This is his world and I love it.
It's obvious how he can just completely loose himself in the music. This boy has a talent that amazes me, I've never heard such beautiful playing. He plays the last cord, and lowers the violin back into its case. "That was beautiful Matty." I smile. "I like playing for you.." He says, and grabs my hand to lift me up to my feet. He softly attaches his lips to mine, and pulls away with a smirk. "I see you covered up the evidence." He mutters, his fingers trailing down the side of my neck.
"Want your mum to know I'm a respectable young lady." I joke.
"You're dating me, darling. All expectations are already out the window." He chuckles and pecks my lips once more. We head back down, the smell of amazing food filling the house. I see Ellie has gotten some albums pulled out and Matthew groans loudly. "You've finally got a girlfriend Matthew, let her have her moment", Dom scolds and I laugh. I sit on the sofa beside Ellie and she opens one of the albums. I quickly see tons of photos of baby Matt, and it fills my heart.
We would make adorable babies.
"This is him in his first Christmas jumper, Ooh and this one was his fifth birthday!" She explains each photo. "You were so cute! What happened?" I tease as I look over to my boyfriend. "I like her." Dom comments and Matthew shakes his head. "My supporters say I'm endearing." He says. Ellie flips through the pages, showing me all the wonderful memories Matt has. I don't know why, but I always just pictured him to be unhappy, and it's a relief to see all these moments where that wasn't true. He was a happy kid. "Oh and here's the baby butt!" His mum announces and he stands to his feet. "Alright I'm grabbing a beer." He says and leaves the room with his dad. I'm left with his mum, and she turn to me. "Was that a violin I heard?" She asks. "Yeah." I nod. "He's a beautiful musician, Ellie . I love listening to him play, wish he would do it more often."
"Iris you must be very special to him because he hasn't played for us in years.. he doesn't play for anyone or anything except classes." She explains. Her words bring a warmth to my heart. I know I'm special to Matt, but having other people notice it makes it all the more real. "Well he's very special to me too." I gush. "Means the whole world to me."
"You two remind me of Dom and I when we were young." She smiles warmly. "I can see that you both are very much in love."
We remind her of her and Dom? Well now she's got my brain running, thinking of what our life would be like if we worked out like his parents did.
A wedding.. a home.. children running around.
I want that. I want all of it with him
