Studio 22 | Mary-Kate Olsen

Chapter Forty-Two

April 10th 2023 - New York City - Studio 22

"Morning, Tiny," I greeted as I arrived outside our building where she was finishing her cigarette with Ashley. "Morning, Ash," I smiled in her direction. "Morning, Beauty," Ashley replied whilst MK pouted about her nickname. "Quit pouting," I tell her, pecking her cheek. I stepped back after that to avoid being engulfed by the smoke.

Ashley knows we're dating, Mary-K told her the second after I dropped her home after our first kiss/date. I found it cute how excited she was to tell her sister about us. I felt a lot more relaxed about the whole situation after we kissed because I didn't completely embarrass myself. Yes, I stumbled through my confession in a less than perfect way and will forever be embarrassed of the level of uncool I reached that evening. But it was worth it.

"How was dinner with your parents?" I asked the girls. MK was bummed because we couldn't hang out last night. We didn't have a chance to see each other much this week with work life and home life being busy. My parents have been more on edge recently, stressing over everything so I've been trying to help them with work and making them dinner so they don't have to. I think they're going to be asked to come out of early retirement and take on a role of some sort in the military. They've been going to a lot of meetings recently. They told me not to worry about it. And work is as busy as ever so we've only really seen each other at work and MK isn't so thrilled about it.

"MK told our parents she's dating you." My eyes widened for a moment before I started to cough a little to cover it but Ashley was already laughing. "They want to meet you," She continued. "Meet me?" I asked, looking from Ash to MK. "They met me last year at your birthday party," I pointed out. I liked MK but meeting parents when dating that's like the next step and it's only been like a month. I didn't think we were there. I was cool with Ashley knowing, Jazz knows too and that's fine. Two of the closest people in our lives know we're together and that's normal for a new relationship. But Parents... I've met them, they're lovely. But I don't know how I feel about meeting them in this situation. As her... I don't even know what we are. We didn't label anything and that's working for us. "They've invited you to the baseball game on Saturday," Ashley informed me. "But you don't have to come... It's not a big deal. Because cameras and parents and the public and... I just... You don't have to come," MK stuttered out. Okay, her feeling the same way about this as I do is comforting... I'm glad she was equally as freaked out. She hit her sister in the arm and they mumbled to each other. "I told you not to say anything." I caught it before they turned back to me.

"We can talk about it later," I say, reaching for her hand. She took it, handing her sister the almost finished cigarette and allowed me to lead her into the building. "I'm sorry if Ash freaked you out." "We can talk about it tonight, wanna do dinner?" "Don't you have to go to your parents?" She asked, not looking up as we pushed through the stairs door. "No, well yeah but I'll just go after. We've not hung out all week." She squeezed my hand. "Dinner sounds nice." I smiled down at her and we changed the subject quickly not wanting to dwell on the baseball game.

"Kiss," She demanded, turning to face me when we reached the final step. I pecked her lips a few times before letting go of her hand. She whined before composing herself when I opened the door to our lobby, Chloe greeting me the same way she always had. This has been on morning routine since we started dating, kisses on the stairs before parting and going about our day as professionals. "Blake." "Morning." I left it at that not wanting to go through the back and forth. "She still calls you Blake?" MK whispered to me. "Yeah, every morning for the past year. Fun isn't it?" "It bugs you doesn't it?" She asked already knowing the answer. "Don't be amused by it," I warned her. She continued to giggle to herself like a schoolgirl. I shoved her in the direction of the offices. "Coffee, please?" "I bring you one every morning you don't have to remind me, Tiny," I told her as I walked towards the coffee station.