PruCan ~ Northern Addition (Book 1) UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING

Surprise!

Gilbert

This snowball fight is awesome. Snowballs are flying everywhere, and I can't help but think that it's like in a movie where a family is playing in the snow. My first thoughts on that little thing is that Matthew would be the mother, I would be the father, and Blue would be the son. I have to admit, I like the idea very much. Blue has grown on me quite a bit.

A taxi cab pulls up beside the house, and I spot Arthur's blond hair through the window. I hide behind a tree, scooping up a snowball. When he waves the cab away, turning toward Matthew, I strike. The ball of snow smacks him right in the back of the head, and he freezes, shocked at the icy cold that falls down his back.

He turns around to see me coming from behind the tree, bouncing another snowball in my hand. He gets this look on his face, and I think, I'm about to get chewed out. He sets his bag down, brushes off his jacket, and reaches down. Too late, I realize what he's doing, and I turn to race back to my tree as he throws snow at me. I don't make it, and the cold smacks me in the middle of my back. I see Blue smiling at me, and I pretend to fall.

In a laughing voice, I cry, "Oh no! I've been shot, I've been shot! Somebody get an ambulance!"

Blue's laugh makes me laugh harder, the good laugh, and the little boy runs up to me, throwing himself down on top of me. Arthur and Matt join in the fun, and pretty soon we're all covered in snow. If only it was like this every day, then we'd really be a family.

Matthew

Blue's teeth are chattering so hard, I'm afraid they'll break, so I scoop him up and take him inside. He protests for a moment, but once he feels the heat of the fire that is still going from earlier, he settles down, and I go off to go get some hot cocoa going. Arthur and Gil come in, and while Arthur stays with Blue to talk with him, Gilbert follows me into the kitchen. Both of our faces are pink from the cold, and I've nearly forgotten about that mishap from earlier. 

 He helps me get the drinks ready, and we bring it into the living room to the waiting guest and child. As I set a cup down in front of Arthur, And Gil hands a cup to Blue, Arthur gives me a knowing look. I tilt my head a little at him, wondering what he's thinking. He glances over to the hallway that leads to Blue's room-am I really thinking of it as his room now?- and I take the cue. "I'll be right back."

I head into the kitchen, then out the hallway door. Arthur follows moments later. "Alright, what's up?"

"I see how you look and act around him, Matthew. I'm not blind. You're in love with him. Aren't you?"

I open my mouth, but no words come out. Is it that obvious? How come Gil doesn't just run away? Unless he doesn't know, or...wait. "How did you know?"

"Like I said, Matt, I'm not blind. I know people in love when I see them."

"People, in love? What does that mean?"

He looks around, then drops his voice. "There's a rumor that a certain someone also really likes another certain someone." My mouth drops further, and I reach up to close it. He starts heading back toward the living room, where Gil and Blue are playing with some of the toy cars again. "Alright, Blue. I gotta go, buddy."

"Aww, you're leaving? But you just got here!"

He laughs. "I've been here for nearly three hours! And besides, I'm going to go see Alfred now." He puts his coat and scarf on. "See you guys later." And he walks out the door to our waves and good-bye's. 

I cross my arms and turn to look at the boys playing. I thought I knew who the "certain someone" was, but now I'm not so sure. I feel a frown tugging at the corners of my mouth, but looking at those two playing so well together, it turns that frown upside down. I go to join them with the cars.

A/N I know this little map may be confusing, but it's what I imagine Matthew's house would look like. If you imagine it as something different, go ahead, but this is how it works in my mind.