Our Hearts as One

After Ending #4

"Daddy? Can I have a cookie?" 

I stopped cooking and looked down at her. "But you just had a cookie, baby." She looked at me with those big puppy dog eyes and I couldn't help but cave in. "Alright." I reached for the box of Oreo cookies on the counter and bent down to hand her one. "But don't tell Papa."

"Don't tell Papa what?" A voice said from the entrance to the kitchen.

I jumped so hard I almost dropped the box. Laila took one of the cookies and ran off as fast as her two year old legs could take her, and giggling along the way. 

"Ted you're going to spoil her dinner."

"But Johan, her eyes, I can't resist those damn eyes."

"You're such a weakling." He laughed. He walked over to me and peered at the concoction I was brewing on the stove. "Ted...I've shown you how to make pasta before. What is this?" The stands of pasta were super soggy and turning into mush when I mixed them with cheese. He shook his head. "I'll have to start over now."

I watched Johan move around the kitchen and then moved behind him when he stationed himself at the stove. I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"You know, I think you mess it up just so you don't have to cook." He grumbled, but then turned his face to kiss me. I gave him a look of false shock.

"I would never do something like that!" I put my hand over my chest and moved away from him. "Laila!" I called. She came running over, her tutu fluttering around her. I swooped my daughter up in my arms and kissed her cheek as well. "You like daddy's cooking don't you?"

"No, I like Papa's food better." She said. Johan burst out in laughter in the kitchen and I frowned. "That's the last time I give you a cookie."

Just then there was a knock on the front door. I swung the little girl around and settled her on my  shoulders then moved to answer it. The security system I installed showed Joseph standing on the porch so I opened the door.

"Bonjour!" He greeted us.

"Bonjour oncle Joesph!" Laila said happily. I was so proud of her, she was learning to speak English to Johan and I but French everywhere else. I myself had pretty much learned the language although it took a lot of time. I still messed up quite a bit and once asked a lady at a restaurant if I could have some salt for my coffee instead of sugar. Luckily Johan had been there to make things right and I avoided a disaster.

"Joseph is that you?" Johan called. My husband's twin brother moved away from the front door and followed Johan's voice. 

"Yeah. Where are you?" He asked. 

"I'm in the kitchen." We turned to corner and Johan waved to him with a spoon. "Come here Joseph." He handed to spoon to his brother and made his way out of the kitchen. Then smiled big and said; "finish that for me, will you?"

Joseph groaned. "Been here all of five seconds and I've already been subjected to cooking?"

Johan ignored his grumbling and turned to me. His eyes were soft and his lips were turned up at the corners. He stuck a lock of blonde hair behind me ear and moved in as if for a kiss. I leaned forward but the second I closed my eyes he snatched Laila off my shoulders. When I opened my eyes he stuck his tongue out at me and instead gave the kiss to our daughter. 

She giggled then said, "Papa I want to swim!"

Johan tapped his chin. "Oh alright then. Go and find your bathing suit." He put her down on the ground and she took off with the speed of a lightning bolt. "It's warm enough right?"

"I believe so, but I'll go check." I made my way out of the kitchen and toward the back door. It opened up to a screened in pool and deck area. I checked the internal temperature of the pool and also stuck my hand in it before moving to the shed and grabbing her floaties. When Johan came outside, he was shirtless and in his swim trunks. I was so startled I almost dropped the floaties. 9 years with him and I still couldn't get over how perfect he was. 

"You gonna swim too babe?" He asked. 

"Ah, yeah sure." I stood up to go change. 

"Also check on my brother. Make sure he doesn't grumble himself to death."

I laughed and nodded. Joseph was in the kitchen stirring the pasta, pissed that we made him cook while we took a dip in the pool. "When this food is done, I'm going to kill my brother." He said. 

"Sorry Jo" I patted him on the back. "But we really do appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah. Move along before I burn you with this hot spoon." He said to me. I moved along quickly. 

When he finished dinner, we ate out on the patio. It was good food, something that only the Mull brothers could do, cooking was in their blood. Laila was insistent on swimming again when she finished eating but once she was full, her eyes dropped closed and she was asleep instantly. Joseph spent the night in the guest bedroom since he had a drink and didn't want to drive home. Once it was all quiet and settled in the house, Johan and I climbed into our bed. He curled up against me and I wrapped my arms around him and stroked his hair. "Goodnight love." I said. 

"Goodnight Ted."