Page 50 of Matteo

I sat my phone down because Nora was knocking at the door. By the time I went down the steps and opened the door she was standing there grinning with a bag held up high.

“I bring hella fucking snacks, and I told Mason don’t fucking call,” my sister shrugged. “Unless it’s an emergency.”

Pulling her into a quick hug we ran back up the stairs. Sitting everything out on the table, I told her to pick a television show. Nora watched so many TV shows, she was always quick to recommend something.

“What kind of vibes do you want?” she asked with my remote control in her hand.

“Maybe something funny, cause like after all that shit,” I shook my head.

“Friends?”

I was already in my little kitchen grabbing spoons. “Were they really ever that funny…”

The two of us paused and said in unison, “Living Single is better!”

We burst into laughter and she started from episode one. Humming along to the theme song, we dug into our ice cream. By the end of episode one, I was nearly done with my pint Nora had brought and finally I had to put it away.

She paused the show halfway through episode two and we fell into a rhythm as we caught up with each other.

“My period was late…” Nora bit at her lip.

“Holy shit…” a gasp tore loose from my mouth, and I covered it in surprise.

“I’m not,” she shook her head, almost seeming sad.

“Wait, do you want to be pregnant?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“What about Mason. Does he want kids? I bet he’d make a great father.”

Nora’s brown eyes got sadder. “He has some family traumas to work through.”

“Is he treating you good?” I wanted to offer her all my support and pulled her into a hug.

“Mason treats me like a fucking princess. Honestly, sometimes we’re so into each other, I worry that neither one of us can breathe.”

“Aww,” I smiled finally. “You really are in love with him.”

Nora nodded. “I love Mason with everything in me.”

A little flutter of jealousy hit me. “At least someone’s love life is working out.”

“Speaking of your love life…Kenji, got arrested?”

Suddenly I was missing my ice cream that I’d put in the freezer. “Yeah, and Mason’s fucking brother was the one to arrest him.”

Nora winced and I searched her features.

“Oh my God, do you know something about this?”

I watched as my sister’s eyes darted away and then back at my face. “Okay look, I really don’t know all the details. But I overheard Mason on the phone talking with Matteo. I had no idea that Kenji was the one he was arresting.”

“Well, what did you hear?” I asked.

“Just something about federal drug trafficking and that Matteo was getting the warrant issued and was set to serve it later on today…”

Shaking my head, it just didn’t make any sense. Why would Matteo be talking to his brother about something sensitive like this.

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