Page 11 of Matteo

The floor met my feet and I eased into the kitchen for a glass of water. I felt super parched, and my throat felt scratchy. There was a case of water sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor that I’d never put away.

Scrambling around, I managed to free one from the tightly packaged plastic. Cracking the cap, I took a big, long drink.

“This might have tasted better cold,” I murmured out loud.

Trudging back to my bedroom, I saw my phone had lit up on my bed. After placing the bottle on the bedside table, I slid under the covers and opened my phone. I found myself staring at a text from my baby sister, Nora.

Her and her boyfriend were off gallivanting around Italy…or Europe.I just wanted to say, I love you.

It was a simple enough text, but it made my heart melt. She was really the only person that I felt never judged me too harshly.

I sent my response after a moment.Are you saying that because I haven’t heard from you in a week?

You’re awake?She sent the text back quickly, probably already calculating the time difference between us.

I grinned while replying,I am. I had the weirdest damn dream.

Oh lord, you and your dreams.

Hey,I wrote back.Sometimes, those dreams happen to come true.

Nora replied and I knew she didn’t believe me.Sureeeeee!

I grinned and got comfortable. It’d been relatively quiet the last few months without Nora here. I was happy that she was starting to have some fun in her life but that didn’t mean I couldn’t miss her. Her boyfriend, Mason seemed to make her happy. He was a good fit for someone like my sister. He made her get out of her comfort zone. Until they’d started dating, I’d rarely seen her take a day off from her job where she worked for billionaire Sebastian Deluca.

When do you think you guys are coming back to Seattle?I let the question hang out there hoping she’d say soon.

I got my wish when she replied.We’re actually going to be coming back tomorrow. Should touch down about five o’clock p.m.

Really?

Our text message thread showed that she was already replying as the blue bubbles moved up and down slowly.Yup! I can’t wait to see you and sleep in my own damned bed. You wouldn’t believe how bad some of these mattresses are…

I mean have you been sleeping?I wrote back hoping she’d get my suggestive tone.

Jesus, Rain. You’re like a guy. Everything is sexual.

And you avoid fun….so is Mason blowing ya back out still?

My sister replied with an answer.When are you going to get a steady boyfriend?

Rolling my eyes, I shot my answer back.Free spirit over here.

Mom and Dad are gonna want grandkids from you first, she replied.

Hah! Speaking of grand kids,I typed back trying to move away from the subject of my love life, or lack of one.Dione’s in the hospital. This pregnancy is giving her a rough go.

Oh no, for how long?My sister replied instantly, and I knew if I didn’t tell her she’d be googling every symptom she could think of.

She should be released soon, they wanted to keep her for observation. She was really dehydrated. I helped out at the bar tonight.

I need to go see her and T.J. when I get home. Mason and I are off the adventuring for a while. We’re both ready to get back to our normal lives.

Well that’s good news, a yawn escaped my lips.

I need my hair done too, Nora replied.

I bet you do, when was the last time I did your install?

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