World I Never Knew

Joe and Angela sat together on the couch in front of a roaring fire. She was curled into his side, a blanket draped across their laps. Angela held a book in front of them, each took a turn reading aloud every other chapter. The book was A Christmas Carol. During the past week the two had grown entirely comfortable with each other.

One would always show the other some sign of affection. One day, Angela was washing dishes and Joe had come down the stairs and stood in the doorway watching her, a smile playing on his lips. Moments later he quietly walked forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a soft kiss on her neck. She turned to him and smiled, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

Angela finished reading her chapter and handed the book to Joe but he set it flat on the couch. Angela turned in his arms giving him a questioning look. He took his right arm and stroked his fingers down her cheek and she closed her eyes.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

“So you’ve told me.” She said, smiling, her eyes still closed.

“I’m serious.”

“I know.” She said, opening her eyes again. Her bright eyes scanned his deep chocolate ones and she knew he wanted to say something. “What?”

“Nothing.” He said, all too quickly.

“Joe,” she sighed, sitting up on the couch. She crossed her legs Indian style and took his hand in hers, playing with the ring on his finger. “I can tell you want to talk to me about something.”

He turned his gaze to the fireplace and felt a slight blush rise to his cheeks. She reached a hand out, tucking her fingers under his chin and turned his face to hers. He swallowed and nodded his head.

“Alright… I want to be able to talk about… anything with you. I want to tell you about my family… my life and I want you to tell me about yours.” He said and she sighed. “Everything.”

“You just won’t give up, will you?” she asked, setting his hand down.

“No,” he whispered, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

“Fine. You win this time Jonas. So… what’s first?”

“I figured I’d go first. That way it will ease you up.” He said with a grin.

“Fine with me.” She said. Before he started he pouted at her causing her to roll her eyes. She leaned her body back into his embrace and he kissed the top of her head, taking a breath before figuring what to tell her.

“Alright, well, I was born Joseph Adam Jonas on August 15, 1989 in Arizona. I’m the second oldest of the Jonas boys. Kevin, whose full name is Paul Kevin Jonas II…”

“Wait. His name is Paul but he goes by Kevin?” she asked and Joe nodded. “Is it because your Dad goes by Paul?”

“Nope, they both go by Kevin.” he said smiling.

“Interesting. Continue,” she said with a wave of her hand.

“Thank you. so… Kevin was born on November 5, 1987 in New Jersey. Next came Nicholas Jerry on September 15, 1992 in Texas.”

“You were all born in different states?” she asked, interrupting him yet again.

“Our family moved a lot before settling in New Jersey for awhile but I’ll explain in a minute. Finally, Franklin Nathaniel, a.k.a. Frankie, was born on September 28, 2000 in Jersey.”

“That’s quite the gap.” She whispered.

He continued with telling her his life story. He explained how he and Nick had been on Broadway and how Kevin and Nick had been in commercials. Then came the whole story of how the Jonas Brothers came to be.

Angela interrupted very few times as Joe told her of his and his brothers’ success. She was extremely impressed with what she heard of Kevin and Nick. Frankie too. She felt like he could have a future in acting possibly.

Soon, Joe finished telling Angela practically everything about his life and his family. Angela sat up and took a deep breath, turning to face Joe.

“Ready?” he asked and she nodded her head.

“My full name is Angela Catherine Matthews and I was born on July 26, 1990 here in Vermont. My parents… were… David and Allison. I um… I had an older brother. Michael Christopher. He was born on October 12, 1986.” She said, her voice shaking with the memory of her parents and brother.

“I didn’t know you had a brother.” Joe whispered. “What happened to him?”

“I’ll get to that in a minute.” She said, clearing her throat. “My father was a big-wig executive. We were rich. This house… these grounds… they used to be so beautiful.

“I had a ton of friends… three boyfriends in four years. You know, those nonsense middle school boyfriends that lasted four months at most.

“When I was eleven… Mike was 15. He and one of his friends were out in the backyard climbing trees. I sat up on the third floor doing a little sketching when I heard his cry of pain.

“He fell out of the tree and broke his arm. At the hospital… the doctor’s found a bruise on his back. Then, there were a few old ones on his arms that neither I nor my parents had noticed… It was leukemia.”

“Geez,” Joe breathed out. He noticed the silent tears that started to drip down Angela’s face. His arm wrapped around her shoulders pulling her into him.

“He died when I was 13,” she sobbed, her body shaking from the tremors. Joe rubbed her arm with his hand. “It was that year I started to become known as the mega-bitch at school. I went on a full out rebellion. I demanded one thing after another. I only talked to the people I thought were cool. I was the life of the party. I completely disrespected my parents.

“I hated Mike for dying. He wasn’t just my older brother. I considered him my best friends but I never told him. To him… I was just the annoying little sister.”

“I doubt that,” Joe whispered, kissing the top of her head.

“I was!” she sobbed into his chest. “He always told me so. I never got to tell him how much I loved him. He died thinking we hated each other.”

“Hey, hey, hey. Sh,” Joe said soothingly, rubbing her back. “He knows you love him.”

“How?” she asked quietly.

“He knows because he’s in heaven, looking down at you.”

“Joe, I’m not five. There aren’t any angels in heaven watching me. My parents aren’t looking down at me and smiling at me now that I’m happy again.”

“Sure they are,” he said, smiling slightly when he heard her say she was happy again. She took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her face.

“The rest you can figure out… I was home… my parents were out. There was a drunk driver heading towards them. My Dad swerved, they crashed, my aunt called me saying that they died on impact. My life as I knew it was over.” She said shrugging.

They sat in silence, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Joe would place an occasional kiss on the top of her head. The fires flames danced around the fireplace giving warmth and a soft light to the room. Suddenly there was a bang on the porch and a muffled shout. Both heads whipped to the window facing the front where the only thing they could see besides the swirling snow was a large, dark mound. It was the shape of a person. Joe jumped from the couch and pulled the door open, letting out a gasp.