Who Said Anything About Love?

Tom’s POV

Madeline and I stood staring at the joined faces of Samantha and Georg in silence. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t hold in my laughter and it took me over and the two of them pulled away from each other so fast it only made me want to laugh harder.

“What are you guys up to?” I asked in a sing song voice.

“I uh…” Samantha started.

“Yea, she uh…had a…a bug” Georg finished.

“Yea a bug!” Samantha agreed quickly.

“What were you doing, eating it?” I laughed and received a glare from Georg which I returned with a cheesy smile.

Samantha opened her mouth to speak and stopped and then started again. “You can uh, set those boxes right there.” She pointed randomly around the room.

“Ok. Right here, Tom.” Madeline said and beckoned for me to follow.

After setting down the box and turning back to the front door to leave I turned to Georg saying, “Lip gloss really isn’t your thing, Georg.” I laughed and was then pushed out of the room by Madeline.

“We’ll leave two alone.” Madeline assured as she pulled the door closed. She then turned to me with complete shock on her face, almost as if she couldn’t believe what I’d said to our friends.

I was almost afraid I’d offended her, and then saw the faint smile playing in her eyes. She then lost her controlled expression and laughed slightly as she shook her head at me.

“What?” I smiled.

“You.” she laughed and pushed me slightly.

“What about me?” I asked edging my voice toward the flirtatious side. She noticed and blushed slightly. Then looked back up and laughed.

“‘What were you doing, eating it?’ You are such a child.” she giggled and my heart stopped.

“Child? I’m older than you are.” I retorted playfully, taking a step closer.

“Oh,” she mock rolled her eyes, “by a whole two months. Ma bonté.” *My Goodness.

I leaned forward slightly so that I was at eye level with the tiny brunette. “And two days. You can’t forget the two days.” I lowered my voice to a raspy whisper and I saw her eyes widen slightly and her face fell serious.

“I uh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” she smiled cautiously as I stood straight again.

I would have continued staring at her had my brother not interrupted us.

“What are you two doing? There are still boxes down there.” he then turned to the door and questioned why it was closed. Amelia and Gustav where at either of his sides now.

“What’s going on Madie?” Amelia questioned.

“Where are Georg and Samantha?” Gustav asked.

Without saying anything I turned to Bill as Madeline had already done to Amelia. The look in our eyes silently explained to our twins what we’d just seen behind the closed door. Both of there eyes widened in shock and we just nodded.

“No…” Bill and Amelia said in unison as Madeline and I answered similarly with a simple, “Yes.”

Gustav, who had been looking between the four of us for the last few seconds finally broke out irritatedly saying, “Could someone please explain to the twinless person here what in the world is going on?”

We all laughed at his statement, completely forgetting that we’d have to actually explain with words what had happened.

I was about to speak when the door behind me opened and out walked the culprits. No words were needed as Gustav finally grasped what exactly we were ‘talking’ about.

Georg and Samantha proceeded to walk past us as if nothing had happened. I nudged Georg in the side slightly and then grinned at him nodding my head in a way-to-go manner. He smirked and continued his way toward the elevator.

Bill, Amelia and Gustav went inside to rid themselves of their boxes and Madeline smacked me in the stomach as soon as they were out of her line of vision.

“What was that for?” I laughed.

“I saw that look you gave him.” she laughed and shook her head.

“Yea? What of it?” I challenged with a smile on my face.

She just shook her head and made her way back toward the elevators. I followed suit still laughing and rubbing my stomach as we entered and the doors slid shut.

“Oh, it couldn’t have hurt that bad.” Madeline laughed.

“It did actually.” I said as I lifted my shirt to examine the slightly pink area on my stomach. “See what you did?” I accused her jokingly.

When I looked up to meet eyes she was again flushed, staring openly at my stomach. That as a bit of an ego boost, but still I dropped my shirt and she then looked up at me.

“You’ll be fine.” she informed me playfully as if she were speaking to a child.

“I hope so.” I muttered. “So, are you going to be back tomorrow?”

“No, actually. It’s Monday and we all have to go to work.” she replied.

“Oh. Where do you work?”

“At a book store in town.” she said as if it were only obvious as to which one. I must admit, I do like to read, but I never really went out looking for books in town.

“And what bookstore might that be?”

“Die Bücher von Madeline.” she laughed. *Madeline’s Books.

“Wait…you own a bookstore?” I asked in an impressed manner.

“Oui. Our father thought he could buy our happiness, and in a way he did. My bookstore makes me happy, but not so much with him.” she laughed.

“Why would he need to buy your happiness?” I asked hoping I wasn’t crossing over any lines.

“That’s just how it’s always been. His father was that way too. Our family has always been well off and he just thinks that it’s how you go about things.” she explained as if it was nothing. She wasn’t bothered by the fact that her father handed her money freely, but really who would be.

“I mean, I love him, I always have. And I don’t ask him for money, he simply gave it to Amelia and me when we moved. It made him feel better that we weren’t going to have to struggle. So after using what we needed for living arrangements, we halved what was left and I bought a bookstore and she is aspiring to have her own art gallery.” she smiled as she looked up at me.

“Wow, that’s so cool.” I stated.

“I think so.” she giggled.

We continued talking on like this while we finished unpacking Samantha’s car. She really was someone I felt comfortable just opening up to. Kind of like I do with Bill. Hell, I can’t even talk like this with my gir- … Cerise.

I didn’t have anything planned for tomorrow, but suddenly I had an idea in mind.