alonimi
Two of a Kind [Closed] - Printable Version

+- alonimi (https://alonimi.net)
+-- Forum: Contemporary (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=71)
+--- Forum: Miscellaneous (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=87)
+--- Thread: Two of a Kind [Closed] (/showthread.php?tid=700)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-03-2017

Julianna was a comfort to him. Between pouring more wine and saying the right things, his worries were quickly eased. They put the ugliness of his relationship behind and enjoyed more animal videos and baby onesies. In his intoxicated state, Owen insisted on ordering nearly all of the costumes that they viewed. Soon enough they would get to dress the babies up in the clothes they ordered.

Owen remembered saying goodnight to her and going off to crash into his bed. Under the influence of wine, Owen fell asleep easily and his fatigue from the business travels sent him into a deep sleep.

In the morning, Owen woke and fetched his own coffee. He could hear sounds of the nanny up and about with the children in the other room. They sounded fussy and he needed to try to get a few emails answered so he left them be until they settled down.

His stylist Candice came early to give him a fresh cut and shave after his trip. Just before she arrived, Owen showered and took up residence in this home office, still wet from the waist up, in white towel draped around his hips. Candice let herself in as she always did and found her customer where he always was.

Owen wasn’t terribly cooperative at first. He leaned back only when she tugged at his head to get him into order but otherwise he kept trying to answer emails on his iPhone all the while. At some point Candice snatched the phone from him and put it in her pocket. This forced Owen to relax. He lounged like a king with his head thrown back as his stylist worked.

They discussed the hot celebrity gossip and genuinely seemed to be enjoying each other’s company.

A few rapid knocks at his door signaled that Maeve had arrived. “Lemme get that.” Owen was released from Candice’s grip and he padded to the door in just his towel to open it for his long-time friend. A chilly relationship between Maeve and his wife prevented the kind of familiarity that would have allowed Maeve to let herself in. So she knocked to keep the peace, though today it wasn’t necessary because Sophia wasn’t around.

“So I almost got us a physicist.” He said by way of greeting as if they were continuing some wave length of unspoken thought they both shared. “He’s coming to tour the facilities - I think - next week? Or so?” He waved his hand and turned to head back to his office.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-11-2017

The children had woken up in A Mood. Simultaneously. It wasn’t uncommon to hear that twins shared a connection and despite being fraternal that wasn’t any less true for Lucy and James. Julianna’s day had started earlier than the last two. Unhappy babbling over the baby monitor on her nightstand woke her, so she shuffled down the hall in her pajamas to greet him. They seemed pleased to see her, but only minutely, whatever had roused them was annoying enough to keep the fussing through the morning.

They didn’t want a bath, they didn’t want to be changed, they didn’t want clothing. They whined and kicked and fought her at every turn. However, this wasn’t Jules’ first rodeo; she’d wrangled plenty of babies through her career, so after some expert handling the twins were cleaned and shoved into matching overalls.

She could hear Owen up and moving around; she’d not even had the chance to brew coffee or even consider what she needed to do for breakfast. She’d missed the first knock on the door, Owen had answered it and he and however had arrived were in his office. She had just finagled the twins into their high chairs when the second knock sounded. This one she moved to answer, but she was intercepted by Owen.

In a towel.

The sight caught her mostly off-guard and she was left hovering the space between the kitchen and the living room, staring at the space between his shoulder blades while he addressed the new guest.

Maeve didn’t even look up from her phone when the door was opened. She held it in both hands and was typing away furiously. A thick-looking file folder was tucked under her arm. Wavy blonde hair was swept to the side and she was dressed in a crisp white blouse and a black pencil skirt. Her red heels clicked on the paneled flooring as she crossed the threshold into the penthouse.

“Almost got us a physicist, is not got us a physicist,” she corrected. She turned her body towards him but continued to look at her phone. Her brow furrowed at whatever had popped up on her screen with the accompanying ding of a message.

Maeve walked while she spoke and typed, maneuvering through the house and towards Owen’s office from muscle memory. She all but walked past Julianna, who was now starting breakfast in the kitchen. Unfamiliar cooking sounds caused Maeve to stop, she looked up from the phone, blinking rapidly to refocus her eyesight on the rest of the world around her. She looked at Owen, just now realizing he was in a towel. She rolled her eyes at him, the perfect semi-circle of violet eyes landed her gaze on Julianna.

She pulled the file from under her arm and held it outwards towards Owen. “Blueprints for the carbon lattice," she explained briefly. "Who is that?” She all but sang the vowels, eyes darting back to Owen. It could only be her wildest dream that Owen had finally gotten rid of Sophia and replaced her with a cooking version. She clicked off her phone and stared at Owen.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-11-2017

“Well that’s where you come in.” Owen was explaining to Maeve as they walked down the hall together. “I want you to show him around when he comes. Treat him. The whole shebang.”

Owen accepted the file folder she handed off with a chirp of pleased surprised. He hadn’t expected her to get the blueprints finished so fast. Owen set the folder down on the counter and immediately began pouring over the documents inside.

“This is great.” He said distractedly while rubbing at his newly shaved cheek. “Huh?” He asked distractedly somehow aware a question had been asked of him. Reluctantly, he pulled himself out of the file. “Oh right. This is Julianna, Sophia hired her to help with the babies since she’s now on tour.” He said this with more than evident salt. Obviously, the wine and a good sleep had not gotten him over his latest marital hurdle.

“Julianna, this is my business partner, Maeve.” Owen realized she was cooking breakfast and rounded the island to crowd near her to inspect what was going on there. How easily his attention was pushed and pulled from science to food.

“What you got there?” He asked of her preparations. Owen seemed completely oblivious of his barely dressed state. His chest brushed her elbow when she moved and he didn't seem to mind.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-11-2017

Maeve slipped into one of the stools left at the island that hadn’t been displaced by the babies’ highchairs. They weren’t any quieter than they had been upon waking, but the smell of breakfast had turned all that wet babbling into something brighter. They were very pleased to have Maeve seated next to them.

Maeve huffed and stole a blueberry from the tray of Lucy’s highchair, the infant didn’t seem to notice or care. She popped the fruit into her mouth and rolled her eyes at Owen. “Of course I got it done.” Her tone implied that it should have been obvious. As if he didn’t know her well enough by now. “And I don’t want to babysit some uppity physicist that refuses a good thing being handed to him on a silver platter.” Maeve didn’t seem to notice she was close to rambling. “This is the job of a lifetime, and amazing opportunity and he just wants to blow us off?” She shrugged and pilfered another blueberry.

Though disappointed that Sophia was still around, Maeve smiled at the nanny, reaching a hand across the counter. They women shook hands and explained pleasantries. “On tour, huh?” she echoed with unmasked boredom. Her tone implied he didn't need to say more about Sophia. She rolled her eyes, when Julianna could see, but Owen couldn’t his attention turned to what she was cooking.

Julianna was content to listen to the business partners chatter as she worked. Owen was close enough that she could smell his soap, lingering from the shower she didn’t have to assume he recently stepped out of. A blush flared across her cheeks, and she cleared her throat. “They’re uhm...sweet corn cakes,” she explained, a nervous waver in her tone. He was towering and hovering, not quite obstructing but just so close. The bright yellow fritters resembled pancakes. “The twins really like them.”

Maeve watched Owen and Julianna as they interected. They were very close. Not just physically. She cocked her head, trying to decipher what she was witnessing. She watched the babies as well, who certainly seemed infatuated with the nanny. She was sensing something. And she liked it. She decided to prod the situation.

“You have very lovely eyes, Julianna,” she compliment. “Very green. Don’t you think, Owen?”

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-14-2017

An approving ‘mmm’ sounded from the back of Owen’s throat when she announced the breakfast du jour. Apparently he was planning to go in on some sweet corn cakes. For the moment, Maeve’s earlier commentary about the ‘uppity physicist’ was left to stew in Owen’s mind as she brought his attention instead to Julianna’s eyes before he could prepare an appropriate repartee.

“What?” He asked somewhat thrown off guard. The specificity of the question registered a moment later and he peered down at Julianna to evaluate her eyes. Why, yes, they were rather - lovely - and so very green, indeed. “Oh, yeah.” He said sounding a half a beat off, because he was. His eyes made subtle saccades back and forth as they studied the color of hers. “You do have very pretty eyes Julianna.” His compliment was genuine.

He couldn’t catch the gist as to why Maeve had brought it up but he found his mind circling back to the physicist. “Ah - anyway - he believes academe gives him more leeway as to pursue his specific research interests, whereas joining our industry would place him in a box.” Owen shrugged towards Maeve. “You are going to show him that’s not the case. I’m giving this to you. I have too much right now with Sophia gone, I’m going to work from home a bit so one of us can be with the babies at least some of the time.”

He continued to display his displeasure with his wife by continuing to bring her up amongst company he knew would be open to bashing her. It was like a catharsis. A safe space.

Candice appeared in the kitchen with a comb, scissors, and products looking threatening. “You left me.” She scolded before pulling a chair out for Owen and pointing that he needed to sit and be groomed. Owen smiled sheepishly and resumed his position of lounging in a chair while Candice trimmed his hair and styled his hair for him.

“New nanny?” She asked of Owen quietly as if they were having a private conversation.

“Yeah. That’s the one.” With his head tilted back his Adam’s apple moved up and down with the effort of the sound.

“Real cute girl.” She winked at Maeve, and smiled her greeting at Julianna. Candice had overhead the previous remark about the woman’s eyes and having picked up on Maeve’s drift. She decided to gang up on Owen. It was fun.

“Mhmm.” Owen agreed without any insecurities in admitting he thought so. He still hadn’t caught the hidden meaning the women were getting at. "You want her number?" Owen asked peaking his eyes open and tilting his head to look up at Candice.

"No. Do you?" She shot back sarcastically.

"I have it already." He answered amiably still oblivious as to the tilt of the conversation. "Do you want it Maeve?" He asked to bring it back to her noticing Julianna's eyes.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-15-2017

Julianna was left to assume the noise he made was one of approval. The only thing she was sure of was that she could feel the rumble of that noise where his chest was almost pressed against her elbow. It was possible that his closeness was causing an over-indulgent mind to be particularly active. She was hyper-aware of the fact that the towel secure to his hips was the only thing keeping him from nudity. Jules herself was wildly more clothed in a bouncy floral skirt and soft sweater.

She couldn’t help but look up at him, when Maeve mentioned her eyes. Vibrant green and surrounded by a dark fringe of lashes. They stared at each other for a short moment, but to Julianna it sort of felt like an eternity. He had nice eyes as well, mostly stormy grey and a little bit of blue. She didn’t comment on it. Her eyes skirted away nervously and she pushed her hair behind her ears. Mumbling thinks she moved away from the stove to retrieve a serving plate, blushing all the while as the business partners continued their conversation.

There was something victorious in Maeve’s grin as she watched the two of them. Julianna’s rosy blush was all she needed to know she had hit the mark with the nanny, if not with Owen. The man was a brilliant businessman, but sometimes he missed the mark on other things. That’s fine, Maeve was determined. The physicist was the last thing on her mind, but until Owen mentioned that she was going to be in charge of him. She scoffed loudly and gaped. “I’m busy, too,” she reminded him petulantly. “I’m heading three projects, at your request, what makes you think I can babysit a physicist?”

The babies seemed to realize they were briefly being spoken about. They babbled happily and kicked their chubby legs. Julianna’s figure was briefly hidden behind Owen as she moved around the kitchen to finish their breakfast, when she reappeared with corn cakes torn into baby bites and topped with a lightly sweetened creme fraiche they giggled happily as if she’d been gone for too long.

Maeve’s eyes tracked the plates, and she looked up to catch Julianna’s gaze. They stared at each other for a moment. The little cakes look delicious.

“Do you...do you want some?”

“Yes.”

Candice appeared while Julianna prepared a plate of warm cakes for Maeve. The blonde clapped her hands excitedly when her own breakfast was presented. They exchanged pleasantries as the stylist pulled Owen back to her care, and Jules felt like she could breathe again in the space of the kitchen. She tried not to focus on him, lounged in the chair, most of his body on display. The nanny pretended they weren’t talking about her, giving all of her attention to the babies, who were making a mess of themselves with fritters and creme and berries. Her blushing the only thing giving her away.

Maeve, still digging into the food, covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed. Owen hadn’t meant anything by expression he already had Julianna’s number, but she found it amusing nonetheless. If Maeve’s meddling worked he would have more than her number. “What are you doing with the babies, today?” Maeve had decided she was going to keep pushing hard and fast while she had the two of them in the same room.

Julianna paused in cleaning up from breakfast. “I was considering a trip to the aquarium? They just reopened the touch tank there, so...I think it would be fun.”

“Owen loves the aquarium.” Maeve really had nothing to back up this statement, but she didn’t think he would disagree with her when it came to an outing with Lucy and James. “He just can’t get enough of those jellyfish.”

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-15-2017

I do? Owen was asking himself when Maeve suggested how much he loved the aquarium. He didn’t think he had ever been. The happy babbling of his babies caught his attention and he glanced for a moment at the twins who were eating their breakfast with obvious enjoyment. He smiled, “The aquarium sounds nice.” He mused while Candice finished with his hair, combing it back into a neat swoop of blonde hair. “I could go maybe?”

“All finished.” Candice chimed and tapped his shoulders indicating that he could get up. “Now for the love of god put some clothes on. Maeve and I are used to your body but this poor nanny isn’t!” She moved over towards Maeve and nudged her laughing at the expense of Owen and the nanny.

It was Owen’s turn to be embarrassed. He was suddenly aware of his nakedness gazing down the length of his bare torso with a blush on his face. “I’m sorry Julianna. I sort of just ...what’s that funny phrase?” He looked to Candice and Maeve for help. But his stylist merely shrugged he was too vague for her to even begin to suggest what he was looking for.

“Nevermind.” Owen excused himself from the kitchen long enough to dress for the day. When he returned he was rolling up the sleeves to a slate grey button up he had paired with fitted dark wash jeans. He was smartly dressed, though casual, but an expensive timepiece on his wrist suggested he was worth a lot more than his outfit gave away.

He snapped his fingers as if something came to him. “Let it all hang out.” He chuckled. “That’s what I was trying to say.”

Candice rolled her eyes, “It was almost all out but not quite. I think she would have fainted if she saw it.” She joked again at Julianna’s expense which only made Owen laugh at the compliment to his manhood. “Alright I’m off.” She announced with a salute. “See you next week.” Candice brought Owen down for a kiss on the cheek and quickly combed at his hair with her fingers seeing some imperfection she had to fix before she left.

After Candice left Owen moved up next to his business partner. He leaned both forearms on the island so he could be down on her level. “I know you’re busy but we need this guy. You know we do. You’ve read his most recent paper. We need him. So!” He rose to his full height, “You are going to woo him. Whatever it takes.” That was his final word on the matter of the physicist apparently.

“You don’t mind if I crash the aquarium do you?” He asked of Julianna while he petted at the fine hairs that grew on the babies’ heads. They liked the attention and reached for their father’s hands with sticky fingers. “I have a few work emails to get to, but I would like to go.”

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-15-2017

Maeve nodded without looking up from her plate when Candice mentioned they were used to his body. There was a subtle lift of her brows that expressed exasperation; they had been roommates in college and Owen had never been a big fan of clothing when he could get away with it. However, Julianna’s nervous and breathy giggle caused her to look up as she fed herself the last of the corn cakes. She was a red as her dark skin would let her be, it was adorable. Maeve wondered if Owen was noticing.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Julianna insisted, but the pitch of her voice and the way she clutched the spatula she’d been in the process of moving to the sink, suggested that she was not fine. “It is your home after all.” She said all of this very politely, but the relieved slump of her shoulders and outward sigh when he disappeared to get dressed gave her away.

Julianna chatted with Maeve and Candice while Owen was gone. The grilled her on her history and her background. Her qualifications, her hobbies, her dreams and her goals. She almost felt like she was being interviewed all over again, but for a very different job. Talking to the women was easier than talking to a half-naked Owen; Julianna’s blush faded and she was able to finish cleaning up the kitchen and the babies. Their moods had also improved during breakfast.

Owen returned fully dressed and Julianna’s attention was still drawn to him. She vowed to herself that he would not distract her from her main priority: the twins, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t low-key admire they way he looked. At the end of the day he was her married client.

Candice left, but not without another comment that left Jules blushing again. The nanny leaned over the counter and played with the twins, bouncing in their high chairs as Owen and Maeve spoke. They could clearly sense that their day was about to start. Already used to the routine that the nanny had set for them.

Maeve complained loudly. Throwing her head back and groaning loudly as Owen continued to insist that she would be in charge of the physicist. Of course she had read the stupid and brilliant paper that Owen had forwarded to her in an e-mail. Of course she knew that they needed. Violet eyes rolled upwards. “Fine,” she agreed, her tone was sharp and irritated. She tapped her nails on the top of the island. The blonde sighed. “For you? Anything.”

“No,” Julianna’s reply came quickly. She never would have dreamed of telling Owen that he couldn’t come along to an outing with the babies. “I don’t mind at all, and I know the twins will love it. Take your time. I’ll get them all ready to go.” She smiled brightly at him.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-19-2017

Owen was absolutely aware of the charming flush that had taken over the nanny’s face. It was only after his naked body had been pointed out to him and the teasing that ensued afterwards that he realized what was going on and Julianna’s reaction to it all.

Truth be told, Owen shouldn’t have appreciated that kind of attention being pushed his way. However, he was simply pleased to be found attractive and desirable. Fed up with his neglectful wife, Owen felt the teasing was harmless enough that he could bask in the glow for a while.

“Great.” He smiled back at Julianna to seal their plans. He watched the swirl of her skirt around her legs as she walked away with the babies.

Owen turned back to Maeve to fix her with a half-amused grin. “You’re bad.” He wagged his finger at her now accusing her of having crossed the line. Though they both knew he didn’t mind.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-21-2017

Maeve watched Owen as he watched the new nanny bundle up the babies and leave them alone in the kitchen. From where she sat he could see the way his eyes shifted to the hem of Julianna’s fluffy skirt.

She cocked her head, in a gesture that said I see you. Owen was her best friend. She had known him since college, long enough to know when he was looking at something he liked. There was something victorious in the grin she displayed when he accused her of being bad. His tone was still teasing enough for her to press on. It was a bit early for her to be celebrating anything, but the feeling of it only being a matter of time before things fell into place was rewarding.

“She is a very lovely woman,” Maeve pointed out, she'd seamlessly switched to speaking to him in German. Though Julianna had left them, she didn't know if there was a baby monitor somewhere to pick up the conversation. She continued, unrelenting, “and the twins adore her. I don't know what Sophia was thinking hiring a woman like that.” Maeve shook her head to emphasize her disbelief as she pushed away from the island and stepped gracefully down from the stool.

“All that dark hair, and those green eyes,” the engineer moved as if she was ready to leave, turning away from him and walking towards the front of the penthouse. She was hoping to fill his mind with torturous thoughts of the nanny that would replace his shitty wife. Maeve stopped at the door, turning suddenly on a stiletto heel to face him as if she'd just thought of something.

“I bet those pretty pink lips would look great on your dick.” Maeve smiled as if it the sentence was a perfectly normal part of a farewell. She shrugged her shoulders and opened the door, now behaving as if she'd said nothing at all

“Auf Wiedersehen!” she chimed before disappearing out the door.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-24-2017

“She is lovely.” Owen agreed also switching into his native tongue. Using German always felt like going home so even if he was going to endure teasing from Maeve at least it would be in his first language. But he knew it was for the sake of privacy in case Julianna cared to try to eavesdrop. He didn’t suspect she would though.

“I guess Sophia was thinking her husband is off the market and that no other woman exists to him anymore but his wife.” He shrugged but it was unclear whether he was making the argument for his wife because it was true or because it was untrue. He tried to keep this neutral stance even though they both knew that Owen had noticed the attractive nanny.

He followed Maeve while she continued to compliment Julianna. He listened but came to a full stop when Maeve put the image of Julianna’s mouth on his cock in his mind. Oh shit.

“Maeve!” He snapped in warning but his face felt hot with embarrassment at the suggestion.

“Whatever it takes to get the physicist! Maybe even put your own mouth on a dick for once for fucksake!” He yelled these obscenities after her in German as she closed the door.

Owen back into the house to collect his coffee and continue answering emails until Julianna and the babies were ready to go. “I’ll be in my office!” He called to her from the kitchen.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-24-2017

The aquarium trip was an undeniable success. The twins enjoyed the time they got to spend with their father, and the outing took their mind off of their mother’s absence. Julianna had never spent so much time with the parents of her charges in the past, and she found it to be quite a refreshing change. Owen wasn’t there to be oversee her care taking, or babysit her in turn, he just genuinely wanted to spend time with the twins and their relationship was blossoming. Julianna found herself enjoying spending time with him as well, and they’d also become closer as a result. They were friendly, casual, it was nice. She was oblivious to the things Maeve had said to him.

The aquarium had been two weeks ago, and they had gone one many other outings since then. Parks and classes and museums. Julianna was good at choosing activities that would be stimulating and educational for the babies, and also fun. Today they had gone to the park, and after a calm and easy dinner, the twins were fast asleep on their room. She was currently cozy on the couch with her laptop, a blanket, and a glass of wine.

Julianna had recently began Skype chatting with the twins’ paternal grandmother, Ishara, in Germany. It was late into the evening for Jules, but morning for Ishara, who had decided she wanted to chat with the nanny before a nursing shift at the hospital. The nanny had sought the advice of the other woman when she had decided to explore more of the twins’ German heritage with them. She’d been teaching herself German and speaking it with the babies. They were learning together, and it was kind of cute.

In her talks with Ishara the lessons went both ways, Jules would learn more German and Ishara would learn more English. They were helping each other. This evening was less of a lesson and more Julianna talking animatedly about their trip to the park earlier that day. Or as animatedly as she could in her clipped German with some English inserted in. She was sending pictures through the application and Ishara absolutely gushed at everyone one of them.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-25-2017

Owen hadn’t missed his wife at all in the couple weeks that had passed since she began her tour. They had spoken half a dozen times and the duration of those calls put together wouldn’t add up to even a half hour. They exchanged texts more often which were generally of functional topics.

He hadn’t missed her company or companionship. Frankly, of late, she hadn’t been a fulfilling companion or lover to him. So what was there to miss? Increasingly, Owen found that the needs he had of his wife were being satisfied by their nanny. Though perhaps inappropriate given his marital status, Owen pursued her to continue fulfilling more of the space his wife left behind.

They were accomplices in dressing the twins up in ridiculous animal costumes and overloading instagram with their posts. Escorts to one another on outings with the twins. A partner when he needed to vent about work things that he knew she didn’t have the context to understand.

There was really only one role left that he had yet to push her into and that was the role of his lover. He waffled in making moves on her. His mind was clouded with the imagery that Maeve had planted about her lips. She did have a beautiful mouth and always with this red lipstick. It drove him crazy. And now he would catch her teaching German words to the twins. German was a harsh language but it sounded great in her mouth - even her occasionally rocky pronunciation.

He was laying awake in bed thinking about it when he heard the muffled sounds of her voice coming from the other room. Who was she talking to? Maybe on the phone? Though he was harboring a solid crush on the nanny, Owen took more care to dress around her after being called out by Candice that first morning. He got up from bed and pulled sweat pants over his boxers and a white tank top to cover his chest.

He investigated the source of the voice and quickly came upon Julianna curled up on the couch with a laptop speaking in German-English spurts to mother on a video call. “Mom?” He asked in disbelief that Julianna was talking to her. Not that he had a problem with it. He was just surprised.

On the video Ishara squealed and clapped her hands when her son’s legs came into the frame. He addressed her and then bent down over Juliana’s shoulder so she could see his face. “Hi sweetheart,” she greeted him in German. “Sorry did we wake you?”

“No mom. I wasn’t sleeping.” He answered her in simple English so Julianna could follow along. Owen wasn’t clear on how advanced her German was yet,

“You never sleep.” She complained and then waved her hands. “Sit, sit, talk with us. Julianna told me of trips you took. She showed me the -- fish tanks pictures?”

“The aquarium, mom.” He corrected her remembering that day. That was the first day he had let someone assume Julianna was his wife. An eager employee wielding a camera had encouraged them to stand together for a photo in front of the jellyfish tank. Scoot your wife in close, he had said and without hesitation Owen’s hand curled its way around Julianna’s shoulders and pulled her into him. Lovely family. Beautiful.

It kept happening too. At the ice cream stand. And for your wife, sir? And at the kids’ museum. Just so you know there’s a changing table in the men’s room, a winky employee said, so don’t leave your wife with all the diaper duty.

He was daydreaming and realized he lost track of where the conversation went. “When do I get to see those babies in person, Owen? They aren’t too young to travel anymore.” Ishara complained at him over the video.

“You could come here, mom.” Owen suggested dryly. He had long since grown tired of being nagged by his mother about visiting. Of course Owen wanted to go. But with infant twins and and unwilling wife and demanding job it had been put off over and over again.

“I don’t feel welcome in that house with ...her. When I visited you before the babies came, she was so -”

“Okay mom.” He interrupted her not wanting to rehash old wounds over and over. His mother did not like Sophia. At all.

“And she didn’t even let me to come over for the delivery.”

“Mom. I will try to work it out. Sophia is on tour right now. There’s no way I can travel with twins alone overseas.”

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 06-26-2017

Julianna whipped her head around when she heard Owen’s disbelief come from behind her back. She made no moves or sounds to explain what she was doing talking so familiarly with his mother. She'd taken it upon herself to acquaint and connect with Ishara in her down time. She smiled at him, and she continued to smile when he near her shoulder to greet his mother on the screen. His face was so close that she could smell is aftershave.

“I try to get him to sleep,” Julianna complained in German, moving the blankets so he could sit next to her if he wished to follow Ishara’s instructions. “He never does,” she tilted her head to grin at him almost chidingly.

The nanny faded into the background and fell into silence as mother and son went back and forth about who should visit who and the tension between Ishara and Sophia. Her index finger smoothed over the track pad of her laptop and she sifted through more pictures to share.

“You’re not alone,” Julianna piped up suddenly, as another picture was sent to Ishara. The one of the four of them posing together in front of the otter tank at the aquarium. She blinked over at him, unaware or unconcerned that she may have spoken out of turn. “You have me,” she continued, and Ishara's squeals sounded from her speakers.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 06-28-2017

Owen had arranged himself next to Julianna on the couch and even claimed some of the blankets which he had pulled over his legs. Ishara was too busy cooing and fussing over the pictures Julianna sent to register immediately what had been suggested by the nanny just then. Owen caught Julianna’s surreptitious glance his way but he kept his face neutral. Admittedly, he hadn’t considered asking her to accompany him on a trip with the twins...until now.

“That’s right, Owen.” Ishara finally rejoined them in the present. “That’s why you have Julianna now. Have her come with you. It would be wonderful.” Her voice became somewhat deeper with emotion. “I miss you.” She looked away and blinked rapidly as if chasing away tears that threatened to overcome her. When it came to her family, Ishara was an emotional woman.

“I miss you too.” He said with a sigh. “I’ll plan a trip, alright?”

Just like that, Ishara snapped back to life, her face brightened and she clasped her hands together with excitement. “Owen is coming!” She yelled to someone somewhere else in the house. A man’s voice was heard responding in the background. The words couldn’t be understood but it had an enthusiastic pitch. “To visit! Yeah!”
A man appeared in the frame, hands on Ishara’s shoulders and he bent down. “Hi dad.” Owen greeted his biological father, he wasn’t sure where Darcy was that morning. This suddenly felt so intimate. His nanny was getting to know his family.

“When are you coming?” The blond man on the other end asked.

“I don’t know yet. Dad, this is Julianna.”

“Oh hi, Julianna. I heard about you." He smiled before tapping Ishara's shoulder and gesturing at the computer screen. "Google flights, honey. Here just put that window to the side.”

Owen’s palm went to his face as he watched his mother struggle with computing on the other end. They were quickly becoming distracted with researching the best flights with the least layovers. Owen glanced over at Julianna giving her a look like ‘you did this’ but he seemed entirely amused.

“When do you want to go?” He asked her while it seemed they had a private moment to speak while his parents were engrossed in sending him links to flights. "You weren't just saying that right?" He gestured much like his father had at the screen. "You're kind of in this now."