Here's another M&M scene. I hope you guys like it, and don't forget to leave a review! By the way, does anybody here know what Davis' (aka Daisuke) last name is?

LuCkyStaR17 – thanks for the review! Keep R&R! Xymi Angel Ghost – cool name! I'm glad you like it! Angel – wow! I'm so thrilled to know that you're reading this one too. I'll be updating The Whole Package soon. Seal-chan – I honestly don't know why I put Daisuke to be Mimi's ex-fiancé, so I changed Daisuke's character to Michael instead.

Chapter Three

Mimi stared at him. "What do you mean I won them?"

Matt shrugged. "I could have said you lost the lottery, but I thought it would make you feel better I f I put a positive spin on it. What I mean is, you get to keep the twins a while longer."

Mimi's head was spinning. "Oh, no."

"You're the one who volunteered for this responsibility," Matt pointed out.

"I said I'd take care of the babies for three days; Friday, Saturday, & Sunday. I'm…"

"Or until Sora gets home."

And Sora didn't expect to be hit by a virus any more than I would expect to be struck by a lightning…But what was she going to do about it? "I wasn't counting on this." Her voice felt feeble. "They could e delayed for a couple of days."

"Or more." Matt was looking at the television set.

Mimi followed his gaze. Someone from public health was showing off a chart of infection rates. The angle of the line tracing the increasing number of infected people aboard the ship looked like a rocket's path to the heavens. If her sales figures were to climb at that rate, Mimi thought, she'd be thrilled.

Trying to sound cheerful, she said, "The good news is that at this rate, the virus will have gotten to everybody on the ship by tomorrow. Once that happens, things can only get better, right?"

"That's what you call the good news?"

Mimi had to admit it didn't sound encouraging. "Look, I'm not trying to make light of the situation. I'm as worried about Sora & Tai as you are. But it looks like they've got the whole public health organization working on it…" Her words sounded hollow.

Poor Sora had been afraid that she might get seasick on the cruise. Now there's irony for you, Mimi thought. Compared to the virus that was running wild on the ship, it sounded as if seasickness would be positively pleasant.

"No point in worrying. There's nothing we can do about Sora & Tai right now." Matt picked up the bag of parts & went back to the kitchen.

Mimi followed him hopefully.

Nikko had flopped down on the kitchen floor & was chewing the handle of a screwdriver. Matt took it away fro him & put it back in the toolbox over the counter. The baby howled & absently, Mimi picked him up & handed him a plastic cup from the cabinet and watched in disbelief as Matt snapped the toolbox closed.

"You're not leaving." It was half-question, half-plea. "Matt, I can't stay here till that ship's out of quarantine. I was supposed to go home tonight. I have a life, you know, & I already put it on hold for three days to do this."

"What are you planning to do with the twins then?"

Mimi opened her mouth to answer & shut it again. What on earth was she going to do with the twins? Much as she hated to face the fact, Matt was right…she had taken the responsibility & now it was up to her to make sure the babies were safe & taken care of, until their mother could take over once more. If she couldn't actually look after them herself, then she need to find someone who could. She looked speculatively at Matt.

"The way I see it," Matt said, "you can look for a baby-sitter…"

"Hire a stranger? Sora wouldn't like that."

He didn't seem to have heard her. "Or you can call child protective services & report that the babies are being neglected and have them put in foster care. Or you can just drop them off on a stranger's doorstep, ring the bell, & run."

"Don't be ridiculous."

Matt shrugged. "That's about all the options I can think of."

"Don't forget there's one more. I can hand them over to you since you're their godfather."

"Being a godparent has nothing to do with baby-sitting. It's purely a spiritual duty."

"Don't go getting sanctimonious on me now, Ishida."

"I wouldn't dream of trying. As I recall, you told Sora on the twins' christening day that I was a bad choice for the position of godfather because I wouldn't recognize a spiritual experience even if it hit me in the…"

"Yamato Ishida, do you ever do anything when you're in church besides eavesdrop?"

"So you admit telling her that."

"I may have," Mimi admitted. "I don't actually remember, but that's beside the point."

"In any case, you're their godmother, so the same argument applies to you."

"All right then, we'll leave god parenting out of it altogether. You're their uncle…I mean, you're close to being their uncle since you & Tai are almost like brothers. And that makes you the closest relative they have. So the bottom line is that you're the one who has to make the decision."

Matt's eyebrows rose slightly. "If it's my choice, then I choose you to keep them. You've been doing a fine job so far."

Mimi couldn't decide whether to scream or kick the nearest furniture. "I have a house sale closing tomorrow & I can't even change the time because too many people are involved. I can't find a sitter by tomorrow morning because I don't have the faintest idea where to find them. Matt, I'm begging. You have to help me out here."

"Why me? You signed up for this duty, not me."

"Because I can't take a set of year-old twins to a mortage closing, that's why!"

"Well, I can't just hang them from my tool belt while I rebuild Ms. Motomiya's closets either."

Mimi bit her lip. "I don't suppose you can. But surely you can put Ms. Motomiya's closets on hold for a day or two. At least till we find out what's going on on that ship."

"Obviously, you've never met Ms. Jun or else you wouldn't say that." He lowered himself to the floor & began to put the panels on the dishwasher once more.

As soon as he finishes, he'll leave. You have to do something, Mimi…and fast.

She put Nikko down on the floor. "How about that cup of coffee, eh?"

"I expected better from you in the bribery department than that, Mimi."

"All right," she conceded. "I won't waste your time by making coffee."

"The truth is, there are so many dishes in the sink you couldn't get to the faucet to get water anyway."

Mimi ignored him. "Let's talk about this like adults. I can't miss that closing. If you'll just keep the twins' tomorrow morning…"

Matt was shaking his head.

"You won't even do that much? Just till noon." Mimi knew she sounded desperate, but she didn't care.

"I can't. I've got a supplier delivering a load of materials at eight o'clock in the morning."

Mimi chewed her lip. "Eight? My closing isn't till nine-thirty. Maybe we can work this out after all. Surely that gives you enough time."

"Depends on how fast the crew unloads. It's a big order, you know."

"Well, the closing is downtown. If I get the babies up in the morning while you go sign the receipt for your supplies, then I can swoop by & drop them off with you in Warrington…it's almost on my way…and I'll go straight to the closing. You can bring them back here &…"

His eyebrows rose. "How did you know I'm working in Warrington?"

"Sora told me." Mimi swallowed the last of her pride. "Matt, if you'll just help me out for a couple of hours in the morning, I swear I'll come straight back after the closing."

"What about your new client, the fancy executive at the auto company?"

For a moment there, she'd actually forgotten a client, something which had never happened before. So it's not just an old wives' tale. Spending countless hours with babies really can turn your brain to mush.

"I wonder whether he likes kids," Matt mused.

Mimi gritted her teeth.

"If he's divorced, maybe he has children of his own. He might enjoy having the twins around. It's such a cozy little domestic image…you, him, & the babies, looking at houses…"

Mimi had no trouble creating that image in her mind. She sighed. "I guess someone else will have to show him around tomorrow."

"Hey, kids," Matt announced. "She's giving up the tycoon for you. Bet you're tickled to hear that."

Ella clapped her hands as if in delight. More likely, Mimi thought, the baby was pleased that she managed to pile all her plastic blocks into an unsteady tower. Now she was eyeing her brother's supply.

"Nobody else in the office could possibly be less prepared than I am," Mimi said almost to herself. "I haven't even glanced at the multiple listing all weekend. All right, that covers tomorrow." She rushed on before Matt could argue the point. "Now, about tonight…"

"What about it?" Matt sounded wary.

"I don't have any real clothes here, just jeans & stuff. I'm going to have to go home & get something to wear to the closing tomorrow."

"Do it in the morning."

"It's impossible to get all the way to my place & back downtown before nine-thirty. Not if I've got the twins because they move like molasses in the mornings."

"Then go shopping on your way."

"You can't be serious. Try on clothes with two babies in tow? Besides, the malls don't open that early. And in any case, you can't just go & buy a copy of that blue jacket we have to wear…the real-estate company has them specially tailored."

"Okay, okay, you made your point. Let's go."

For a moment, she was too thrilled at the hint of cooperation to take in what he said. Then it hit her. "What do you mean, let's go? It will take me about an hour. All you have to do while I'm gone is dunk the kids in the tub, put their pajamas on, & tuck them in."

"That's all." It was obviously not a question.

"Hey, I've been doing it all weekend & I've gotten pretty good at it, too." Mimi couldn't resist grinning. "You'll probably still be wrestling with diapers when I get back."

"I have a better idea; we'll all have an outing."

"You would actually drag two kids halfway across the city at this hour just so you don't have to give them a bath? Maybe it's just as well if you keep dating lame-brained girls, Matt. If you actually ever break down & marry one, maybe she'll be dumb enough not to notice that you're ducking all the work."

"I'm not ducking anything, Mimi. When we get back, we can both pitch in for the bath & pajamas, and we'll get it done in half the time."

Mimi doubted it, but at least he sounded willing to try. That made her even more suspicious of what he was really up to. She stared at him, eyes narrowed, & finally all the pieces clocked together in her mind. "You don't trust me to come back at all, do you?"

"Would you trust me, if you were I my shoes?"

"Probably not," Mimi admitted.

"Then we understand each other quite well."

She said carefully, "So you'll actually help me? All that protests earlier about not wanting to be involved…"

"Earlier, you weren't asking for help. You were trying to dump the whole mess on me."

He was probably right, she admitted. Relief surged through her.

"I'll pitch in, Mimi," he warned, "but don't get the idea that you're off the hook. Come on, let's get you some clothes."


Mimi had underestimated how long the trip would take. It took them almost two hours before Matt's SUV was back in the driveway. Ella was asleep in her car seat, Nikko was yawning, & she felt like falling into bed herself.

Matt carried Mimi's suitcase & Nikko, while Mimi nestled a sleeping Ella out of her seat.

"I don't care how grubby they are," Mimi said. "I don't even care how many of Sora's rules I've violated tonight. Let's just put them to bed in their clothes & I'll give them a bath tomorrow."

As soon as the twins were tucked in, she unpacked her suitcase, hoping that in her haste she managed to grab at least a few pieces of clothing that coordinated. Trying to suppress a yawn, she went back to the living room. tired or not, she still had to look over the paperwork for tomorrow morning's closing.

Though she wasn't surprised to be doing her review at the last minute, she hadn't anticipated these circumstances. By now, Sora & Tai should be driving home from the airport. Any minute, they should be pulling up beside the house, unloading bags & souvenirs, chattering happily about the flight & the cruise, exclaiming how much the kids have grown in just a few days…

Don't let yourself start, Mimi.

The house was quiet. She looked around in surprise. Had Matt gone without even a word? He followed her out of the babies' room, but where had he gone then?

He probably slipped out before I could think of any other favors to ask, she told herself dryly. Or perhaps someone was waiting for him. He hadn't mentioned another date, but that didn't mean he didn't have one.

She opened her briefcase & swore when the blinking green light on her cell phone caught her eye. The light meant she had voice mail waiting for her…probably from the courier service trying once more to deliver the paperwork on the Tatsumoru's counteroffer. That was yet another thing she'd have to deal with…or hand off to someone else…tomorrow morning.

She was truly off balance, she told herself, to have gone away & left her phone behind…and not even noticed that it wasn't in her pocket. It figures, she thought. The damned thing had rung only once all weekend, until she walked off without it…but now she probably had messages stacked to the ceiling.

She punched the code to retrieve her voice mail. There was only one message after all. That was a small blessing. Behind her, Matt said, "Give me your car keys so I can move the safety seats into your car."

That was sweet of him, thinking ahead to make the morning easier for her. Mimi dug in the side pocket of the briefcase for her keys, when she suddenly froze as the message started to play. "It's Sora," she said & held the phone at an angle so Matt could listen too.

The connection wasn't the best & there was so much background noise that it sounded as if Sora was calling from a New Year's Eve party. "Mimi, where are you? You always answer your phone…oh, no, I hope that doesn't mean something's wrong with one of the babies. I only have a minute…there are people waiting, so I can't talk long. We're fine; we don't have this…stuff, this virus, whatever it is. But they're holding us prisoner even though we're perfectly healthy…oh, all right, Tai, I know my minute's up. Mimi, I'll try again when I can get back to a phone, but I don't know when that will be…you wouldn't believe the lines. I'm so sorry to do this to you. Kiss the babies for me & tell them Mommy wants to come home."

The message clicked off & there was silence.

Mimi tried to blink back tears. "Oh, damn, I wish I'd been here. I could have told her I'll take care of the babies…"

"She knows," Matt's voice was little more than a whisper.

Only when she felt the warmth of his breath against her cheek did Mimi realized how close his face was to hers. It had seemed so natural to share the phone so he could also listen. So he could share right away in any news, rather than her having to relay it. To be close enough to lean on him, in case the news was bad. But now that they were practically cheek to cheek…She was almost breathless.

Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. It isn't like there's anything romantic going on here.

Oh, there were plenty of sparks between her & Yamato Ishida, all right…there had been ever since that day at the church two years ago when she told Davis precisely why she wasn't going to marry him, and then she turned around to see Matt half hidden behind a pillar & drinking in every word she said as if it were a hundred-year-old scotch.

But the sparks weren't the starry-eyed kind. In fact, it's far from it. What the two of them created was the kind of grinding, crashing spark which flared when metal scraped against rock…and heaven help anything that got between them.

No, the reason she was feeling off-balance right now had nothing to do with Matt practically having an arm around her. She was just suffering from a sudden attack of sentimentality. Even if she expected that message from Sora, Mimi would never have anticipated how strongly affected she would be by simply hearing her friend's voice.

She snapped the phone closed & took a step away from him. "Well, at least we know that Sora & Tai are all right." She kept her voice cheerful. "That's good news. If they haven't gotten sick yet, they probably won't, & maybe they can leave the ship tomorrow." She dropped the phone back into her bag. "Oh, you wanted to shift the car seats."

Matt took the keys without a word.


AN: I know, you must be thinking that this is a little bit boring, but I assure you once you get the hang of it, it'll be interesting. By the way, does anybody here know what Davis' (aka Daisuke) last name is? His older sister, Jun, is in the story & I need to know what her last name is. If you happen to know it, please send me an email or just write it in your review.

Chapter 4 will be posted soon! PLEASE Review! lol