I want you guys to know that I just finished writing chapter 13 and I'm on my way to 14. I really don't know, it's either I have a lot of motivation going on or I'm just bored & writing this story is the only sensible thing I can do…hehe! I guess I'll pick the first choice…harhar! I'm on a roll here so expect to see one more chapter to be posted this week!

A Fire Inside – gotta love this person right here! I'm glad we're on the same side…lol Koumi – tell me, why do you even bother reading Mimato fics when you hate it so much huh? PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2 – thanks so much! Matt still loves Mimi, and she will soon realize what she feels for him. Keep R&R!

Chapter Eleven

Mimi lay back in her bed savoring the cool sheets, the soft white pillows, & the shadowy darkness of the room. She felt oddly detached from the world…and cocooned. She could hear voices outside, followed by a slam of a car door, then the sound of an engine starting up.

Matt was going back to the office. The house was quiet. She wanted to sleep, but her mind was too busy processing everything that had happened since she first woke up that morning.

The rock music loving painter was Matt's mother. What a surprise that had been! And Mimi was well aware of how much fun Matt had got out of that situation, but not in any nasty way, just taking a delight of having been able to stick a pin in her pomposity.

As for Mrs. Ishida…she couldn't have been warmer & friendlier. She hadn't held a grudge…in fact; she'd gone as far as to chastise her son for what she called his juvenile sense of humor…

Mimi jumped as someone tapped her bedroom door. Swallowing, she pushed herself up on one elbow. "Who…is it?" she asked & held her breath.

The door opened tentatively. "It's just me…"

It was Matt's mother, & she was carrying a small tray with a steaming teapot, two cups, & a plate of cookies.

"I thought," Elena said with a smile as she padded across the room in her white socks, "that you might enjoy a cup of tea. You've had quite a day. Besides, I never did apologize for waking you up so rudely this morning!"

She set the tray on the night table & then saying, "Sit up, dear," she leaned behind Mimi, tugged up her pillows & tilted them against the headboard. "There now, lean back & make yourself comfy while I pour some tea. I hope," she added, "that you like peppermint flavor?"

"Thanks," she said, sinking weakly back against the pillows. "I thought you had left with Matt…I didn't see another car when we drove up earlier."

"I came by bike." She handed Mimi one of the cups. "I don't have a car." She offered the cookie plate but Mimi shook her head.

"No, thanks, Mrs. Ishida, I'm not really hungry."

"Call me Elena, dear. Everybody does." She put down the cookie plate & as she picked up her own cup, she said casually, "May I call you Mimi?"

"Of course." Mimi took in a deep breath. "I want to apologize," she said, "for my display of bad manners this morning. You must have thought I was a spoiled brat!"

"What I thought…" Elena's blue eyes twinkled, "was that my son had spent the night with a rather beautiful young woman, so I have to apologize, too…for thinking sinful thoughts! I was away for the weekend, you see, & hadn't talked to Matt since Friday. I had no idea you turned up & were staying here. And even if I had, I probably wouldn't have recognized you. It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has."

"Mimi…I want you to know that Matt told me, after you went upstairs to bed, about…what happened to you, after you left town eight years ago. I knew that you were pregnant…although my son didn't confide in me until a while later. I just want you to know how dreadfully sorry I am that you lost the baby. What a heartbreaking time that must have been for you."

At the compassion in Elena's voice, Mimi felt the start of tears. "Its over now," she said quietly. "And the doctors told me that what happened was for the best. But this time around, the baby's heartbeat is very strong according to Dr. Joe, so I have nothing to worry about. I just have to take it easy & try to build up a bit."

"How did you get along with Dr. Joe?"

"I liked him right away. He seems very competent.

"He is."

For a few minutes they sipped their tea in companionable silence, then Elena said, "Do you find it…difficult…to be here, in this house now that…Matt owns it?"

Since Matt's mother was being very open & honest with her, Mimi decided to be equally frank. "My father had no right to sell this place. And I do have some papers to prove it. So…to answer your question, I do find the present situation difficult…but I do intend to fight Matt for Laurel House."

Elena looked startled & Mimi realized that Matt didn't tell his mother anything of their conflict over the property. But all Elena said was, "Well, I'm sure you & Matt will sort it out between you, one way or the other. You're both matured adults. Now," she indicated the empty cup in Mimi's hand, "if you'll let me have that, I'll leave & let you have some sleep."

She set Mimi's cup with her own on the tray, & lifting the tray, she walked over to the door where she paused & turned. "By the way, Matt has told me to leave the painting for now. But I do come around every few days to tidy the place for Matt & do the laundry & stock up his fridge. So if there's anything you need, anything at all, just make a list & I'll be happy to attend to it for you."

"Elena, you don't have to…"

"No, I don't have to…but I want to. Now you lie back & try to sleep. Matt will be home before you know it."


Matt closed the front door, set his briefcase on the bench across from the hall closet & made his way to the stairs. Cocking his had to one side, he listened, but all he heard was silence. Was Mimi asleep?

With carefully quiet steps, he climbed the stairs & crossed the landing. Her bedroom door was open. Sunlight poured in through the open blinds & he saw that the room was empty. As he turned back, the bathroom door opened & she appeared. He saw her jump when she saw him.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just came to check if you were still asleep."

She was wearing a white shirt & taupe pedal pushers, and her hair skimmed over her shoulders in two braids. She looked like twenty…but for the wary look in her eyes, which today were more golden than brown, reflecting the light from her shirt.

"I was," she said as she walked toward him. "I must have slept for a couple of hours."

"How are you feeling?"

"Not ready to run a marathon, but I'm okay."

"Are you ready to come downstairs?"

"Mmm."

He followed her as she descended the staircase. She trailed her left hand on the banister for support & he noticed that she wore no wedding band on her ring finger.

"Have you ever been married?" The question popped out before he took time to think.

She stiffened slightly but kept moving. And she didn't answer till they both reached the bottom of the stairs. Then she turned & looked up at him.

"No," she said. "But I've been in love twice…with men who I believed…cared for me, too. But although they both wanted to have sex with me, & both pledge their undying love…" she shrugged. "When I needed them, they both left me hanging in the wind."

Matt flinched inside from the hard look in her eyes. He'd been desperately in love with her & had just as desperately wanted to marry her…once he had graduated, found a job & was able to support her. But he was just a third-year student when she told him she was pregnant, & as a result he'd been devastated. Frantic. Distraught. Panic-stricken. And he said all the wrong things.

She ran off, weeping. And by the time he got over his initial panic & came to his senses, it was too late. She disappeared.

Now she was back, & she was pregnant…again. And one thing his question had elicited was that she had loved the father of this child, too. But he also let her down.

"So this baby's father isn't going to be in the picture?" he asked.

"That's right, I'm on my own." And it won't be the first time.

"I want to talk about that," he said.

"I can't imagine what you could possibly say about my situation that would be of any interest to me!"

"Let's not argue about it right now. You shouldn't be standing around." he set his hand in the small of her back & steered her firmly across the foyer & into the sitting room. "I want you to rest on the patio, in the shade, while I make our dinner."

She came to a sudden halt. "I'm perfectly able to make my own din…"

He pressed a fingertip against her lips. "No slaving over a hot stove for you. Doctor's orders." Her full pink lips were soft & warm; he had to fight a sudden urge to run his fingers over the upper curve…

"You can cook?"

She reared her head back but just before she did, her lips pouted against his finger for one brief moment. It felt like a kiss. The sensation aroused him & when he replied to her question, his voice was rough.

"Well, I don't slave over a kitchen stove…but then I don't have to…the women in my life are determined to outdo each other in the catering department. But I can broil a damned good steak, & that's what you're going to have tonight. So…" he took her hand & tugged her across to the screen doors leading to the patio, "while I slave over a hot barbecue, you'll recline on a cushioned lounger & drink iced tea…and watch me."

"Do I have a choice?"

He slid open the screen door. "The only choice you'll have is whether you want your steak rare or medium or…as the best chefs refer to well-done steaks…ruined!"

Mimi chose to have her steak medium & Matt had his rare. He served them with baked potatoes & sour cream, and a simple salad of lettuce & tomatoes, and Mimi enjoyed every bite.

As she sat back afterward, enjoying the long rays of the evening sun & sipping the last of her iced tea, she watched Matt clear away their dishes. He changed earlier into khaki sorts & a green tank top. His body was tanned & he looked fit. He had more hair on his chest than he had in his student days.

Not wanting to let her thoughts drift to the intimacy of their shared past, she dragged her gaze up to his face. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he gathered up plates & barbecue tools; & she was able to study him without detection.

She already got used to his 'new' face & she decided it suited him. He'd been attractive before, but more in a teenage boy way. Now, the slightly broken nose gave his face character & the scarred lip gave it interest. He looked older & more mature…& very handsome. She found herself wanting to run her fingertips gently over his face, 'relearning' his features the way a blind person would.

Who did he fight with? She wondered. Would she ever find out? But even as she asked herself the questions, she acknowledged that she didn't really care who he fought with; what she really wanted to know was the identity of the female they'd been fighting over.

Jealousy made her heart ache…irrational jealousy, for Matt had said the woman had been the only one for him; she herself had no intention of getting emotionally involved with Matt. He had let her down when she needed him most; if she ever gives in to her feelings for him, how could she ever be sure he wouldn't let her down again?

A clatter startled her. Matt had been trying to carry all of it at once, & dropped the barbecue tools along with a small blue plastic bowl that was bouncing its way across the patio toward her. She scooped it up & held it out to him.

"The lazy man's burden," she said archly.

"What?" He scowled at her, but his mouth twitched at the corners.

"Trying to carry everything at once to save time, but in the end, it's usually quicker to make two trips."

He took the bowl, perched it atop his load & then crouching down, kept his eyes on her as he lifted the barbecue tools & added them to his pile.

"Just watch me," he said. And stepping gingerly over the patio, he nudged the screen door open with his knee. "There," he said & walked triumphantly into the kitchen.

Mimi held her breath & listened. And then chuckled as, ten seconds later, she heard an almighty crash followed almost immediately by a loud & heartfelt "Damn!"


AN: The women in Matt's life that he was talking about were Sora & his mother. The story's going on pretty well don't you think? Well, there's plenty more to come, so stay tuned!

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