"Donna?" Josh bellows from the doorway as soon as he steps inside the condo.
"Back here," I respond from where I'm attempting to relax in his oversized jetted tub.
I hear the front door close and bolt and the clink of Josh grabbing a beer from the refrigerator before walking towards the master bath.
"Hey there." He leans in the door frame and I grin as I glance over to him. He's looking particularly handsome in his casual clothes. He takes it as the invitation it's meant to be and wanders over to sit on the edge of the tub, placing his beer on the vanity and leaning down to gently press his lips to mine.
"Hi," I greet him softly, laying my head back on the edge of the tub as I gaze over at him. "How'd it go."
He sighs slightly. "Fine."
"Josh…" I don't think he's trying to blow me off, but he doesn't do very well with hard conversations. "I need a little more information than that, please."
His shoulders slump slightly and I can tell he was hoping to avoid talking about this.
"I don't want to get in between you and your sister," I explain softly. "I need to know if her disapproval of my life choices is going to cause the two of you to have problems."
At that, Josh actually laughs. "Believe me, I'm the resident expert on weathering the disapproval of Joan Lyman. Remember, I'm the choice she disapproves of, not you!" He says in what can only be described as a tone of faux cherriness. Clearly, his interaction with her isn't bothering him.
"Well that's not quite true. At least, that's not what she indicated to me. She was worried I'd hurt you. I'd never hurt you, Josh. You know that, right?"
"I do. And so does Joan when it comes right down to it. Trust me, Donna. It's me she's sure will screw this up, not you." He stares at me intently.
I find myself a little at a loss. I'd like to know exactly what happened but I don't want to pry.
Josh looks at my face and gives me a gentle smile as he shrugs his shoulders. "You know how she is. She thinks she knows best for everyone. She's got a big mouth and she's overly opinionated."
"But she's got a good heart and she means well," I amend.
"You're right. She does. And she'll get over this. Just stand your ground and eventually she'll come around. She's just being stubborn. She likes to be the first one in the know, and the center of attention, and right now she isn't either. I reminded her that she doesn't get a say in this part of our lives, and if she needs to be reminded of that again, I won't hesitate to tell her. Trust me, you won't lose her friendship over this, and you aren't destroying our sibling relationship." His tone has changed. It's a little harder, a little more insistent. He takes a sip from the bottle, waiting to see if I have anything else to add on the topic.
"Be nice." I warn. "I know you're annoyed, but she means well."
"I know you're right. She does. She just has a hard time not being in control. And I'm sure she didn't appreciate being kept in the dark, but honestly? I don't care. It's not her life, it's not her relationship. It's ours."
"I just don't want to come between the two of you," I repeat again, trying to convey my sincerity
"Seriously, Donna, she's been bossing me around my whole life. When I was four she convinced me I wanted to be a ballerina."
"Really?" I can't help but laugh, picturing him in a tutu. He's smirking at me again, and I know his mood has rebounded.
"Yes. Just because she wanted a dance partner! And then, after the fire, I pretty much did whatever she wanted for a long time, and let her get away with thinking she was in control even longer. Maybe until this morning, I don't know. But giving into her isn't what's best for her… or me. Or us. But I've worked through my guilt. Don't worry, I know my boundaries. And now she knows hers, too. She'll get over it."
"I know." And I do. I caught her off guard, and she doesn't like to be surprised, especially with something that has been happening right under her nose for the past few months. But still, I thought she'd had a better reaction than she did. I really thought she'd be happy for us. I guess that's the most disappointing part of this whole thing.
We sit in silence for a beat but my mind drifts back to something he mentioned a few minutes earlier.
"Josh? What happened after the fire? What did you mean?" I'm a bit thrown by his mentioning of an event that clearly impacted him, but Joan has never gone into detail about it.
He looks away from me as an empty look washes over his face. "That's probably a conversation for another day," he tells me. "But if you want me to, um, talk about it, I will. I can."
"No," I tell him. "I don't need to know. If you want to tell me, you can. But I want you to know that nothing you say would change my love for you."
Josh gently takes my hand from where it's resting near his leg, clasping it in his own.
"Thank you." He brings my hand to his lips and tenderly kisses my palm. "I know this all seems like a lot to deal with, and I'm sorry that it's happening. But you're important to me, Donnatella. As long as you know how much I truly love you, that's the only thing that matters."
My heart beats wildly in my chest and I can't help but to practically melt at his words. I'll never tire of hearing them.
"I love you too," I tell him.
"Now," he speaks a bit louder, changing the tone in the room, "are you going to invite me into that bubble bath or do I have to just sit on the sidelines today?"
I grin at him, and he smirks back.
"Come on in," I tilt my head at him playfully.
Without hesitation, he scoots backwards and slides into the tub, fully clothed, and creates a giant wave. The water sloshes out of the tub and goes all over the bathroom floor. He laughs outright at my shocked face, and gives me a full dimpled grin, which I can't resist. But I think he knows that.
"Hmm," I remark coyly, moving closer to him and lowering my voice as my lips glide along his cheek to his ear and my fingers begin to undo the top button on his shirt. "We better get you out of these wet clothes."