A/N: Hi! This is a translated version of my Finnish story called Jumissa. I'm translating it on my own so I'm sorry for all of the spelling errors. I'm a big supporter of Joella, but it just didn't work for this story. But if you want to read about Joe and the lovely Stella, please check out my story Lovesick. You can find it in my profile. Please remember that Joe is going as Matthew and Susie as Natalie in this story. In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this story.
By the way, I own just my crazy ideas.
By the end of the night we had unpacked all of the upper floor's boxes. Matthew was watching Henry and unpacking the home office boxes while I was organizing the closet. I had a huge wardrobe. As I had predicted, there was nothing black in the closet. The closet was pretty empty with just my things. One thing I noticed was that Natalie was quite a shoe-aholic because there was a glass closet for shoes. There were over fifty pairs of them.
I walked downstairs and chose a photo of a prom that me and Matthew had supposedly attended. I walked back up and put it on a shelve beside the shoe closet.
Then I walked to the home office to see how Matthew was doing. I stepped into the room that was almost finished. Matthew had put a photo of me and Henry on a picnic. In the photo, I was sitting on a red checkered quilt wearing yellow shorts and a lime green top. Henry was wearing a multi-coloured onesie. We were both smiling. It was a lovely photo. The clothes we were wearing in the photos had been sent to us but I didn't know how to use shortshere in Alaska where the weather was so cold. Maybe I could buy some wool stockings.
Matthew was unpacking a box holding folders and there was still a box full of books in the corner. I decided to help and started to lift the books to a bookshelve. We worked in silence but it wasn't awkward at all. I felt myself relaxed with Matthew.
- Have you noticed that it's already eight o'clock? Matthew asked as I had gotten the box empty.
- Is it so much already? I think it's time for Hnery to go to bed, I said and lifted Henry up fro the swing that Matthew hd carried fro the nursery to the home office.
- Right. Do you want me to feed him? Matthew asked.
- I'll go. You go to bed. You must be exhausted, I smiled at Matthew nd kissed his cheek.
- Thanks. I am pretty tired, Matthew smiled and touched my cheek with his thumb. The touch made my skin tickle.
I walked down the stairs and heated some baby formula in the microwave. I fed and burped Henry and changed a dry diaper to him. I carried him to the nursery and dressed him into a turquoise pyjama that had pictures of dinosaurs. Then I put him to the crib and caressed his belly a few time. He fell asleep almost immediately.
- Mommy loves you, I heard myself say. I didn't think myself as Henry's mother but somehow I already knew I loved him. I felt Matthew wrap his arms aroung my waist.
- So does daddy, he whispered. I felt his hot breath on my skin. It was tickling again. We stood still for a few minutes. I had closed my eyes to enjoy Matthew's touch. I wasn't sure yet if I felt something for Matthew but I enjoyed his closeness.
- Come on Nat. When the baby sleeps, we should sleep too, Matthew whispered to my ear and dropped his arms from my waist. Before I had time to miss his touch, I felt his hand in mine.I checked on Henry one more time and we walked to the bedroom swtching the nursery light off on the way out.
- I'll go change my clothes, I said and released my hand from Matthew's. I walked into the closet and changed into a long, hot pink silk nightgown. All of Natalie's underwear were made of silk. Who did choose all of them? I couldn't sleep in a bra so I took them off but I felt myself naked without them so I put on a matching dressing gown.
I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I noticed that Matthew had been there before me because the toilet seat was up. Men! I closed it before I walked to the bedroom. Matthew was sitting on the bed only in his boxers. I tried not to look but his body was so muscular that I couldn't keep my eyes from wondering to his abs a few seconds longer than I was suppose to.
- Do you see something you like? Matthew asked when I was still standing at the end of the bed a few minutes later.
- Don't think too much about yourself, I huffed.
- Of course not, he laughed.
- I think we only have one bed, I quietly sighed. I had never shared a bed with a strange man before. Matthew wasn't that much of a stranger anymore but I still didn't know anything else about him than that his real name was Joe.
- I can sleep on the couch if you want, Matthew said and got up from the bed. At least he was a gentleman.
- You don't have to. There's plenty of room, I said and took off my dressing gown. I notced that Matthew was staring me with wide eyes.
- Do you see something you like? I asked imitating his own words.
- I might, Matthew just say. I decided to ignore him and went to lie on the edge of the bed. Matthew went to his own side and spread his body to take half of the bed.
- Come closer. I won't bite, Matthew said.
- I wouldn't be so sure of it, I breathed out. I wasn't suppose to say it out loud.
- You're going to fall off the bed, Matthew laughed. I moved an inch closer to him.
- I'm fine right here, I huffed and turned on my side my back facing him.
- Won't I even get a kiss goodnight? I heard Matthew whisper. I was sure he was smiling the great smile he always smiled when he was joking.
- Good night Matthew, I said sounding annoyed.
- Good night darling, he replied luaghing and turned to his side. I couldn't sleep feeling him on the bed with me. I didn't relax and fall asleep before I heard his breathing even and he started to snore a little.
I woke up a couple of hours later when I heard Henry cry. I tried to get up but something was holding me to the bed. I looked around and noticed that Matthew had pulled me close to him and his arms were around me.
- Matt, I whispered and poked his chest. His hard as a rock chest. But Matthew didn't even flinch. The grip of his arms just grw stronger. This was starting to remind me too much of what had happened this afternoon. I decided that the best way to wake up him fast was to kiss him. I mean, he had given me his permission to wake him up like that anytime I wanted. And now I had to get him up fast because Henry was getting angry. I pressed my lips against Matthew's and caressed his cheek with my fingers. It didn't take long until he was moving his own lips against mine. I pulled away instantly.
- Henry is crying, I whispered and Matthew pulled his arms awy from my waist.
- I'll go. You just sleep, he whispered and pressed a kiss on my forehead.
I pressed my head on the pillow and listened how the crying stopped almost immediately as Matthew walked into the room. I heard Matthew walk downstairs and clatter there for a while. Some time passed by until I heard the steps in the stairs again. They continued to the nursery. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the quietness. A moment later I felt the mattress move. Matthew turned on his side his back facing me.
- Matt, I whispered.
- Yeah? he replied.
- Could you hold me? I whispered gently. I felt Matthew moe closer on the mattress and soon he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his head on a pillow. I moved a little closer so that our bodies were pressed together. If we would end up sleeping like this, why wouldn't we go to slee like this too. I was sure it helped us both with our home sickness.
- He's sound asleep, Matthew whispered to my ear.
- Good. And thank you for going to him, I whispered and caressed his arms with my fingers.
- It was my pleasure, Matthew yawned to my ear.
- Tomorrow night it's my turn, I yawned back. I stopped caressing his arm and put my own arm against his.
- Please don't stop, Matthew whispered sounding sleepy but polite. I caressed his arm as long as I was sure he was asleep and fell asleep almost right after I stopped.
The next morning I woke up early. Matthew had turned on the bed so that only one of his arms was on me so I got up pretty easily. I put on my dressing gown and walked to the nursery. Henry was on his back in the crib and he was watching mobile hanging above it.
- Good morning sweetheart, I said as I lifted him up. He smiled his toothless smile at me. It must have been the sweetest smile I had ever seen. I noticed that he had dimples.
I carried Henry downstairs and changed him into a dry diaper. I walked to the kitchen holding Henry and warmed some milk to him. When he had drank it, I put him in his bassinet that was in the kitchen and started to make breakfast. Matthew came downstairs just a half an hour after us. His hair was wet and he was wearing only his pajama bottoms.
- Good morning, Matthew said to me and pressed a kiss on my forehead. He kissed Henry, too, before he sat down to the table. I put a plate full of pancakes in front of him. I had set the table earlier.
- Would you like coffee or juice? I asked politely.
- Coffee, please. How long have you been up? Matthew asked as I gave him a cup of coffee.
- About thirty minutes, I replied and sat down.
- And you already did all this? he asked.
- It wasn't hard but I didn't have to to do all I wanted. I would love to take a shower. Would you mind watching Henry? He should be fine because I've fed him and changed him, I smiled at Matthew.
- Of course. Stay as long as you like, he smiled back at me. I kissed Henry for a while. He loved the closeness.
Then I walked upstairs and decided to draw myself a bubblebath. I sat down to the tub and relaxed.
I started to think about my former life for the first time here. I had no parents or other living relatives so no one would really miss me or notice that I was gone. People would just assume I moved away. But I didn't know anything about Matthew's life. He could have a family waiting, even a wife. He didn't have a ring earlier and he was flirting with me, so I believed he was single. But you can never know, right?
I washed my hair adn scrubbed myself clean. I got out of the tub, took the plug off and wrapped a towel around myself when I was dry. I brushed and blow dried my hair. I pressed some hair mousse in them and curled them a little so that I had little waves in my hair. I put only a little mascara because my skin still looked good fom the tanning spray. I took my clothes with me and walked to the walk-in closet. I put the clothes to a bench that was in the middle of the closet and wondered what to wear. I ended up wearing white underwear and a long, electric blue dress. I put a white cardigan to cover my arms.
I walked to the bedroom to make the bed but I noticed that Matthew had already done it. I walked upstairs to see what the boys were doing but they were nowhere to be seen. So I peeked out of the window and saw them by the post box. Matthew was talking to our neighbour Nancy. I pulled white UGGs to my feet, opened the door, locked it and started to walk to them.
- Oh but you have to come. You can bring Henry with you. He's such a cute baby, nancy flirted with Matthew. Nancy's fingers were going up and down Matthew's bare arm. Some nnerve she had. I was pretty sure I had seen a wedding band on her finger earlier.
- Can we get back to you later? Matthew asked politely. He wasn't flirting but I noticed that he didn't move her hand away, either.
- Hi Nancy, I smiled at her when I reached Matthew's side. Nancy's fingers withdrew the second she noticed me and I felt pleased again.
- Hey darling, Matthew smiled and pressed a kiss on my forehead again. henry was in his baby carriage looking at the toys that were hanging from the edge. I bent over the carriage and kissed Henry's forehead. That made him smile widely.
- Hi sweetheart, I said back to Matthew. I lifted my left hand to the nape of his neck and let my fingers go through his hair a few times. Then my fingers played with few of his curls. Matthew closed his eyes. I smiled smugly to Nancy. The expression on Nancy's face told everything. She was jealous. She soon hid it behind her fake smile.
- I was just telling Matt that I'm having a small gathering at my house on Saturday. It would be a good way to meet all the neighbours. You have to come. Everyone is looking forward to see you, Nancy chatted. I twisted Matthew's hair in my fingers and noticed that he wasn't paying any attention to Nancy. His eyes were still closed.
- Thank you for the invite. We'll be happy to come if it's really alright thatwe'll bring Henry with us? I replied nicely. Matthew let a small sigh out of his mouth. Nancy's eyes went wide.
- Of course. I'll see you at six then, Nancy said weakly.
- I can't wait to meet your family. And everyone elsee too, I said and accidentally pulled Matthew's hair a little harder. That made him sigh even louder. Nancy looked like she was imagining her own fantasy about Matthew.
- Dean is anxciousto meet you too. And the kids. I'll see you then, Nancy said and started to walk to her house. The same second her steps were no were to be heard, Matthew swept me to his arms.
- I thought she would never leave, he said and kissed me passionately. When we finally pulled away from each other, I noticed I was panting from the lack of oxygen. .
- Wow, I sighed.
- Same to you, Matthew panted. That was the most incredible kiss I had ever gotten. We started to walk side by side. I pushed the baby carriage and Matthew's arm was around my waist.
- You liked it when I pulled your hair, didn't you? I laughed as we were walking.
- You have no idea how good that felt. But next time, please don't do it in front of the neighbours, Matthew said blushing.
- Poor Nancy almost had an orgasm when she was watching you, I laughed and Matthew's face turned into a terrified expression.
- You're kidding, right? he asked.
- Oh no, I'm not. Haven't you noticed that the puma totally wants you? I asked him.
- Puma? he asked stunned.
- You know. An older woman who's after younger men. And she has to be at least forty when you're twenty-five at tops, I said trying to guess Matthew's real age.
- Actually I'm twenty-two, matthew replied. I would never have guessed he was so young. He looked and seemed a lot older.
- Then you are a year younger than me, I said surprised.
- And who's the puma now? Matthew teased me and laughed.
- Do I look so much older? I asked and slappsed his hard as a rock chest. Outch!
- You don't look a day over eighteen, he said and kissed my forehead. It was becoming a habit.
- Thank you, I smiled. We had already walked the around naighbourhood. It wasn't a big one. It only had about ten houses that were all most likely inhibited by familys with kids.
- Should we go buy those paints you wanted? Henry seems to be sleeping. At least we could pick the paints in peace, Matthew suggested. I nodded and he went inside the house. I puhed the carriage in front of the carage. A while later matthew came back.
- I thought you might want your bag, he said and gave me my white shoulder bag. I smiled my thanks to him. Matthew opened the carage door and pressed the key to open the car doors. Then he opened the trunk. I lifted Henry carefully to his car seat that had been installed to the back seat ready for us. Matthew put the baby carriage to the trunk. I sat to the car and Matthew came to sit in the driver's seat.
- How rich do you think the neighbours think we are? I asked matthew as he reversed the car from the carage. The carage door closed when Matthew pressed a button in the car.
- I don't know. I think we are middle class, he said.
- If this is middle class, then I was poor before, I sighed. I had managed fine in my little rented apartment and I had money to live on, but I still couldn't even afford to imagine all that the Smith family had.
- Tell me something about yourself, Matthew said and took my hand in his when we were driving to the centre of the small town.
- There's not much to tell. I worked at a K-Mart as a cashier. I had a boyfriend but we broke up before I got here, I told him. It was only few days but I felt like I had known him for many weeks.
- Why did you break up? Matthew asked.
- He broke up with me. And afterwards I heard that he had cheated on me with another woman for the whole time we were together, I said. I didn't like to think about Jamie but it was easy to talk to Matthew.
- How long were you together? he asked.
- A year, I said quietly.
- Outs, Matthew said and squeezed my hand reassuringly.
- Tell me about it, I said looking out of the window.
- What's your real name? Matthew asked interested. We were not prohibitedto discuss our before lives together. We just weren't allowed to tell other people.
- Susie, I said quietly. I felt like I had already left Susie behind and Natalie was the new me. But that sounded crazy, right?
- It suits you. As does your real hair colour and the cute freckles, Matthew smirked. So he did know it was me on the hallway.
- How did you know it was me? I asked. I didn't look anything like back then.
- From your eyes. It felt like I could drown in them when I first looked at you, Matthew said. I couldn't believe he had believed the same wy I did. Maybe the time we would be stuck together, wouldn't go to waste after all.
A/N: I know Joe was born in 1989 and in this it seems like he's born in 1988. But I'm going with this so it doesn't matter. And in the show they don't really tell it so I don't think it matters. Please leave me some love :)